Memorial Date

[mserskine]

Could someone please explain to me, in as simple terms as you can, how the governing body figures out what date the memorial is on each year?

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I would like a SIMPLE explination,

Thanks

[Adelin]

Could someone please explain to me, in as simple terms as you can, how the governing body figures out what date the memorial is on each year?

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I would like a SIMPLE explination,

Thanks

they establish the date of the new moon that is closest to the spring equinox, new moon that is seen at Jerusalem (using the astronomical calendar, I think, and taking into consideration the hours passed from the astronomical new moon and the new moon that can be seen)

 

they count 14 days from the day of the new moon and thus establish the day for the memorial

[mserskine]

OK. Now, what is the spring equinox?

[Adelin]

OK. Now, what is the spring equinox?

the spring equinox is that day in the spring season when the length of the day is equal to the length of the night 

it is agreed that it falls on 21st of March (but it can vary from 2 days earlier to two days later)

 

In antiquity, time counting depended solely on what the human eye could see - and Jehovah made luminaries to serve as signs for seasons and for days and years. So the ancient people counted the day having the sunset and sunrise as landmarks. The month was counted depending on the lunar cycle. And the landmark for the years was the equinox. (this is the most simple explanation, I think)

Edited April 3, 2015 by Adelin

[Adelin]

just made a research and found this: http://astro.ukho.gov.uk

maybe the GB uses something like this to determine when the new moon becomes visible

Edited April 3, 2015 by Adelin

[Brother Arellano]

I always thought it was a simple task since the Jews still use this calendar today it would be as simple as looking it up. 

 

And just for fun, today is Nisan 14, 5775.

Edited April 3, 2015 by Brother Arellano

[pholmes38]

they establish the date of the new moon that is closest to the spring equinox, new moon that is seen at Jerusalem (using the astronomical calendar, I think, and taking into consideration the hours passed from the astronomical new moon and the new moon that can be seen)

they count 14 days from the day of the new moon and thus establish the day for the memorial

Last night we used the appendix in the bible teach book about the memorial for our family worship.

In the old printed book, it says 14 days from the new moon. In the updated, online, version, it says 13 days

[Adelin]

Last night we used the appendix in the bible teach book about the memorial for our family worship.

In the old printed book, it says 14 days from the new moon. In the updated, online, version, it says 13 days

and that is because

 

I said -  from the day of the new moon we count 14 days

 

They said - 14 days after the day of the new moon (this could be understood as being 15 Nisan)

 

words make the difference

[carlos]

Could someone please explain to me, in as simple terms as you can, how the governing body figures out what date the memorial is on each year?

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I would like a SIMPLE explination,

 

Michael, in simple terms, the Memorial falls on the night of the first full moon after the beginning of spring.

 

If you have a calendar where the phases of the Moon are shown, find the first full moon after March 21, and more or less that's the date. It's "more or less" rather than "exactly" because the brothers don't count the astronomical time of the full moon, but when it's viewable from Jerusalem. So it can vary a day or two.

[Stavro]

I always thought it was a simple task since the Jews still use this calendar today it would be as simple as looking it up. 

 

And just for fun, today is Nisan 14, 5775.

 

The Jewish calendar follows the astronomical full moon, the ancient Hebrew calendar follows the full moon as visible in Jerusalem.

 

Due to this discrepancy, very often Nisan 14 comes a day or two earlier or later than the passover, (2013) and since the modern Jewish calendar uses a different Metonic cycle the passover might be a full month away from Nisan 14. (2008)

[Sheep]

Thanks Stavro. I was just going to say something similar. This Questions from Readers explains it that way: w77 6/15 pages 383-4.

[Shawnster]

And anybody can do this.  It doesn't take a bunch of astronomy or telescopes.

 

Jerry made a chart that shows the pattern the full moon follows

 

http://jwtalk.net/forums/topic/4704-memorial-dates/

[Stormswift]

So when you see the first sliver of the moon - that heralds the month Nisan - then fourteen days takes you to the full moon.

[carlos]

So when you see the first sliver of the moon - that heralds the month Nisan - then fourteen days takes you to the full moon.

 

Exactly. And if you are in Jerusalem when you see the full moon, that's the night of the Memorial.

[Adelin]

Exactly. And if you are in Jerusalem when you see the full moon, that's the night of the Memorial.

is the full moon always exactly 14 days after the visible new moon  ?

[And_Ray]

is the full moon always exactly 14 days after the visible new moon ?

Yes. Why? Moon cycle is 28 days, full moon to be full again. So new moon is halfway through. 28/2=14

Edit : in fact the new moon isn't visible for a period of time. So that would be around 13 days. But then again, 14 nisan starts after the sunset on the 13th day after the new moon is visible in Jerusalem.

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Edited April 4, 2015 by Andrejrulz

[Stavro]

Yes. Why? Moon cycle is 28 days, full moon to be full again. So new moon is halfway through. 28/2=14

 

Not quite, the astronomical lunar cycle is 29.5 days, and under the Hebrew calendar the month is counted as 29 or 30 days. (it-1 p. 390)

 

The full moon will usually be about 14 days after the new moon, it's an acceptable estimate for the memorial in case of isolation, but whenever possible we would want to count from the visible new moon, rather than the full moon. (w77 6/15 p. 384)

[And_Ray]

Not quite, the astronomical lunar cycle is 29.5 days, and under the Hebrew calendar the month is counted as 29 or 30 days. (it-1 p. 390)

The full moon will usually be about 14 days after the new moon, it's an acceptable estimate for the memorial in case of isolation, but whenever possible we would want to count from the visible new moon, rather than the full moon. (w77 6/15 p. 384)

Ugh, I guess I am gonna have to restudy this topic. But yeah, 14 from first visible new moon. I knew that for sure

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[Stormswift]

Yes it's cycle is more than 28 days - that's why a blue moon (two full moons in one calendar month) is very rare.

[Qapla]

I have attended the Memorial with the same Date for the last 37 years - she is my wife

[BibleSteve]

What date (Gregorian/Western calendar) is Nisan 14 2016? Or in other words what day is memorial 2016?

Edited April 5, 2015 by BibleSteve

[mserskine]

What date (Gregorian/Western calendar) is Nisan 14 2016? Or in other words what day is memorial 2016?

Wednesday March 23rd, 2016

[trottigy]

What date (Gregorian/Western calendar) is Nisan 14 2016? Or in other words what day is memorial 2016?

You can almost always find the date for the memorial in the Dec km announcements.

[BibleSteve]

Many thanks for that I knew I had seen it but couldn't remember where.

[Adelin]

Not quite, the astronomical lunar cycle is 29.5 days, and under the Hebrew calendar the month is counted as 29 or 30 days. (it-1 p. 390)

 

The full moon will usually be about 14 days after the new moon, it's an acceptable estimate for the memorial in case of isolation, but whenever possible we would want to count from the visible new moon, rather than the full moon. (w77 6/15 p. 384)

and this is why I don´t use the explanation related to the full moon