CHAPTER VII [ In MS. this is ch. vi.] THE COURSE OF THE MOON [7A. i.] RABBAN JOCHANAN BEN ẒAKKAI, Rabban Gamaliel, R. Ishmael, R. Elazar ben 'Arakh, R. Eliezer ben Hyrḳanos, and R. 'Aḳiba [ On Rabban Gamaliel ii. see J.E. v. 560 ff.; on R. Ishmael see Bacher, T. i. 232 ff., and J.E. vi. 648 ff.; on R. Elaẓar b. ‘Arakh see J.E. v. 96 f.; for life of R. ‘Aḳiba see Bacher, T. i. 263 ff. It is difficult to understand how R. ‘ Aḳiba or R. Ishmael could have discussed Torah with Rabban Jochanan b. Ẓakkai.] were expounding [ The first editions read: “were sitting and expounding.”] (the laws of) the Molad [ Molad is the conjunction of Moon and Sun; see Schwarz, Der jüdische Kalender, pp. 58 f.] of the moon. They said: [ The margin of the MS. has, “and all of them” (said).] The Holy One, blessed be He, spake one word and the heavens were created [ Cf. Isa. 45:12. See Othijoth d. R. ‘Aḳiba, third paragraph of letter Resh, ed. Jellinek, B.H.M. iii. p. 46, and compare John i. 3, where the Logos or Word is the Creator.] as the residence of the Throne of His Glory, [ The first editions read: “His Kingdom.”] as it is said, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made" (Ps. 33:6). But in connection with the (creation of the) host of heaven He laboured with great labour. [ The first editions read: “great labour is mentioned, as it is said, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth’ (ibid.).”] || What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He blew with His mouth the wind of the breath [ Breath implies more than a mere word.] of life [ The first editions read: “He blew with the wind of the breath of His mouth.”] and all the host of heaven were created, [ “Simultaneously” is added by the first editions.] as it is said, "And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth" (ibid.).
All the stars and constellations [ “And the two luminaries” is added by the first editions.] were created at the beginning of [ 6 p.m.] the night of the fourth [ Tuesday evening at 6 p.m., when the fourth day began.] day, one (luminary) did not precede the other except by the period of two-thirds of an hour. Therefore every motion [ Lit. “action.”] of the sun (is done) with deliberation, and every motion of the moon is (done) quickly. [ Since the sun was created just before the moon the latter hastens to overtake the former.] The distance covered by the sun in thirteen days and a fifth [ Oxford MS. (d. 35) reads: “12 days.”] is covered by the moon in one day, [ The text of the printed editions is hopelessly corrupt. They state: “The distance covered by the sun all the days of the year is traversed by the moon in one day.”] and (the distance) covered by the sun all the days of the year, the moon traverses (the same distance) in forty-one days. [ The 1st ed. reads: “28 days.” The Venice text reads: “30 days,” which seems to be more correct than “41 days” of our MS. Our author seems to treat numbers without any regard to the exact amount. By treating fractions as though they were whole numbers, we may find an explanation of the difficulty which has already occurred in the previous chapter; perhaps the 365¼ days of the year were described as 366 so as to avoid the fraction. The text should probably read thus: “The distance covered by the sun in 12 days is covered by the moon in 1 day, and (the distance) covered by the sun all the days of the year, the moon traverses in 30 days.” See, however, T.J. Rosh Ha-Shanah ii. 5, p. 58a, which is possibly the source of our text here. The lunar month according to the Hebrew astronomers was said to be 29 days, 12 hours, and 793/1080 parts of an hour (1 minute=18 parts). Our book sometimes treats this as a whole number by saying, “the month has 30 days,” or we find the more exact reference to 29 days, 12 hours, and 40 minutes, neglecting the 4 minutes, 3⅓ seconds, which really belong to the sum total. On the entire subject of the Calendar see the valuable article by S. Poznaúski in Hastings’ Encyclopœdia of Religion and Ethics, iii. 17 ff.] All the days serve for the beginning of the Molad of the (new) moon; (for the following series [ The series of the small cycles of three years in which the Molad of the next cycle falls on the day which was anterior to that on which the previous Molad fell. The calculation is based on the length of the lunar month being reckoned as measuring 29 days, 12 hours, 40 minutes, so that in one year the