Do they know ?

 

Tomorrow night otherwise sensible people will party hardy to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another according to the common calendar.

I wonder if they would be in such a celebratory mood if they knew exactly what they were celebrating.

If Jesus was born on December 25 - and there is substantial evidence he was NOT born on the 25th day of December - count the days until January 1.

    1 - 25
    2 - 26
    3 - 27
    4 - 28
    5 - 29
    6 - 30
    7 - 31
    8 - 1

Eight days.

Now when my sons were born, 8 days later we had celebrations. Lots of people, lots of food, lots of photos - still and video - lots of congratulations.

Jesus and my sons have several things in common.

All are Jews and two were born in Israel - Bet Lehem or Bethlehem - still IS in Israel.

One more thing all three have in common: on the eighth day of their lives they were circumcised - by a mohel, an especially trained, observant Jew. OK, I'm "assuming" that Jesus' mohel was "especially trained and observant."

What non-Jews are celebrating as "New Years" actually is their god's circumcision day.

It would come as a shock to the anti-Semites that they are celebrating a Jewish event.

It would come as a surprise to some Jews to learn that "Sylvester" - the name for the holiday in Israel - honors the god of a people who for centuries persecuted Jews.

Here, in the Several States, most revelers will consider the December 31 celebration and January 1 headache an "American" holiday free of any religious significance.

Just like "Christ"mas and Easter and Halloween are "American" holidays. They may be American COMMERCIAL holidays, but they are very much religious holidays, albeit borrowed from, or celebrated with icons taken from, pagans.

The reason Jesus' birth is celebrated in December near the Winter Solstice is because early European followers of Jesus were afraid the sun would desert them. They took a pagan celebration to appease the gods controlling the sun, moon, stars, and heavens so the sun would come back, gave it a spin to something their priests could approve, and gave it a new name. (Frankly, that also may be the reason Hanukah is conveniently near the solstice, some times closer than other times.)

Halloween, that great "American" holiday where children are taught to coerce treats from adults (versus simply begging for gifts before the winter holiday) by threatening a "trick" (such as "TP'ing" the house or painting graffiti on walls) was "converted" by Jesus' followers to the "Eve of all Hallows" - "hallows" being the church's saints.

Solomon said it - there is nothing new under the sun, but to borrow from the introduction to Jack Webb's "Badge 714" tv program, "the names have been changed to protect", not the innocent, but the previous pagan celebrants' holidays.

The rabbi of the congregation where I currently hang my kippa (so to write) said he will forego any December 31 parties. He doesn't object to Jews going to Jewish celebrations; he is, after all, a realist. However, he makes a concession to the holiday; the morning shiur (class) starts at 7 a.m. instead of 6 a.m. since many members of this working man's minyan will have the day off.

I once had as a friend a Conservative rabbi, back in the day when Conservative was conservative. ("Had as a friend" only because we lost touch over the years; our differing approaches to the religion had little to do with the past tense condition.) Rabbi Alan was asked by his parishioners if they could have a December 31st bash in the synagogue basement. The then young rabbi responded with a flat "No." I think the membership went on with the party, but at a different venue . . . and Rabbi Alan kept his job for many years after.

For me, December 31 is a night to stay off the road. Besides, I have to be up at 6 a.m. to get ready to "slap leather with the guys" at the synagogue.

Yohanon
Yohanon.Glenn at gmail dot com