Sacred Time

[volgadon]

Robert F. Smith said:

Lance Owen and John Brooke are latecomers to the discussion of Joseph Smith as a magus or qabbalist. I had already circulated my views on the subject before they had put pen to paper. In early 1977, when Professor Matthew Black visited BYU and spoke with Hugh Nibley (a descendant of Alexander Neibaur), Hugh wrote to me saying that Black had told him "that whoever produced the Book of Moses was 'saturated' in pseudepigraphal Enoch literature" -- and not the Ethiopic Enoch which was available in an 1821 English translation, but Slavonic Enoch. Black suggested that Joseph Smith must have been in touch with some secretive, marginal group (subterranean Judaism?) which had been keeping such ideas and literature alive for thousands of years. By what means had Jewish mysticism remained in circulation? Gershom Scholem could only say that it had survived.

In addition to all that, and quite aside from Professor Jan Shipps' ideas about early Mormon "sacred time" (recapitulation of sacred events by the Mormons), there is the interesting series of synchronous correlations with the Jewish calendar:

Joseph Smith is born in a Sabbatical year, nearly dies of Typhoid and Osteomylitis the next Sabbatical (recuperating in Salem that summer),

has his First Vision in the next Sabbatical;

marries Emma Hale during the next Sabbatical, and obtains the Book of Mormon Plates at the close of that Sabbatical -- at midnight, 1 Tishrei 5588 -- hiding the Plates in a hollow log, and retrieving them ten days later on Yom Kippur;

during the next Sabbatical crucial church organizing takes place (Patriarch, President and High Councils chosen and organized) and the so-called "Army of Israel" goes on the long Zion's Camp expedition to Independence, MO.

At the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, on April 3, 1836, on Passover Day 2, Elijah comes as Kohen & Prophet to that Temple, restoring certain authority to Joseph (D&C 110:13-16).

The next Sabbatical Hyrum is chosen Patriarch, and Nauvoo Temple cornerstones are laid and construction begins.

On the 5th day of Passover 1847, the so-called "Camp of Israel" sets out to pioneer the way to the Great Basin (D&C 136 is filled with "Exodus" language).

The next Sabbatical (a Jubilee Year) the two major companies of Mormons make their exodus to the Great Basin and witness the Miracle of Seagulls and Crickets (May-June 1848);

After skipping many more Sabbaticals, we come to the Sabbatical of 1938-1939 in which Kristallnacht occurs, and WW II begins with the invasion of Poland;

At war's end, the Sabbatical of 1945-1946 saw peace -- it was another Jubilee year, in which a young Mormon Lieutenant and the group he headed began the process of designing a new gov't for Germany and it's Axis partners. When he encountered mistrust and push-back, he obtained an audience with Pope Pius XiI and suddenly his way was clear.

The Arab-Israeli Six-Day War took place in a Sabbatical year. So did the Yom Kippur War.

What lies in the future? Pay attention to the Jewish calendar. And don't forget about the Lamed-Vavim (the 36 Righteous, without whom God would destroy the world without further ado).

[volgadon]

And don't forget about the Lamed-Vavim (the 36 Righteous, without whom God would destroy the world without further ado).

I am curious as to where you are going with this.

[volgadon]

Sorry, more comments to come as I find the time. Anyone else is free to contribute.

[changed]

Joseph Smith as a magus or qabbalist?

I don't think that Joseph received his information from man, but from God. Many traditions hold certain truths which lead to similarities between groups/practices. All truths come from the same source though - God. It is interesting to see some truths that are shared by non-LDS groups

(Old Testament | Ecclesiastes 3:1)

1 TO every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

[Nathair/|\]

I think it would be really cool if Brother Joseph really was an adept. (As you know, that's one of my ambitions), but to my knowledge, there is no strong evidence of anything beyond a little New England folk magic. (Maybe, though, that's one of the things he couldn't tell even Brigham Young lest he apostatize?)

Now I am going to derail the thread slightly because there is something I have been wondering about pertaining to sacred space/time. In Exodus, the Israelites entered the Sinai by crossing the Red sea/Sea of Reeds (It doesn't matter for my purpose here. ) with Divine aid, in a sense God opened up a veil of water and let them in. Then after 40 years (apparently, a ritual number since cycles of 40 are repeated often in the Bible), they crossed the River Jordan in the same way. Does this reflect, in a mythic sense, that the Sinai was for them a sacred space and time for them? I hope that was clear.

