There is an idea among people who desire to keep Torah that only the males are required to travel during the three gathering times for YHWH’s High Holidays. This is a very old idea from the Oral Law / Torah or also known as the false traditions of men. One example of this being taught is in the Mishnah Chagigah composed around 190 – 230 AD, see Mishnah Chagigah on Sefaria. The quote below from Mishnah Chagigah 1:1, states that everyone needs to come, except everyone but males.
הַכֹּל חַיָּבִין בָּרְאִיָּה, חוּץ מֵחֵרֵשׁ, שׁוֹטֶה וְקָטָן, וְטֻמְטוּם, וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס, וְנָשִׁים, וַעֲבָדִים שֶׁאֵינָם מְשֻׁחְרָרִים, הַחִגֵּר, וְהַסּוּמָא, וְהַחוֹלֶה, וְהַזָּקֵן, וּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲלוֹת בְּרַגְלָיו. אֵיזֶהוּ קָטָן, כֹּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִרְכּוֹב עַל כְּתֵפָיו שֶׁל אָבִיו וְלַעֲלוֹת מִירוּשָׁלַיִם לְהַר הַבַּיִת, דִּבְרֵי בֵית שַׁמַּאי. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, כֹּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֶאֱחֹז בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיו וְלַעֲלוֹת מִירוּשָׁלַיִם לְהַר הַבַּיִת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג) שָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים:
All are obligated on the three pilgrim Festivals in the mitzva of appearance, i.e., to appear in the Temple as well as to sacrifice an offering, except for a deaf-mute, an imbecile, and a minor; and a tumtum, and a hermaphrodite, and women, and slaves who are not emancipated; and the lame, and the blind, and the sick, and the old, and one who is unable to ascend to Jerusalem on his own legs. Who has the status of a minor with regard to this halakha? Any child who is unable to ride on his father’s shoulders and ascend from Jerusalem to the Temple Mount; this is the statement of Beit Shammai. And Beit Hillel say: Any child who is unable to hold his father’s hand and ascend on foot from Jerusalem to the Temple Mount, as it is stated: “Three times [regalim]” (Exodus 23:14). Since the term for feet is raglayim, Beit Hillel infer from here that the obligation to ascend involves the use of one’s legs.
190 – 230 AD is long before any English translations of the Bible were attempted. The first English translation was in 1382 AD by John Wycliffe and his followers. Next was William Tyndale’s from 1525 – 1535 AD. After that was Miles Coverdale in 1535. These three translations were referenced in the first King James Version of 1611. During translation, the translators referenced the traditions of the Jews, such as Mishnah Chagigah 1:1, to guide their translations. But both “H2138: zakur” for the Masoretic text and “αρσενικόν” for the LXX / Septuagint in Exodus 23:17, Exodus 34:23, and Deuteronomy 16:16 does not mean male. The definition of “H2138: zakur” for the Masoretic text is mindful or covenanted. The definition of “αρσενικόν” is dedicated or set apart.
“H2138: zakur” is about remembering and being mindful of YHWH’s covenant you have made. Mindful’s definition from the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary supports that idea with meaning heedful and observant which goes along with being in a covenant.
BibleHub, H2138: zakur:
Strong’s Lexicon:
zakur: Remembered, mindful
Word Origin: Derived from the root זָכַר (zakar), meaning “to remember” or “to mention.”
Usage: The term “zakur” is used to describe something or someone that is remembered or kept in mind. In the context of the Hebrew Bible, it often refers to God’s remembrance of His COVENANT or His PEOPLE. It signifies an active, purposeful remembering that LEADS TO ACTION, rather than a passive recollection.
Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israelite culture, remembrance was a significant concept, deeply tied to COVENANTAL RELATIONSHIPS. To remember was not merely to recall but to ACT in accordance with a PROMISE or COMMITMENT. This is evident in the way God “REMEMBERS” His COVENANTS with the patriarchs and ACTS to fulfill His PROMISES. The act of remembering was also central to Israel’s worship and identity, as seen in the FESTIVALS and rituals that commemorated God’s past acts of salvation.1828 Webster’s Dictionary, MINDFUL:
adjective) Attentive; regarding with care; bearing in mind; HEEDFUL; OBSERVANT.
Scholars don’t really know what the greek word “αρσενικόν” means. The Apostolic Bible Polyglot translation of the LXX / Septuagint on BibleHub points to “G0732: ἄρρωστος: arrotos“. Which to me doesn’t look like the same word, but I’m no Greek expert. I do wonder if the “.1” next to “732” is an admitance to that. “G0732: ἄρρωστος: arrotos” has a varrying range of meanings depending on where you look, from sick to weak, to remiss. And none of these make sense to me with the verses in question including with the context.
ABP Exodus 23:17, LXX, BibleHub
Blue Letter Bible is honest in showing that scholars really don’t know what the word means with stating “Not Available”.
LXX Exodus 23:17, Blue Letter Bible
Searching for all the instances of “αρσενικόν” on Blue Letter Bible to better understand what “αρσενικόν” means yields 23 verses.
- Genesis 17:10
- Genesis 17:12
- Genesis 34:15
- Genesis 34:22
- Genesis 34:25
- Exodus 12:48
- Exodus 23:17
- Exodus 34:23
- Leviticus 6:18
- Numbers 1:18
- Numbers 3:15
- Numbers 3:28
- Numbers 3:34
- Numbers 3:39
- Numbers 18:10
- Numbers 26:62
- Numbers 31:7
- Numbers 31:17
- Deuteronomy 16:16
- Deuteronomy 20:13
- Judges 21:11
- 1 Kings 11:15
- 1 Kings 11:16
While going through all these verses multiple times along with additional context from the surrounding verses, I have come to the conclusion that “αρσενικόν” means dedicated or set apart. I will go Numbers 18:10 that I believe really brings this out, if you want to go over the other passages feel free to, as other verses demonstrate this also. But first I want to go the Greek word “G0730: άρσεν” which is found in context with verses listed above surrounding “αρσενικόν” which I believe supports my conclusion that “αρσενικόν” means dedicated or set apart. First I want to bring out how it’s fairly obvious that “αρσενικόν” is related to “άρσεν” just from the fact it starts the same and has the Greek suffix “ικόν” see Wiktionary how ικόν” is a suffix. (I hope the fact that the ABP translation from the LXX on BibleHub is point to “G0732: ἄρρωστος: arrotos” is an honest mistake.) On top of that, this goes along how “αρσενικόν” is translated as male as “άρσεν” is loosely defined as. Below is the definition of “G0730: άρσεν” and it’s root “G0142: airó“.
BibleHub, G0730: άρσεν:
Strong’s Lexicon:
Definition: Male, man
Word Origin: Derived from a presumed derivative of G0142 (airo, meaning “to LIFT” or “to take up”)
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often used in similar contexts is זָכָר (zakar), Strong’s Hebrew 2145, which also denotes the male gender.
