I am sending out this article for your information and opinion. The
author is a friend of mine who went Lunar and then learned the
following concept with the help of Nehemiah Gordon.

IS SHABBAT A MOED?
by Gabriel Moreh Ephraim
Debunking the Lunar Sabbath Theory
Written by an X-Lunar Sabbatarian
One of the main arguments posited as opposing Yahweh's cyclical
Sabbath begun at Creation is the Theory that Shabbat is lunar due to
the fact that it is a Moed (an appointed time) and therefore is
governed by the Moon/Yareach. In this article, we will examine this
concept and the foundation of its assertion, and then search the
Scriptures to see if this is so. In the end, the inevitable
conclusion is that Shabbat is indeed NOT a Moed of YHWH, but is a
Miqra Kodesh only despite the wish of some to the contrary.

The basis for most Lunar Sabbatarians arguments that the Shabbat is a
Moedim (an appointed time) is based in Vayikra 23:1-4:

Leviticus Chapter 23 JPS (1917 edition)
(1) And YHWH spoke unto Moses, saying: (2) Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them: The appointed seasons of YHWH, which ye
shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed
seasons. (3) Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a
Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of
work; it is a sabbath unto YHWH in all your dwellings. (4) These are
the appointed seasons of YHWH, even holy convocations, which ye shall
proclaim in their appointed season.

Immediately after YHWH "The appointed seasons of YHWH" in v. 2, YHWH
then commands us concerning the Sabbath in v.3. Lunar Sabbatarians
thus conclude that the Sabbath is a Moed (appointed time).

Why is this argument so important to the Lunar Reckoning of the
Sabbath, because all Moedim are governed by the Moon and if the
Shabbat is indeed a Moed then the Sabbath would therefore have to be
governed by the Moon.

Tehillim/Psalm 104:19 JPS (1917 edition)

(19) Who appointedst the moon for seasons/ (Moedim); the sun knoweth
his going down.

The train of though goes like this if the Sabbath is a Moed and the
Moon was created for the Sabbath then therefore the Sabbath must be
governed by the Moon.

But is the Sabbath really a Moedim???

To answer this question though we must go back and re-read
Vayikra/Leviticus 23 in Context.


(1) And YHWH spoke unto Moses, saying: (2) Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them: The appointed seasons of YHWH, which ye
shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed
seasons. (Leviticus 23:1-2)

(3) Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a Sabbath
of solemn rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of work; it
is a Sabbath unto YHWH in all your dwellings. (4) These are the
appointed seasons of YHWH, even holy convocations, which ye shall
proclaim in their appointed season. (Leviticus 23:3-4)

What then follows in Leviticus 23:5-44 is a list of the six
appointment times in their Seasons of YHWH.

1) Pesach/Matzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread)
2) Shavout (Pentacost)
3) Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets)
4) Yom Kipurim (Atonement)
5) Sukkot (Tabernacles)
6) Shemini Atzeret (The Last Great Day)

Each and every one of these appointed times (Moedim) are given a
specific lunar Date in the lunar month on which they must be
celebrated, with the exception of Shavout. However Shavout is
counted from "The Morrow after the Sabbath." During the Feast of
Unleavened Bread which in turn is based on a specific date in the
lunar month. Therefore even Shavout is directly by the moon!

We base the Moedim on the Moon as that is what YHWH meant for us to
do based on Psalm 104 which says:
Tehillim/Psalm 104:19 JPS (1917 edition)

(19) Who appointedst the moon for seasons/ (Moedim); the sun knoweth
his going down.

Therefore if what I am saying is true and the Sabbath is indeed NOT a
Moed set by specific dates within the lunar month, then why does it
appear in Leviticus 23:3, to answer this though we must first look at
Leviticus 23:4 and see why it is almost a verbatim repetition of v. 2
of Leviticus 23.
Leviticus 23:2
(2) Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: The
appointed seasons of YHWH, which ye shall proclaim to be holy
convocations, even these are My appointed seasons.
[ Leviticus 23:3 The Sabbath]
Leviticus 23:4
(4) These are the appointed seasons of YHWH, even holy convocations,
which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season.

Why is the Sabbath placed in between two verses that are saying the
same exact thing over a very short length of time? If YHWH trying to
make a point?
If YHWH trying to make a point and is telling us that the Sabbath is
a Moed then why did not he list the other Moedim as well in verse 3.
But rather he Rather according to the Lunar Sabbatarian argument YHWH
listed one Moed and called it a Moedim and then said again These are
my Moedim and then lists another 6? Follow the logic it just doesn't
flow right for some reason, lets proceed further to see if we can see
what that reason is according to the Hebrew grammar.

The reason for this is something called Resumptive Repetition in
Hebrew Grammar; the Torah uses resumptive repetition to form
a "parenthetic statement". The easiest way to see this is Resumptive
Repetition is used to place a statement in parentheses.

In English we would simply use the parentheses symbols (), however in
Hebrew we don't have such a symbol. Instead in Hebrew we have,
Resumptive Repetition is used to place a statement in parentheses.
The Torah uses these parenthetic statements when it needs to go on a
tangent from the main body of thought, in this case the Moedim. When
the Torah is done with a tangent it then resumes by repeating the
last statement made before the tangent.

Resumptive Repetition means to: Repeat what was last said before the
interpolation/Parenthetic Statement.
Parenthetic Statement means:
An amplifying or explanatory word, phrase, or sentence inserted in a
passage from which it is usually set off by punctuation.
A remark or passage that departs from the theme of a discourse
Merriam Webster

So when YHWH says:
(1) And YHWH spoke unto Moses, saying: (2) Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them: The appointed seasons of YHWH, which ye
shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed
seasons. (3) " Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is
a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner
of work; it is a Sabbath unto YHWH in all your dwellings." (4) These
are the appointed seasons of YHWH, even holy convocations, which ye
shall proclaim in their appointed season.
What it would be better understood as in Hebrew is YHWH first tells
us this:

Lev. 23:1-2 YHWH introduces The Appointed times.
[Lev.23: 3 YHWH commands us concerning the Sabbath]
Lev. 23:4-44 YHWH introduces The Appointed times.

Leviticus 23:1-4 is a classic example of resumptive repetition, as
the commandment to keep the Sabbath in v.3 is a parenthetic statement
that has been placed in between two almost completely identical
verses. As YHWH begins to speak of the Moedim in Verses 1-2, he then
switches over to the Sabbath in a Parenthetic Statement which is a
Holy Miqra but not a Moed. Then in verse 4 YHWH repeats himself by
returning back to the original chain of thought and repeats himself
verbatim to insure us that he is returning to the Original Topic of
the Appointed Times/Moedim.
If we recognize the communication style in which the Torah uses
Resumptive Repetition to create a Parenthetic Statement, we will see
clearly that the Sabbath is NOT a Moed/Appointed time, but is Rather
a Miqra Kodesh/Holy Convocation between YHWH and His people Yisrael.

I will be dealing with this topic in much greater detail in by Book
titled "Debunking the Lunar Sabbath Theory" and at the UONYC
Conference this year. We will be diving into the following topic as
well as what is outlined above:

RESUMPTIVE REPETITION.
MOED, MIQRA, OR BOTH?
MOED BY ASSOCIATION?
PECULIAR PETUHAH.
CYCLICAL SHABBAT PROOFS
AND MUCH MUCH MORE…

Shalom,
Gabriel Moreh Ephraim
www.shema-teshuvah.com