Sanhedrin 11 – Leap Years

The Jewish year is lunisolar. Since twelve lunar months are less than a solar year by eleven days, and since Passover has to be in spring, “Guard the month of young grain to celebrate Passover...”, an extra month is at times inserted. The judges who decide when to insert a month need to be appointed on the day before the discussion.

It once happened that Rabban Gamliel invited seven judges, but eight assembled. Rabban Gamliel then said, “He who was not invited should exit,” on which Shmuel the Minor, who was, in fact, the greatest of them, exited, taking the blame on himself and sparing humiliation of the uninvited one.

Rabbi Meir learned from him. When a woman came to his academy claiming that one of his students betrothed her through cohabitation, Rabbi Meir was the first to give her a Get (divorce), and then all the students followed suit.

Art: Matthias Schmid - Declaration of Love