1 March 2024 barley update

As of 1 March 2024, we have not yet received any report of an omers’ worth of aviv barley in the land of Israel. We use Becca Biderman as the only qualified barley witness that we know. (There are other barley witnesses, but they do not use the true first fruits of barley for their omer. Rather, they use a random sheaf from the middle of the harvest [but that is the “mid-fruits”, not the firstfruits].)

In her 1 March video update , barley witness Becca Biderman (Ancient Path New Moon, Poriyah Ilit, Israel) said there is aviv barley in some areas of Israel, and that the barley in those areas is between 40%-60% aviv. She said that there is not ‘yet’ enough for an omer. However, there are about ten more days before the determination must be made.

The new moon of the next Hebrew month is expected to be visible on 11 March 2024. However, before Nazarene Israel can celebrate Rosh HaShanah (the head of the Hebrew year), an omer’s worth of aviv barley would have to be ready to present 15-21 days later (on Yom HaNafat HaOmer, the Day of the Wave Sheaf Offering).

In simple terms, what this means is that before Nazarene Israel can declare the next new moon day as Rosh HaShanah, we must be sure that there will be an omer’s worth of aviv barley on Yom HaNafat HaOmer, which is still about a month away (31 March 2024). The determination must be made not later than the sighting of the first crescent sliver of the new moon (which is about ten days away at this point).

While we want to wait on our barley witness, it seems very likely that there will be sufficient aviv barley on or before the new moon day, let alone the day of the wave sheaf offering, 15-21 days later. So, while we plan to wait for the official declaration, a declaration of Rosh HaShanah this Rosh Chodesh seems very likely, but unconfirmed at this time. We will continue to post updates on our Torah Calendar News page as reports arrive from qualified barley witnesses in Israel.