Ichane Kangakanani Ikhalenda YamaYuda?

NGOKUVISISANA nekhalenda yamaYuda, uLwesine, kaSeptemba 16, 1993, wayelusuku lokubhiyozela iRosh Hashanah. Ngokwesithethe isigodlo, okanye ixilongo elenziwe ngophondo lwenkunzi yegusha, lalikhaliswa ukuvakalisa ukusondela konyaka omtsha. Loo nyaka ngowama-5754 (ngokwekhalenda yamaYuda), yaye uqala ngoSeptemba 16, 1993 ukusa kuSeptemba 5, 1994.

Kwangoko, siphawula ukuba kukho umahluko weminyaka engama-3 760 phakathi kwendlela yamaYuda yokubala ixesha neyaseNtshona, okanye ikhalenda kaGregory, esetyenziswayo ngokuqhelekileyo namhlanje. Kutheni kukho lo mahluko? Yaye ichane kangakanani ikhalenda yamaYuda?

Ukufumanisa Apho Luqala Khona

Nayiphi inkqubo yokubala ixesha kumele kubekho apho iqala khona okanye apho kunokubhekiselwa khona. Ngokomzekelo, iNgqobhoko ibala ixesha ukususela kunyaka ekumele ukuba uYesu Kristu wazalwa ngawo. Imihla ukususela ngoko kuthiwa ikwixesha lamaKristu. Ngokufuthi iphawulwa ngokuthi A.D., ngokusuka kwigama lesiLatini elithi anno Domini, elithetha ukuthi “kumnyaka weNkosi.” Imihla ngaphambi kwelo xesha iphawulwa ngokuthi B.C., “Phambi koKristu.”a AmaTshayina athand’ izithethe ngokufanayo ixesha alibala ukususela kowama-2698 B.C.E., ukuqala kolawulo lukaHuang-Ti odumileyo, uMlawuli oGwangqa. Ngaloo ndlela, uFebruwari 10, 1994, waphawula ukuqalisa konyaka wekhalenda yamaTshayina wama-4692. Noko ke, kuthekani ngekhalenda yamaYuda?

IThe Jewish Encyclopedia ithi: “Indlela eqhelekileyo namhlanje phakathi kwamaYuda yokugcina ingxelo yomhla wesiganeko esithile kukuxela inani leminyaka eye yadlula ukususela ekudalweni kwehlabathi.” Le nkqubo, eyaziwa phakathi kwamaYuda njengeXesha Lokudala, yaqalisa ukusetyenziswa ngokuqhelekileyo malunga nenkulungwane yesithoba yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Ngaloo ndlela, imihla kwikhalenda yamaYuda ngokuqhelekileyo yandulelwa luphawu oluthi A.M. Olu phawu lumela igama elithi anno mundi, isifinyezo segama elithi ab creatione mundi elithetha “ukususela ekudalweni kwehlabathi.” Ekubeni unyaka esikuwo ingowama-A.M. 5754, ngokuvisisana nale nkqubo yokubala ixesha, “ukudalwa kwehlabathi” kugqalwa njengokwenzeka kwiminyaka engama-5 753 eyadlulayo. Masibone indlela ekufunyaniswa ngayo oko.

“IXesha Lokudala”

IEncyclopaedia Judaica (1971) inikela le nkcazelo: “Kwiindlela zokubal’ ixesha ezahlukahlukeneyo zabefundisi ‘iXesha Lokudala’ laqalisa ngokwindla lomnye weminyaka ephakathi kowama-3762 nowama-3758 B.C.E. Noko ke, ukususela ngenkulungwane ye-12 C.E.,unyaka wama-3761 B.C.E. wamkelwa njengowokuqalisa ‘kweXesha Lokudala’ (ngokuthe ngqo, ngo-Okt. 7 waloo nyaka). Le ndlela yokubal’ ixesha ifumaneka kulungelelwaniso lobalo-maxesha lweziganeko ezichazwe eBhayibhileni nakubalo olufumaneka kwiincwadi zamaYuda zasemva nje kokubhalwa kweBhayibhile.”

Le nkqubo yokubal’ ixesha ukususela “ekudalweni kwehlabathi” ngokusisiseko isekelwe kwiinkcazelo zabefundisi ezingengxelo yeBhayibhile. Ngenxa yenkolo yabo yokuba ihlabathi kunye nayo yonke into ekulo yadalwa kwiintsuku ezintandathu eziqhelekileyo nezineeyure ezingama-24, abaphengululi abangabefundisi, kuquka nabo beNgqobhoko, baqikelela ukuba umntu wokuqala, uAdam, wadalwa kunyaka omnye nalowo wokudalwa kwehlabathi. Noko ke, oku kukuyicezela inyaniso.

