Re: Using the Solar calendar

Klugerman@aol.com
Tue, 12 Nov 1996 03:20:28 -0500

Danny Koffman wrote regarding his chavruta with his son Adam who questioned
the practice of connecting "Vten Tal Umatar" to the 60th day after the
Tekufah of Tishrei. At the time when Babylonia was the seat of the diaspora
it was determined that the Jews in the diaspora would pray for rain at that
time since it was not beneficial for Babylonia to have rain until then.

Now that we don'thave Babylonia as the seat of the diaspora, many feel that
the proper time would be in coordination with Israel's time slot. The ROsh
raises this question and even suggests that the custom should prevail to be
on the seventh of MARCHESHVAN. The Rema and the other rishonim do not
concur and we are forced to start reciting, "v'ten" at the time of the rest
of the diaspora.

Additionally, there is a solar blessing, Birkhat Hachama, once every 28
years which celebrates the sun being in its original position as the time
of creation.