Holidays; Holy and Pagan" The "Other" Holidays

What About “Other” Holidays?

Birthdays

In an effort to keep from all things pagan many in the Hebrew Roots and Nazarene Jewish movement feel birthdays are pagan in origin and therefore are anti-birthday. Some feel birthdays are only about self-centeredness and self-glorification and claim that pagan rulers celebrated their birthday and were revered as demigods. They further claim Jews never celebrated birthdays, only anniversaries of deaths because it’s not how you start that is important, but how you end it so to speak and at ones death people can reflect upon that person and what they did for God and others. Therefore God is praised and no one gets a big head. They also argue that one’s birthday is not one of God’s celebrations in Leviticus 23 that we are commanded to celebrate.

“In like fashion, those who keep birthday celebrations may not intend to worship and serve themselves, but that is nonetheless what they are doing. This is because, rather than observing the festival days that YHWH has commanded, they are spending their time and their energy on celebrations that YHWH has not commanded. Therefore, they are not truly in full obedience to YHWH.” – About Birthdays Nazareneisreal.org

I don’t necessarily agree with that, or see it that way they stated it above.

Now I will agree that Scripture nowhere commands us to celebrate Yeshua’s birthday, especially on X-mas a pagan day commemorating Tammuz, Mithra and Saturnalia’s birth. But Yeshua was born around Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) and I see no reason not to recognize his birth at that time and his death around Pesach (Passover).

"THE highest of all holidays in the Satanic religion is the date of one's own birthday. This is in direct contradiction to the holy of holy days of other religions, which deify a particular god who has been created in an anthropomorphic form of their own image, thereby showing that the ego is not really buried."-- The Satanic Bible (Anton Szandor LaVey, [Air] Book of Lucifer - The Enlightenment, Avon Books, 1969, Ch. XI, Religious Holidays, p. 96).

Yeah, so what? Pagans use lights at X-mas time or rainbows for the Gay Pride movement; does that mean I have to stop using these symbols? Besides, I’m not a Satanist. Heck no! They were ours first! Now granted, if your birthday is all about you to the point of veneration or getting a big head, then yeah, your making yourself a god, get over it, you bleed red blood like everyone else and you put your pants on like everyone else too.

“Iyov (Job) allowed his children to celebrate their own birthdays, even though he knew that it might lead to them renouncing Elohim in their hearts.

Iyov (Job) 1:4-5
4 And his sons went and held a feast in the house of each one upon his day; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Iyov sent and set them apart, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all: for Iyov said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced Elohim in their hearts." Thus did Iyov continually.” About Birthdays nazareneisrael.org

Well, it doesn’t appear Jobs children were all that mindful of God or a religious person like their father, so what do you expect? Even today many non-believers celebrate their birthdays with praise to one’s self and a drunken bash. King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes that there’s nothing new under the sun. What is stated above is nothing new and really holds no water for a believer not to be permitted to recognize the day of their birth. Pagans came up with birthdays, well they came up with spaghetti too, does that mean we shouldn’t eat spaghetti?

Anyway, it is doubtful that Job’s children were celebrating birthdays:

“*** it-1 p. 319 Birthday ***

When Job's sons "held a banquet at the house of each one on his own

day" it should not be supposed that they were celebrating their

birthdays. (Job 1:4) "Day" in this verse translates the Hebrew word

yohm and refers to a period of time from sunrise to sunset. On the

other hand, "birthday" is a compound of the two Hebrew words yohm

(day) and hul‧le′dheth. The distinction between "day" and one's

birthday may be noted in Genesis 40:20, where both expressions appear:

"Now on the third day [yohm] it turned out to be Pharaoh's birthday

[literally, "the day (yohm) of the birth (hul‧le′dheth) of Pharaoh"]."

So it is certain that Job 1:4 does not refer to a birthday, as is

unquestionably the case at Genesis 40:20. It would seem that Job's

seven sons held a family gathering (possibly a spring or harvest

festival) and as the feasting made the week-long circuit, each son

hosted the banquet in his own house "on his own day."

*** w06 3/15 p. 13 Highlights From the Book of Job ***

1:4—Did Job's children observe birthdays? No, they did not. The

original-language words for "day" and "birthday" are different, each

having its own meaning. (Genesis 40:20) At Job 1:4, the word "day" is

used, denoting an interval of time from sunrise to sunset. The seven

sons of Job apparently held a seven-day family gathering once a year.

As they made the circuit, each son was the host of the banquet held at

his house on "his own day."

*** g76 7/8 p. 27 What About Celebrating Birthdays? ***

Persons who think so sometimes point to Job 1:4 and Hosea 7:5. The

first of these texts mentions Job's seven sons holding "a banquet at

the house of each one on his own day." The second tells of Israelite

princes `sickening themselves because of wine' at a festival "on the

day of our king." Were these festive occasions birthday parties?

Evidently not. Professor G. Margoliouth writes in Hastings'

Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics: "The occasion of the feasting

referred to in Job 14f. is not clear. As the seven days appear to have

been consecutive, they could hardly have been birthdays." "The mention

of the `day of our king' in Hos 75 may quite naturally be taken to

refer to the anniversary of the king's accession to the throne."

*** w68 5/15 pp. 318-319 Questions From Readers ***

Does Job 1:4 indicate that Job's children celebrated their

birthdays?—F. D., England.

No, that verse does not apply to birthdays. A little examination of

the matter will show this. The verse reads: "And [Job's] sons went and

held a banquet at the house of each one on his own day; and they sent

and invited their three sisters to eat and drink with them."

In the English Bible the word "birthday" appears in Genesis 40:20,

where we read of the birthday celebration of the pagan Pharaoh of

Egypt. Consulting Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, one

will see that "birthday" is a compound of the two Hebrew words yowm

(meaning, a day [as the warm hours], whether literally or

figuratively) and hullédeth from yalad (meaning, to bear young).

However, in the Hebrew Scriptures the word "day" (yowm) is often used

alone, referring simply to someday. This distinction between "day"

and "birthday" may be noted in Genesis 40:20, where both expressions

appear: "Now on the third day [yowm] it turned out to be Pharaoh's

birthday [literally, `the day (yowm) of the birth (hullédeth) of

Pharaoh']."

At Job 1:4 hullédeth does not appear; only yowm is used in the Hebrew

text. So it speaks of Job's sons' doing something "each one on his own

day," not `each one on his own birthday.'

The Bible does not go into detail as to what occasioned the banquets.

It may have been that at a particular season, such as harvest time, the

seven sons held a family gathering, and as the feasting made the

week-long circuit, each son hosted the banquet in his house "on his

own day." Or the feasts could have been of the nature of family

reunions held at different times in the year. This picture of a warm

and happy family gathering, in contrast to the wild celebrations

marked by dissipation and overindulgence in food and drink on the part

of ones who have no respect for God, is further indicated by the fact

that the sons considerately invited their sisters.”

“Pagan Practices and Egyptian Rituals

In Genesis 40:20, we can see that Pharaoh celebrated his own birthday.

B'reisheet (Genesis) 40:20
And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants.

However, are we to follow Pharaoh's example? Or are we not rather to do the exact opposite of what the Egyptians do?

King Herod and John the Baptist

In Mark 6:21-24, we see that King Herod celebrated his birthday, and that this led to the death of Yochannon haMatbil (John the Baptist).

Marqaus (Mark) 6:21-24
21 And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, and the high captains, and the chief men of Galilee;
22 And when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and them that sat at meat with him; and the king said unto the damsel, "Ask of me whatsoever you will, and I will give it to you."
23 And he swore unto her, "Whatsoever you shall ask of me, I will give it to you, up to half of my kingdom."
24 And she went out, and said unto her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of Yochannon haMatbil (John the Baptist)."