Yours under the nemeton oaks,

Nathair /|\

[volgadon]

marries Emma Hale during the next Sabbatical, and obtains the Book of Mormon Plates at the close of that Sabbatical -- at midnight, 1 Tishrei 5588 -- hiding the Plates in a hollow log, and retrieving them ten days later on Yom Kippur;

Actually, 1 Tishrei 5588 would put that event two years after the Sabbatical year, or shanah shniyah lashmittah. I agree with the concept of sacred time, yet I feel the significance in this case is not in the year, but in the time of year. 1 Tishrei is, in the words of a popular piyyut, the time when the gates of will are opened, IE the acceptable time, the time when the Lord rises from the seat of judgement and is seated upon the seat of mercy. These ten days are for penitence, or, rather, for returning to the Lord. The scriptures given to Joseph Smith on that day point to the atonement and the one who makes repentance efficacious.

[volgadon]

I think it would be really cool if Brother Joseph really was an adept. (As you know, that's one of my ambitions), but to my knowledge, there is no strong evidence of anything beyond a little New England folk magic. (Maybe, though, that's one of the things he couldn't tell even Brigham Young lest he apostatize?)

I think you are quite right about the evidence.

Now I am going to derail the thread slightly because there is something I have been wondering about pertaining to sacred space/time. In Exodus, the Israelites entered the Sinai by crossing the Red sea/Sea of Reeds (It doesn't matter for my purpose here. ) with Divine aid, in a sense God opened up a veil of water and let them in. Then after 40 years (apparently, a ritual number since cycles of 40 are repeated often in the Bible), they crossed the River Jordan in the same way. Does this reflect, in a mythic sense, that the Sinai was for them a sacred space and time for them? I hope that was clear.

Yours under the nemeton oaks,

Nathair /|\

Spot on.

[volgadon]

Does anyone know who first pointed out the supposed correlation with sabbath years, or was that Robert F. Smith?

[mercyngrace]

Bump.

[USU78]

Here are the XIXth Century Sabbath Years (unless my math is off) and a beginning list of events that occurred during those years. Add your own. Join the fun!

guess my math was off!

[volgadon]

Here is a list of Sabbath years during the 19th century.

5565- Sep 6, 1804 - Sep 23, 1805.

5572- Sep 19, 1811 - Sep 6, 1812.

5579- Oct 1, 1818 - Sep 19, 1819.

5586- Sep 13, 1825 - Oct 1, 1826.

5593- Sep 25, 1832 - Sep 13, 1833.

5600- Sep 9, 1839 - Sep 27, 1840.

5607- Sep 21, 1846 - Sep 10, 1847.

5614- Oct 3, 1853 - Sep 22, 1854.

5621- Sep 17, 1860 - Sep 4, 1861.

5628- Sep 30, 1867 - Sep 16, 1868.

5635- Sep 12, 1874 - Sep 29, 1875.

5642- Sep 24, 1881 - Sep 13, 1882.

5649- Sep 6, 1888 - Sep 25, 1889.

5656- Sep 19, 1895 - Sep 7, 1896.

[USU78]

Here is a list of Sabbath years during the 19th century.

5565- Sep 6, 1804 - Sep 23, 1805.

5572- Sep 19, 1811 - Sep 6, 1812.

5579- Oct 1, 1818 - Sep 19, 1819.

5586- Sep 13, 1825 - Oct 1, 1826.

5593- Sep 25, 1832 - Sep 13, 1833.

5600- Sep 9, 1839 - Sep 27, 1840.

5607- Sep 21, 1846 - Sep 10, 1847.

5614- Oct 3, 1853 - Sep 22, 1854.

5621- Sep 17, 1860 - Sep 4, 1861.

5628- Sep 30, 1867 - Sep 16, 1868.

5635- Sep 12, 1874 - Sep 29, 1875.

5642- Sep 24, 1881 - Sep 13, 1882.

5649- Sep 6, 1888 - Sep 25, 1889.

5656- Sep 19, 1895 - Sep 7, 1896.

Question: I've read that there are two different ways of looking at when a year begins, a secular one, with the year beginning in Tishri [Autumn], the one you use, and a religious one, with the year beginning in Nissan [spring]. Anything to this?

[volgadon]

Question: I've read that there are two different ways of looking at when a year begins, a secular one, with the year beginning in Tishri [Autumn], the one you use, and a religious one, with the year beginning in Nissan [spring]. Anything to this?

