Updated: March 22, 2022
It’s that time of the year again when we publish the new calendar for the upcoming biblical new year!
To simplify the biblical holy days, biblical feast seasons can be broken up into two parts – Spring Harvest Season and Fall Harvest Season.
Spring Harvest Season
(Click any of the links below for more information on each Holy Day.)
The day Yahuah designated as the Israelite’s New Year is the First New Moon in Spring which occurs in March or April. This is called Reshown Chedesh. It marks the beginning of the year for Israelites.
The second observance is on the 14th day after the Israelite New Year – the 15th day of the year. It is called Pesach or Passover.
The third observance occurs from the 15th to the 21st days after the new year which are the 16th – 22nd days of the biblical year. It is called the Feast of Unleavened Ones or Cheg HaMatsowt.
The fourth observance is on the first Sunday after Pesach. Its called Cheg Hakutsir, the Feast of First Fruits.
The fifth and last spring observance is called the Feast of Weeks. Its literal translation is the Seven Sevens or the Ceasing Sevens – Shabbat Shabeyat. It comes 49 days after the Pesach (or 7 weeks of 7 days after Pesach) and marks the end of the Spring Harvest season.
Fall Harvest Season
The Fall season is marked by the seventh new moon of the year. Just count seven new moons from the first and you’ve arrived at the Sabbath of Remembrance. This is also the first observance of the Fall season. It’s called the Sabbath of Remembrance or, in Hebrew, Shabbatown Zacarown.
This is followed by the Day of Atonement, also known as Yom HaCafarim. This observance is on the evening of the 9th day and on the 10th day of the seventh new moon.
The final observance of the year is called the Feast of Booths or Cheg HaSaccowt. It’s observed from the 15th through the 21st days after the 7th new moon which is the 16th through 22nd of the 7th new moon.
Winter Holy Days
Despite common beliefs, there are no biblical holy days in winter. In fact, the fall holy days were all about storing food and preparing coverings (animal skins) for a winter inside.
Hannukah
Hanukkah, also known as the “Feast of Dedication” was not an annual celebration for ancient Hebrews. Rather, it was an event that only occurred when new government or communal facilities were established. During that time, the ancient Israelite communities would dedicate or donate communal resources and goods such as food, wagons, mules, cookware, and decor for use in the new temple and facilities in service of the people of Israel. These were essentially government or public resources.
Ref: Num 8 | Num 6-8 | Kings 8:63-66 | Ezra 6 | Psalms 60 | 1 Maccabees 4
