Wednesday, October 21, 2015

The Earliest Pesach

The earliest Pesach, according to the proposed new calendar, until the year 6000:

5790: 19-03
5809: 20-03
5828: 18-03
5847: 20-03
5866: 20-03
5885: 20-03
5904: 19-03
5923: 20-03
5942: 19-03
5961: 21-03
5980: 21-03
5999: 21-03

One time, the date is 18-03, too early perhaps. Three times the date is 19-03, acceptable. Five times the date is 20-03, fine.

However, the rule that just two years, 6 and 7, are skipped to arrive at the new calendar, is easily understood. Moreover, the new calendar that we proposed is valid for some 500 years.

If the earliest of the earliest Pesach dates is deemed unacceptable, the solution would be to go from year 5 to year 19 (less intuitive), together with a different, though equally simple prescription to change the Java program. The resulting calendar would be valid maximally until about 5950.