Cultural and Historical Background: In the ancient Greco-Roman world, gender ROLES were clearly defined, with males typically holding positions of authority and RESPONSIBILITY in both the family and society. The biblical texts reflect these cultural norms, often HIGHLIGHTING the ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES of men in RELIGIOUS, familial, and societal contexts. The use of “arrén” underscores the importance of male lineage and inheritance in Jewish and early Christian traditions.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance:
male, man.
Arsen (ar’-sane) probably from airo; male (as STRONGER FOR LIFTING) — male, man.
see GREEK airo [G0142]BibleHub, G0142: airó: lift:
Strong’s Lexicon:
airó: To lift, to take up, to raise, to remove, to carry away.
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries:
– H5375 (נָשָׂא, nasa): To lift, bear, carry, take. [from Strong’s Lexicon Usage and Background: FORGIVENESS]
– H7311 (רוּם, rum): To be high, exalted, to lift up. [from Strong’s Lexicon Usage: Elohim’s EXALTATION and AUTHORITY]
Usage: The Greek verb “αἴρω” (airó) primarily means to lift or raise something physically. It can also imply taking up or CARRYING AWAY, often used metaphorically to describe REMOVING OR TAKING AWAY SINS, burdens, or responsibilities. In the New Testament, it is frequently used in contexts where Jesus or His followers are instructed to take up their cross, symbolizing the acceptance of suffering or responsibility for the sake of following Christ.
Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of lifting or carrying was often associated with physical labor or the bearing of burdens. In Jewish culture, the idea of lifting or taking away was significant in religious rituals, such as the REMOVAL OF SINS through sacrifices. The metaphorical use of “airó” in the New Testament reflects these cultural understandings, emphasizing the spiritual act of bearing one’s cross or the REMOVAL OF SIN THROUGH CHRIST’S [MESSIAH’S] ATONEMENT.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance:
to take up, take away
A primary root; to lift up; by implication, to take up or away; figuratively, to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind), specially, to sail away (i.e. Weigh anchor); by Hebraism (compare nasa’) TO EXPIATE [ATONE] SIN — away with, bear (up), carry, lift up, loose, make to doubt, put away, remove, take (away, up).
see HEBREW nasa’ [H5375]
Considering “αρσενικόν” is “G0730: άρσεν” with a suffix of “ικόν”, and “G0730: άρσεν” is derived from G0142, it is reasonable to believe that “αρσενικόν” has something to do with dedicated or set apart. “G0730: άρσεν” has to do with responsibilities in a religious context and how being dedicated makes us stronger. In addition, how the root word G0142 has to do with removal of sins, which is something that happens after you have dedicated yourself to Yeshua and His Torah, or in other words, having a sincere desire to repent of your sins, returning to Torah, along with showing the world you want to come under Yeshua’s cover by doing water baptism.
Now, lets look at the usage of “αρσενικόν” in Numbers 18:10 from the list of passages with “αρσενικόν” from Blue Letter Bible, which is part of Numbers 18:8-19. With the context of Numbers 18:8-19 of all the offerings and who can partake of them, “αρσενικόν” meaning dedicated or set apart makes more than males. Especially considering verses 11 and 13 bring out this group from verse 10 needs to be “G2513: katharos” which is to be clean and pure, or in otherwords free from sin and guilt, and thus not EVERY MALE, as it is mistranslated, but would be better translated as dedicated or set apart believer which fits the context of Numbers 18:8-19. With Numbers 18:8-19 being a chiasmus, Numbers 18:10 with “αρσενικόν” and Numbers 18:13 with “G2513: katharos” are both supporting C stanzas. The center stanza in the chiasmus is the focal point to this Hebrew poetry, and Numbers 10:13 is where the center is, with the word “G2513: katharos” in Greek and “H2889: tahor” in Hebrew, showing the focus of this poem is to be clean and pure or in otherwords free from sin and guilt. In addition, daughters are mentioned in verses 11 and 19, showing it’s not just men who are to partake but daughters also, who also have the requirement of being “G2513: katharos” which is to be clean and pure, or in otherwords, free from sin and guilt.
BibleHub, G2513: katharos:
Strong’s Lexicon:
katharos: Clean, pure, clear
Meaning: clean, pure, unstained, either literally or ceremonially or spiritually; guiltless, innocent, upright.
Word Origin: Derived from a primary word meaning “CLEAN” or “PURE.”
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries:
-H2889 (טָהוֹר, tahor): CLEAN, PURE
-H2891 (טָהֵר, taher): To be CLEAN, to PURIFY
Usage: The Greek word “katharos” primarily denotes physical cleanliness or purity, but it extends to moral and CEREMONIAL PURITY as well. In the New Testament, it is often used to describe the PURITY OF HEART AND SPIRIT, as well as the CLEANLINESS REQUIRED BY JEWISH LAW.
Cultural and Historical Background: In the Jewish context, CEREMONIAL CLEANLINESS was crucial for worship and daily life. The Law of Moses outlined various rituals and practices to maintain purity, which included washing and avoiding certain foods and activities. In the Greco-Roman world, purity also had philosophical and ETHICAL dimensions, often associated with MORAL INTEGRITY AND VIRTUE.
HELPS Word-studies:
(a primitive word) – properly, “without admixture” (BAGD); what is separated (purged), hence “CLEAN” (PURE) because unmixed (without undesirable elements); (figuratively) SPIRITUALLY CLEAN because PURGED (PURIFIED BY GOD), i.e. FREE FROM THE CONTAMINATING (SOILING) INFLUENCES OF SIN.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance:
Definition: CLEAN (adjective)
NASB Translation: clean (12), clear (3), innocent (1), pure (10).
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon:
chaste, chasten; clean, pure
b) in a livitical sense; clean, ie the use of which is not forbidden, imparts no uncleanness
c) FREE FROM CORRUPT DESIRE, FROM SIN AND GUILT; free from every admxiture of what is false, sincere; genuine; blameless, innocent
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance:
clean, clear, pure.SJR Numbers 18:8-19
AA 8 And the Lord [YHWH] spake unto Aaron,
ABA Behold, I [YHWH] also have given thee the charge
AB-BA of mine heave offerings
AB-BB of all the hallowed things
AB-BC of the children of Israel;
AB-BA unto thee have I [YHWH] given them
AB-BB by reason of the anointing,
AB-BC and to thy sons,
ABA by an ordinance for ever.
-BA 9 This shall be thine
-B-B of the most holy things,
-B–C reserved from the fire:
-B—DAA every oblation of theirs,
-B—DAB every meat offering of theirs,
-B—DBA and every sin offering of theirs,
-B—DBB and every trespass offering of theirs,
-B–C which they shall render unto Me [YHWH],
-B-B shall be most holy
-BA for thee and for thy sons.
–CA 10 In the most holy place
–C-B shalt thou eat it;
–C-B every onemale[H2145: remembering] shall eat it:
–C-C it shall be holy unto thee.
