Word of the Month

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...

Years come in two flavors, 12-month 1-Adar types or 13-month 2-Adar ones.
Years can have the "normal" number of days - 354 or 384, or they can have one extra day (30 Cheshvan) - 355 or 385, or they can be "missing" a day (30 Kislev) - 353 or 383.
Years can begin on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Shabbat.
Those are all the variables. Mathematically, that can result in 24 possible year-types. In fact, only 14 year-types actually occur.
Each year type can be described as to which of each variable they have. 5765 is a M'UBERET (13-month), THU starter, that is CHASEIR (missing a day). MEM HEU CHET.
Alternately, instead of 12 or 13 months, a year can be identified as to which day of the week Pesach begins. 5765 is HEI CHET ALEF.

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