In the Second Temple Period (418 b.c.e.-70 c.e), the Second Jewish Commonwealth followed the Biblical Calendar.  This Calendar of Holy Days was commanded in the Torah or Law, and it is founded on 6 feast days (besides the weekly seventh day Sabbath), one  fast, and 12-13 New Moon Days each year.  The Pharisees and most of the Jewish Nation used this calendar, including the followers of Yeshua of Natzaret (called Jesus by Christians).  The same Calendar is explained in Talmud under "Rosh Hashana," which traditional source goes into great detail on the observation of the new moon.
             All Biblical dates (except for perhaps a few Babylonian dates in the books written in exile) are given in the Scripture in terms of this Calendar.  Therefore, in order to understand the Scripture, it is necessary to be familiar with its Calendar. The Calendar followed by the Christian World, viz. Christmas, Easter, and the Christian Pentecost, All Saints Day, Lent, La Semana Santa, etc. is a completely different Calendar than that taught in the Bible.  Therefore, it is necessary to re-explain the Biblical Calendar to the Christian World.
            Most people know about the most common holy day in the Biblical
Calendar: the Sabbath.  The Sabbath is considered a feast day.  It occurs 52 times each solar year, and is on the seventh day of the week.  It is observed by resting from all work and commerce, and by calling a holy
convocation.   The next most common Holy Day in the Biblical Calendar is the New Moon Day.  There are twelve to thirteen of these each year.  The New Moon Days are all indicated in this Almanac.  Observance of the New Moon is discussed later.   Besides the New Moon Days and the Sabbath, there are seven Holy Days in the Biblical Jewish Calendar:

                1. Pesach (Passover)
                2. The Last Day of Unleavened Bread
                3. Shavuot (Pentecost)
                4. Shofarim (Trumpets/Rosh Hashana)
                5. Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement)
                6. Sukkot (Tabernacles)
                7. The Last Great Day
 

             Passover recalls the deliverance from the plague of the first-born at at midnight on the first day of unleavened bread.  The feast of unleavened bread, which is part of the Passover recalls the Exodus from Egypt, and is celebrated by eating unleavened bread for seven days, from the 15th to the end of the 21st of Aviv.  No products with leaven are allowed in the home, nor are they to be seen in your land during Passover week.
             The Passover meal is called a Seder, which means order, because there is a prescribed order or ritual to the service.  Only unleavned bread may be eaten.  Bitter herbs (onion,  endive, radish, lettuce, horseradish) are also commanded to be consumed on account of the bitterness of slavery in the land of Egypt.  Also, the story of the Exodus must be retold or read to all present (particularly the children).
             There are two types of Passover celebrations, (1) in the Land, and (2)  in the dispersion.  Anyone living outside of Israel is in the dispersion, nd until the Temple is rebuilt even in Israel the dispersion practice will be followed.  In any case, even when the Temple is rebuilt, the sacrificial lamb component of the Seder may not be included in the dispersion Seder.  It is permitted to eat non-sacrificial lamb at the Seder (a Sephardic Tradition).  Christian's will deny that the sacrificial laws have any validity now, however, they will be performed in the Age to Come (cf. Ezekiel 40-48).
            In the traditional Passover Seder, there are four cups:

        (1) Kiddush (Sanctification or setting apart the occassion).
        (2) Plagues
        (3) Redemption
        (4) Praise

             Yeshua commanded us to remember His Redemption when drinking the third cup, because the Passover Lamb has in it a lesson illustrating Yeshua's work. This cup has been corrupted by the Church in their "celebration" of the Last Supper with idolatrous associations, pagan philosophy, guilt producing heart searching, and false means of forgiveness.  And at the very least, even with out all the problems, the keeping of communion or consumption of the Eucharist is a rejection of the Biblical Passover.  The Scripture commands that no law shall be added to nor subtracted from the Passover (Deut. 12:30ff), wherefore,
inasmuch as the Church makes the communion ritual a religious duty, and it is plain that said "duty" is not according to Torah, it is clear that the faith ful must not condone it by participation in it.
 

             Like the first day of Unleavened Bread, the last day is a Rest Day.  It is to be observed as a holy convocation (as all the other Holy Days).  A Holy convocation is a day set apart for worship.  Convocation means "calling together."  It is up to the head of each congregation to give notice for a worship time on the Holy Day.  Worship may include Songs, Prayer, Pslams, Scripture Reading, or Discussion of Scripture.
             The Last Day of Unleavened Bread is a good time to review the Red Sea Miracle, and to read those passages in the Writings of the Sheliakhim that were not covered in the Exodus Story, such as Yeshua's death and resurrection. It is also a good time to review the counting of the days and Sabbaths to
Shavuot (Pentecost).

