Note 313 — THE HEBREW TRADITION.

Abraham ben David (about 1161) says, in his book Sepher hakabbala, col. 33, b (Amsterd.): “The second period begins from the great synagogue of Simeon the Just. The Persian empire was destroyed in his time by Alexander, the King of Greece (Javan). He came to Jerusalem ... in the year 40 after the building of the temple ... and commanded that they should commence the reckoning of their contract from this year, which is the year 1000 since their Exodus from Egypt, and the year 3450 since the Creation.” But he placed the year of the Exodus at 2448; therefore the year 3450 is properly the 1003rd, not the 1000th, since the Exodus. R. Isaac Israëli (about 1250), in the book Jesod Olam. Bl. 84, b, says, “And the Talmud was concluded in the year 3949, according to the calculation of the world, which is the year 500 of the Contract.” We thence obtain for the commencement of the era of the Contract the year 3450 = 312.