Day 304: The Hebrew Calendar

The Hebrew Calendar
By Batsheva 10/1/10

The Hebrew calendar's unusual
Confusing at the worst
For its first month is its seventh
And its seventh is its first!
Nisan, Iyar
Sivan, Tamuz
Av, Elul
Tishrei, Cheshvan
Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar
But wait we aren't done
That's just one way to count the months
You know that there's one more
And I'm not sure that I'd blame you
If you headed for the door
The next way starts with Tishrei
Cheshvan, Kislev,
Tevet, Shevat
(Now, hold on, 'cause I know
That this is really quite a lot)
Then comes Adar, Nisan, Iyar
Sivan, Tamuz, Av, Elul
You have to pay attention
When you go to Hebrew School
For though this is a challenge
Things don't get really rough
Until you have a leap year
That's when this all gets tough
'Cause in the Hebrew Calendar
It's not just one more day
They add in one whole extra month
Since that's the lunar way
It's how we keep our calendar
In cycle with the moon
And still keep stable seasons
So the Jewish year's in tune
For Chanukah in springtime
Just wouldn't be much fun
And Passover in winter
Would annoy most everyone
And so we add that leap month
To keep seasons in their place
Now you see why our calendar's
A very special case!