Greetings
Doves and Mrs. Agee
The Talmud does “dispute” whether Nisan or Tishri is the start
of the year. As you correctly pointed out:
**The
Sefas Emes, Reb Yehudah Aryeh Leib of Ger taught:..."We have an argument
in [the Babylonian Talmud
tractate] Rosh Hashanah 10b-11a as to whether the world was created in
NISAN OR TISHRI. Rabbi
Eliezer says that in Tishri the world was created... On Rosh Hashanah
the slavery of our ancesto! rs in Egypt
ceased [six months before the redemption]; in Nisan they were redeemed
and in Nisan they will be redeemed in the time to come. Rabbi Joshua says
that in Nisan the world was created...."**.
The Talmud, which contains the oral law, and the gemara, was first
taught by the Tannim (“repeaters” circa 1-2nd century AD),
later by the amoraim (3rd century onward).
There is no question, from Exodus Ch 12, that Abib was the first
month used by the Hebrew calendar. The situation changed to commencing
the new year with Tishrei, possibly during, but Certainly after the Diaspora.
The reason is that pagan cultures worshipped the harvest season, when
the hard work was mostly done and their grain and wine products had sufficiently
fermented to accommodate riotous new year celebrations.
The Hebrews were commanded to be different, they were to commence
with the hope and promise of a good harvest, by sowing (either tithes
or seeds in the ground.). That is why God commanded the new year to start
on Abib 1.
There is also a story, midrashim on Genesis where Joseph tells
his brothers and Father Jacob that the sun, moon and stars would bow down
to him. Father Jacob was repelled to think that “your” (Joseph’s) Father
(symbolized by the Sun) and Mother (symbolized by the moon) would bow
down to him. It is all the more interesting, say the rebbes, since Joseph’s
mother () was already dead for quite sometime. The celestial bodies were
thought to “bow” down at God’s New Year. Gen 35: 16
Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance
from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. 17
And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said
to her, "Don't be afraid, for you have another son." 18
As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni.
[h]
But his father named him Benjamin. [i]
19
So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and
to this day that pillar marks Rachel's tomb.
Regarding Sodom and Gomorrah (time of Lot), there can be no doubt
it was spring, because as a fully effective type and foreshadow Lot was
eating the unleavened bread of affliction (for the Sodomites, as Israel
did eat for themselves and the Egyptians) and the bread of haste (as both
groups had to depart quickly one from Sodom, the others from Egypt).
There
is no doubt that the rabbinate altered their was after returning from
the exile and stuck with them. Since the Temple
was destroyed and the Paschal sacrifices were upset, the rabbinate deliberately
refocused their spiritual attention to Yom Kippur. Suddenly the Hebrew
spiritual life of the community revolved around a “NON-REGALIM” (NON-PILGRIM)
feast day. These secular errors crept in, became entrenched traditions
and are now viewed as scriptural. For the pagan influences on the making
of the post Diaspora calendar, I would recommend reading the numerous
articles surrounding the calendar in the Encyclopedia Britannica.
Also, The TORAH, as a unit, is internally consistent with its dates,
Abib was designated the First month, it retro applies to Genesis and long
term applies (or was supposed to apply) longterm thereafter. "He seeks
to change the times and seasons". The "he" is the spirit of antichrist,
working during the Diaspora, The Roman Civilization up to the present
with the BCE & CE designations.
Y’va
reh-ch’cha Adonai v’yeesh-m’reh-cha,
Ya-air
Adonai pa-nahv ay-leh-cha vee-choo-neh-ka,
Yee-sa
Adonai pa-nahv ay-leh-cha v’ya-same l’cha Shalom
TEFE