Hi All:

There is a difference in the new moon and the first sliver of the new moon.  In Noah's day, there was no requirement to set the first of the month by the sighting of the first sliver of the new moon.  That only came in Moses time with the establishment of the Sacred Feasts.  Noah's world was perfect, no rain, no storms, no aberrations in weather at all.  Why?  Because the earth was in a perfect 360 degree orbit around the sun and the tilt of the poles was nearly as great as now.  While there appears to have been seasons, they were not as severe as our summer's heat and winter's cold.  Noah's moons told him when the months began.  On the new moon WAS WHEN THE MOON WAS TOTALLY DARK, NO SIGHTING POSSIBLE.  This condition lasted for at least 2 days each month and on about the 3rd day, the first small sliver of the waxing moon appeared.

Later, in the time of Moses, the lunar calendar began with the FIRST SLIVER OF THE NEW MOON, which is, as already said, at least 2 days later then the new moon.

Why is this important?  Because I believe that it establishes the new moon to have been 10/26/11 as the anniversary of Noah's new moon and thus Chesvan 17 to be 11/11/11, not 11/14/11.

Maranatha

Gerry Almond