King Herod was not a good king, and birthdays are still not commanded in Scripture. That being the case, is King Herod's birthday celebration really a good Scriptural example for us to follow?” – About Birthdays, nazareneisrael.org

Okay, sure anywhere in Scripture a pagan ruler is mentioned celebrating their birthday something bad happened. Big deal; as I said before, they thought of themselves as gods and they deserved praise and worship and service on that day. So God decided to knock them off their high horse that day in front of all their subjects. They had it coming. These things may serve as warnings to us believers about thinking too much of ourselves, but I can’t say this is saying we cannot recognize the day of our birth.

Pastor G. Reckart asked:

“Is there a Biblical doctrine against observing birthdays?
No!
No one has presented one.  All they have presented is a man-made theory.  They will not confess that this doctrine came from the Jehovah's Witnesses and Charles Taze Russell got it from his Muslim studies as a member of the Masonic lodge.
Did observing or counting birthdays come from paganism?
No!
And anyone who claims they did needs to repent. The fact of counting years of living from one's birth is in the Bible before there was what we know as paganism.
I have been a student of the Bible since 1968, and although I learned of the JW doctrine that year, I was not convinced birthdays had a pagan origin based upon the two events of Pharaoh and Herod.  There was nothing in these passages that indicated birthdays were of pagan origin.  What was evident is that two men, separated by nearly 1,600 years held their birthday as a special event to celebrate.  On the face of this reality, it became obvious these two men of record were observing a day associated with themselves and not an idol or pagan god.  Paganism has at its root, idolatrous religious practices and beliefs that are condemned in the Word of God.
For a teaching to be SOUND DOCTRINE, it must have a Biblical basis.  There is not one Scripture in the whole Bible that condemns birthdays, observing the annual day, or counting them.  Each and every time I have had to confront the accusations I am allowing paganism, I have asked for Bible and not one person yet has produced a single verse where the celebration is condemned.  ”

This Pastor even uses the Torah to back up his point:

“There is nothing in the 613 precepts of the Law about birthdays.  If God does not specifically condemn or prohibit something, then man has no authority to create a law and bind it upon others for obedience and faith.  Man-made edicts and religious laws have no Scriptural authority. No one is obligated to follow or observe what is not found in the Word of God by principle or by direct reference.  There is nothing in the Word of God that by principle or direct reference condemns observing birthdays.”

And from a Jewish stand point isn’t ones birth recognized at least once at ones Bar or Bat Mitzvah!?

I think the recognition of birthdays can even be found in Scripture.

Genesis 5:1-2
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that Yahweh created man, He made him in Yahweh's likeness.
2 He created them male and female, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
3 Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
4 The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of sons and daughters.
5 All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.

Now how could it have been possible for "The Generations of Adam" to have been recorded in Scripture if Birthdays were not acknowledged? Answer: Neither the "Generations of Adam" nor the generations of any of G-d's Chosen people would have been possible if they had not kept track of Birthdays.

There are many other places in Scripture where we see one has kept track of their birth. Just to name one is the G-d ordained census in Exodus. Now I realize that this leads no proof either way if they recognized or marked their birthday with a party or what have you. But it still shows birthdays were at least counted.

I realize there are controversy regarding some of the B-day entrapments that I do think are pagan. Such as the cone hats which come from witchcraft as a method to channel energy from entities or nature. Some regard the cake as an offering to the gods, you can only really link that to Ishtar the Queen of Heaven and worship of her. But just as Freud said, “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.” Well, sometimes a cake is just a cake! I’m all for separating myself from paganism in every form, but I’m not a pagaphob (fear of anything pagan) and fear that every little thing can be traced to paganism or is pagan in some way.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with celebrating ones birthday as long as one acknowledges the reason for one’s birth, namely God and your parents. BIRTHDAYS are not a sin unless we put more emphasis on them than on obedience to YHWN and His Torah. Secondly if I was to celebrate my own birthday it would be on the Hebrew Calendar and not the Pagan secular calendar. I suggest you do what the Native American’s do for ones birthday. They don’t receive presents, they have what is called a “Give Away”, in other words, THEY give gifts to their guests! If your parents are still living turn it in to a party to honor them, or at least let them be the honored guest at you shindig. Volunteer at charity or a community service facility on your birthday. Give to charity and ask others to on your birthday if the insist on doing something for you. There is no reason one can’t turn their birthday into an opportunity to serve God and others. Hey have a Bible study or a praise and worship jam session on your birthday. Humility in observing ones birthday I think is key and a good exercise in practicing humility. And should we rob others of a blessing if they want to throw us a birthday party in love and appreciation for us?

If one wishes to do so, one can find their Hebraic Birthday by going to:

http://www.chabad.org/calendar/birthday_cdo/aid/6228/jewish/Jewish-Birthday.htm

And plug in the necessary information to correctly calculate your Hebraic Birthday.

If it is your conviction NOT to celebrate your birthday, fine, just don’t push it on others.

Mother and Father’s Day

“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

“The celebration was conceived by Anne M. Jarvis of Philadelphia in 1907. By 1911 it was nationally observed, and in 1912 a “Mother’s Day International Association,” was incorporated to promote it.” – The Folklore of American Holidays, 3^rd Edition.

“The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. However, it was not until 1972–58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official–that the day honoring fathers became a nationwide holiday in the United States.

On July 5, 1908, a West Virginia church sponsored the nation’s first event explicitly in honor of fathers, a Sunday sermon in memory of the 362 men who had died in the previous December’s explosions at the Fairmont Coal Company mines in Monongah, but it was a one-time commemoration and not an annual holiday.

The next year, a Spokane, Washington, woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials to drum up support for her idea, and she was successful: Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on June 19, 1910.” - http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/fathers-day

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, Valentine’s 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 God 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 God. 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 one’s 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.

Civil Holidays

Allow me to quote from my Statement of Faith to answer this question ids it okay to observe civil and national holidays?

“I believe the Feasts of the ADONAI in summed up in Leviticus 23 are not “Jewish” Holidays, but are to be celebrated by all of ADONAI’s people, Jew and Gentile.  These Feasts have a past, present, and future prophetic fulfillment.

The “Moedim”, the Biblical Appointments are, just that, Appointments.  ADONAI has set aside specific times and dates on the calendar to meet, and commune with us. 

He has also set up “unofficial” voluntary meetings, for us to meet with Him daily.  These are the Shacharit (Morning), Mincha (Afternoon), and Ma’ariv (Evening) prayers.

I believe in celebrating the Feasts of the ADONAI within the framework of the calculated Hebrew calendar set up by the Sanhedrin just before they were forced to disband, so that Jews throughout the Diaspora could observe the Feasts of the ADONAI together in unity. 

 
I believe in the celebration of Jewish Holidays such as Chanukah, Tish B’av, Lag B’omer, Purim, etc.  They may not be commanded to be celebrated as in Lev.23, but I feel commemorates important events in the history of  ADONAI’s people. Yeshua celebrated Chanukah. (Jn. 10:22-23).  Yeshua being a Torah observant Jew celebrated Purim (see book of Esther). 

I DO NOT recognize Sunday as the Sabbath, or Christmas, Easter, and other Western holidays as acceptable expressions of true Biblical faith, excluding Thanksgiving, which was modeled after Sukkot, and some National and Civil celebrations.  All these Western holidays have their roots in Paganism.”
 

So it is okay to celebrate civil and national holidays of the countries you reside in as long as they are not against the Bible or the Jewish People.