surplus over the complete week equals 4 days, 8 hours (since each lunar month has 4 complete weeks and 1 day, 12 hours and 40 minutes; and this surplus multiplied by 12 equals 18 days, 8 hours, i.e. 4 days, 8 hours beyond the two weeks), and in three years we have a surplus of 13 days (two weeks less one day); therefore the day of the next series to the one in question will be one day earlier than the preceding series; see Schwarz, op. cit. p. 23, and Lewisohn, Geschichte und System des jüdischen Kalenderwesens, p. 25, note 84.] ) the days are reckoned backward; at the beginning of the night of the fourth day [ Tuesday, at 6 p.m.] the beginning of the Molad (new moon) was in the hour of Saturn; [ See supra, p. 32, note 2. Saturn is represented by Sh.] and the mnemonic is ShNZ KMLChSh. After three years of the small cycle the day [ Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle.] of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the third day, and the beginning of the Molad (new moon) is in the hour of Venus. After three years of the small cycle the day [ Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle.] of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the second day, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of Jupiter. After three years of the small cycle the day [ Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle.] of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the first day, the beginning of the Molad || is in the hour of Mercury. [ The MS. reads: “Kôkhab Chamah,” which is not the usual appellation for Mercury; see Zunz, Gesammelte Schriften, iii. p. 243.] After three years of the small cycle the day [ Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle.] of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the Sabbath, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of Mars. After three years of the small cycle the day [ Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle.] of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the sixth day, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of the Moon. After three years of the small cycle the day [ Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle.] of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the fifth day, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of the Sun. After three years of the small cycle the day [ Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle.] of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the fourth day, the beginning of the Molad reverts to the hour of Saturn as in the hour when it was created.
The great cycle of the moon is 21 years; it has 7 small cycles each containing 8 years. [ The first editions add: “Each constellation ministers to the days of the lunar month.”] The total of the days of the lunar month is 29½ days, 40 minutes, and 73 parts. [ As we have seen, 1 hour = 1080 parts, therefore 4 1/18 minutes. Luria holds that the expression “73 parts” is an interpolation. See T.B. Rosh Ha-Shanah, 25a, on the question of the duration of a lunar month, which agrees with our text.] Each constellation serves the days of the lunar month for 2 days and 8 hours; three constellations serve for 7 days. The chief [ The constellation.] which begins on the new moon (of the lunar month) is the same which concludes at the end of the lunar month. [ The twelve constellations serve or influence 28 days of the lunar month; the remaining 1½ days, etc., are under the influence of the constellation which presided at the beginning of the month.] The moon becomes new at every Molad, once at night and the next time [ Lit. “once.”] by day, || and this is their sign: "And it was evening and it was morning" (Gen. 1:5). Between one Molad and (the corresponding) Molad in the ensuing year (there elapse) 4 days, 8 hours, and 876 parts. [ The first editions read: “4 days. 8 hours, and 873 parts.” This is incorrect. Luria reads: “4 days and 8 hours.” The basis of his assumption, which is unwarranted, is the theory that the lunar month =4 weeks and 1 day, 12 hours, and 40 minutes, and this surplus multiplied by 12 =18 days, 8 hours, i.e. 2 weeks and 4 days, 8 hours. Again this surplus multiplied by 3 (the small cycle) =13 days exactly. Our MS. is quite correct; see Hastings’ Encyclopœdia of Religion and Ethics, iv. p. 120. The 1st and 2nd eds. add: “the difference between a great cycle and a small cycle is only 13 days.”]
