Weekly Cycle



Thursday, January 30, 2020

More on the 22-day cycles of the year: Acrostics and Priestly Guard Shifts

There are 8 acrostic psalms in Tanach. Chapter 119 has eight verses for each letter. Furthermore, the last chapter of the Book of Proverbs is also an acrostic. It is known as Eshet Chayil (the woman of valor) and said to be composed by Abraham, our Patriarch, in honor of Sarah.

1
Psalm  9-10
1st Cycle
Jehoiarib
11:35 PM
 Three weeks from Selichot to Sukkot
2

Hezir
11:47 PM

3
Psalm 25
2nd Cycle
Harim
11:59 PM
 Three weeks from  Sukkot to Cheshvan
4

Happizzez
12:11 AM
5
Psalm  34
3rd Cycle
Malchijah
12:23 AM
 Three weeks from Cheshvan to Rosh Chodesh Kislev
6

Pethahiah
12:35 AM

7
Psalm  37
4th Cycle
Hakkoz
12:47 AM
 Three weeks from  Rosh Chodesh Kislev to Chanukah
8

Jehezkel
12:59 AM
9
Psalm 111
5th Cycle
Jeshua
1:11 AM
 Three weeks from Chanukah to Mid-Tevet
10

Jachin
 End of 2nd Watch (2/3) (1:23 AM)
11
Psalm 112
6th Cycle
Eliashib
1:35 AM
Three weeks from Mid-Tevet to Yud Shvat
12

Gamul
1:47 AM
13
Psalm 145
7th Cycle
Huppah
1:59 AM
Three weeks from Yud Shvat to Rosh Chodesh Adar
14

Delaiah
2:11 AM
15/16
Proverbs 31:10-31 (Eshet Chayil)
Psalm 119

8th Cycle
Bilgah
Maaziah
End of  3rd Watch (3/4) 2:23 AM
2:35 AM
Three weeks from Rosh Chodesh Adar to 24th of Adar
17
Psalm 119 (1)
Jedaiah
2:47 AM
Three weeks from 25th of Adar to Pessach
18
 
9th Cycle

2:59 AM
19
Psalm 119 (2)
Seorim
3:11 AM
Three weeks from Pessach to 9th of Iyar
20
10th Cycle

3:23 AM
21
Psalm 119 (3)
Mijamin
3:35 AM
Three weeks from 10th of Iyar to 2nd of Sivan
22
11th Cycle

3:47 AM
23
Psalm 119 (4)
Abijah
3:59 AM
Three weeks from 3rd of Sivan to 24th of Sivan
24
12th Cycle

4:11 AM
25
Psalm 119 (5)
Shecaniah
4:23 AM
Three weeks from 25th of Sivan to 16th of Tammuz
26
13th Cycle

4:35 AM
27
Psalm 119 (6)
Jakim
 Alot Hashachar (dawn)   4:47 AM
Three weeks from 17th of Tammuz to Tisha B’Av
28
14th Cycle

4:59 AM
29
Psalm 119 (7)
Jeshebeab
Earliest Shmah,Talit & Tefilin  5:11 AM
Three weeks from 10th of Av to Rosh Chodesh Elul
30
15th Cycle

 5:23 AM
31
Psalm 119 (8)
Immer
5:35 AM
Three weeks from 2nd of Elul to 23rd of Elul
32
16th Cycle

5:47 AM



[Another idea would be to add Chapters 1 through 4 of the Book of Lamentations, which are also in acrostic form. The first verse starts with an Alef, the second with a Bet, etc. Chapter 5 has 22 verses, but is not in alphabetical order. All but one chapter is composed of 22 verses. Instead of 22 verses, Chapter 3 has 66, 3 x 22. Chapter 1 of Nachum appears to have at least half an acrostic, the other half hidden within the text.  Counting Chapter 3 of Book of Lamentations three times, and Psalm 119 eight times times there are a total of 24 texts that are composed in acrostic fashion, 16 of which are from the Psalms and Proverbs and 8 of which are from Lamentations and Nachum.  We split the year in two halves, the first for the Psalms and Proverbs (16), and the second for Nachum and Lamentations (8). This parallels the guards of Elazar and Ithamar in the times of King David. There were 24 families – 16 for Elazar and 8 from Ithamar. In the times of Aharon, it used to be split exactly in half, 8 for each. We therefore join 2 of Elazar for every 1 from Itamar.]

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