The following is an essay I wrote regarding the importance of Jews observing Civil Holidays:

The Importance of Jews Honoring Vets

Sometimes in Judaism, out of a phobia of assimilation, or a fear of perhaps condoning violence, some Jews do not recognize civil holidays of countries of their exile here in the Diaspora, such as Remembrance Day, Veterans Day or Memorial Day. I feel it is imperative that we Jews remember, thank and honor veterans, especially of World Wars I and II because if it wasn’t for their brave service perhaps all that would be left of us Jews is ashes in ovens, bones in mass graves and archeological remnants scattered or buried and left to be forgotten in the cold silence of the earth. Many European and American Jews owe their lives to soldiers who liberated camps which held their ancestors. It would be a sin not to show our gratitude for how God used them as divine plagues against the Pharaoh called Hitler and parted the sea of anti-Semitism and their fallen soldiers became the dry ground for our people to cross out of Nazi territory to freedom. Many of us are alive today because of the sacrifice of righteous Jewish and Gentiles soldiers. May God punish us if we dare ever forget.

As I have already stated I feel gracious, indebted gratitude toward the WWI-II Vets for reasons I have so clearly expressed and I do my best to take the time when the opportunity presents itself to personally approach them, shake their hand and thank them for their service.

I try and thank the Korean vets, for it is almost as if it is a forgotten war, not as publicized and recognized as the other wars; yet their conflict helped keep communism at bay. I will never forget a disabled Korean vet that I had a weekly Bible study with when I was first married and lived in Springfield Tennessee.

I have a special place in my heart for Vietnam vets, one of the most unpopular wars in which to our shame, many of them returned without honor, being spit upon and labeled baby killers. Regardless if I agreed with the war or not I make it a point to try and give them the honor that was wrongfully withheld from them upon their return home from Vietnam. I do the same with our Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraqi War vets who many of them have been treated as were the Vietnam vets. I have had the privilege on a few occasions to be at Bangor Maine’s airport to greet and thank service men and women just returning for the Middle East. We don’t have to support the war, but we MUST support our troops. Supporting the troops isn’t the same things as agreeing with or endorsing the war.

We are fast approaching Chanukah which is a celebration of Levitical Priestly Soldiers who liberated the Temple that Messiah Himself celebrated Chanukah in and fulfilled prophecy in. It’s not war and bloodshed we celebrate, but the freedom, liberty and peace that necessary bloodshed paid for and secured. I am neither a pacifist nor a warmonger, but a Maccabean Jew who understands when Ecclesiastes says that there is as time for war and a time for peace.

I now live in Canada, where in 1919 King George the V dedicated November 11^th, one year after the Armistice was signed by Allied Forces, to be a day of remembering and honor those who served and died during the war. I live near the small village of Plaster Rock where each year at the center of the village stands a monument to 50 fallen soldiers from that area who lost their lives in World Wars I and II. The average age was 20 something, barely able to call themselves men, who lost their lives in these conflicts; who never fathomed that they would be remembered and honored nearly 100 years later by surviving comrades and by men and women who weren’t even born at the time of the wars. I stood as a citizen from the United States admiring the Canadian patriotism that was tempered with a healthy dose of humility and thought how often U.S. patriotic pride can cross the line into arrogance and conceit. I looked as virtually every lapel had a poppy on it as an elementary school girl read the poem “In Flander’s Field” and relished in the beautiful way Canadians remember their vets. I held back tears as I was introduced to and shook hands with a Canadian POW of WWII. I held back tears and with voice quivering thanked him as a Jew for his service which helped save my people. I told him if it wasn’t for him and men like him, my people would be but ashes in the ovens. He teared-up and replied that he realizes that. I told him what an honor it was to meet him. I applauded as the vets from all ages and almost all the wars who marched in the parade and I recalled the precious vets who saluted my father at his graveside over a year ago and how much their service of honor means to me on top of their sacrifice on the fields of combat.

Soldiers can sometimes be men with sailor’s tongues and rough edges. Soldiers are just ordinary men who became extraordinary men and unlikely heroes and all their imperfections seem to be forgiven and forgotten as we recall their life’s blood that stained the fields of combat and how their blood was the price for the freedom we now enjoy daily.

We Jews regardless of your orthodoxy or lack thereof must see the obligation to recognize and honor those who fought for the freedoms we enjoy here in the Diaspora (Exile).

Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day)

Biblical Month: Iyar

Secular Month: May

Yom Ha’atzmaut is Israel’s Independence Day, celebrating when Israel officially was recognized as a nation again on May 14^th, 1948.  This corresponds to Iyar 5^th. So as to avoid religious problems, today it is celebrated either on 5^th of Iyar or on one of the preceding or following days; the day of the week it falls on being the decisive factor. Yom Hazikaron, the Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day is always scheduled for the day preceding Independence Day.

Seeing as Messiah will return to rule and reign in Jerusalem and seeing as many Evangelical Christians support Israel, many believers in Messiah Yeshua, Jew and Gentile observe this Day

Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)

Biblical Month: Nissan

Secular Month: April/May

The 27^th of Nissan is the day this Civil Holiday is observed. The date relates both to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising which began 13 days earlier (and on the Western calendar was April 19^th, 1943), and to the Israeli Independence Day which is eight days later. Though the date moves around from year to year due to the difference between the Gregorian Calendar and the Hebrew Calendar, it's always on that anniversary.

Approximately 6 million Jews lost their lives during the Holocaust. May we never forget.

Conclusion:

What you have just read is in no way an exhaustive commentary on the Biblical and Pagan holidays, but an informative thumbnail sketch of the two, so as to help one make an informed and educated decision on one’s own stance, convictions and practices as well as I hope will it be a springboard for you to dig further.

Sadly, in the past I, like many others who discover the truth about the pagan origins of the holidays, zealously and vehemently go all out against them, so as to obey and honor God, and in doing so have come across as intolerant, angry and aggressive. With such an attitude in the past, I, and others like me, have unwittingly turned believers off to the truth.

Love, compassion and understanding in communicating these truths is key. I guess I, and others in the past, (being duped by the enemy) mistakenly felt that a display of love and compassion would come across as tolerance and passivity. But as we see by Yeshua’s example, He objected with the grossest of sinners, but did so with love and thus won them over.

The important this is not to assimilate pagan practices in ones worship of ADONAI and so one can reject and not participate in such holidays but do so in a loving manner.

In the past I have received e-mails from inter-religious homes, where one member is a Torah Obedient believer in Yeshua and the others are not and they want to celebrate Chanukah while everyone else wants to celebrate the Pagan Holiday of Christmas. Here is my advice to them:

Shalom,

I can sure sympathize with your problem and have already addressed it with several others this year so far.

Please bear with me. It is a very Jewish thing to answer a question with a question. Humor me please. To see this situation clearly we must put ourselves in ADONAI's shoes. We are His Children and His Bride, so this is very relevant to your situation. If we were to do something out of His will, if we were to sin (I John 3:4) would He MAKE us not do it? No. He gave us Free Will and will not go against that. He would convict us and express His dual feelings of displeasure and heart break, but He would not make us not sin. Yet when we come to our senses He forgives us and welcomes us back with open arms, like the father of the prodigal son.

