5

"חלק", being a 1/1080 part of an hour, is used in calculating the New Moon.

Rambam in הלכות קידוש החודש mentions that the original tradition of calculating the New Moon was forgotten and the system our Sages used ever since the Babylon exile was the Greek's. In those calculations, the phrase "our Sages divided an hour into 1080 parts" appears in many sources.

However, I could not understand whether this unit of measure was used by the Sages as a unit of time, prior to calculating the New Moon, or it was copied from the Greek's sixty-base system for those calculations only.

Are there other practical Halachot that this measure of time is used?

6
  • No. No there isn’t.
    – DonielF
    Aug 19, 2018 at 20:56
  • 2
    Are you counting things based on the lunar cycle that aren't literally calculating the new moon? Like the opinions that a boy must live 29 days 12 hours 793 Chalakim before his Pidyon Haben? Or maybe 14 days 18 hours 397 Chalakim for Sof Zeman Kiddush Levana according to some opinions?
    – Double AA
    Aug 19, 2018 at 23:48
  • The concept of Chelek as a time measurement, at least according to the Ramban doesn't seem to come from the Greeks. The Molad Tohei is 2 days, 5 hours, 204 chalakim. And the Ramban writes it is every 42nd letter from Breishis. Since 42 is the Shem of Breiah.
    – user218076
    Aug 21, 2018 at 13:29
  • @user218076 Nice! Where does Rambam write this?
    – Al Berko
    Aug 21, 2018 at 20:40
  • Sorry it is Rabbeine B'Chaya. sefaria.org/Rabbeinu_Bahya,_Bereshit,_1.2.15. ויש לך לדעת כי יש בידינו קבלה בפסוק זה של בראשית שממנו יוצא שם בן מ"ב המיוחס למדת הדין עד בי"ת של בהו אך ע"י צרופים רבים, ואם תאיר עיני הלב תמצא בו המנין של בהר"ד שזכרתי למעלה והוא רשום בפרשה ואותיותיו ארבעתם בין כל אות ואות מ"ב אותיות, והמשכיל יבין יוכל להבחין כי אין זה דרך מקרה אבל הוא מופת גמור על חדוש העולם כי בטרם הרים יולדו ולא היה בהר"ד היה מדת דינו של עולם במקום בהר"ד פועל באין כלי ומוציא כלי למעשהו וזהו מבואר.
    – user218076
    Aug 22, 2018 at 0:33

0

You must log in to answer this question.

Browse other questions tagged .