[Avodah] Yom Tov Sheni for Olim LeReget to the Beit Mikdash

[Micha Berger]

[Continuing a thread from 2 years ago at
<http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/getindex.cgi?section=Y#YOM%20TOV%20SHENI%20FOR%20OLIM%20LEREGET%20TO%20THE%20BEIT>
or <http://bit.ly/mtp2YM>]

In <http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol26/v26n227.shtml#03> I got the
dates for Abayei (who repeated "minhag avoseihem beyadeihem") and Hillel
Nesi'ah, and they do overlap. Abayei was nifrar in 335 CE, Hillel II
was nasi 330-365.

A data point proving some fixed calendar was in use before R' Hillel II.
Y-mi Eiruvin 3:9 (top of vilna ed 26b):
    R' Avohu went to Alexandria, and told them to take their lulavin
    [on the first day] on Shabbos. R' Ami heard and said, "Can R' Avohu
    come to them every time?" R' Yosi sent them a letter [pasqening],
    "Even though you have for yourselves the order of the holidays,
    do not veer from your father's minhag from which your souls rest."

R' Avohu held that the only reason one doesn't take lulav on day
1 on Shabbos, as opposed to asei docheh lav, is because of sefeiqa
deyoma. Since he was there that year, and therefore they didn't have a
safeiq, he held they should take lulav. R' Ami was afraid about causing
confuction in future years, and R' Yosi tells them to stick to minhag.

But notice R' Yosi mentions their posessing "siderei mo'ados". So we
see that in their day, there was already a precomputed calendar.

R' Assi was niftar circa 320, but certainly before Hillel's nesi'us.
He, R' Ammi and R' Yosi are 3rd generation, the time we're discussing
is late 4th (Abaye) through early 5th (Hillel nesi'ah).

The concept of a precomputed calendar must be older than Hillel II even
according to those who disagree with R' Bachaye and R' Chananel.


This isn't a chiddush according to the rishonim who say that the notion
of a precomputed calendar (although perhaps not one based on all the
current rules) dates even back to bayis sheini. E.g. Rabbainu Bachaye
(Shemos 12:2) who says the iqar was always al pi hacheshbon, and (I
presume) re'iyah is part of the ritual, not the determination of the
date. Which is why they would close for eidus or pay people to stand
out to be eidim as needed. But it is a data point.

:-)BBii!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Man is capable of changing the world for the
micha at aishdas.org        better if possible, and of changing himself for
http://www.aishdas.org   the better if necessary.
Fax: (270) 514-1507            - Victor Frankl, Man's search for Meaning