From one small cycle to the next cycle (elapse) 13 days, 2619 parts. [ This means 13 days, 2 hours, 25½ minutes.] When [ The text in the printed edition reads: “In the west at the time.” The reference is probably to the relation between the position of the sun and moon (1) in the winter and (2) at the beginning of the conjunction of the moon and sun. See T.B. Rosh Ha-Shanah, 24a, with Rashi’s commentary at top of page.] the sun goes in the south quarter, the moon goes in the north quarter, and when the sun goes in the north quarter [ In the summer the sun is more in the north than in the winter, and the moon is in conjunction in the south-west, and in the summer its position is south of the sun at its conjunction.] the moon goes in the south quarter. All the hours serve for the beginning of the Molad of the moon in a retrospective order, according to the order "ShLKNChM and Z." [ The 1st ed. omits this mnemonic.] In the first year at the beginning of the night of the fourth day the beginning of the Molad (conjunction of the moon) is in the hour of Saturn (Sh). In the second year [ “In the hour following” is found in some of the late editions. The difference between one year and the next in this connection is taken to be 4 days, 8 hours; if the first Molad were at 6 p.m. Tuesday, in the next year it will be 4 days, 8 hours later, i.e. Sunday 2 a.m., which is the hour of the moon. The following table will summarize the text:— The beginning of the Molad at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the hour of Saturn. Speaking of the sun and moon, Eth. Enoch says (lxxviii. 5): “And they set and enter the portals of the west, and make their revolutions to the north and come forth through the eastern portals on the face of the heaven.” The old Jewish belief as to the relation between the motion of the sun and moon was as follows: According to Rashi (T.B. Rosh Ha-Shanah, loc. cit.) the conjunction of every Molad (new moon) takes place when the moon is in the south-west corner of its orbit. In winter since the sun does not traverse the west in the daytime save when it sets, therefore the moon is in the west before the sun gets there, because the moon during the first half of the lunar month goes to the north, whilst the sun revolves in the south. In summer the sun goes over the greater part of the west in the daytime; and as it is then revolving in the north it is there before the moon, for then the moon is chiefly in the south. Where the sun sets there the moon rises.] the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is in the hour of the Moon (L). In the third year, in the following hour, the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is in the hour of Mercury (K). [ See supra, p. 43, note 3.] In the fourth year the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is in the hour of Venus (N). In the fifth year, in the hour following, the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is in the hour of the Sun (Ch). In the sixth year the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is in the hour of Mars (M). In the seventh year, in the hour following, the beginning of the conjunction of the moon is || in the hour of Jupiter (Z) in the hour following. [ “In the hour following” and the next sentence do not occur in the printed texts.] The third and fifth years are like the seventh. In like manner for three times these hours serve at the conjunction of the moon retrospectively until the (expiration of) the 21 years of the cycle.
All the constellations serve the moon by night from the four corners of the world: [ See Jalḳuṭ, Ex. § 418, and Jalḳuṭ, 1 Kings, § 185, according to the latter passage, “The twelve constellations (i.e. the Zodiac) through which the world is ruled, three turn to the north… Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius; Taurus, Virgo, and Capricornus are turned to the west; Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius are turned to the south; Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces are turned to the east.” An entirely different order is given in the Jalḳuṭ on Exodus, loc. cit. Cf. T.B. Pesachim, 94a, and see Eth. Enoch lxxii. 2 ff.] 3 in the north, 3 in the south, 3 in the east, and 3 in the west. All the hours [ i.e. the stars of the hours or the seven planets. This sentence is wanting in the 1st ed.] serve the moon by night from the four corners of the world: 2 in the south, 2 in the north, 2 in the east, and 2 in the west. In the hour in which it began to serve in the south, (therein) it finishes in the west; [ The eight hours refer to the length of the shortest night according to our book; see infra, p. 322. The seven planets are placed thus: two in the south, two in the north, two in the east, and the seventh planet in the west; in addition, the first planet which served in the south serves at the end of the night (8th hour) in the west.] and so with all its circuits.
All the great [ The 1st ed. reads “small.”] luminaries of the stars [ The expression is borrowed from Ezek. 32:8. The seven planets are not referred to in this connection. The Pal. Targum, Ex. 40:4, “And thou shalt bring in the lamp-stand on the south side, because thence are the paths of the sun and moon, and the pathways of the luminaries.”] are situated in the south except Ursa Major, [ ענלה, “waggon.” The constellation Taurus of the Zodiac or Ursa Major as a star is probably implied; see Rashi on T.B. Berakhoth, 58b.] which is placed in the north. All the Mazziḳin [ See supra, p. 14, note 8.] which move in the firmament and the angels [ The fall of the angels recalls Jude 6; Jubilees v. 6, 7; Slav. Enoch xviii.; Eth. Enoch vi.–xvi., xix., and lxxxvi.; Test. XII Pat. (Reuben, v. 6, 7), and Fragments of a Zadokite Work (ed. Schechter, iii. 18). See infra, pp. 99 and 160. The fall of the angels is a favourite subject with the Church Fathers, e.g. Athenagoras, Embassy, xxiv.; Justin Martyr, Second Apology, v.; and Dialogue with Trypho, lxxix.] who fell [ The first editions add: “from their greatness.”] from their holy place (even) from heaven, [ The first editions add: “in the days of the generation of Enosh.” This view opposes the doctrine of the Book of Jubilees v. 6–9, which holds that the fall of the angels took place in the days of Noah. Cf. Eth. Enoch vi. 4–6. On the “generation of Enosh” see Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, pp. 37, 193, and 248; Jeraḥmeel xxiv. 9, xxvi. 20; Pal. Targum, Gen. 4:26. On the “fall of the angels” see Gen. Rab. 26:7; Pal. Targum, Gen. 6:4; Jeraḥmeel xxv., and Gaster’s Introduction, p. lxxiii, for further parallels. In Christian literature this legend also occurs; see The Clementine Homilies, xiii.] (when) they ascend to hear the (Divine) Word behind the veil [ See supra, p. 23, note 5.] they are pursued [ 1st ed. reads: “they are separated.”] with a rod of fire, and they return [ The first editions add: “backwards.”] to their place. [ This is missing in the 1st ed.]
