As 2024 comes to a close, let’s take a moment to talk about the various ways Jews have counted the years! In modern times, most Jews keep track of time using the civil calendar – though many are simultaneously aware of the Jewish calendar, which counts time from “the beginning of the world.” We are currently in the “Jewish” year of 5785. However, until the 15th century, Jews used a calendar system called “Minyan Shetarot” as well. Literally, the “count of documents” this system was used extensively to date Jewish legal documents such as deeds, contracts, and bills of divorce.
The count of documents was not a Jewish innovation. Rather, it was used by populations throughout the Middle East well into the Middle Ages. In the wider world, this calendar system is known as the Seleucid Era; for Rabbinic sages such as Rav Sherira Gaon, it was known as the “Count from the reign of the Greeks.” The count began with the Greek reign of Seleucus I, and continued with his son Antiochus I (a predecessor of Antiochus IV of the Chanukah story). Rather than begin a new count, as was customary with ancient kings, Antiochus I continued using the “start date” of his father, thereby establishing the Seleucid Era. This era begins in 312 BCE in what is our current civil calendar system.
Pictured here is a fascinating fragment from the Cairo Genizah. Ms 1007 is a piece of calendarical conversion. It begins by providing the date according to the Jewish “Yitzirat HaOlam” (creation of the world) – 4,838. It then clarifies that this is 1,010 years since the Hurban, the destruction of the Second Temple, another reference point often provided in Jewish dated documents. Next, the document confirms this is the year 1,389 of Minyan Shetarot (count of documents), in other words, roughly 1,200 years from the Chanukah events). Further conversion aids are provided, including the place within “Yovel” or jubilee cycle, and in some type of “Mahzor” determining the year of the leap year cycle. These various dates help us establish the document refers to the civil year 1038. Since the function of the (missing) remainder of this document is not entirely apparent, it may be referring to a future date or one in the recent past. In either case, this document is assumed to be from 11th century, and nearly a thousand years old.
Happy New Year to all!
Contributed by Abigail Bacon, Head of Public Services and Outreach