—DA 11 And this is thine;
—D-BA the heave offering of their gift,
—D-BB with all the wave offerings
—D-BC of the children of Israel:
—D-BA I have given them unto thee,
—D-BB and to thy sons
—D-BC and to thy daughters with thee,
—DA by a statute for ever:
—-EA every one that is clean [H2889]
—-EB in thy house [family] shall eat of it.
—DAA 12 All the best of the oil,
—DAB and all the best of the wine,
—DAC and of the wheat,
—DBA the firstfruits of them which they shall offer
—DBB unto the Lord [YHWH],
—DBC them have I [YHWH] given thee.
–CA 13 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land,
–C-B which they shall bring unto the Lord [YHWH],
–C–C shall be thine;
–C-B every one that is clean [H2889]
–CA in thine house shall eat of it.
-BAAA 14 Every thing devoted in Israel
-BAAB shall be thine.
-BA-BA 15 Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh,
-BA-BA which they bring unto the Lord [YHWH],
-BAAA whether it be of men or beasts,
-BAAB shall be thine:
-B-BA nevertheless the firstborn of man
-B-BB shalt thou surely redeem,
-B–CA and the firstling of unclean beasts
-B–CB shalt thou redeem.
-B—DA 16 And those that are to be redeemed
-B—DB from a month old shalt thou redeem,
-B–CA according to thine estimation,
-B–CB for the money of five shekels,
-B-BAA after the shekel of the sanctuary,
-B-BAB which is twenty gerahs.
-BAAA 17 But the firstling of a cow,
-BAAB or the firstling of a sheep,
-BAAC or the firstling of a goat,
-BA-B thou shalt not redeem;
-BA–C they are holy:
-BA—D thou shalt sprinkle their blood
-BA—D upon the altar,
-BA–C and shalt burn their fat
-BA-B for an offering made by fire,
-BAA for a sweet savour unto the Lord [YHWH].
AA 18 And the flesh of them shall be thine,
A-BA as the wave breast
A-BB and as the right shoulder
A-BC are thine.
A–C 19 All the heave offerings of the holy things,
A—D which the children of Israel
A—-E offer unto the Lord [YHWH],
A—-E have I [YHWH] given thee,
A—D and thy sons and thy daughters with thee,
A–C by a statute for ever:
A-BA it is a covenant of salt
A-BB for ever before the Lord [YHWH]
AA unto thee and to thy seed with thee.BibleHub, H2145: zakar:
Strong’s Lexicon:
zakar: Male
Meaning: REMEMBERED, a male
Word Origin: Derived from the root זָכַר (zakar), meaning “to REMEMBER” or “to mention.”
Brown-Driver-Briggs:
2) of animals, especially for sacrifice [set apart]
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance:
From zakar; properly, REMEMBEREDBibleHub, H2889: tahor:
Strong’s Lexicon:
tahor: Clean, pure
Word Origin: Derived from the root verb טָהֵר (taher), meaning “to be CLEAN” or “to PURIFY.”
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: – G2513 (katharos): Often used in the Septuagint and New Testament to convey the idea of being clean or pure, both physically and morally.
Usage: The Hebrew word “tahor” primarily denotes a state of cleanliness or purity, both in a physical and ceremonial sense. It is used to describe objects, animals, and people that are free from impurities or defilement, making them suitable for worship and interaction within the community. In a broader sense, “tahor” can also refer to moral purity and righteousness.
Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israelite culture, the concept of purity was central to religious and social life. The laws given in the Torah, particularly in Leviticus, outline various regulations for maintaining ritual purity. These laws distinguished between what was considered “clean” (tahor) and “unclean” (tamei), affecting everything from dietary practices to temple worship. Purity was not only a physical state but also a spiritual condition, reflecting one’s relationship with God and the community.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance:
Word Origin: from “H2891: taher” [to be clean, to purify, to be pure]
Definition: clean, pure
NASB Translation: clean (51), pure (40), purity (1), unclean* (2), who is clean (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs:
clean, pure
1) ceremonially clean
3) ethically pure
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance:
clean, fair, pureness
Or tahor {taw-hore’}; from “H2891: taher”; pure (in a physical, chemical, CEREMONIAL or MORAL sense) — clean, fair, pure(-ness).
In addition to what the Hebrew word “H2138: zakur” means and what the Greek word “αρσενικόν” means, there are passages of scripture for all three traveling feasts that everyone is to go to them, not just the males. Below is one passage per traveling feast, there are others you will see later in the article.
SJR Exodus 12:3-4
3 Speak ye unto ALL THE CONGREGATION of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the HOUSE of their fathers, a lamb for an HOUSE: 4 And if the HOUSEHOLD be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his HOUSE take it according to the number of the SOULS;every man[H0376: EVERYONE] according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.Deuteronomy 16:9-12
9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn. 10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks [Shavuot / Pentecost] unto the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu] with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu], according as the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu] hath blessed thee: 11 And THOU shalt rejoice before the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu], THOU, and thy SON, and thy DAUGHTER, and thy MANSERVANT, and thy MAIDSERVANT, and the LEVITE that is within thy gates, and the STRANGER, and the FATHERLESS, and the WIDOW, that are among you, in the place which the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu] hath chosen to place His [YHWH] name there. 12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.Deuteronomy 16:13-14
13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: 14 And THOU shalt rejoice in thy feast, THOU, and thy SON, and thy DAUGHTER, and thy MANSERVANT, and thy MAIDSERVANT, and the LEVITE, the STRANGER, and the FATHERLESS, and the WIDOW, that are within thy gates.
Below are my SJR Translations of Exodus 23:14-17, Exodus 34:23 and Deuteronomy 16:16-17 from the Masoretic texts, showing that all covenanted believers are required to do the traveling feasts. Which is supported by “αρσενικόν” in the LXX / Septuagint.
SJR Exodus 23:14-17
AA 14 Three times
AB thou shalt keep a feast
AC unto Me [YHWH] in the year.
-BAAA 15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened [not men’s] bread [commandments]:
-BAA-B (thou shalt eat unleavened [not men’s] bread [commandments] seven [complete] days [millenniums],
-BAA–C as I [YHWH] commanded thee,
-BAA–C in the time appointed
-BAA-B of the monthAbib[H0024: young / green grain];
-BAAAfor in it[H3588: when] thou camest out from Egypt [wickedness]:
-BBA and none shall appear
-BBB before Me [YHWH]
-BBC empty:)
-BBAA 16 And the feast of harvest [Shavuot / Pentecost],
-BBAB the firstfruits of thy labours,
-BBB which thou hast sown in the field:
-BCAA and the feast ofingathering[H0614: harvest] [Tabernacles],
-BCAB which is in the end of the [harvesting]year[H8141: cycle],
-BCBA when thou hast gathered in
-BCBB thy labours out of the field.