10 days, 21 hours, and 204 parts are the excess of the days of the solar year over the days of the lunar year; [ The 11⅓ minutes; Luria holds that this is a later addition to our text. On the astronomical question see Gen. Rab. 33:7. Our reading has been used by the Pal. Targum, Gen. 1:16 (see Ginsburger, Pseudo-Jonathan, p. 2, note 8). The Slavonic Enoch says, “And there remain 11 days over, which belong to the solar circle of the whole year” (xvi. 5). According to Eth. Enoch lxxviii. 15, 16, the lunar year has 354 days and the solar year has 364 days, thus the difference between them amounts to 10 days. Jubilees vi. 32–36 holds that the moon “comes in from year to year 10 days too soon.”] and the intercalation is introduced to equalize the days of the solar || year with the days of the lunar year. [ On the intercalation see infra, Chapter VIII. p. 57.] The sun and the moon begin (their courses) at the new moon of Nisan, the sun goes before the moon at its Teḳuphah; [ According to Giḳaṭilla’s Ginnath Egôẓ (cd. Hanau), p. 50b, the text should read: “The sun goes before the moon according to her ordinance.”] and Aries begins to serve before it by day, and all the constellations serve thereafter [ Lit. “after it,” i.e. after Aries.] according to their order. The moon goes in the opposite direction [ Lit. “backwards.”] and Aries begins to serve before it [ The MS. reads “before him,” i.e. the sun. The first printed editions read: “before her,” i.e. the moon.] by night, and all the constellations serve thereafter according to their order, until the year of the small cycle, until the year of intercalation (comes round). (When) the intercalated month comes round it supersedes (or thrusts aside) the new moon (of Nisan) and remains at the new moon of Shebaṭ, [ The intercalated month is always interposed between Adar and Nisan, so as to ensure the fall of the Passover in the early spring. The first printed editions read here, “Adar,” which appears to be the correct reading. The Venice edition adds: “and thus is it until the year of the small cycle comes round; (when) the intercalated month comes it displaces the new moon and remains at the new moon of Ṭebeth.”] and so on until the twelve [ The text is questioned by Luria and others. If instead of “12” we read “7” then we have the cycle of 19 years with 7 intercalated months, which will be presently considered. Luria thinks that “the sun and moon are equal at the commencement of the eve of the fourth day in the hour of Saturn,” as “when they were created” only applies at the end of the cycle of 84 years. This number is obtained by multiplying 12 (the number of the constellations) by 7 (the number of the planets); or by multiplying the solar cycle of 28 years by 3; or by multiplying the lunar cycle of 21 years by 4; possibly this 84-year cycle was intended to be used for astrological purposes.] intercalated months (come round) when the sun and the moon are equal (again) at the commencement of the eve of the fourth day in the hour of Saturn in the hour when they were created. Between each Molad (conjunction of the moon and sun) there are only 36 hours, 40 minutes, and 73 [ The “73 minims” must be considered as an interpolation; see supra, p. 43, note 5.] minims (parts).
