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Would it surprise you to learn that an estimated 4 billion people utilize a lunar calendar
in some capacity? In addition to 15 million Jews, there are also 2 billion Asians and 1.9
Muslims. That is approximately half of the Earth’s population. What is it about the lunar
calendar that continues to be so appealing? Is it Tevye’s answer, “Because it’s a
tradition!”, or might there be more? The conclusion of another lap around the sun has
arrived , but where does the moon fit in? The sun provided the 24-hour day as a
measurement of time, but until people figured out the solar year, that was it. The moon
provided a month through its phases, and that was an important unit of time. Some
linguists believe that the word “month” is derived from Old English for “moon”.

The Jewish people continue to follow the lunar calendar, which is 354 days. The 11-day
differential became problematic because Passover had to be celebrated on the full
moon after the Vernal Equinox. Passover would eventually fall in the middle of winter.
Rabbi Hillel II recognized this calendric discrepancy and created in 359CE a system of
adding a leap month. How often? Within a 19-year cycle, the lunar calendar trails
behind the solar calendar by 270 days. By adding nine leap months of 30 days within
this 19-year cycle, Passover will always be on time, while we joke that our holidays are
always early or late, yet never on time. The leap month became Adar II, so that
Passover would always be on time. This process is called intercalation, meaning “to
insert one or more days into the calendar”. We intercalate the solar calendar every four
years by adding one day to the end of February. Our Muslim friends do not add leap
months to their year, which is why Ramadan is eleven days earlier every year.

The Jewish celebrations for both new years are quite different, and rightfully so. The
lunar new year arrives after we have spent one month in introspection, recognizing how
we have missed the mark and can aim to be an even better version of ourselves. How
to connect this to the solar year? My suggestion is that we have now finished one fourth
of the Jewish lunar year, and January 1 is a perfect time to evaluate our progress. How
have I met the goals of becoming a better version of myself? Where might I be falling
short? What are potential challenges I will face over the next quarter of the year? We’ve
heard the phrase “mid-course correction”, when a ship, plane or spacecraft needs to
adjust its trajectory along the way to reach its final destination. We humans are capable
of the same thing when it comes to our life’s trajectory, be it professional or personal.
Perhaps an effective use of the gift of time is to evaluate our striving to be the best
version of ourselves for the lunar year of 5785, and make any necessary mid-course
corrections? I wish you safe sailing into 2025 with calm waters and a trailing wind.