Question
Prior to about 705 BC all the civilizations with advanced astronomy (Israel, China, Mayan) had the Earth's year at 360 days, consisting of 12 months of exactly 30 days each. (Quite a testimony of Divine Creation. It has been recently asserted that a large rogue planet pulled the earth further away from the sun about 705 BC causing the increased year. See Isaiah 13:13 and 2nd Kings 20:11) My question is, prior to 705 BC, when the calendar and year was 360 days, as 1st Samuel 20:27 says that a New Moon Celebration is 2 days, how did this effect the weekly Sabbath? Was the day after the 2nd day of the New Moon always the Sabbath (did the New Moon always fall on the same days of the week, such as Thursday and Friday), or did the two day New Moon celebration sometimes fall "randomly" in the middle (or elsewhere) in the week, or was the New Moon always immediately before or after the weekly Sabbath to always have a "Three day weekend" once a month? (Feel free to send an image of a calendar showing how the New Moon and Sabbath worked on a 30 day month in a 360 day year.) Thank You very much for your time and thoughts!

Question
Our nephew is getting married the Sunday before Tisha B’Av. Even though one is not supposed to get married then, they are non-observant Jews who don’t know better. My nephews and nieces are mostly intermarried and I have been at odds all these years with my siblings for not attending any of their children's weddings. This is the first biological nephew or niece of mine who is marrying a Jew, and I have long promised that if any of them would marry a Jew, I would attend. I really do need to attend in order to keep my promise and maintain harmony with my siblings, even though it is a 9-days violation. What would you suggest I do when at the wedding?

Question
I have been keeping the three weeks seriously every year. I also go to Israel around this time every year and it feels strange that the time of year that I should be joyous that I am "home" I am supposed to be "mourning", but I do it every year even when it feels un natural and counter intuitive. This past year I opened up an old Tanach I found that was my father's when he was a kid, there was a place holder and the page was in Yecheszkel. It mentioned Tammuz and scolding benei Yisrael at the time for mourning tammuz, a false god. Now that we are almost in Tammuz, I keep thinking about what I read. I am about to go to Israel again and I feel so strange now that I learned about this avoda zara of mourning tammuz. I learned that Sefardi customs differ with regard to the 3 weeks. Why do customs differ when it comes to Tammuz mourning practices? I am Ashkenazi, but can I follow the customs of Sefardi when it comes to mourning at this time? My husband doesn't care and thinks I should do what I feel is right. Is it an aveira to take upon ourselves a Sefardi custom?

Question
Hi Rabbi, I hope you had a nice holiday! Ruth was certainly one of the most famous converts in Jewish history. She said, “Your people are my people.” But why did my Temple read the Book of Ruth a few days ago on Shavuot? What’s the connection? Thanks so much!

Question
Dear Rabbi, Supposedly, Shabbat is the most important holiday, more important than any Yom Tov. If that is the case, when Shabbat and Yom Tov coincide, why do we recite the liturgy of the Yom Tov Amidah with Shabbat additions and not the other way around? Why does the Torah reading for Yom Tov preempt the one that is read on a regular Shabbat?

Question
Why is Shavuot just a one-day holiday (two days Diaspora), whereas Passover and Sukkot are a full week? Besides the simple fact that the Torah says so, what is the actual reason only a single day is needed or designated for this celebration while the other Shalosh Regalim festivals get seven?

Question
Dear Rabbi, Is there any special mitzvah to be fulfilled on Shavuot like there are on other Jewish Festivals, such as eating matzah on Passover? Thank you and happy holiday!

Question
If one counts the omer by saying the count only in English (or another language) and not Hebrew, is the mitzvah still valid?