The Jewish year
is luni-solar. Since twelve lunar months are less than a solar year by
eleven days, and since Passover has to be in spring, “Guard the month of young
grain to celebrate Passover...”, an extra month is at times
inserted. The judges who decide when to insert a month need to be
appointed on the day before the discussion.
It once happened that Rabban Gamliel invited seven judges, but eight
assembled. Rabban Gamliel then said, “He who was not invited, should
exit,” on which Shmuel the Minor, who was in fact the greatest of them,
exited, taking the blame on himself and sparing humiliation of the
uninvited one.
Rabbi Meir learned from him. When a woman came to his academy claiming
that one of his students betrothed her through cohabitation, Rabbi Meir
was the first to give her a Get (divorce), and then all the students
followed suit.
Art: Matthias Schmid - Declaration of Love