Originally posted by Suzianne
It is because this is a leap year in the Hebrew system, and so the year had a 13th month, known as Adar Sheni, or Adar II. The lunar year has 354 days, while the solar year is 365 days, so these extra 11 days add up, and so during the 19 year cycle, 7 of those years are leap years. The leap years are the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th and 19th year of th ...[text shortened]... chodeshim make a Shanah, or year, except in leap years, when there are 13 chodeshim in a Shanah.

Excellent explanation.

I'd like to also add that the reason for the calendar and the leap year is that the Bible dictates that Passover must be in the "Aviv" (spring) which means after the Vernal Equinox. Otherwise, the Jewish calendar would probably be like the Muslim calendar where it's based on the lunar cycle with no correction for the difference between the 354 day lunar 12-month cycle and the 365.25 day solar year (and so Muslim holidays and seasons are allowed to slide through the solar year).

Theoretically, therefore, a Jewish calendar leap year (addition of a second Adar) is only compelled when Passover would otherwise come out before the Vernal Equinox. I believe there are 2 incidents in a typical 19 year cycle where there are unnecessary leap years and this year was one of them. I believe that is also why Easter and Passover came out a month apart this year when they are typically the same week in years where there is no leap year and in years where there is a "necessary" Adar II.

Originally posted by sh76
Passover is not just about the 10 plagues. It's about the Exodus in general. Whether the 10 plagues occurred or didn't occur wouldn't make the Exodus any more or less miraculous if you take the Biblical claims at face value.

We only have the account as written in the Bible, and the deliverance of the people, according to the story, only happened after the 10 plagues.....and as I have mentioned earlier, Passover is oddly enough named after the 10th plague itself. To me, the hardening of Pharaoh's heart by God is key to the story and I was just airing my thoughts about the story.

It would seem to me that the plagues were a very big part of the story, for God seemingly made sure they would happen. Why? I don't know.

Originally posted by chaney3
We only have the account as written in the Bible, and the deliverance of the people, according to the story, only happened after the 10 plagues.....and as I have mentioned earlier, Passover is oddly enough named after the 10th plague itself. To me, the hardening of Pharaoh's heart by God is key to the story and I was just airing my thoughts about the story. ...[text shortened]... very big part of the story, for God seemingly made sure they would happen. Why? I don't know.

Well, it was really just the 10th plague that did the trick. It doesn't seem that the first 9 were really necessary except to punish the Egyptians and set the stage for the 10th.

Anyway, as to your original question (which is a good question, of course; I'm sorry if I implied otherwise), as yeshiva children, we were taught that "hardening Pharaoh's heart" means that God gave Pharaoh the courage to resist the political pressure to release the Israelites from his own people, but not the inclination to refuse. The inclination to refuse was something he had anyway.

In terms of why the plagues were necessary, it seems apparent that they were a means to punish the Egyptians for oppressing the Israelites.

Originally posted by sh76
Well, it was really just the 10th plague that did the trick. It doesn't seem that the first 9 were really necessary except to punish the Egyptians and set the stage for the 10th.

Anyway, as to your original question (which is a good question, of course; I'm sorry if I implied otherwise), as yeshiva children, we were taught that "hardening Pharaoh's heart" me ...[text shortened]... it seems apparent that they were a means to punish the Egyptians for oppressing the Israelites.

So God gave Pharaoh the courage to NOT let the people go, and followed it up by punishing him 10 times for that courage?

And the entirety of the plagues and punishment did not need to include the innocent Egyptian population, who obviously had no say whatsoever in what Pharaoh did. I was merely airing my questions and Duchess64 took it the wrong way after the Jewish friends thing started to snowball.

Originally posted by chaney3
So God gave Pharaoh the courage to NOT let the people go, and followed it up by punishing him 10 times for that courage?

And the entirety of the plagues and punishment did not need to include the innocent Egyptian population, who obviously had no say whatsoever in what Pharaoh did. I was merely airing my questions and Duchess64 took it the wrong way after the Jewish friends thing started to snowball.

I think I'd look at the punishment as being for the hundreds of years of slavery and persecution rather than specifically for refusing to capitulate.

=== And the entirety of the plagues and punishment did not need to include the innocent Egyptian population, who obviously had no say whatsoever in what Pharaoh did ===

That's kind of like the question of whether the Germans deserved Dresden and the Soviet pillage from the east based on the conduct of their soldiers and politicians. I'm sure some innocents were caught up, but Germany as a society built and allowed the Nazi conduct and had to pay the price. Maybe a benevolent God protected truly innocent Egyptians from the effects of the plagues (or maybe the whole story is just made up, who really knows?).

The post that was quoted here has been removed

And I'm sure many Israelis would say the same about those Palestinians killed (i.e., that as a society, they've chosen to support terrorism and anti-Judaism).

Both sides would be wrong. Though the Palestinian side is closer in their rhetoric and media, neither side resembles either Nazism or the Biblical Egyptians.

Originally posted by twhitehead
So you believe in collective inherited responsibility? ie if I kill your son, you can kill my cousins son in retaliation? Even if my cousins son had nothing whatsoever to do with anything?

I'm saying, "Vengence is mine says the Lord, I will repay."