Note: this site is for academic review only! (Currently, I am involved in a project but will complete/upload the missing chapters when time permits.  However, the links to the tables are posted and work. )

A Short Synopsis of the Time Tapestry

A wealth of chronological material is preserved in traditional Jewish sources.  However, historians are confronted with six major problems when attempting to merge data from biblical and rabbinic accounts with collateral records of other contemporary nations.  

1. The date of the Exodus from Egypt (ca 1240 vs 1311 BCE).
2. The length of the Jubilee Cycles (49 vs 50 years).
3. The duration of the First Temple period (373 vs 410 years).
4. The duration of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (585 vs 420 years).
5. The discrepancy of two years in rabbinic sources for the date of the destruction of the Second Temple (3828 vs 3830 AM).
6. There are 165 years missing from the traditional Jewish calendar system.

 

After extensive research into the question of biblical, rabbinic, and collateral chronological data, the following solutions for these problems are proposed.

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1. The date of the Exodus from Egypt:

• The choice of a mid 13th century BCE date for the Exodus was based on the Culture History School’s (late 19th and early 20th century) notions of the evolution of religious thought, assumes that the monotheistic system of Moses must have followed that of AnkhenAton because it was more developed, and not on empirical evidence.  Since no sound archeological evidence for a mass immigration from Egypt and conquest of the southern Levant exists for this period, the Exodus is deemed a composite ethnic myth.
• The date of 1311 CE for the Exodus is based on Talmudic sources that seem to allow only 420 years for the duration for the Second Temple and on the statement in the Seder Olam that there were 1000 years from the Exodus until the beginning of “Era of Contracts” (i.e. Seleucid Era).
• The tables illustrate that when all data is taken into consideration, the Exodus occurred in the spring of 1476 BCE. 
• The tables illustrate that from the conquest of the Land by Yhoshua until the destruction of the First Temple the year began in Nissan but that the fiscal year always began in Tishri following the collection of maaseh-taxation in Ellul.  Thus, the conquest of the land began after Passover in Nissan of 2488 AM and the first fiscal year begun on Rosh Chodesh Tishrei.

2. The tables follow Rabbi Yehudah haNasi and illustrate that the 50th year of the Jubilee cycle was counted separately from the seven Sabbatical cycles of seven years each during both Jewish Commonwealths.  However, during the Second period the Jubilee year was not celebrated as prescribed in the Hebrew Scriptures.

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3. Concerning the Second Temple Period:

• The evidence illustrated in the tables supports the rabbinic calculation of 410 years for the duration of the First Temple in Jerusalem. 
• The secular position, which allows only 373 years for this period, is based on the theories of Sir Henry C. Rawlinson and George Smith as published The Athenæum (London: 1867).   They discovered a cuneiform inscription of a solar eclipse which they identified with the one that occurred on 15 June 763 BCE.  Rawlinson’s chronological scheme was supported by William F. Albright in “The Chronology of the Divided Monarchy of Israel” (The Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. Number 100, 1945).  Further supported for Rawlinson’s reconstruction of Near Eastern chronology came with the discovery of the SDA (Seventh Day Adventist) Kings List. 
• However, these discoveries are significant if, and only if, they are authentic.  This is questionable since the solar eclipse inscription is anomalous, the SDA King list is unprovenced, Rawlinson and Smith have all of the characteristics of forgers, and the tablets and inscriptions have never been proven authentic by laboratory testing.   A full exposition of this issue will presented in the section on Reassessing the Cornerstone.

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4-6. The solutions for questions four, five, and the second part of number one are actually parts of question of the missing 165 year.

• In “Comparative Jewish Chronology” (Traditions, New York, 1962), Rabbi Shimon Schwab explained that the 165 years were intentionally removed from the calendar in order to conceal the time of the Mashiach.  The rabbis were following a “Divine command conveyed by an angel to Daniel to “seal the words and close the book” at the end of a long prophesy which begins in Chapter 11:1 and ends at Chapter 12:4 in the Book of Daniel”  Rabbi Schwab links this passage with another in the Talmud.  “In Pesachim 62b we hear of a Book of Genealogies, which, according to Rashi, was Mishnaic commentary on the Book of Chronicles……The Talmud informs us that this important book was hidden!  No reasons are given…..Rav (ca. 220-250 CE, Babylon) is quoted to have observed, “since the day the Book of Genealogies was hidden, “the strength of the wise had been weakened and the light of their eyes dimmed.” 
• Thus, Rabbi Schwab explains why the years are missing. The Time Tapestry explains how they were hidden. 

The rabbis used three systems to accomplish this goal.

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The statement in the Seder Olam, that there were 1000 years from the Exodus until the beginning of “Era of Contracts” (i.e. Seleucid Era), give a clue as to when the rabbis hid the years.  Since the Seder Olam, composed initially by Rabbi Josi ben Halaphta (a student of the renowned Rabbi Akiva), predates the Mishnaot of the Talmud, then the 165 years were hidden at the end of the Bar Kochba Revolt.

The focus of Arakin 12b/13a seemingly is to explain the calculations which place of the destruction of both Jerusalem Temples on the same day and in the same year of the Sabbatical cycle.  However, it contains the clue that its true purpose is to further disguise the hidden years.  “The years from the exile by Sennecherib until their return through Jeremiah are not counted.  …….R. Ashie said:  He does not count the six years until Ezra had come up and dedicated [the Sanctuary].”

The Second Temple was destroyed in summer of its 586th year.  However, in Talmudic sources of Avodah Zarah 9a, Yoma 8b and in the Seder Olam 30, only 420 years are provided.  “The Persian kingdom ruled Eretz Yisrael during the Second Temple era for 34 years; then the Greek kingdom ruled during the Second Temple era for 180 years; then the Hasmoneans dynasty ruled during the Second temple era for 103 years, and finally, the Herodean dynasty ruled for 103 years, after which the Temple was destroyed.”  These are actually the duration of ruler by governments that lacked the approval of the rabbinate.  The missing 165 years was the period of relative independence under the auspices of the Kenneset HaGadolah, during the Persian rule.

As proposed by Edgar Frank, both of the rabbinic dates (3830 and 3828 AM) for the destruction of the Second Temple equal to the Common Era date 69/70 CE.  The year 3830 is the date upon which the present Jewish calendar is based.  It was calculated from the information preserved in Avodah Zarah 9a, Yoma 8b and Seder Olam 30, while the 3828 AM date was calculated from the data in Arakin 12b/13a.  Likewise, there are two dates for the Exodus (2450 and 2448) in rabbinic sources.  Thus there is a difference of two years between the two systems.  Actually, this is the third means devised by later rabbis to hide the missing years in which they provided three methods for calculating the AM year 0 at Creation. 

Thus, these passages in Arakin 12b/13a were brilliantly and intentionally devised to conceal the 165 years.

These solutions are illustrated in the tables of the Time Tapestry. 

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I wish to thank Rabbi Joseph Radinsky for providing a link to my research on his website.  His kindness and interest in my work is deeply appreciated.

Cheryl-Michal Simani

 

© Copyright 2006: developed and authored by Cheryl-Michal Simani - may not be reproduced in any form without written permission.