I suggest that you sit down with your family and in a loving and non-self-righteous or indignant way, recap Scripturally your disapproval of Christmas and the tree, etc. And express that if they went ahead with it, it would upset you and break your heart, but that you will not stop them if they decide to go ahead with it. Also make clear you will not help them in this endeavor, that erecting the tree and the decorating will have to be done all on their own, that they will not receive any help or participation from you, and if they respected you and your faith in the least bit they will not even ask. The let them know this has become a matter between them and God. But seeing as you are priest of the home, if they decide to go through with Christmas they are expected to join you in Chanukah. They may see this as unfair, but the catch is that you can prove their observance of Christmas is unscriptural and they cannot prove such with Chanukah, even Messiah Yeshua in John 10 celebrated the Feast of Dedication AKA: Chanukah. And if the Master did so, it cannot be wrong. With this loving approach maybe you can help them eventually see the error and Christmas in a non-threatening way and the joy of Chanukah. As they say you can attract more flies with Honey than with vinegar. A love like the father of the prodigal son is what it will take, not an iron fisted, "I'm the head of this house....yada, yada..."

You may wonder if you are really head of your home, if you are permitting sin into the home? Yes, you are, just as God is the head of us and His House, yet He permits our free will and thus allows us to sin in His House, if you will.

This may not have been the answer you would have expected from a Torah Observant Natsari/Messianic Jew. But next to God and Torah, it is Family that is the most important thing, and we need to do all we can to keep the family at peace and intact. And I feel this is a balanced Biblical way to do it.

I sincerely hope this helps.
Shalom,
-- Rabbi Yehudah

One can still be with family and friends and enjoy their company at holiday gatherings and still not participate in the pagan aspects of the secular holidays.

Seeing as we live in a culture where such holidays are so important and play and iatrical part of our lives. I suggest finding ways to uses such holidays as opportunities to minister and evangelize. For example, in the past at Halloween I would shut my lights off and put a sign on the door that read, “Sorry, it’s NOT a TRICK we have NO TREATS.” And no, I never got egged or TP’ed. But it didn’t matter if I did this or not, kids would still knock on the door or ring the doorbell. Seeing as I couldn’t stop them, I though why not use this time to minister. And so, I made little treat bags with granola bars and fruit snacks with a comic book tract inside.

Around Easter time, how about hosting a Passover Seder at your synagogue, congregation, church or home and invite others to come?

During Christmas, tell people, “Happy Holidays,” support a local food bank or soup kitchen, or invite others to observe Chanukah with you at your home?

There are many ways to minister and evangelize during the pagan holidays of the year, just seek the leading of the Ruach Ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit) and get creative.

Holidays; Holy and Pagan: Miscellaneous Holidays

Miscellaneous Holidays

Tu B'Shevat

Biblical Month: 15^th of Shevat

Secular Month: Jan./Feb.

Tu B’Shevat is like the Jewish Arbor Day or Jewish Earth Day. It’s the New Years for Trees and it is customary in warm climates to plant plants and trees, in colder climates one decorates ones house with house plants and small trees that can be planted in a pot and then planted in the spring.

Most Jewish sources consider 15 Shevat as the New Year both for designating fruits as orlah (that is, forbidden to eat, because they have grown during the first three years after a tree's planting) and for separating fruits for tithing. This date was selected "because most of the winter rains are over" (Rosh Ha Shannah 14a), the sap has begun to rise, and the fruit has started to ripen. Fruits that have just begun to ripen--from the blossoming stage up to one third of full growth--are attributed to the previous year, whereas fruits that are more mature on 15 Shevat apply to the upcoming year. As with vegetables and grains, fruits that budded during one "fiscal year" could not be used as tithes on those that budded in another year.

Lag B’Omer

Biblical Month: 18^th of Iyar

Secular Month: April/May

You may be saying to yourself, “I’ve never heard of that holiday!” Well, that’s likely because it’s a Jewish holiday, and if you’re not Jewish you probably have never heard of it.  I have celebrated this holiday before and it’s a fun holiday if any Believer wishes to participate in it.

Lag B’Omer takes place during the 33^rd day of the counting of the Omer which counts up to the High Holy Day of Shavu’ot (Pentecost). The 33^rd day of the Omer takes place on Iyar 18^th on the Hebrew Calendar.

Lag B’Omer itself is not a High Holy Day, but a Traditional Jewish Holiday recounting the Talmudic account of 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva who die at the hand of ADONAI via a plague during the counting of the Omer because his students didn’t show proper respect towards one another. The 33^rd day is when the plague ended. So to commemorate this we traditionally have our haircut at this time so as to show that we have no more reason to mourn, but to rejoice, because in Judaism, when we are in mourning we leave our hair unkempt. Jewish children traditionally do not get their hair cut until the age of three when on this day it is cut for the first time.

Also commemorated on this day is the death of a great sage from the Mishnah era, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai who ironically was one of the surviving students of Rabbi Akiva and is believed to have authored the Mystical Kabbalistic Jewish work called the Zohar.

It is also traditional to light bonfires, symbolizing the Light of Torah that shone through the Zohar which Rabbi Yochai had supposedly authored; also bonfires were set to signal war and thus remind us of the Jewish revolt against Rome by General Bar Kochba. Since we have bonfires we also naturally cook out on this day as well as play with bows and arrows because it was said that a rainbow was never seen during Rabbi Yochai’s lifetime, because of him it was a righteous generation where the thought to destroy the world and then relent, hence seeing the rainbow and remembering the covenant, never crossed the mind of God during that time. Also it commemorates temporary victories by the weaponry and armies of General Bar Kochba who revolted against Rome, but because Rabbi Akiva foolishly endorsed Bar Kochba as the Messiah, the revolt ultimately failed.

There is also a legend that Rabbi Akiva and his surviving students would go out into the wilderness to study Torah at a time when it was illegal to do so under Roman occupation and the bow and arrows were taken so as not to raise suspicions of their true intentions.

Tish B’Av

Biblical Month: 9^th of Av

Secular Month: July/August

The Hebrew month of Av is of Babylonian origin and can be found in the Talmud around the 3^rd century. It is the 11^th month of the civil year and the 5^th of the ecclesiastical year.

The Month of Av is best known for, as the Talmud says in Taanit 29a “When we enter [the month of Av] our joy is diminished.” This is due to all the tragic events that occurred in that month to the Hebrew people, especially on the 9^th of Av (Tish B’Av), which in ancient times was the happiest day of the year and now is the darkest and saddest day of the whole Hebrew.

The name “Av” means, “Father” and is derived from the root word meaning “to will” or “to desire.” Clearly fathers and THE FATHER (YHWH) suffered anguish on this day. Earthly fathers lost their families, possessions and the physical representations of their faith and THE FATHER had to suffer to the disobedience of His children which caused Him to have to allow such things to happen for the purpose of discipline as promised in Deut. 27-28.

The Month of Av corresponds to the Hebrew Letter “Tet.” It is shaped like and symbolizes a womb, and in Hebrew numerology (Gematria) is equal to the number 9, which in turn corresponds to the 9 months of pregnancy. In the month of Av the 9 months are condensed and concentrated into 9 days, from Rosh Chodesh Av (the yahrzeit of Aaron the high priest, whose name comes from the word "pregnant") to the 9^th of Av, the day, which legend has it is the birthday of Messiah, but we know this to really be Sukkot.

Av’s Zodiacal Sign is Mazal: Leo - Aryeh

According to: http://www.inner.org/times/av/av.htm “The aryeh symbolizes the super-rational power of Divine will (the meaning of the name Av, as mentioned above). The initial manifestation of G-d's will to destroy (the Temple) was in truth purely for the sake of reconstructing (the Temple with all of its spiritual meaning and significance for Israel and the entire world) for eternity.

In the words of our sages (Yalkut Shimoni, Yermiyahu, 259 ): "The lion [Nevudchanetzar, who is referred to in the Bible as a lion--Yermiyahu 4:7] came on the month of the lion [Av] and destroyed the lion [the Temple, which is referred to in the Bible, especially with regard to the alter, as a lion], in order that the lion [G-d, of Whom is said 'the lion roars, who shall not fear'--Amos 3:8] come on the month of the lion and rebuild the lion."

