Parashat Vayishlach A weekly feature of Torah Tidbits to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby better fulfilling the mitzva of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem... Continuing a thread from last week... it is well-known (to those who know it) that the days of Pesach are linked to many other calendar dates, as far as day of the week is concerned. For example, it is certain (in our fixed calendar) that Rosh HaShana falls on the same day of the week as the first day of the previous Pesach.Purim in Yerushalayim falls on the same day of the week as the 7th day of the coming Pesach. Pesach, Shavuot, Tish'a b'Av, most of the other fast days, Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Purim are all linked to each other. Another way of saying the same thing is that 163 nights after the Seder, we will be dipping appleinto honey and some of us will be eating fish heads. This is so regardless of how many Adars in the year and regardless of the lengths of Cheshvan and Kislev (that's the whole variability story). Not so, by the way, for Rosh haShana to Pesach. That varies. But Pesach to Rosh HaShana does not vary. Ever. (Fixed calendar,remember.) Chanuka is left out of the family of holidays in this respect. The number of days from the first candle to Megilat Esther, for example, is not always the same, in either direction. Therefore, no day link. [The Vayishlach Homepage]
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