Isahluko sokuqala seGenesis sivula ngokuthi: “Ekuqalekeni uThixo wadala amazulu nehlabathi.” Sandula ke sihlabele mgama sichaza oko uThixo wakwenzayo ‘kwimihla’ emithandathu elandelelanayo ukuguqula umhlaba ukusuka kwimeko yokuba ‘senyanyeni naselubala’ ukusa kwikhaya elifanelekileyo loluntu. (Genesis 1:1, 2) Kunokuba kwadlula izigidi zeminyaka phakathi kwala manqanaba mabini. Ngokubhekele phaya, iintsuku zokudala zazingezozigaba zexesha ezineeyure ezingama-24, ngokungathi imisebenzi yoMdali yayiminywe yimida enjalo. Into yokuba igama elithi “mini” ngokwalo mongo linokuba lide kuneeyure ezingama-24 iboniswa yiGenesis 2:4, ethetha ngalo lonke ixesha lokudala ngokuthi ‘yimini’ enye. Kwadlula amawaka amaninzi eminyaka phakathi kwemini yokuqala yokudala neyesithandathu, xa kwadalwa uAdam. Ukubhekisela kumhla awadalwa ngawo uAdam njengalowo kwadalwa amazulu okoqobo nomhlaba akuxhaswa ziZibhalo nayinzululwazi. Sekunjalo, ngaba kwamiselwa njani ukuba “iXesha Lokudala” laqalisa ngowama-3761 B.C.E.?

Isiseko Solu Balo-maxesha

Ngelishwa, inkoliso yoncwadi lwamaYuda olwalusekelwe kulo olu balo-maxesha ekuxutyushwa ngalo alusafumaneki. Kushiyeke incwadi yobalo-maxesha eyayifudula ibizwa ngokuba yiSeder ʽOlam (Ulungelelwaniso Lwehlabathi). Kuthiwa yabhalwa ngumphengululi weTalmud wenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo uYose ben Halafta. Le ncwadi (eyabizwa kamva ngokuba yiSeder ʽOlam Rabbah ukuyahlula kwincwadi yamaXesha Aphakathi engengxelo yeziganeko ebizwa ngokuba yiSeder ʽOlam Zuṭa) inikela ubalo-maxesha lwembali ukususela kuAdam ukusa kwimvukelo yamaYuda kwinkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo nxamnye neRoma phantsi koMesiya wobuxoki uBar Kokhba. Lo mbhali wayifumana njani inkcazelo enjalo?

Ngoxa uYose ben Halafta wazama ukulandela ubalo-maxesha lweBhayibhile, wongeza inkcazelo yakhe apho umbhalo wawungacaci xa uthetha ngemihla ebandakanyekileyo. IThe Jewish Encyclopedia ithi: “Kwiimeko ezininzi, . . . wabala imihla engokwesithethe, waza ngokubhekele phaya, wafakela izaci nehalakot [izithethe] yabefundisi ababemandulela neyoogxa bakhe.” Abanye balubeka ngokuphandle uluvo lwabo. IThe Book of Jewish Knowledge ithi: “Wabala ukususela kwiXesha Lokudala waza, ngokuvisisana noko, wabhekisela kwimihla ekungaqinisekwanga ngayo njengeyeziganeko ezahlukahlukeneyo zamaYuda ekucingelwa ukuba zenzeka ukususela kwixesha lika-Adam, umntu wokuqala ukusa kwelika-Alesandire Omkhulu.” Kodwa eneneni iinkcazelo nofakelo olunjalo lwakuchaphazela njani ukuchana nobunyani bobalo-maxesha lwamaYuda? Makhe sibone.

Izithethe Nendlela Yokuchazwa Kwazo

Ngokuvisisana nesithethe sabefundisi, uYose ben Halafta wabala ukuba itempile yesibini yaseYerusalem yahlala iminyaka engama-420. Oku kwakusekelwe kwinkcazelo yabefundisi engesiprofeto sikaDaniyeli ‘seeveki ezimashumi asixhenxe’ okanye iminyaka engama-490. (Daniyeli 9:24) Esi sigaba sexesha kuthiwa seso siphakathi kokutshatyaliswa kwetempile yokuqala nokudilizwa kweyesibini. Evumela ukuba kudlule iminyaka engama-70 yokuthinjwa eBhabheli, uYose ben Halafta wafikelela kwisigqibo sokuba itempile yesibini yahlala iminyaka engama-420.

Noko ke, le nkcazelo, idibana nengxaki enzulu. Unyaka wokubhukuqwa kweBhabhiloni (539 B.C.E.) nalowo wokutshatyalaliswa kwetempile yesibini (70 C.E.) yimihla engokwembali eyaziwayo. Ngenxa yoko, ubude bexesha letempile yesibini limele libe yiminyaka engama-605 kunokuba libe yiminyaka engama-420. Ngokukhankanya iminyaka engama-420 kuphela kwesi sithuba sexesha, ubalo-maxesha lwamaYuda lubetha ngaphantsi ngeminyaka eli-185.