This secret is also reflected in the numerical value of aryeh. Aryeh in gematria = 216 = gevurah ("might"). Gevurah is the Divine power responsible for tzimtzum (contraction and diminution of Divine light and energy, as is said with regard to the beginning of Av: "When Av enters we diminish in joy" [Mishnah Ta'anit 26:]) and destruction. But 216 = 3 ? 72. 72 = chesed ("lovingkindness"), the Divine power which "builds" all of reality, as is said (Psalms 89:3): "the world is built with [by the power of] chesed." Three times chesed corresponds to the building of all three Temples, who are all contained and find their eternal consummation in the third Temple, to be built speedily in our days by Moshiach. For this reason the aryeh appears to the right, in the place of chesed, in the Divine Chariot (Ezekiel 1:10).”

The Tribe of Israel for the month of Av is Shimon

Shimon comes from the word "to hear," and refers to the sin of the spies on the 9^th of Av who caused Israel to hear their evil report of the Land and thus disobey God by refusing to take it. We are to work on the spiritual attribute of hearing on this month. We need to hear our sins and repent of them.

“Shimon is the only tribe that Moses did not explicitly bless at the end of the Torah. This was due to his "frustration" with the tribe of Shimon because of their involvement (more than all the other tribes) in the sin of Pe'or (prostitution with foreign women, which resulted in idolatry). The name Shimon divides into two words which spell sham avon, "there is iniquity."-- http://www.inner.org/times/av/av.htm

But also was due to the fact they were eventually absorbed in to the tribe of Judah.

As alluded to before, the sense of the month of Av is, Hearing. Not just to hear, but to hear, understand and obey. That is to hear, understand and obey the Torah.

The body part represented by the month of Av is the Left Kidney, a filter, a time of the year when we need to filter our lives and rid it of any sin which is spiritual toxin, mourn over our condition and then be healed and restored.

Av 9^th

It is ironic how our nature is bent on recollecting the tragic things in life, and yet it’s so hard it seems to remember the good things that happen to us. Guys have a hard time remembering one of the best day of their life (or it SHOULD be), the day they got married. Wives are always hounding them every year about remembering that special day. Women on the other hand often (purposely albeit) forget their own birthday. How many of us remember or commemorate the day we had our Bar / Bat Mitzvah, or when we came to Messiah? We often have a bad habit about forgetting special, joyous events. Maybe this is why God commanded us to celebrate the Feasts He lays out on Leviticus Chapter 23? Yet it is easy, almost too easy it seems for us to remember the bad things in life. The day a loved one died, the day we were told that we have cancer, the day our house burnt down, the day Kennedy was shot, the day the Space Shuttle blew up, the day the twin towers fell, the day that Hurricane Katrina hit.

It is no different with Israel. God commands us to celebrate joyous days on our Calendar (Lev 23). Yet we as a Jewish Tradition have added a very tragic day to remember on the Holy Calendar. That is the day of Tish B’Av. You see, God has allowed exceedingly tragic events to occur in Israel's history on the 9th Day of Av.

"This day of fasting, known as Tisha Be-Av is a day of mourning and remembrance of Israel's loss of their sacred Temple. It is one of the most historically significant anniversaries in the life of their nation and is commemorated by Jews throughout the world as the tragic day when God withdrew His Presence and they wept as their precious Temple burned to the ground. Throughout Israel's history, the ninth of Av has witnessed eight of the greatest disasters in their nation's history." (Grant Jeffrey, "Armageddon: Appointment With Destiny", p. 72)

Here are a few of the events that occurred on Tish B’Av:

“In 423 BCE, the first Holy Temple was destroyed by fire, as Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian troops conquered Jerusalem. Also on this day, the second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. According to the Talmud (Taanit there), the destruction of the Second Temple actually did not occur on the ninth of Av, but it's thematically linked to the fast day (and that the destructive fire began on that date - even if it was consumed the next day).” – Aish.com


It is said that the 1^st Temple was destroyed on account of Idol Worship, and that the 2^nd Temple was destroyed because of lack of brotherly love among Israel.

Tish B'Av has long been a day of calamity for the Jewish people: on this day, during the time of Moses, Jews in the desert accepted the slanderous report of the 12 Spies, resulting in the decree postponing enter to the Land of Israel. Other grave misfortunes throughout Jewish history occurred on the Ninth of Av: The Spanish Inquisition culminated with the expulsion of Jews from Spain on Tish B'Av in 1492. World War I broke out on the eve of Tish B'Av in 1914 when Germany declared war on Russia; German resentment from the war set the stage for the Holocaust. On the eve of Tish B'Av 1942, the mass deportation began of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto, en route to Treblinka. Today, Tish B'Av is the Jewish national day of mourning, when we don't eat, drink or bathe. Lights in the synagogue are dimmed, and we read the Book of Lamentations, Jeremiah's poetic lament over the destruction of Jerusalem.

Here are more specifics on some of those events:

“1. Exodus Generation Condemned to Die in Desert (1312 BCE) 

On the Ninth of Av of the year 2449 from creation (1312 BCE), the generation of Jews who came out of Egypt under Moses' leadership 16 months earlier were condemned to die in the desert and the entry into the Land of Israel was delayed for 40 years.

As related in Numbers 14, when the Spies that Moses sent to the Land of Canaan returned with their disheartening report (see "Today in Jewish History " for yesterday, Av 8), the people wept all night -- the night of Av 9th -- proclaiming that they'd rather return to Egypt than attempt to conquer and settle it; G-d decreed that the entire generation will wander in the desert for 40 years until that last of them died out, and that their children, under the leadership of Joshua, will enter the land He promised as Israel's heritage.

This is the first of five national tragedies that occurred on Av 9 listed by the Talmud (Taanit 4:6), due to which the day was designated as a fast day. The other four are: the destruction of the two Temples, the fall of Betar, and the plowing over of Jerusalem. 

2. Holy Temples Destroyed (423 BCE and 69 CE) 

Both the first and second Holy Temples which stood in Jerusalem were destroyed on Av 9: the First Temple by the Babylonians in the year 3338 from creation (423 BCE), and the second by the Romans in 3829 (69 CE).

The Temples' destruction represents the greatest tragedy in Jewish history, for it marks our descent into Galut--the state of physical exile and spiritual displacement in which we still find ourselves today. Thus the Destruction is mourned as a tragedy that affects our lives today, 2,000 years later, no less than the very generation that experienced it firsthand.

3. Fall of Betar (133 CE) 

Betar, the last stronghold in the heroic Bar Kochba rebellion, fell to the Romans on the 9th of Av of the year 3893 (133 CE) after a three-year siege. 580,000 Jews died by starvation or the sword, including Bar Kochba, the leader of the rebellion.

4. Expulsion from England (1290) 

The Jews of England were expelled by King Edward I on this date in 1290.

