Rosh Chodesh Iyar

Karaite Korner Newsletter #380

New Moon Report
April 2009
Second Biblical Month

On Sunday April 26, 2009 the new moon was sighted from Israel. The new moon was first sighted:
*at 19:03 from Poriya Ilit by Valerie Knowles;
*at 19:10 from Jerusalem by David Cachicas and shortly thereafter by Nehemia Gordon, Devorah Gordon, and Adam Kinghorn;
*at 19:15 from Ashdod by Magdi Shamuel;

Rosh Chodesh Sameach!
Happy New Moon!

Nehemia Gordon
Jerusalem, Israel

This means that it will be Erev Pesach Kattan (Iyar 13) on Shabbat 5-9-2009 until sundown, and Pesach Kattan ends at sundown on Sunday 5-10-2009.

Pesach (Passover) is so important to Elohim that he allows a make-up test.  As before, no uncircumcized person may participate in Passover or in the Covenant Kiddush established by Yeshua haMashiach at Pesach.  However, one who becomes circumcized in the interim, or who was simply unclean or unable for whatever reason to observe Pesach properly on Nisan 14th, gets a second chance on the 14th day of the second month.

There is no commandment to observe a “make-up” version of the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month simply because the 7 days of Unleavened Bread are supposed to be observed by you from Nisan 15 until Nisan 21st anywhere and everywhere you are during those days.  There is no requirement to be at the Temple during Unleavened Bread, and even people who are medically or ritually unclean can observe it at the proper time.

Pesach, on the other hand, requires ritual purity – and when the Temple is standing persons must go to the Temple to offer their Passover sacrifice, since we are commanded, once the Tabernacle was completed, to offer all sacrifices, either for the moedim (appointed times) or our guilt and sin offerings, at the Tabernacle and later the Temple, and nowhere else.    The requirement for ritual purity remains today because we know ritual purity was required to enter the Tabernacle or Temple, and we are still bound by the Torah commandments at this time, even though no Tabernacle or Temple is standing.   The things we do today are rehearsals and learning opportunities as well as acts of obedience, and what we practice and learn and obey must be in conformity with Torah regulations.  Political correctness may suggest otherwise, but we are not to be guided by political correctness, we are to be guided by Torah.  It is not “discrimination” to obey Elohim’s commandments, none of which are “done away with” as the church or liberals claim.

So if you were uncircumcized, ritually impure, sick or unable to be with friends and family for whatever reason on Nisan 14th, or if you are simply not sure you did things “right” and want to try again, Iyar the 13th/14th is the make-up test.  Be ready!

Shalom.