AA 17 Three times in the year
AB allthy males[H2138: mindful / covenanted]
AC shall appear before the Lord [YHWH] God [Elohim].SJR Exodus 34:23
AA 23 Thrice in the year
AB shall allyour men children[H2138: mindful / covenanted]
BA appear before the Lord [YHWH] God [Elohim],
BB the God [Elohim] of Israel [covenanted].SJR Deuteronomy 16:16-17
A 16 Three times in a year
-BA shall all thymales[H2138: mindful / covenanted]
-B-B appear before the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu]
-BA in the [a] place which He [YHWH] shall choose [H0977: choose, select, elect];
-BA in the feast of unleavened bread,
-BB and in the feast of weeks,
-BC and in the feast of tabernacles:
AAA and they shall not appear
AAB before the Lord [YHWH]
AAC empty:
A-BA 17Every man[H0376: everyone]
A-BB shall give
A-BC ashe is[they are] able,
AAA according to the blessing of
AAB the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu]
AAC which He [YHWH] hath given thee.
Below are scriptures dealing with the three traveling festivals that Israel are to keep that show it’s not just for the males, but for all of Israel, the males, women, and children, supporting the SJR translations of “H2138: mindful / covenanted” from the Masoretic text, which is supported with “αρσενικόν: dedicated or set apart” in the LXX / Septuagint.
SJR Exodus 12:3-4
3 Speak ye unto ALL THE CONGREGATION of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the HOUSE of their fathers, a lamb for an HOUSE: 4 And if the HOUSEHOLD be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his HOUSE take it according to the number of the SOULS;every man[H0376: EVERYONE] according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.Exodus 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the WHOLE ASSEMBLY OF THE CONGREGATION of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
Exodus 12:15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for WHOSOEVER eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
Exodus 12:19-20
19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your HOUSES: for WHOSEVER eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the CONGREGATION of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. 20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your HABITATIONS shall ye eat unleavened bread.Exodus 12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your FAMILIES, and kill the passover.
Exodus 12:26-28
26 And it shall come to pass, when your CHILDREN shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the HOUSES of the CHILDREN of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our HOUSES. And the PEOPLE bowed the head and worshipped. 28 And the CHILDREN of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.Exodus 12:46-47
46 In one HOUSE shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the HOUSE; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. 47 ALL the CONGREGATION of Israel shall keep it.Exodus 12:50 Thus did all the CHILDREN of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
Exodus 13:3 And Moses said unto the PEOPLE, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
Exodus 13:7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in ALL THY QUARTERS.
Exodus 13:8 And thou shalt shew thy SON [AND DAUGHTERS] IN THAT DAY, saying, This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.
Leviticus 23:2 Speak unto the CHILDREN of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the FEASTS of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
Leviticus 23:10 Speak unto the CHILDREN of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
Leviticus 23:34 Speak unto the CHILDREN of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the FEAST OF TABERNACLES for seven days unto the Lord.
Leviticus 23:42-43
42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; ALL THAT ARE ISRAELITES born shall dwell in booths: 43 That your generations may know that I made the CHILDREN of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.Leviticus 23:44 And Moses declared unto the CHILDREN of Israel the feasts of the Lord.
Numbers 9:2 Let the CHILDREN of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.
Numbers 9:4-5
4 And Moses spake unto the CHILDREN of Israel, that they should keep the passover. 5 And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did the CHILDREN of Israel.SJR Numbers 9:10 Speak unto the CHILDREN of Israel, saying, If any
man[H1755: DESCENDANTS] of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the Lord.Deuteronomy 16:9-12
9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn. 10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks [Shavuot / Pentecost] unto the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu] with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu], according as the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu] hath blessed thee: 11 And THOU shalt rejoice before the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu], THOU, and thy SON, and thy DAUGHTER, and thy MANSERVANT, and thy MAIDSERVANT, and the LEVITE that is within thy gates, and the STRANGER, and the FATHERLESS, and the WIDOW, that are among you, in the place which the Lord [YHWH] thy God [Elohenu] hath chosen to place His [YHWH] name there. 12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.Deuteronomy 16:13-14
13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: 14 And THOU shalt rejoice in thy feast, THOU, and thy SON, and thy DAUGHTER, and thy MANSERVANT, and thy MAIDSERVANT, and the LEVITE, the STRANGER, and the FATHERLESS, and the WIDOW, that are within thy gates.Deuteronomy 31:10-13
10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, 11 WHEN ALL ISRAEL is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Gather the PEOPLE together, MEN, and WOMEN, and CHILDREN, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: 13 And that their CHILDREN, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.Joshua 5:10 And the CHILDREN of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
1 Kings 8:65 And at that time Solomon held a feast [Tabernacles], and ALL ISRAEL with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the Lord [YHWH] our God [Elohenu], seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.
2 Kings 23:21 And the king commanded ALL THE PEOPLE, saying, Keep the passover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.
2 Chronicles 5:3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast [Tabernacles] which was in the seventh month.
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2 Chronicles 7:3-4,8-9
3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down [during Tabernacles], and the glory of the Lord [YHWH] upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord [YHWH], saying, For He [YHWH] is good; for His [YHWH] mercy endureth for ever. 4 Then the king [Solomon] and ALL the PEOPLE [MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN] offered sacrifices before the Lord [YHWH].
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8 Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days [Tabernacles], and ALL ISRAEL with him [Solomon], a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt. 9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days [Tabernacles].2 Chronicles 30:13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much PEOPLE to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
2 Chronicles 35:7-8
7 And Josiah gave to the PEOPLE, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king’s substance. 8 And his princes gave willingly unto the PEOPLE, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.2 Chronicles 35:17-18
17 And the CHILDREN of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. 18 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and ALL Judah and ISRAEL that were present, and the INHABITANTS of Jerusalem.Ezra 3:1 And when the seventh month was come, and the CHILDREN of Israel were in the cities, the PEOPLE [MAN, WOMEN, CHILDREN] gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.
Ezra 6:19 And the CHILDREN of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
Nehemiah 8:14 And they found written in the law which the Lord [YHWH] had commanded by Moses, that the CHILDREN of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast [Tabernacles] of the seventh month:
SJR Zechariah 14:16 And it shall come to pass, that EVERY ONE that is left of all the nations which came against
Jerusalem[H3389: foundation of peace] shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.SJR Luke 2:41-42
41 Now His [Yeshua] PARENTS [father & mother] went to Jerusalem EVERY YEAR at the feast of the passover. 42 And when He [Yeshua] was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after thecustom[G1485: RITE / LAW] of the feast.John 7:2,11-12
2 Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand.
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11 Then the Jews sought Him [Yeshua] at the feast [Tabernacles], and said, Where is He [Yeshua]? 12 And there was much murmuring among the people [men, women, children] concerning Him [Yeshua]: for some [men, women, children] said, He [Yeshua] is a good man: others said, Nay; but He [Yeshua] deceiveth the people [men, women, children].
Next, I want to talk about the false tradition that many push of two calendars, the civil and religious calendars, that many Torah believers unknowingly push. My SJR Translation of Exodus 23:16 goes against it, along with SJR Exodus 34:22. To be honest, I believe the KJV of these verses goes against it also, when paying close attention to what the verses says, along with the false tradition of the two calendars, offsetted by six moons from each other.