Actualy, the new year in the religious calendar begins in Tishrei, even though the first month is Nissan. Nissan is the first month because of the miracle of salvation from Egypt.

[volgadon]

Joseph Smith is born in a Sabbatical year,

Born in the year after the Sabbatical of 5565 (Sep 6, 1804 - Sep 23, 1805). Joseph's birthday, though is not without Jewish calendrical significance. Dec 23, 1805, was the 2nd of Tebeth, the eighth day of Hannukah. The weekly Torah portion is Vayegash, that is, Genesis 44:18-47:27. The climax of Joseph in Egypt's story.

The haftarah (additional scriptural portion) is Ezekiel 37:15-28. I think most every LDS is familiar with these verses.

This is mindboggling.

[Bill Hamblin]

I think there are a few items that should be considered.

1- Sacred time, in its biblical sense, begins with Gen 1, where God makes the celestial lights for "signs and seasons" (1:14), that is, to mark sacred time. All of the cycles of sacred time were marked by temple sacrifice. Sacred time was established to mark temple sacrifice and festivals, and temple sacrifice and festivals are designed to make sure human society is synchronized with God's sacred time of the cosmos.

2- The Sabbatical year was established for the land to rest (Lev 25:2-7), just as the weekly sabbath is for Man to rest. It is not based on astronomical signs, nor is it associated with any special temple sacrifice or festival. If it is sacred time, it is in a different sense.

3- Ancient Israel had a difference calendar than modern Rabbinic Judaism. Months seem to have had Canaanite names, or numerical names. In the original Israelite calendar, the New Year began in the spring at Passover time (Ex 12:2). The Day of Atonement was in month 7. (Note the Book of Mormon uses the archaic month number system, rather than the post-Exilic Babylonian name system.)

4- In Babylon, many Jews switched to the Babylonian calendar, including its 19 year intercalation system. Contemporary Rabbinic names for the Jewish months are all taken from the Babylonians. The Rabbinic system in use today was not finally formalized until 358 AD by Hillel II.

5- In the Second temple period there were rival Jewish calendars, most notably the Enochian solar calendar (1 Enoch 72-82). Disputes over calendars were, in part, disputes over temple and priesthood.

6- Sacred time originally meant correlation of temple festivals and rituals with cosmic time as found in astronomical phenomena. The idea that there is a correlation of God's plan in history with specific cycles of time came rather later. The clearest examples come from Daniel and the Book of Jubilees. Jeremiah's 70 year prophecy may be another example, but it is more vague as to how this would fit into historical cycles of sacred time.

What all of this means is that the original Israelite calendar and system of sacred time does not correspond to the contemporary Rabbinic system, although there is a great deal of overlap. Most notably, the sabbatical years would be different under the Israelite system, which did not adopt the 19 year intercalation system until much later, and New Year would start on month 1 (Passover) instead of month 7 (Rosh ha-Shanah) in the old system. This would put the system off by six months. Whether or how this would impact the correlation of JS with sabbatical years can be debated. But it need to be considered.

The other thing to note is that so many important events happened in early LDS history, that something significant probably happened in each sabbatical year, while plenty of significant events happened in non-sabbatical years.

[WalkerW]

Born in the year after the Sabbatical of 5565 (Sep 6, 1804 - Sep 23, 1805). Joseph's birthday, though is not without Jewish calendrical significance. Dec 23, 1805, was the 2nd of Tebeth, the second day of Hannukah. The weekly Torah portion is Vayegash, that is, Genesis 44:18-47:27. The climax of Joseph in Egypt's story.

The haftarah (additional scriptural portion) is Ezekiel 37:15-28. I think most every LDS is familiar with these verses.

This is mindboggling.

Wow. And you said I rocked.

[volgadon]

The other thing to note is that so many important events happened in early LDS history, that something significant probably happened in each sabbatical year, while plenty of significant events happened in non-sabbatical years.

Indeed. Checking the calendar, most of the key events in Joseph's life do not fall on sabbatical years. I think there is much calendrical significance, but it doesn't seem that sabbatical years play much of a role in them.

5- In the Second temple period there were rival Jewish calendars, most notably the Enochian solar calendar (1 Enoch 72-82). Disputes over calendars were, in part, disputes over temple and priesthood.

Just as importantly, they were disputes over the sacred and profane. Some of the sharpest disputes in Judaism have been over such seemingly trivial matters as to when a holiday begins and ends. One of the key concepts is one of differentiating between sacred and profane (baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lechol). What one does in profane time, one should not do in sacred time, and vice-versa.