Isiprofeto sikaDaniyeli asithethi ngobude bexesha obabuza kuhlalwa yitempile yaseYerusalem. Kunoko, saxela kwangaphambili ixesha awayeza kubonakala ngalo uMesiya. Esi siprofeto sibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba “kuthabathela ekuphumeni kwelizwi lokuba ibuyiswe yakhiwe iYerusalem kuse kumthanjiswa oyinganga, ziiveki ezisixhenxe; ziiveki ezimashumi mathandathu anambini.” (Daniyeli 9:25, 26) Ngoxa isiseko setempile sabekwa kwiminyaka emibini emva kokuba amaYuda ebuyile ekuthinjweni (536 B.C.E.), ‘ilizwi’ lokuba sibuye sakhiwe isixeko saseYerusalem alizange liphume kwade ‘kwangomnyaka wamashumi amabini ka-Artashashta ukumkani.’ (Nehemiya 2:1-8) Imbali echanileyo yehlabathi ibonisa ukuba loo mnyaka ngowama-455 B.C.E. Ukubala ubhekisa phambili “iiveki” ezingama-69, okanye iminyaka engama-483, kusifikisa kowama-29 C.E. Elo yaba lixesha lokubonakala kukaMesiya, ekubhaptizweni kukaYesu.b

Enye ingongoma yenkcazelo yabefundisi eyakhokelela kumahluko omkhulu kubalo-maxesha lwamaYuda ingokuphathelele ixesha lokuzalwa kuka-Abraham. Abefundisi badibanisa iminyaka yezizukulwana ezilandelelanayo ezichazwe kwiGenesis 11:10-26 baza bathi ukususela kuNogumbe ukusa ekuzalweni kuka-Abraham (Abram) yiminyaka engama-292. Phofu ke, ingxaki ikwinkcazelo yabefundisi yendinyana 26, ethi: “UTera wahlala iminyaka emashumi asixhenxe, wazala uAbram, noNahore, noHaran.” Ngokusuka koku, isithethe samaYuda sithi uTera wayeneminyaka engama-70 ubudala ukuzalwa kuka-Abram. Ukanti, le ndinyana ayitsho ngokungqalileyo ukuba uTera wazala uAbraham xa wayeneminyaka engama-70 ubudala. Kunoko, kuphela ithi wazala oonyana abathathu emva kokuba wayeneminyaka engama-70 ubudala.

Ukuze sifumane ubudala bukaTera obuchanileyo ekuzalweni kuka-Abraham, kufuneka sifunde imbali yeBhayibhile kuphela. KwiGenesis 11:32–12:4, sifunda ukuba emva kokufa kukaTera eneminyaka engama-205 ubudala, uAbraham nentsapho yakhe balishiya elakwaHaran ngokomyalelo kaYehova. Ngelo xesha uAbraham wayeneminyaka engama-75 ubudala. Ngenxa yoko, kumele ukuba uAbraham wazalwa xa uTera wayeneminyaka eli-130 ubudala, kunokuba abe wayenengama-70. Ngaloo ndlela, ixesha ukususela kuNogumbe ukusa ekuzalweni kuka-Abraham yayiyiminyaka engama-352, kunokuba ibe yiminyaka engama-292. Apha ubalo-maxesha lwamaYuda lusilela ngeminyaka engama-60.

Unqulo Olungokwesithethe

Iimpazamo nokungangqinelani okunjalo kwiSeder ʽOlam Rabbah nezinye iincwadi zobalo-maxesha lweTalmud kuye kwabangela ukuphoxeka okukhulu neengxubusho ezininzi phakathi kwabaphengululi bamaYuda. Nangona kuye kwenziwa imizamo emininzi ukunxibelelanisa olu balo-maxesha nezibakala ezingokwembali ezaziwayo, ayizange ibe nempumelelo epheleleyo. Kutheni ingaphumelelanga nje? IEncyclopaedia Judaica ithi: “Umdla wabo wawungamiliselwanga kwimbali echanileyo kunokuba wawunjalo kunqulo. Kwakufanele kubanjelelwe kwisithethe nakanjani na, ngokukodwa xa kwakubandakanyeke ukwahlukana kwamalungu onqulo.” Kunokuba baphelise ukudideka okwakubangelwe zizithethe zabo, bambi abaphengululi bamaYuda bazama ukugxeka iingxelo zeBhayibhile. Abanye bazama ukufumana inkxaso kumabali nakwizithethe zamaBhabhiloni, zamaYiputa, nezamaHindu.

Ngenxa yoko, ababhali-mbali abasalijongi ‘iXesha Lokudala’ njengento yobalo-maxesha enokuthenjwa. Bambalwa abaphengululi bamaYuda abanokuzama ukulithethelela, yaye kwaneencwadi zeembekiselo ezinjengeThe Jewish Encyclopedia ne-Encyclopaedia Judaica ngokuqhelekileyo aziligqali njengelichanileyo. Ngenxa yoko, indlela yamaYuda engokwesithethe yokubala ixesha ukususela ekudalweni kwehlabathi ayinakujongwa njengechanileyo ngokusuka kubalo-maxesha lweBhayibhile, isicwangciso-maxesha esingokwesiprofeto esityhilekayo sikaYehova uThixo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]