First, lets see when the scriptures state clearly when the Tabernacles is, because the verses that are misinterpreted to get two calendars deal with Tabernacles.
KJV Leviticus 23:34,39
34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month [moon] shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord [YHWH].
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39 Also in the fifteenth day [Lunar Sabbath] of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord [YHWH] seven days: on the first day [15th] shall be a [Lunar] sabbath, and on the eighth day [22nd] shall be a [Lunar] sabbath.
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41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord [YHWH] seven days in the year. It shall be a statute FOR EVER in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month [moon].KJV Numbers 29:12 And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast [Tabernacles] unto the Lord [YHWH] seven days:
KJV 1 Kings 8:2 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast [Tabernacles] in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
KJV 2 Chronicles 5:3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast [Tabernacles] which was in the seventh month.
Nehemiah 8:14 And they found written in the law which the Lord [YHWH] had commanded by Moses, that the CHILDREN of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast [Tabernacles] of the seventh month:
After the destruction of the Second Temple, Judaism fell more and more into apostasy, meaning left the word of Yah found in the Tanak / Old Testament and replaced it with traditions of men, or in other words, the Oral Law / Torah. If you decide to take the time to read the quotes below, you will find that the Jews know that the idea that Rosh Hashanah, which scripturally is the day of Trumpets or shouting, is not a New Year in the Written Torah from YHWH Elohim. Also, if you take the time to read the quotes from the Mishnah and the Talmud, you will see there is no quoting of the lore that Moses got an extra set of commandments that was not to be written down, but they are arguments about different Rabbis opinions of how they want to re-image YHWH’s Torah in their own image. If you look up the passages they base their arguments on, you will see the Rabbis are taking sentences out of context and the sentences do not say what they want it to say. In addition, Rabbis claim there are four New Years (read the quotes below if you down’t believe me), not just two that most Jews know and practice.
In the generation after the destruction of the Second Temple (70 CE), R. Eliezer and R. Yehoshua often clashed in their efforts to comfort and fortify a grieving nation. In one dispute they differed over which month in the calendar bore the greatest significance. R. Eliezer proclaimed that it had to be Tishrei, for in that month the world was created and Israel’s redemption from exile was destined to fall. The month also commemorated, among other notable events the birth and death of the patriarchs, the conception of the matriarchs, the release of Joseph from prison and the ending of the forced labor endured by our ancestors in Egypt (though not their state of slavery). R. Yehoshua disagreed. For him history turned on the symmetry he detected in the month of Nisan in which the world was created, the patriarchs were born and died and Israel redeemed from Egypt. And in that same month the Jewish people would experience their final redemption (BT Rosh Hashanah 10b-11a).
Judaism’s Two New Years, JTSSometime between the Torah and the codification of the Mishnah, the autumn new year gained ascendance, now transformed into a major celebration, and the Nisan new year was left as a marker of the months and festivals in the calendar year. Although theories abound about the causes of this transition, the mechanics are lost in the web of historical change. The talmudic rabbis analyze the text of the Bible as they argue about when the new year should began, yet different sets of verses yield different answers. Historians cite evidence from the ancient Near East, looking at the new years celebrated by neighboring peoples, but nothing is conclusive. Others look to archeology for support. But the truth remains murky.
How Rosh Hashanah Became New Year’s Day, My Jewish LearningAt issue here is the ambiguity of having a calendar with two new years. R. Yehoshua enjoyed the advantage of biblical support. Ancient Israel emerged as a nation on the stage of history with the Exodus. The Egyptian cauldron had forged its identity and morality; history recast an old spring festival of agricultural renewal into a celebration of national birth. And the month in which it took place was to be henceforth, “the first of the months of the year for you” (Exodus 12:2). Lacking such support, R. Eliezer dared to invoke the ultimate historical precedent, creation itself. Rosh Hashanah was preferable because it was more universal in scope, commemorating the birth of all humanity. National considerations, for the moment, became secondary. In contrast, R. Yehoshua, for whom national redemption was the fulcrum of the calendar, aligned creation with the month of the Exodus. The Mishnah, which followed nearly a century later, seems to accord with this universal/particular divide. Thus as understood by the Gemara, the Mishnah declared that when counting our years by the reign of a Jewish monarch, the new year begins with Nisan, but when counting by the reign of a gentile king, the new year would begin with Tishrei. I take the correlation of Nisan with Jewish sovereignty as implicitly predicated on the view of R. Yehoshua that the Jewish calendar turns on the Exodus. Conversely, the correlation of Tishrei with gentile sovereignty jibes nicely with the view of R. Eliezer that the universe was created in Tishrei.
Judaism’s Two New Years, JTSאַרְבָּעָה רָאשֵׁי שָׁנִים הֵם. בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לַמְּלָכִים וְלָרְגָלִים. בְּאֶחָד בֶּאֱלוּל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְמַעְשַׂר בְּהֵמָה. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמְרִים, בְּאֶחָד בְּתִשְׁרֵי. בְּאֶחָד בְּתִשְׁרֵי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לַשָּׁנִים וְלַשְּׁמִטִּין וְלַיּוֹבְלוֹת, לַנְּטִיעָה וְלַיְרָקוֹת. בְּאֶחָד בִּשְׁבָט, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לָאִילָן, כְּדִבְרֵי בֵית שַׁמַּאי. בֵּית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בּוֹ:
They are four days in the year that serve as the New Year, each for a different purpose: On the first of Nisan is the New Year for kings; it is from this date that the years of a king’s rule are counted. And the first of Nisan is also the New Year for the order of the Festivals, as it determines which is considered the first Festival of the year and which the last. On the first of Elul is the New Year for animal tithes; all the animals born prior to that date belong to the previous tithe year and are tithed as a single unit, whereas those born after that date belong to the next tithe year. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon say: The New Year for animal tithes is on the first of Tishrei. On the first of Tishrei is the New Year for counting years, as will be explained in the Gemara; for calculating Sabbatical Years and Jubilee Years, i.e., from the first of Tishrei there is a biblical prohibition to work the land during these years; for planting, for determining the years of orla, the three-year period from when a tree has been planted during which time its fruit is forbidden; and for tithing vegetables, as vegetables picked prior to that date cannot be tithed together with vegetables picked after that date. On the first of Shevat is the New Year for the tree; the fruit of a tree that was formed prior to that date belong to the previous tithe year and cannot be tithed together with fruit that was formed after that date; this ruling is in accordance with the statement of Beit Shammai. But Beit Hillel say: The New Year for trees is on the fifteenth of Shevat.
Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:1, Sefariaוְלָרְגָלִים. מַנִּי — רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הִיא. אֵימָא סֵיפָא, רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמְרִים: בְּאֶחָד בְּתִשְׁרִי. רֵישָׁא וְסֵיפָא רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וּמְצִיעֲתָא רַבִּי מֵאִיר!
