In response to Steve Mullin

Since Passover is always the 14^th day of the first month (Nissan) of
the Jewish calendar, the question is, how is the beginning of the first
month determined.

There are two methods. One is written about in the Word (this is the one
I prefer), and the other came about after the destruction of the Temple
in 70AD (this is the method used today).

Biblical method: At the end of the 12^th month (Adar), before the new
moon (the beginning of the next month), the priests went into the fields
(surrounding Jerusalem) to determine if the barley crop was Abib. When
the barley grain was ripe, and the plant was yellowish and brittle, it
was ready to be harvested. This was called Abib. That is why the first
month of the year was called the month of the Abib.

Ex 13,4: "This day you are going out in the month of the Abib."

 In Deut 16,1: "Keep the month of the Abib and make the Passover
(sacrifice) to YHWH your God at night, because in the month of the Abib
YHWH your God took you out of Egypt".

Ex 23,15: "You will keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you
will eat unleavened bread, as I have commanded you, at the time of the
month of the Abib, because in it you went out of Egypt."

 Ex 34,18: "You will keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you
will eat unleavened bread, as have I commanded you, at the time of the
month of the Abib, because in the month of the Abib you went out of Egypt."

When the barley is not Abib at the end if the 12^th month, which happens
every seven years or so, a 13^th month is added (Adar 2).

The modern method, simply put, places the beginning of the first month
of the Jewish calendar  (Nissan) on the first new moon after the Spring
Equinox.

This year (2005), the first new moon after the Spring Equinox (Mar.
20th) is April 9^th , making Passover April 24^th . The problem will
come in, if the barley is found to be Abib, before the March 11^th new
moon. In which case, the Biblical Passover will be March 24^th . This in
turn would make all of the projected Feast days, 30 days earlier.

YBIC, Glenn