#5495 The Rhythm of the Seasons.

Tekufos תקופות literally, "turn" or "cycle") are the four seasons of the year recognized by the Talmud sages and writers. According to Samuel of Nehardea in Lower Mesopotamia, each tekufah marks the beginning of a period of 91 days 7½ hours.

The four tekufot are:

1. Tekufat Nisan, the March equinox, when the sun enters Aries; this is the beginning of spring, or "eit hazera" (seed-time or planting), when day and night are equal.

2. Tekufat Tamuz. This marks the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, when the sun enters Cancer; this is the summer season, or et ha-katsir (harvest-time), when the day is the longest in the year.

3. Tekufat Tishrei, the September equinox, when the sun enters Libra, and autumn, or "et ha-batsir" (vintage-time), begins, and when the day again equals the night.

4. Tekufat Tevet, the December solstice, when the sun enters Capricornus; this is the beginning of winter, or "et ha-ḥoref" (winter-time) when the night is the longest during the year.

Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a.