The Gemara asks: And with regard to the Festivals, i.e., that the first of Nisan is the New Year for Festivals, who is the author of the opinion cited in the mishna? It is Rabbi Shimon, who holds that one transgresses the prohibition against delaying only if the three Festivals have passed in their proper order, with Passover first. Say the last clause of the mishna, which states that Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon say: The New Year for animal tithes is on the first of Tishrei. Can it be that the first clause and the last clause follow the opinion of Rabbi Shimon, while the middle clause relating to animal tithes follows the opinion of Rabbi Meir?
Rosh Hashanah 7b:8, Talmud, Separiaאִי הָכִי, אַרְבָּעָה? חֲמִשָּׁה הָווּ! אָמַר רָבָא: אַרְבָּעָה לְדִבְרֵי הַכֹּל; לְרַבִּי מֵאִיר אַרְבָּעָה — דַּל רְגָלִים, לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אַרְבָּעָה — דַּל מַעְשַׂר בְּהֵמָה.
The Gemara raises a difficulty: If so, how are there four New Years? If the tanna of the mishna holds that the first of Elul is the New Year for animal tithes, there are five New Years: The first of Nisan, the fifteenth of Nisan, the first of Elul, the first of Tishrei, and the fifteenth of Shevat. Rava said: There are only four New Years according to each opinion: There are four according to Rabbi Meir, who removes the New Year for Festivals, as according to him there is no fixed time from which to begin counting the Festivals. According to Rabbi Shimon’s opinion as well there are four New Years, for he removes the New Year for animal tithes, as according to him it is on the first of Tishrei, which is already listed.
Rosh Hashanah 7b:10, Talmud, Separiaרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמְרִים: אֵימָתַי ״לָבְשׁוּ כָרִים הַצֹּאן״ — בִּזְמַן שֶׁ״יִּתְרוֹעֲעוּ אַף יָשִׁירוּ״, אֵימָתַי שִׁבֳּלִים אוֹמְרוֹת שִׁירָה — בְּנִיסָן, מִתְעַבְּרוֹת בְּנִיסָן וְיוֹלְדוֹת בֶּאֱלוּל, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁלָּהֶן תִּשְׁרֵי.
Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon say: When are the flocks clothed in the meadows? At the time that the stalks of grain “shout for joy, and also sing.” When do the stalks break out in song, i.e., when are they full, so that they rustle in the wind and create the whispering sounds of song? It is in Nisan. Therefore, the sheep conceive in Nisan and give birth in Elul, and so it is fitting that their New Year is on the first of Tishrei.
Rosh Hashanah 8a:5, Talmud, Separiaרַבִּי מֵאִיר סָבַר: מַקִּישׁ מַעְשַׂר בְּהֵמָה לְמַעֲשֵׂר דָּגָן: מָה מַעֲשֵׂר דָּגָן — סָמוּךְ לִגְמָרוֹ עִישּׂוּרוֹ, אַף מַעְשַׂר בְּהֵמָה — סָמוּךְ לִגְמָרוֹ עִישּׂוּרוֹ. וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן סָבְרִי: מַקִּישׁ מַעְשַׂר בְּהֵמָה לְמַעֲשֵׂר דָּגָן: מָה מַעֲשֵׂר דָּגָן רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁלּוֹ תִּשְׁרִי — אַף מַעְשַׂר בְּהֵמָה רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁלּוֹ תִּשְׁרִי.
They disagree about the following: Rabbi Meir holds that the verse juxtaposes the animal tithe to the grain tithe. Just as the grain tithe is set aside close to the grain’s completion, after it dries out in the field, so too, the animal tithe is set aside close to its completion, after the animals are born. Just as the grain is completed in Elul and is set aside the following month, which is Tishrei, so too, the animals are born in Av and therefore must be set aside in the following month, which is Elul. On the other hand, Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon hold: The verse juxtaposes the animal tithe to the grain tithe. Just as in the case of the grain tithe, its New Year is in Tishrei, so too, in the case of the animal tithe, its New Year is in Tishrei.
Rosh Hashanah 8a:9, Talmud, Separiaבְּאֶחָד בְּתִשְׁרִי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לַשָּׁנִים. לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא? אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: לִשְׁטָרוֹת. דִּתְנַן: שִׁטְרֵי חוֹב הַמּוּקְדָּמִין — פְּסוּלִין, וְהַמְאוּחָרִין — כְּשֵׁירִין.
§ It is taught in the mishna: On the first of Tishrei is the New Year for counting years. The Gemara asks: With regard to which halakha is this stated? Rav Pappa said: It is stated for determining the validity of documents, as we learned in a mishna: Antedated promissory notes, which bear a date that is earlier than the date when the loan actually took place, are invalid. But postdated promissory notes, which bear a date that is later than the date when the loan actually took place, are valid. Therefore, it is essential to know the date on which the new year begins in order to determine whether or not a particular promissory note is valid.
Rosh Hashanah 8a:10, Talmud, Separiaלָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כָּאן לְמַלְכֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם.
The Gemara answers: This is not difficult; here, where the document is dated according to the reign of the Jewish kings, the year begins in Nisan; and there, where the document is dated to the reign of the gentile kings of the nations of the world, the year begins in Tishrei.
Rosh Hashanah 8a:12, Talmud, Separiaלָא, רַב חִסְדָּא קְרָאֵי אֲתָא לְאַשְׁמוֹעִינַן.
The Gemara answers: No, Rav Ḥisda came to teach us the meaning of certain biblical verses, i.e., that they should not be understood as was suggested at the beginning of this chapter but as teaching that the New Year for gentile kings is in Tishrei.
Rosh Hashanah 8a:14, Talmud, Separiaוְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: רַב חִסְדָּא כְּרַבִּי זֵירָא מַתְנֵי לַהּ. דְּרַבִּי זֵירָא אָמַר: לַתְּקוּפָה, וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הִיא, דְּאָמַר בְּתִשְׁרִי נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם.
And if you wish, say that Rav Ḥisda teaches the mishna as did Rabbi Zeira, and he maintains that when it says that the first of Tishrei is the New Year for years, it is not referring to documents, as Rabbi Zeira said: The first of Tishrei is the New Year for years with regard to calculating the cycles of the sun and the moon. And this is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer, who said: The world was created in the month of Tishrei, and all the calculations with regard to the sun and the moon are based on when they were created.
Rosh Hashanah 8a:15, Talmud, Separiaרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: לַדִּין, דִּכְתִיב: ״מֵרֵאשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד אַחֲרִית שָׁנָה״, מֵרֵאשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה נִידּוֹן מָה יְהֵא בְּסוֹפָהּ.
§ Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: When the mishna says that the first of Tishrei is the New Year for years, it is with regard to judgment, as on that day God judges the world for the whole year, as it is written: “A land that the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year until the end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:12); from the beginning of the year judgment is passed as to what will happen at the end of the year.