5. The Spanish Expulsion (1492) 

The Jews of Spain were expelled by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella on the 9th of Av of 1492, terminating many centuries of flourishing Jewish life in that country.” – Chabad.org

Hebrew Year	Common Year	Historic Event of Tisha B’Av (9th of Av)
2448	(1312)	Spies return from 40 days in Israel with evil reports of the Land of Israel. Jewish people cry in despair, give up hope of entering the Land of Israel.
3340	(421)	Destruction of First Temple by the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar. About 100,000 Jews killed during invasion. Exile of remaining tribes in southern kingdom to Babylon and Persia.
3830	70	Destruction of Second Temple by Romans, under Titus. Over 2,500,000 Jews die as a result of war, famine and disease. Over 1,000,000 Jews exiled to all parts of the Roman Empire. Over 100,000 Jews sold as slaves by Romans. Jews killed and tortured in gladiatorial "games" and pagan celebrations.
3892	132	Bar Kochba revolt crushed. Betar destroyed - over 10,000 killed.
3893	133	Turnus Rufus ploughs site of Temple. Romans build pagan city of Aelia Capitolina on site of Jerusalem.
4855 ?	1095 1242	-First Crusade declared by Pope Urban II. 10,000 Jews killed in first month of Crusade. Crusades bring death and destruction to thousands of Jews; totally obliterate many communities in Rhineland and France. -Talmud Burned
5050	1290	Expulsion of Jews from England, accompanied by pogroms and confiscation of books and property.
5252	1492	Inquisition in Spain and Portugal culminates in the expulsion of the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula. Families separated, many die by drowning, massive loss of property.
5674	1914	Britain and Russia declare war on Germany. First World War begins. First World War issues unresolved, ultimately causing Second World War and Holocaust. 75% of all Jews in war zones. Jews in armies of all sides - 120,000 Jewish casualties in armies. Over 400 pogroms immediately following war in Hungary, Ukraine, Poland and Russia.
5702	1942	Deportations from Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka concentration camp begin.
5749	1989	Iraq walks out of talks with Kuwait.
5754 5755	1994 2005	-The deadly bombing the building of the AMIA (the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina) which killed 86 people and wounded some 300 others. - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon imposed a "National State of Emergency" August 14, and began the forced evacuation of settlements in the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements.

To answer my question above; “Why do we remember tragic events?” Well, in this case, so remember so we won’t be doomed to repeat the cause for these tragedies to occurring… our sins, our falling away from the Torah.

Customs and Traditions of Tish B’Av:

Tish B'Av becomes known as the Black Fast -- a symbol of all the persecutions endured by Israel, the day of tears predicted way back in the desert. Mourning the destruction of the Temple and the exile of Israel, we abstain from eating and drinking, bathing, the wearing of leather footwear, and marital relations--for the night and day of Av 9 (i.e., from sundown on Av 8 to nightfall on Av 9). It is customary to sit on the floor or a low stool until after mid-day. Torah study is restricted to laws of mourning, passages describing the destruction of the Temple, and the like. The tefillin are worn only during the afternoon Mincha prayers. 

Mourning into Dancing:

Yet the Ninth of Av is also a day of hope. The Talmud relates that Moshiach ("anointed one"--the Messiah), was born at the very moment that the Temple was set aflame and the Galut (Exile) began. [This is in keeping with the teachings of our sages that, "In every generation is born a descendent of Judah who is worthy to become Israel's Moshiach"(Bartinoro on Ruth); "When the time will come, G-d will reveal Himself to him and send him, and then the spirit of Moshiach, which is hidden and secreted on high, will be manifested in him" (Chattam Sofer).]

Now, we as Believers know that Messiah was born during the Festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles). This is the time in which we build a Sukkah (Tabernacle) and weather permitting, live out in them to commemorate our ancestors living in a similar way while they were in the Wilderness.

John 1 says that the Word (Yeshua the Living Torah) became flesh and “Sukkah-ed” (“Tabernacled”) among us.  

So what are we to make of this tradition of Moshiach being born on Tish B’Av?

Perhaps, just maybe the Third Temple will be finished and dedicated on this day thus heralding the Messianic Age?

“Then shall maidens dance gaily, young men and old alike. I will turn their mourning to joy; I will comfort them and cheer them in their grief.” – Jeremiah 31:13

“Abaye said: Joy will come to us on Tish B’Av, for in the future the Holy One will make that day a holiday, as it is said: “I will turn your mourning to joy.”” – Pesikta Rabbati 28:4

Groundhog Day

Oh it’s just a quaint and innocent tradition dealing with the changing of the seasons, right?

Ground Hog Day (Feb. 2^nd) falls on the Pagan Calendar as Imbolic; when daylight first makes significant progress against the night. We all know that according to folklore and tradition, if it’s cloudy when the groundhog emerges from its den on this day and the groundhog fails to see its shadow, then the spring weather will come early, sometime before the vernal equinox; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and winter weather will continue for another six weeks.

So Why and Ground Hog?

“The transition of Candlemas and other ancient celebrations to Groundhog Day dates back to the time of the Roman conquest of Northern Europe: the Christian celebration of Candlemas was associated with songs like this one:

If Candlemas be fair and bright
Come, winter, have another flight
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, 
Go, winter, and come not again.

This practice of divining the weather on this day spread to Germany, and was brought to this country by some of its first German settlers, also known as Pennsylvania Dutch: hence the location of the most famous groundhog. Also, the groundhog (also known affectionately as a woodchuck) was not the original prototypical weather-divining creature: in Europe it was a hedgehog. But early American settlers were nothing if not adaptable, and so the local creature most closely resembling a hedgehog was chosen for this ritual. Like hedgehogs, groundhogs are no-nonsense, practical animals; the same can be said for bears and badgers, who were also associated with weather divination in European folklore. If a groundhog sees his shadow on the 2nd, some inner sense tells him it's not spring yet (does he feel the chill in the air most clear winter days have? or is the sunny day from an early thaw, which often presages a return to wintry weather?) --and he hightails it back to his burrow. Likewise, humans observe midwinter as a milestone, a moment which is on the cusp of change, between the harsh, cold winds of winter and the fragrant, sensual breezes of spring.” - http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usma&c=holidays&id=2635

Notice the quote above is from a witchcraft website! Should there be any doubt this is not a holiday Believers in Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) should give attention to? But leave it to the Catholics to turn it into a “Christian” holiday.

Imbolic is also known in the Catholic Tradition as Candlemas:

“Candlemas is a very old holiday with a Christian-Pagan history. Its Christian version is called the Purification of the Virgin and is the end/culmination of the forty day period after Mary God-Bearer had her baby on December 25.  Women had to wait forty days after childbirth before entering a church or Temple again due to "uncleanliness". This waiting period is still observed in Eastern Orthodox Christian churches today, and all Christian churches schedule the Christening for forty days after the birth in keeping with this ancient purification practice. Therefore today is Yeshua’s Christening or Naming Day when an exorcism is performed and the baby formally enters the Church.

This special forty-day period in the Christian calendar is one of four such in the esoteric Church year.  The other three forty-day periods are:  Fall Equinox  (Sept 21) to Halloween/All Saints Day (Oct. 31, Nov.1), Spring Equinox (Mar 21)  to May Day (May 1) and of course, Lent.  Lent is the forty-day period beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Sunday every year.  

Candlemas is a church “adaptation” of a pagan goddess holiday called Imbolc where people light candles to banish dark spooks. Candlemas is celebrated on the same day as that pagan holiday, February 2nd. The word Imbolc, variously spelled Imbolg, Oimelc and Imelg, means “ewe-milk” because this is the time lambs were born in old England, Ireland and most of Europe thus bringing back the flow of ewe’s milk. -- https://northernway.org/school/way/calendar/candlemas.html

Valentine’s Day

Each pagan holiday has a Christian religious front, Valentine’s Day, now called Saint Valentine’s Day is no different. In short it is said to commemorate Saint Valentine who secretly married couples during a time when the powers that be denied marriage to certain people, or without the bride first consummating with the king prior to her husband. Other legends surround this day and this so called Saint.