The moon does not disappear from the firmament save for the twinkling of an eye; even though there were a full thread (of light) surrounding it in the east and in the west, [ That is, at the beginning and end of the Molad; see T.B. Rosh Ha-Shanah, 20b, Rashi, in loc.] the eye has not the power to see the moon until eight large [ The large hour equals two ordinary hours, as is explained in the next line of the text. This passage explaining the large hour is not in the printed editions. According to T.B. Rosh Ha-Shanah, loc. cit., the Palestinian Jews were unable to discern the moon at the Molad, for 6 hours after and 18 hours before the Molad; in Babylon the reverse rule obtained. The reading “6 hours” in this Talmudic passage seems to Luria to be the appropriate reading in our text. Assuming, however, that our text is correct, we might argue that Palestine could not be the place where our book arose.] hours (have elapsed). (The large hours) are two hours for each (large) hour, either at the beginning of the Molad (conjunction) of the moon or at the end of the Molad of the moon.
The number of the days of the lunar year is 354 days, a third of a day, and 876 minims. [ 876 minims equal 48⅔ minutes. There is evidently something amiss here, because the next sentence tells us that the lunar month has 708 hours and 40 minutes, which means that the lunar month equals 29 days, 12 hours, and 40 minutes. On this basis the lunar year has 354 days, 8 hours. Must we assume that the “876 minims” are an interpolation? This figure equals 48⅔ minutes, which in one lunar month equal 4 1/18 minutes or 73 minims.] || All the hours of a lunar month are 708 hours and 40 minutes; all the hours of a lunar year are 8504 hours. [ 8504 hours = 12 times 29 days, 12 hours, and 40 minutes.]
All the constellations serve the Molad of the moon and also the generations [ Or, “history.”] of the children of men; [ The knowledge of the influence of the stars and planets on terrestrial affairs or, in other words, astrology was believed to enable men to know the future. Our book bases this on the text, which is quoted in this paragraph; also Gen. 5:1, which was read as follows: “This is the calculation of the generations of man.” See also Job 38:19, “Where is the way to the dwelling of light… And that thou shouldst discern the paths to the house thereof? Thou knowest for thou wast then born.” The sun, moon, and the planets are referred to in this chapter, showing that they have some connection with the time and duration of life. Slav. Enoch xix. 2 says, “And these orders arrange and study the revolutions of the stars, and the changes of the moon, and revolutions of the sun, and superintend the good and evil condition of the world.” The N.T. also implies a belief in the doctrines of astrology, e.g. Matt. ii. 9; see Jeremias, Babylonisches im N.T., p. 52. This book of Jeremias is the best book on N.T. astrology; for astrology among the Jews see Löw, Gesammelte Schriften, ii. 115 ff.] upon them the world stands, and everyone who is wise and understands, he understands the Molad of the moon and the generations of the children of men, and concerning them the text says, "And let them be for signs, [ The first editions add the next word in the verse, “and for seasons”; this is wanting in our MS.] and for seasons" (ibid. 14). The signs of the hours shall not depart from serving the sun by day and the moon by night.
In three cycles of the sun or in four cycles of the moon [ The lunar cycle referred to here consists of 21 years, as stated supra, p. 43. The solar cycle consists of 28 years, see supra, p. 34.] there are 84 years, which are one hour [ God’s day equals 1000 years, therefore 1 hour (reckoning 12 hours to the day) equals 83⅓ years. The third part of the year is reckoned as a whole year. This is another instance of the use of fractions as whole numbers, which seems to be a characteristic of our author. The Church Fathers use this idea of God’s day lasting 1000 years; see Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, lxxxi., and Irenæus, adv. Hær. v. 28. 3; and cf. Slavonic Enoch xxxiii. 1 f.] of the day of the Holy One, blessed be He. When the sun and moon become equal [ That is, they begin their courses as at the Creation.] at the beginning of the eve of the fourth day and at the hour of Saturn in the hour when they were created, and in the hour when the flames of the moon reach the sun by day at the degree (or ascent) of 60 (degrees), it passes therein and extinguishes its light; and in the hour when the flames of the sun reach the moon at night in the degree (or ascent) of 40 (degrees), it passes through it and extinguishes its light. [ This refers to the eclipses. It is not clear what the 60 or 40 degrees or ascents mean here.]