Rosh Hashanah 8a:16, Talmud, Separiaוְלַשְּׁמִיטִּין. מְנָלַן? דִּכְתִיב: ״וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן יִהְיֶה לָאָרֶץ״, וְגָמַר ״שָׁנָה״ ״שָׁנָה״ מִתִּשְׁרִי, דִּכְתִיב: ״מֵרֵאשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה״.
§ The mishna teaches: The first of Tishrei is also the New Year for calculating Sabbatical Years. The Gemara asks: From where do we derive this? As it is written: “But in the seventh year shall be a Shabbat of solemn rest for the land” (Leviticus 25:4), and we learn by way of a verbal analogy between one instance of the word “year” and another instance of the word “year” that the year begins for this purpose from Tishrei, as it is written: “From the beginning of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:12). The latter verse is referring to the year that begins at the onset of the rainy season, i.e., Tishrei.
Rosh Hashanah 8b:6, Talmud, Separiaוְלַיּוֹבְלוֹת. יוֹבְלוֹת בְּאֶחָד בְּתִשְׁרִי הוּא? יוֹבְלוֹת בַּעֲשָׂרָה בְּתִשְׁרִי הוּא, דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים תַּעֲבִירוּ שׁוֹפָר״!
§ The mishna teaches: The first of Tishrei is also the New Year for Jubilee Years. The Gemara asks: Is the New Year for Jubilee Years on the first of Tishrei? Isn’t the New Year for Jubilee Years on the tenth of Tishrei, Yom Kippur? As it is written: “Then shall you cause the shofar to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, on Yom Kippur shall you sound the shofar throughout all your land. And you shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants; it shall be a Jubilee for you” (Leviticus 25:9–10).
Rosh Hashanah 8b:8, Talmud, Separia
There is absolutely no scriptural passage that states that there are additional new years other than the one after the spring equinox. There are many verses that show this, in that all the moons are counted from that one moon. Exodus 12:2 states clearly when the new year is according to YHWH.
Exodus 12:2 This month [moon] shall be unto you the beginning of months [moons]: it shall be the first month [moon] of the year to you.
Now, we are aware of the false tradition of men from the Oral Law / Torah of an unscriptural New Year in the seventh moon, lets look at KJV Exodus 23:16 and KJV Exodus 34:22 that people mis-interpret / proof text to support this idea. Notice the English translation of the King James Version text of both of these verses puts Tabernacles at the end of the year and NOT the start of the year. So, if there was a new year connected with Tabernacles, it would be in the eighth moon NOT the seventh moon. If the texts were modified to say something along the lines of “Tabernacles is after year’s end” instead of “in” and “at”, then there would be logical grounds for claiming Tabernacles is a new year. But the passages do not say that in English, nor in Hebrew or Greek, so there is no basis to claim it from Exodus 23:16 or Exodus 34:22.
KJV Exodus 23:16
…
-BCAA and the feast of ingathering [Tabernacles],
-BCAB which is IN the end of the year,
-BCBA when thou hast gathered in
-BCBB thy labours out of the field.KJV Exodus 34:22
…
BA and the feast of ingathering [Tabernacles]
BB AT the year’s end.
Although paying close attention to the texts in the KJV, we can see that the seventh moon is NOT a start of a year, it is still confusing. Lets look at my SJR Translations of SJR Exodus 23:16 and SJR Exodus 34:22 to clear up the Hebrew behind the English KJV translation.
Lets first look at Exodus 23:16. I changed “H8141: shanah” from “year” to “cycle” because I believe it makes more sense with the context of Exodus 23:14-17, which deals with harvesting crops from the first, middle, and end of the agricultural cycle. This is supported by the fact that when you look at the background for “H8141: shanah“, the agricultural cycle is a big deal for the Hebrew word. I added the filler word “harvest” to make the context of what Exodus 23:14-17 is talking about more clear. Translators add filler words on a regular basis to help with the different ways that different languages conceptualize ideas, as you can see with the Exodus 23:16 Interlinear below.
SJR Exodus 23:14-17
AA 14 Three times
AB thou shalt keep a feast
AC unto Me [YHWH] in the year.
-BAAA 15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened [not men’s] bread [commandments]:
-BAA-B (thou shalt eat unleavened [not men’s] bread [commandments] seven [complete] days [millenniums],
-BAA–C as I [YHWH] commanded thee,
-BAA–C in the time appointed
-BAA-B of the monthAbib[H0024: young / green grain];
-BAAAfor in it[H3588: when] thou camest out from Egypt [wickedness]:
-BBA and none shall appear
-BBB before Me [YHWH]
-BBC empty:)
-BBAA 16 And the feast of harvest [Shavuot / Pentecost],
-BBAB the firstfruits of thy labours,
-BBB which thou hast sown in the field:
-BCAA and the feast ofingathering[H0614: harvest] [Tabernacles],
-BCAB which is in the end of the [harvesting]year[H8141: cycle],
-BCBA when thou hast gathered in
-BCBB thy labours out of the field.
AA 17 Three times in the year
AB allthy males[H2138: mindful / covenanted]
AC shall appear before the Lord [YHWH] God [Elohim].BibleHub, H8141: shanah:
Strong’s Lexicon:
shanah: Year
Word Origin: Derived from the root שָׁנָה (shanah), meaning “to repeat” or “to change.”
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: – G2094 (ἔτος, etos) – Greek equivalent for “year.”
Usage: The Hebrew word “shanah” primarily denotes a “year” in the context of time. It is used to measure the passage of time, often in terms of age, duration, or CYCLES. In the Hebrew calendar, a year is a significant unit for marking RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS, AGRICULTURE CYCLES, and historical events.
Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israel, the concept of a year was closely tied to AGRICULTURAL CYCLES and RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES. The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, meaning it is based on both the moon and the sun. Key events such as the Sabbatical year (every seventh year) and the Year of Jubilee (every fiftieth year) were significant in Israelite society, emphasizing rest, renewal, and social justice. The year was also a marker for age, as seen in genealogies and narratives.
Next, is SJR Exodus 34:22. I did the same thing for “H8141: shanah” as I did in SJR Exodus 23:16. The big fix in SJR Exodus 34:22 is correcting “H8633: tequphah” from “end” to “appointed time”. Looking at the defitinion of the Hebrew word “H8633: tequphah“, it does not mean “end” in any way. This is a clear example of a translator putting false traditions of men into the words of the translation. “H8633: tequphah” does mean “appointed time” which goes with the High Holidays, the weekly Sabbath, and New Moon Days.
SJR Exodus 34:22
AA 22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks [Shavuot / Pentecost],
AB of the firstfruits of WHEAT HARVEST,
BA and the feast ofingathering[H0614: harvest] [Tabernacles]
BB at theyear’s[H8141: cycle’s]end[H8622: appointed time].BibleHub, H8141: shanah:
Strong’s Lexicon:
shanah: Year
Word Origin: Derived from the root שָׁנָה (shanah), meaning “to repeat” or “to change.”