This would put the system off by six months. Whether or how this would impact the correlation of JS with sabbatical years can be debated. But it need to be considered.

It would also alter the calculation of holidays, so, for instance, Sep 22 would be meaningless.

[volgadon]

Wow. And you said I rocked.

You do.

Anyway, I'm still trying to grrasp the full significance of this discovery. Trying to see how it fits in with everything else.

Granted, the modern weekly portion was fixed in the Geonic era, but I think the significance is for our day. Things need not always be archaic to be significant.

[Bill Hamblin]

Indeed. Checking the calendar, most of the key events in Joseph's life do not fall on sabbatical years. I think there is much calendrical significance, but it doesn't seem that sabbatical years play much of a role in them.

Just as importantly, they were disputes over the sacred and profane. Some of the sharpest disputes in Judaism have been over such seemingly trivial matters as to when a holiday begins and ends. One of the key concepts is one of differentiating between sacred and profane (baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lechol). What one does in profane time, one should not do in sacred time, and vice-versa.

It would also alter the calculation of holidays, so, for instance, Sep 22 would be meaningless.

Right.

[Robert F. Smith]

Actually, 1 Tishrei 5588 would put that event two years after the Sabbatical year, or shanah shniyah lashmittah. I agree with the concept of sacred time, yet I feel the significance in this case is not in the year, but in the time of year. 1 Tishrei is, in the words of a popular piyyut, the time when the gates of will are opened, IE the acceptable time, the time when the Lord rises from the seat of judgement and is seated upon the seat of mercy. These ten days are for penitence, or, rather, for returning to the Lord. The scriptures given to Joseph Smith on that day point to the atonement and the one who makes repentance efficacious.

I realize that there are two traditions within Judaism. However, if 1 Tishrei 5588 = 21-22 September 1827, following the Jewish even-to-even 24-hour day, I am following scholarly consensus on the Sabbatical sequence from Talmud Babli 'Arakin 11b (65), as discussed by W. E. Flimer, Journal of Theological Studies, 17:289-291, and Ben Zion Wacholder, Essays on Jewish Chronology and Chronography (Ktav, 1976). Thus, the Sabbatical of 5587 ran from Monday Oct 2, 1826, to Saturday, Sept 22, 1827. There are several computerized Jewish date correlations online, e.g., I used http://www.hebrewcal...cs/main.en.html .

This also means that when Jesus stood to read the haftara (Isaiah 61:1-2) in the Nazareth Synagogue, he did so at the outset of a Sabbatical/Jubilee year, proclaiming "liberty to the captives," and deliberately declaring "the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:17-19; cf. Lev 25:10, 11QMelchizedek 2:7,18), in 27 A.D., the tenth Jubilee (seventy weeks of years = 490 years = ten Jubilees), according to Daniel 9:24, the time for the anointing of the most Holy One. See generally, http://www.margaretb...dTheJubilee.pdf , and Rainer Riesner, Paul's Early Period (Eerdmans, 1998), 43-44.

[Robert F. Smith]

I am curious as to where you are going with this.

I was introduced to the concept of Lamed-Vavim years ago reading Andre Schwarz-Bart's novel, The Last of the Just (1959). This has a number of implications, both Jewish and Mormon. Sometimes I think in this connection of Robert Mason, known to his neighbors as "The Prophet Mason." One night he had a symbolic dream about the restoration of true Christianity. He told his dream to a young boy named Wilford Woodruff, and prophesied that Wilford would taste the fruit of that restoration, but that he would not. President Woodruff told that story, and I take it that a great deal takes place outside our immediate view, but not outside the view of God. Mevin atta?

[Robert F. Smith]

Does anyone know who first pointed out the supposed correlation with sabbath years, or was that Robert F. Smith?

I'll take the blame.

[Robert F. Smith]

Here is a list of Sabbath years during the 19th century.

5565- Sep 6, 1804 - Sep 23, 1805.

5572- Sep 19, 1811 - Sep 6, 1812.

5579- Oct 1, 1818 - Sep 19, 1819.

5586- Sep 13, 1825 - Oct 1, 1826.

5593- Sep 25, 1832 - Sep 13, 1833.

5600- Sep 9, 1839 - Sep 27, 1840.

5607- Sep 21, 1846 - Sep 10, 1847.

5614- Oct 3, 1853 - Sep 22, 1854.

5621- Sep 17, 1860 - Sep 4, 1861.