Ironically, the sad fact is that the majority people never question the origin of the customs and traditions in which they involve themselves in. The Majority of folks do not ask the obvious and hard questions but instead do what everybody else is doing, never stopping to consider how the ADONAI feels about such celebrations.

Valentine’s Day is a day preoccupied with the heart (the emotions), consider what Jeremiah said via the inspiration of ADONAI: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his wages, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10

So, what are the origins of this unusual day? Why the color red, and where did the heart shape come from (Because it doesn’t resemble a real human heart at all), and what does it mean?

“In the days of the Roman Empire, the month of February was the last and shortest month of the year. February originally had 30 days, but when Julius Caesar named the month of July after himself, he decided to make that month longer and shortened February to 29 days while making July a month of 31 days. Later when Octavius Caesar, also known as Augustus, came to power, he named the month of August after himself, and not be outdone he also subtracted a day from February and gave the month of August 31 days. To this very day it remains that way. The ancient Romans believed that every month had a spirit that gained in strength and reached its peak or apex of power in the middle or ides of the month. This was usually the 15th day, and it was a day when witches and augurs, or soothsayers worked their magic. An augur was a person filled with a spirit of divination, and from the word augur we get the word “inaugurate”, which means to “take omens”. Since February had been robbed by Caesars and had only 28 days, the ides of February became the 14th day of that month. Since the Ides of a month was celebrated on the preceding eve, the month of February was unique, because it was the 13th day that became the eve of the Ides that month, and it became a very important pagan holiday in the Empire of Rome. The sacred day of February 14th was called “Lupercalia” or “day of the wolf.” This was a day that was sacred to the sexual frenzy of the goddess Juno. This day also honored the Roman gods, Lupercus and Faunus, as well as the legendary twin brothers, who supposedly founded Rome, Remus and Romulus. These two are said to have been suckled by wolves in a cave on Palatine Hill in Rome. The cave was called Lupercal and was the center of the celebrating on the eve of Lupercalia or February 14th. On this day, Lupercalia, which was later named Valentine’s Day, the Luperci or priests of Lupercus dressed in goatskins for a bloody ceremony. The priests of Lupercus, the wolf god, would sacrifice goats and a dog and then smear themselves with blood. These priests, made red with sacrificial blood, would run around Palatine Hill in a wild frenzy while carving a goatskin thong called a “februa.” Women would sit all around the hill, as the bloody priests would strike them with the goatskin thongs to make them fertile. The young women would then gather in the city and their names were put in boxes. These “love notes” were called “billets.” The men of Rome would draw a billet, and the woman whose name was on it became his sexual lust partner with whom he would fornicate until the next Lupercalia or February 14th.
Thus, February 14th became a day of unbridled sexual lust. The color “red” was sacred to that day because of the blood and the “heart shape” that is popular to this day. The heart-shape was not a representation of the human heart, which looks nothing like it. This shape represents the human female matrix or opening to the chamber of sacred copulation.
When the Gnostic Catholic Church began to get a foothold in Rome around the 3rd century A.D., they became known as Valentinians. The Catholic Valentinians retained the sexual license of the festival in what they called “angels in a nuptial chamber”, which was also called the “sacrament of copulation.” This was said to be a re-enactment of the marriage of “Sophia and the Redeemer.” As the participants of the February 14th ritual began their sexual sacrament, presided over and watched by the priests known as Valentinians, the following literary was spoken: “Let the seed of light descend into thy bridal chamber, receive the bridegroom… open thine arms to embrace him. Behold, grace has descended upon thee.” -- http://www.triumphpro.com/valentine_s_day.htm

Again we see that the pagan holiday was replaced by a saint of the Catholic Church. The Christian veneer slathered over and synced with the pagan reality and truth of holiday.

It should go without saying that the Believers in Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) should avoid Valentine’s. No matter the watering down of the original pagan origins, it still contains all the elements and meaning of the pagan holiday and in the eyes of the LORD, it’s still the satanic and carnal day of “Lupercalia,” the “Day of the Wolf.” We have heard of the “wolf whistle,” it’s slang for when men lust after a woman and whistle to vocalize their inner lustful cravings. Well, we all know in reality that wolves do not. This is a nod to Lepercalia, the spirit of unbridled lust.

The Origin of Cupid

So where hid the fat naked archer baby with wings come from?

“The central figure of Valentine’s Day is Cupid, the Roman god of love. He is called Eros in Greek mythology. Myths describe Cupid as a handsome lad who united lovers whenever he could. Early images show him as an athletic young man, but by the mid-300’s B.C. he had evolved to a chubby naked infant with wings, holding a bow and arrows. If one was shot by one of his arrows, he or she supposedly fell in love.” - http://www.triumphpro.com/valentine_s_day.htm

Eros is where we get the word for sexual arousal, “Erotic.”

The origin of Cupid and his prominence in pagan religion is discussed in Hislop’s Two Babylons. He mentions that the ancient poet Aristophanes declared “we are informed that he from whom both ‘mighty ones’ and gods derived their origin, was none other than the winged boy Cupid.” In a footnote Hislop declares, “Aristophanes says that Eros or Cupid produced the ‘birds’ and ‘gods’ by ‘mingling all things.’ This evidently points to the meaning of the name Bel, which signifies at once ‘the mingler’ and ‘the confounder. This name properly belonged to the father of Nimrod, but, as the son is represented as identified with the father, we have evidence that the name descended to the son and others by inheritance” (page 40).
Cupid occupied the very same position as Ninus the “son” did to Rhea, the mother of the gods. Nimrod was the first of the “mighty ones” after the Flood, as we read in Genesis, “Cush became the father of Nimrod; he was the first on earth to become a mighty warrior. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD” (Gen.10:8-9).
Thus Cupid, the god of love, was none other than the infant NIMROD, the one who taught rebellion against the LORD, Yahveh, after the Flood – the one who led the revolt against God’s laws, and who attempted to build the tower of Babel, to strike against heaven and the heavenly host! Cupid is pictured as a child hunter, with bow and arrows, and grew up to be “the mighty hunter before [i.e. against] the LORD.”
The Latin for word “Valentine” alludes to this major trait of Nimrod, the mighty hunter. The Latin word for “Valentine” is “Valentinus,” a proper name derived from the word valens which means “to be strong. It literally means, “strong, powerful, mighty.” Nimrod was, remember, the “MIGHTY hunter against the Lord.” He was renown in the ancient world for his muscular strength skillful hunting and bowmanship, and war-waging prowess.
The Moffatt Translation says, “Ethiopia produced Nimrod, the first man on earth to be a despot (he was a mighty hunter before the Eternal; hence the proverb, ‘Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Eternal’). His empire at first was Babylon, Uruk, Akkad, and Kalneh, in the land of Shinar; from which he pushed out into Assyria . . .” (Gen.10:8-11).
Nimrod was not only physically powerful, and skillful at hunting game, including voracious leopards and lions, but he was also a “hunter” of the souls of men, who strove to lead mankind into idolatry, and worship of pagan gods, of whom he was considered the chief – a man who declared himself to be “God” in the flesh.
Aristophanes says that the boy Cupid, a “winged one,” produced all the birds, “winged ones,” occupying the very position of Ninus, the “son,” thus identifying him with Nimrod. “Ninus is Nimrod,” said the ancient historian Appolodorus (Hislop. Page 40).”- http://www.triumphpro.com/valentine_s_day.htm

The Origin of the Valentine’s Heart

“Ideograms are scattered throughout our past, and they serve a very valuable function. Nevertheless, I'm going to ask you to see the heart symbol in a different, yet connected way, because I believe it to be a sacred shape . For many in the Earthwise community that heart symbol is our version of Sheila-Na-Gig. Sheela-na-Gigs are figurative carvings of naked women displaying an exaggerated vulva. They are found on churches, castles and other buildings, particularly in Ireland and Britain. This concept has been discussed by feminists for many years, and was recently re-stated by author Gloria Steinem in her wonderful forward to The Vagina Monologues. She writes: "The shape we call a heart, whose symmetry resembles the vulva far more than the asymmetry of the organ that shares its name, is probably a residual female genital symbol. (Such symbols) were reduced from power to romance by centuries of male dominance. I thought of this while watching little girls drawing hearts in their notebooks, even dotting their i's with hearts, and I wondered: Were they magnetized by this primordial shape because it was so like their own bodies?"" – A pagan website.

