Is Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Pagan?
Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr
“Mother's
Day dates back to ancient cultures in Greece and Rome. In both cultures, mother goddesses were
worshipped during the springtime (Easter) with religious festivals. The
ancient Greeks paid tribute to the powerful goddess Rhea, the wife of Cronus,
known as the Mother of the Gods (Queen of Heaven). Similarly, evidence
of a three-day Roman festival in Mid-March called Hilaria, to honor the Roman
goddess Magna Mater, or Great Mother, dates back to 250 BCE. As Christianity
spread throughout Europe, the celebration of
the "Mother Church" replaced the pagan
tradition of honoring mythological goddesses. The fourth Sunday in Lent, a
40-day fasting period before Easter, became known as Mothering Sunday. To show
appreciation for their mothers, they often brought gifts or a "mothering
cake" (Jeremiah 7:18)
and over time, it began to coincide with the celebration of the Mother Church.
Mother's Day always falls on the second Sunday of May, and like so many other
holidays rooted in pagan sun-worship including Father's Day which always falls
on the third Sunday of June, usually fall on the day named in honor of their
god.” – www.nazarite.net
I am ALL for
staying as far away from paganism as possible and I am totally against such
Western Pagan days as Halloween, X-mas, Easter, Valentines day and the like,
days that have CLEAR pagan roots and ties and entrapments; ritual objects such
as trees and wreaths (phallic symbols), egg dyeing and hunts, trick or treating
etc.; they are on the same days as on the pagan calendar and honor pagan
deities. On these I have NO participation in and firmly oppose, but hopefully
in a tactful way to those I love. But honestly, the above statement is
admirable, but holds water like a wet cardboard box. Sure, the pagan Romanesque
Christian church DID take pagan holidays and observances and sprinkled a little
“Jesus” on them to make them okay, and most likely did so in regards to Mother
and Father’s day. But when is it ever wrong to honor ones Mother or Father with
a special day of company, companionship, with a special meal and gifts of
gratitude and appreciation? We do not honor our parents as gods, or any of the
gods mentioned above, obviously, but we do show our folks honor and love as the
Torah commands, for they are examples of G-d to us, by their procreation and
their love care and sustenance of us. If it were not for our parents or someone
acting as our parent we would have little to no concept of G-d. I can totally
understand and respect the fact that one may not want to honor their parents on
those particular days, but especially if your parents are not Torah observant, and
thus do not understand you abhorrence of the day, out of love and respect for
them, at least give them a call and express to them your love and warm thoughts
to them. If you choose to honor them by taking them out to eat or such on
another day, even better, for they will not be suspecting it. It will be a
special treat for them.
In separating ones
self from paganism and being Torah observant, really think things through
before zealously carrying out something that may be unnecessarily hurtful to
others very important to us and thus, by our actions make the Torah of none effect.
This is especially true if we are trying to win others over to the Torah way.
