Says the Word of Elohim:
Deuteronomy 11:12 “a land that YHVH your Elohim cares for. The eyes of YHWH your Elohim are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. “
Genesis 17:21 “But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”.”
When is the end or beginning of the year according to the traditions of the world?
The New Year holiday already existed in Babylon in the third millennium BC. The festival celebrated in March, was the time when the god Marduk decided the fate of the country for the following year, with a duration of eleven days, with sacrifices, processions of images and fertility rites.
Calendars
The Calendar is an arrangement of the days of the year created to measure the passage of time, used for the chronological organization of activities by days, weeks and months. The Egyptian Calendar was developed since the third millennium BC and is the first known solar calendar in history.
Julius Caesar, in 45 BC ordered the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria to draw up his calendar so that it had synchrony with the Sun (It was therefore called the Julian Calendar). The year began on January 1, to honour the Roman god: Janus (god of the beginnings) and was based on 365 days and 6 hours per period of one year. People decorated their homes, threw parties, and exchanged gifts.
The Catholic Church as the highest authority of its time used it as its Official Calendar until 1582 A.D. when Pope Gregory XIII created the Gregorian Calendar, a rectification created by the advance of the Julian Calendar of 10 days and this adjustment was carried out on Thursday, October 4, 1582, so the next day was considered Friday, October 15, 1582. This calendar was more in accordance with the seasons and is the most used calendar in the world.
13 Days after the Catholic Calendar, Orthodox Christmas is celebrated, because they are governed by the Julian Calendar and not the Gregorian Calendar. On December 24, the children eagerly await December 31 and the arrival of Grandfather Cold who walks through the houses to leave the gifts.
NOTE: For all religious fanatics, this Calendar was not created by the “Illuminati”, the “extra-terrestrials” or “a worldwide conspiracy of Ha Satan”; It was created by people who do not follow God’s commandments.
As you can see the “New Year Festivities” has its roots in the pagan customs of 3000 years B.C., nothing to do with the word of Elohim. But the Gregorian Calendar is the one used in the secular world, and you have to live with it. If you want to work, make appointments, attend cultural or sporting events and send your children to school you must follow this Calendar.
What does the Word of Elohim say about these traditions?
In Isaiah 65:11-12 Elohim himself says:
“But you who forsake YHVH, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny, 12 I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter, because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my eyes and chose what I did not delight in. 3 Therefore thus says YHWH Elohim: “Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame”; “
And alert Rav Shaul (Paul) in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15:
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?”
But YHVH our Elohim promises eternal blessings and prosperity to those who are loyal to Him and follow His word:
Psa 37:18, 28 ” YHVH knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever … For YHVH loves justice; He will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off”.
According to the Torah when it is the end or beginning of the year?
In Exodus 12:1-3 it says,
“YHVH said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household”.
This holiday is the Passover Festival, celebrated between March and April and the month in which this festivity happens will be the first month of the year, that is, not in January like the pagans who follow the customs of the world.
Deuteronomy 6:1 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that YHVH your Elohim commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it”, “
This first month YHVH our Elohim calls him “Abib”. Every month after the Creator call them by numbers from 2 to 12. So the first day of the year is the first of Abib, always between March and April, not January 1.
For this Elohim gave us His calendar so that we can follow and fulfil the feasts of the Eternal as He entrusted us.
Exodus 13:10 “You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year“.
Exodus 34:23-24 “Three times in the year shall all your males appear before YHVH your Elohim, the God of Israel. 24 For I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one shall covet your land, when you go up to appear before YHVH your Elohim three times in the year“.
In Israel, the “New Year”, although not officially celebrated, is known as Sylvester and has become popular in Tel Avit, with parties and celebrations. The country officially celebrates the “Jewish New Year”, Rosh Hashanah (on the Feast of Yom Teruah), which according to Torah falls in September/October. Rosh Hashanah is a two-day celebration, which begins on the first day of Tishrei. Tishrei is the first month of the Jewish civil year, but the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year counted from the first month of Abib.
How should we behave in these pagan celebrations?
Many people have asked me if they should participate in the Christmas holidays with their relatives and how they should do it?
Family is family forever. You can participate in parties and family gatherings, deliver and receive gifts. Just avoid contaminating yourself with traditions of men (liquors, non-Kosher foods, image worship, Christmas character worship, exotic dances, the 12 grapes, packing bags, unseemly behaviors, etc.), and faithfully follow the commandments of Elohim. This will bear good witness to his faith before his family and friends and if Elohim so desires someone will come into his fold.
And remember when it’s the real start of the year. In addition, we as Torah observants and with the testimony of Yeshua, do not celebrate the birth of Yeshua in December but on the Feast of Sukkot (September-October, 15 of the tenth biblical month) and the beginning of the year 14 days before Passover (March-April) or the first of Abib.
Shalom
Rabbi Yosef Ben Marques 2015.2022
Answers in Torah 