“The heart-shape was not a representation of the human heart, which looks nothing like it. This shape represents the human female matrix or opening to the chamber of sacred copulation." – Last Day Trumpet Ministries



The “heart” shape is said to be the shape of the female body from behind when bending over. It is also considered to depict features of the female genitalia, the pubic mound or vulva when open and spread out. A Sumerian cuneiform symbol for "woman" closely resembles the heart shape, and is believed to directly depict the pubic mound.

Now a days the pagan illusions is well hid and has soften edges, but without it being said, everyone knows most adults on this day goes out to dinner and a movie, lavish expensive gifts on each other and ends the night in bed. So it’s still about sex.

Today, Valentine’s day it is nothing but a capitalistic, hedonistic, commercial, economic enterprise that has nothing to do with true love, all it says is, “buy, buy, buy,” and if you don’t you are made to feel guilty and that you truly don’t love So and So. Look, I don’t need Valentine’s Day or even my Anniversary to show my wife, or my family and friends that I love them. I should do that every day, every chance I get. Buy my actions and words and not necessarily by my wallet.

Saint Patrick’s Day

March 17^th, Saint Patrick’s Day; a day to honor Saint Patrick (By the way, His name wasn’t even Patrick, it was MaewynSuccat. He became known as Patrick named after his place of burial), who overpowered Druids and chased out snakes and evangelized Ireland by explaining the triune God with a shamrock, right? 

We all know the tradition to wear green on this day, but Protestants wore orange in protest of the observance of this day. Catholics believed such a person deserved to be punished, and what was out right lynch mobs against Protestant Christians simply became getting pinched.

Where does the Leprechaun comes from?

Green clad, jolly, ginger bearded elves who are obsessed with gold and playing tricks, where did they originate and what do they represent?

“Leprechauns account for some of the emphasis on green (as do the shamrocks) as these were thought to be little green men dressed in shoe makers’ clothes who hide their gold in a pot at the end of a rainbow. When people, even those “in the church” don’t know the Lord, worship, regardless of who or what is worshipped, is considered as equally valid worship. So what if you mix two religions. If you’re not born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God and therefore you cannot recognize the tragic consequences of mixing faith in Yeshua with pagan practices. Like oil and water, they don’t mix and no righteousness comes out of it. Fear, superstition and spiritual confusion result. Worst of all is that there are eternal consequences to not knowing or practicing the truth.

… wiccan was essentially nature worship. The belief is in “elementals” which are creatures that have evolved in the four elements of fire, air, earth and water. These are known as gnomes, sylphs, salamanders, and undines which are further identified as pixies, fairies, trolls, dwarfs, goblins, leprechauns, banshees, moss people, elves and fauns, and other such creatures, all of which were involved in magic and sorcery. Unknowingly, the Irish were trafficking with demon spirits, the same demon spirits that new age and occult practices involve themselves with today. According to Wikipedia – Origins of Easter, these are “light beings” which can “slip into whatever form your mind imagines as a means to communicate with your spirit.” That means there are demonic forces communicating with your spirit when you are involved with these magical entities. They are used strongly in ceremonial magic and practices of nature-worship or wicca. Leprechauns are thought to take you to their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and while the origin of this idea is unknown, it does appear to be an incantation for a spirit to produce what a greedy person desires.

All of these “elementals” answer to a Faun named Pan who is the god of the nature elementals. Pan is a man with horns on his head and a goat’s lower body, which is typically pictured as satan. Think of Mr. Tumnus in The Chronicles of Narnia. Pan is also known as the Egyptian Baphomet which is the sabbatical goat which is worshipped as satan at the witches’ Sabbath, which just happens to coincide with many major Catholic holy days. How come? Good old Constantine again, through his “Christianizing” pagan beliefs while he was emperor.

During the middle ages, under the church/State rule of the Roman Catholic church (the only church incidentally; it is our common heritage, Catholic and Protestant, before the Reformation), labeled Saturday as the “witches Sabbath” and persecuted all who worshipped God and His Messiah on this day. And who would those people be who would have been persecuted? The Jews, of course, and any who refused to give up the Lord’s Sabbath day. In keeping the Sabbath they were in effect taking the stand that the church had no right to change God’s laws and His times. They suffered great persecution because of it.”- Lonnie Lane https://sidroth.org/articles/leprechauns-are-not-kosher-lane/

Today it has devolved into an Irish Pride Festival and just another reason to party and get drunk.

“Celtic pagans were worshippers of nature spirits but while under Roman domination, they adopted some of Rome’s gods as well. The beer drinking that is associated with Irish pubs had its origin in worship of the Roman god Dionysius, the god of beer or ale. Beer drinking, it appears, took on religious significance. The phrase, “to drown the shamrock” means to go drinking on St. Patrick’s day and is a major part of the St. Patrick’s day celebrations, as are the parades, another part of pagan culture.” – Lonnie Lane https://sidroth.org/articles/leprechauns-are-not-kosher-lane/

It’s interesting also to note that eating greens and drinking beer was the pagan worship of Balak and Balaam, the ones who attempted to prophecy a curse on Israel and get them to stumble into pagan idolatry (Numbers 22).

Saint Patrick’s day, again, another holiday, pawned off by the Catholics as innocent fun that has a pagan and lurid past in which Believers in Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) should have nothing to do with.

April Fool’s Day

Innocent pranks and fun right? Wrong.

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. – Matt. 5:22

The only true fool is one who does not believe in God.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. – Psa. 14:1, 53:1

Some pranks are not funny at all.

Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen. – Deut. 27:18

As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport? – Prov. 26:18-19

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. – Eph. 5:1-4

Some say it all started in 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII decreed the adoption of his, “Gregorian calendar,” which moved New Year’s Day from the end of March to Jan. 1. The change was published far and but not everyone got the message and continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1 and such were ridiculed and called “fools,” because of it. Here we see the Catholics hand in it again.

Some say that it goes even further back than that to an old pagan renewal festival of the Spring marked by revelry, disguises, orgies, feasting, drunkenness and all out mayhem.

There are other pagan days that correlate with April fool’s day. For example, Hilaria; in late March the Romans honored the resurrection of Attis, son of the Great Mother Cybele, with the “Hilaria” celebration. The observance included merriment and disguises.

Festival of Lud observed by the Northern Europeans was an ancient festival to honor Lud, the Celtic god of humor.

Feast of Fools, the medieval Festus Fatuorum (Feast of Fools) came from the feast to Saturnalia. Customs included electing a Lord of Misrule and made fun of church religious rituals and customs in a most disrespectful and blasphemous manner.

There was a festival practiced in areas of Britain during the Middle Ages that had similarities to April Fool's Day. The day was called, Hoke-Tide (or Hock-Tide) and it was celebrated near Easter time. Men and women would stop total strangers of the opposite sex and tie them up, only untying them when a price was paid.

So you see, anyway you slice it, April Fool’s Day does not honor God in anyway and actually degrades the pinnacle of His creation; Mankind.