Rabbi Nehorai said: It is the decree of the King [ The first editions read: “The decree of the King is made public by a word.” See Jalḳuṭ, Jer. § 285. Instead of the reading “by a word” Luria suggests the reading “in the world,” referring to the eclipses which are visible over a large portion of the world.] that when Israel sins || and fails to intercalate the year as is becoming, the Holy One, blessed be He, acts in His mercy at the time when the flame of the sun reaches the moon by night at 40 degrees (or ascents), then the Holy One, blessed be He, makes the moon dim and hides one of the Synhedrion. [ Cf. T.B. Synhedrin, 37a, and Cant. Rab. on Cant. 7:3. Here “to hide” means to conceal in the future life; this, in other words, is a warning not to neglect the intercalation. According to the Jesod ‘Olam iii. 17 the moon is the “chief” of the Synhedrion, which dies at the eclipse by being hidden. For eclipse in N.T. see Luke xxiii. 44, 45.] When Israel does the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, in His great mercy He makes the sun dim and He sends forth His anger upon the nations of the world, [ The first editions read here also “the nations of the world.” Later editions read: “worshippers of idols.”] as it is said, "Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, [ The first editions continue the verse.] for the nations are dismayed at them" (Jer. 10:2). [ Some of the old editions read here: “the nations (or according to the Prague edition ‘the worshippers of idols’) are dismayed, but not Israel.” See Pseudo-Seder Elijahu Ẓuṭṭa (ed. Friedmann, p. 10 and note 40) on the eclipses, where the Talmudic and Midrashic sources are fully given. The astronomical question is treated at length in Israeli’s Jesod ‘Olam, loc. cit.; see also Maimonides, Hilkhoth Kiddush Ha-Chodesh.] Just as the moon's light does not rule over the sun's light [ According to Slavonic Enoch xvi. 7 the moon shines with her own light.] by day, nor does the sun's light rule over the moon's light [ See T.B. Chullin, 60b. When the sun is invisible the moon shines.] by night, likewise the calculation of the moon does not rule by day nor does the calculation of the sun (obtain) by night, [ The first editions read: “We do not count the calculation of the sun at night, nor the calculation of the moon by day.”] and the one does not trespass on the boundary of the other. [ See, however, Gen. Rab. 6:3 for the opposite opinion. According to Lev. Rab. 26:4 the sun and moon borrow light from one another.]
The dwelling of the moon is between cloud and thick darkness [ This is based on Job 38:9. On the text see Buber’s introduction to Sepher Ha-Orah, p. 119.] made like two dishes turned one over the other, [ The first printed editions insert here: “and (the moon) goes forth from between them.”] and when it is the conjunction of the moon these two clouds turn in the east quarter [ The first printed editions read: “turn their faces to the west quarter.”] and (the moon) goes forth from between them [ See Singer, p. 128: “bringing forth the sun from his place, and the moon from her dwelling.”] like a ram's horn. [ At rising.] On the first night (is revealed) one measure (of light), on the second night the second measure, and so on until the half of the month when the moon is fully revealed, and from the middle of the month these two clouds turn their faces in the west quarter. [ This is also the reading of the 1st ed. The Venice edition reads: “in the quarter of the east.”] The corner (i.e. crescent) of the moon with which it comes forth first, [ See Jaḳuṭ Makhiri, Ps. 81:14, pp. 25a, b, and Jalḳuṭ, Job 38:9, § 923.] (the same) begins to enter and is covered therein by the two (clouds) on the first night [ After full moon.] (by) one measure, on the second night (by) a second measure, and so on to the end of the month until || it is entirely covered. And whence do we know that it is placed between two clouds? Because it is said, "When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness [ The first editions give the next word of the text, whereas our MS. has “etc.”] a swaddlingband for it" (Job 38:9). And whence do we know that it becomes entirely covered? Because it is said, "Blow ye the trumpet in the new moon, at the covering, [ “Covering”; see ‘Arukh (ed. Kohut), iv. p. 266a, which has a different text of our passage. For further reference to the sun and moon see T.J. Berakhoth 1:1.; T.J. Rosh Ha-Shanah 11. 5 58a; Shocher Ṭob (Ps. 19), pp. 168f.; Pesiḳta de R. Kahana, P. Ha-Chodesh, 41b f.; and Ex. Rab. xv. 22.] on our solemn feast day" (Ps. 81:8). "At the covering," on the day when it is entirely covered, blow ye the trumpet in the new moon. [ This verse of Ps. 81:3 is applied by the Liturgy (see Singer, p. 115) and by the Midrashim (e.g. Shocher Ṭob, Ps. 81 § 5) to the New Year. The fact that the Shophar (ram’s horn) was mentioned a few lines previously seems to point to this section as forming part of a Midrash for the New Year.]