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: – G2094 (ἔτος, etos) – Greek equivalent for “year.”
Usage: The Hebrew word “shanah” primarily denotes a “year” in the context of time. It is used to measure the passage of time, often in terms of age, duration, or CYCLES. In the Hebrew calendar, a year is a significant unit for marking RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS, AGRICULTURE CYCLES, and historical events.
Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israel, the concept of a year was closely tied to ARGICULTURAL CYCLES and RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES. The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, meaning it is based on both the moon and the sun. Key events such as the Sabbatical year (every seventh year) and the Year of Jubilee (every fiftieth year) were significant in Israelite society, emphasizing rest, renewal, and social justice. The year was also a marker for age, as seen in genealogies and narratives.BibleHub, H8622: tequphah:
Strong’s Lexicon:
tequphah: Circuit, cycle, SEASON, revolution
Meaning: a revolution, course, lapse
Word Origin: From the root verb נָקַף (naqaph), meaning “to go around” or “to encircle.”
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Greek equivalent for “tequphah,” the concept of time and seasons is often captured by Greek words such as “καιρός” (kairos – G2540) meaning “APPOINTED TIME” or “SEASON,” and “χρόνος” (chronos – G5550) meaning “TIME” or “period.”
Usage: The Hebrew word “tequphah” refers to a cycle or a PERIOD OF TIME, often associated with the completion of a circuit or a SEASON. It is used to describe the natural cycles of time, such as the solar year or the changing of seasons. In the biblical context, it emphasizes the orderly and cyclical nature of God’s creation and the PASSAGE OF TIME.
Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israel, the concept of “tequphah” was significant for agricultural and RELIGIOUS PRACTICES. The Israelites relied on the cycles of the sun and moon to determine the TIMING OF FESTIVALS, agricultural activities, and RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES. The understanding of these cycles was crucial for maintaining the rhythm of life and WORSHIP IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD’S COMMANDMENTS.
NAS Exhastive Concordance:
Definition: a coming round, circuit
NASB Translation: circuit (1), due (1), turn (2).
The LXX / Septuagint is also insightful for understanding Exodus 23:16 and Exodus 34:22.
ABP Exodus 23:16 is almost the same as KJV Exodus 23:16. But instead of using “ingathering” as KJV does, ABP uses “completion”. Which makes sense, when you know that what is being talked about, is the last harvest of the agricultural cycle. “G1763: eniautos” is translated as “year”, but looking at it’s definition it also means “cycle” which I believe with context denotes agricultural cycle. In addition, it has a hard tie to “H8141: shanah” which is also year or cycle. I would also add “harvest” as a filler word to help bring out the context to get “at the conclusion of the harvest cycle”.
ABP Exodus 23:16 And a holiday of the harvest [Shavuot / Pentecost] of the first produce you shall observe of your works, what even you sow in the your field; and a holiday of completion [Tabernacles] at the conclusion of the year in the gathering of your works, of the ones from out of your field.
BibleHub, G1763: eniautos:
Strong’s Lexicon:
eniautos: Year
Meaning: a year, CYCLE of time.
Word Origin: Derived from a primary Greek root related to the concept of a CYCLE or PERIOD of TIME.
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often used in the Old Testament is שָׁנָה (shana, Strong’s H8141), which also means “year.”
Usage: The Greek word “ἐνιαυτός” (eniautos) is used in the New Testament to denote a period of one year. It is often employed in contexts that refer to time, CYCLES, or SPECIFIC ANNUaL EVENTS. The term emphasizes the CYCLICAL nature of time as understood in the ancient world, where years were marked by AGRICULTURAL, RELIGIOUS, and social CYCLES.
Cultural and Historical Background: In the ancient Greco-Roman world, the concept of a year was closely tied to the AGRICULTURAL CALENDAR, RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS, and civic events. The Jewish calendar, which also influenced early Christian thought, was lunar-based and included significant ANNUAL FEASTS such as Passover and the Day of Atonement. Understanding the passage of years was crucial for both RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE and daily life, as it dictated the rhythm of PLANTING, HARVESTING, and WORSHIP.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance:
Definition: a CYCLE of time, a year
ABP Exodus 34:22 is more interesting, because it states that Tabernacles is in the MIDDLE of the year, which Tabernacles is indeed in the MIDDLE of the year when you know that the start of the year is in the spring. “G3322: mesoó” does indeed mean middle. What I believe that happened with the LXX / Septuagint / Greek translation is that the seventy translators brought out how Tabernacles is in the middle of the solar year instead of the end of the argicultural cycle because that is how the Greek culture, the intended audiance of the translation, did things. There is a tricky balancing act that needs to take placewith any translation. Does it focus more on a literal translation, leaving idioms that won’t be understood in the new culture and language, or does it focus more on protraying the same concept in a way the new culture and language would better understand it? I believe the LXX / Septuagint / Greek translation focused on the concept in a way the new culture and language understood things. The LXX / Septuagint was initially written for Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt, later the Israelites did use it, see A Brief History of the Septuagint, The Origin of the LXX and Septuagint in Britannica.
ABP Exodus 34:22 And a holiday [Shavuot / Pentecost] of a period of sevens you shall observe to me, the beginning of the harvest of wheat [Shavuot / Pentecost], and a holiday [Tabernacles] gathering being in the MIDDLE of the year.
BibleHub, G3322: mesoó:
Strong’s Lexicon:
mesoó: To be in the MIDDLE, to reach the MIDDLE point
Meaning: I am in the MIDDLE, am advanced MIDWAY.
Word Origin: From the Greek word μέσος (mesos), meaning “MIDDLE” or “midst.”
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for μεσόω, the concept of “MIDDLE” or “midst” can be related to Hebrew words like תָּוֶךְ (tavek), which means “midst” or “MIDDLE.”
Usage: The verb μεσόω (mesoó) is used to describe the action of reaching the MIDPOINT or being in the MIDDLE of a period or process. It conveys the idea of being HALFWAY through a journey, TIME, or event. In the New Testament, it is often used metaphorically to describe the progression of time or the unfolding of events.
Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Greek culture, the concept of the “MIDDLE” was significant in various contexts, including philosophy, geography, and TIMEKEEPING. The Greeks often viewed time as a linear progression, and reaching the MIDPOINT of a PERIOD was seen as a significant milestone. This understanding is reflected in the use of μεσόω in the New Testament, where it often marks a transition or a pivotal moment in a narrative.
From all this research, I hope it has been made abundantly clear, that everyone in covenant with YHWH Elohim needs to travel to where YHWH has placed His name, which means character, to celebrate His appointed times. In addition, it should also be abundantly clear that there is only one new year with YHWH in the spring.
For those who are interested here is how I determine the start of YHWH’s Lunar Solar Calendar.
The day starts at sunrise, the moonth starts the sunrise after the dark conjunction, the year starts at the moonth after the spring equinox.
Sabbaths
Seeking YHWH 