Shalom to my Bnai Shalom family!
Happy (secular) New Year!
As we move into a new secular year, I'm struck by how many new years we have in the Jewish calendar. There is of course Rosh Hashanah, but our Mishnah actually delineates four different New Years to be observed. The 15th of Shvat – Tu BiShvat – is the new year for trees, and we often celebrate this by having a seder and eating fruits of the seven species that are found in the Land of Israel. The 1st of Nissan is (according to our Torah) "the head of the months" and "the first of the months of the year." It is the New Year for Kings and Festivals (Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot), and is what makes Passover the first of the three pilgrimage festivals. Finally, the 1st of Elul is the new year for animals. When the Temple was in Jerusalem, every tenth animal of one's flock was required to be tithed. The count started on the 1st of Elul, so animals born before then were part of the previous year's flock.
Sometimes people ask me if we Jews should celebrate New Year's Day as anything other than the beginning of a new tax year and a Federal holiday off from work… While some don't, the halacha (Jewish law) opens the door because the pagan and religious origins have been replaced with secular reasons and practices, such as parades and football games. While New Year's Day was dedicated to the Roman god Janus by Julius Caesar and became a Catholic Feast Day centuries ago, it has no religious overtones in contemporary America, so celebrate away! Best wishes to all of you for a 2025 filled with health, happiness, light and love!
Kol Tuv – All good things,
-- Rabbi Adrienne : )
SERVING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF EASTON SINCE 1839