5628- Sep 30, 1867 - Sep 16, 1868.

5635- Sep 12, 1874 - Sep 29, 1875.

5642- Sep 24, 1881 - Sep 13, 1882.

5649- Sep 6, 1888 - Sep 25, 1889.

5656- Sep 19, 1895 - Sep 7, 1896.

Scholarly consensus for Sabbatical sequence as follows,

5566 Tues 24 Sept 1805 - Sat 13 Sept 1806

5573 Mon 7 Sept 1812 - Sat 25 Sept 1813

5580 Mon 20 Sept 1819 - Sat 9 Sept 1820

5587 Mon 2 Oct 1826 - Sat 22 Sept 1827

5594 Sat 14 Sept 1833 - Sat 4 Oct 1834

5601 Mon 28 Sept 1840 - Thur 16 Sept 1841

5608 Sat 11 Sept 1847 - Thur 28 Sept 1848

5615 Sat 23 Sept 1854 - Thur 18 Sept 1855

5622 Thur 5 Sept 1861 - Thur 25 Sept 1862

5629 Thur 17 Sept 1868 - Mon 6 Sept 1869

5636 Thur 30 Sept 1875 - Tues 19 Sept 1876

5643 Thur 14 Sept 1882 - Tues 2 Oct 1883

5650 Thur 26 Sept 1889 - Mon 15 Sept 1890

5657 Tues 8 Sept 1896 - Mon 27 Sept 1897

Jubilee years in bold

[volgadon]

I realize that there are two traditions within Judaism. However, if 1 Tishrei 5588 = 21-22 September 1827, following the Jewish even-to-even 24-hour day, I am following scholarly consensus on the Sabbatical sequence from Talmud Babli 'Arakin 11b (65), as discussed by W. E. Flimer, Journal of Theological Studies, 17:289-291, and Ben Zion Wacholder, Essays on Jewish Chronology and Chronography (Ktav, 1976). Thus, the Sabbatical of 5587 ran from Monday Oct 2, 1826, to Saturday, Sept 22, 1827. There are several computerized Jewish date correlations online, e.g., I used http://www.hebrewcal...cs/main.en.html .

I understand that FLimer's chronology is off. At any rate, have you counted leap years?

This also means that when Jesus stood to read the haftara (Isaiah 61:1-2) in the Nazareth Synagogue, he did so at the outset of a Sabbatical/Jubilee year, proclaiming "liberty to the captives," and deliberately declaring "the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:17-19; cf. Lev 25:10, 11QMelchizedek 2:7,18), in 27 A.D., the tenth Jubilee (seventy weeks of years = 490 years = ten Jubilees), according to Daniel 9:24, the time for the anointing of the most Holy One. See generally, http://www.margaretb...dTheJubilee.pdf , and Rainer Riesner, Paul's Early Period (Eerdmans, 1998), 43-44.

Perhaps he did. This still doesn't show a cycle. Rather, he is imbuing the jubilee year with a deeper significance.

[volgadon]

Scholarly consensus for Sabbatical sequence as follows,

5566 Tues 24 Sept 1805 - Sat 13 Sept 1806

5573 Mon 7 Sept 1812 - Sat 25 Sept 1813

5580 Mon 20 Sept 1819 - Sat 9 Sept 1820

5587 Mon 2 Oct 1826 - Sat 22 Sept 1827

5594 Sat 14 Sept 1833 - Sat 4 Oct 1834

5601 Mon 28 Sept 1840 - Thur 16 Sept 1841

5608 Sat 11 Sept 1847 - Thur 28 Sept 1848

5615 Sat 23 Sept 1854 - Thur 18 Sept 1855

5622 Thur 5 Sept 1861 - Thur 25 Sept 1862

5629 Thur 17 Sept 1868 - Mon 6 Sept 1869

5636 Thur 30 Sept 1875 - Tues 19 Sept 1876

5643 Thur 14 Sept 1882 - Tues 2 Oct 1883

5650 Thur 26 Sept 1889 - Mon 15 Sept 1890

5657 Tues 8 Sept 1896 - Mon 27 Sept 1897

Jubilee years in bold

Yet 5642 was certainly and indisputably a sabbatical year of the deepest significance. Many Yemenite Jews took it as a signal for emigrating to Israel, following song of Solomon 7:8, "I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof." 5642 contained the same letters as on the palm tree. Of course there were also practical considerations, but the messianic spirit was certainly there.