             Shavuot is the feast of Weeks or sevens, and is known to Christians by the name "Pentecost" because 50 days are counted starting on the 16th of Aviv. The 50th day is Shavuot.  The seven Sabbaths between Passover and Shavuot are also counted.  The first Sabbath after Passover is the Resurrection
Anniversary.   The reason for counting the Sabbaths is that the Law was given on a Sabbath, 50 days after the Passover.  Seven Sabbaths were counted, and then the Law was given on the eighth Sabbath.  Furthermore, in that same day, a feast was held and the Covenant Confirmed.
            Shavuot is therefore the Anniversary of the giving of the Law, particularly, the Ten Words.  Each person is to give a gift according to his means on Shavuot.  The substance of this gift may be saved up each one of the Sabbaths leading up to Shavuot.
            The work of the Spirit of God in writing the Law on the heart, and in renewing the covenant by circumcising our hearts and the heart of our children is also a valid theme of Shavuot.  For the Spirit was poured out in power on this feast day, and the covenant renewed to 3000 souls who repented and trusted the good news.  Remember that 3000 fell at Sinai by the sword after the sin of the golden calf.
 

            This feast day has been called Rosh Hashana (head of the year), but its proper name is "Trumpets," because on it the Trumpets are sounded.  A Shofar is a ram's horn trumpet.  The only important Trumpet not sounded is that for the Day of Atonement beginning the year of Jubilee.  That trumpet is called the "Great Trumpet."  Shofarim is a feast for recalling God's Prophetic Utterances, and the things to come.  It is also a time for remembering Yeshua's Birth.  For He was born on Shofarim.  Therefore, the holy convocation should be in keeping with these themes.  A trumpet announces an important event.  Therefore, we can dwell on Yeshua's first coming (His birth) and his Second Coming, which will also be announced by trumpets.
             The Day of Yahweh themes of the Prophets and Revelation are good source material for constructing a Shofarim service.
 

             The ten days from Shofarim to Yom Kippur are the "Days of Awe," which is the traditional time of repentence and preparing the heart for Yom Kippur.  (The Church's corruption of this feast is called "Lent.").  Yom Kippur itself is a fast day, a day to be somber, a day to pray and search the heart, a day  to afflict one's soul.  It is a day to ask yourself what we need to make right with God and man.
 

             This feast is the Jewish Fall Harvest Festival.  The actual building of booths is only required of those faithful who were born in the land of Israel, but we can build booths or dwell in tents also.  The booth reminds us that we are wanderers and sojurners on earth, and that we really do not have a permenant dwelling yet.  The feast should be eaten outside in a booth made of branches.  The theme should recognize the abnormality of the present and look forward to the kingdom age.   Shofarim emphasizes the transitory phases in Biblical History, but Tabernacles dwells on the Age to Come.  Likewise, the theme should be one of thankfulness for the provision during the present wandering, and for the promised abundance of the Age to Come.
             To observe Tabernacles as required of the native, one must dwell in a booth made of branches for the eight days of the feast.  Tabernacles is a good time to plan a weeks vacation camping.
 

             The Theme of this day should be the water ritual aspects of the Kingdom, wells of living water, the Millenial waters, the healing water, and the light of the world, Yeshua.  For these are the themes that Yeshua taught on the Last Great Day.
 

                New Moon:  The New Moon is sanctified by marking it when it occurs, and doing something special on that day, like having a special family dinner.  The leaders of the congregation are required to sanctify the New Moon.  If the family does not attend another  congregation, the duty falls on the head of the house.  The reason, for sanctifying the new moon is that all the other feast days depend on noting the correct New Moon Day.  It is not necessary to see the New Moon to sanctify it, but it is necessary to know that it is the New Moon day, or to have reliable witnesses who have seen the moon.
 
                    Firstfruits:  The firstfruits of the grain crop are waved in the Temple on the 16th day of Aviv, that is, the day after the Passover Sabbath.  It is not legal to eat any grain crop of the new year until the sheaf is waved in the Temple, or until this day passes if the sheaf is not waved.
 

            I list here and briefly describe the traditional times of rejoicing, or mourning.  We cannot properly call them "Holy Days;" perhaps "holiday" would be appropriate.  There is no Biblical requirement to observe any of them.  However, as you learn more about Biblical history and important events for Israel, you may want to participate.  Each of these Holidays falls on fixed days in the Jewish Biblical Calendar.  So the dates are given with a brief description.

             Hanukkah falls at the beginning of the winter starting on the 25th ofislev, the 9th month.  It lasts eight days, so that it stretches into the month of Tebeth, ending on either the 2nd or 3rd of Tebeth.  Hanukkah lights are lit on the 9 branched Hanukkah Menorah to remember that the oil in the Temple lamp did not go out for eight days while new oil was prepared.  One light is lit on the first day, and two on the second day, and so on, until all are lit on the eighth day.  The middle branch is the helper light.  It is not counted, but is lit on all the days.  It is used to light the eight  lights.
             Hanukkah recalls the deliverance of Israel from the Syrian King Antiochus by the Macabees.  Antiocus is a type of the man of lawlessness who will take over the entire world at the end of the age.
      Hanukkah usually occurs at or around the time of the Winter Soltice, but it has nothing to do with the soltice festivities of those who would claim that Yeshua was born then.  Actually, it was "Tammuz" who was supposedly born at  the Winter Soltice.  Tammuz is the incarnation of the "Sun" in the pagan Babylonian system of Ba'alism.  His mother was Semiramus, who is styled the "Queen of Heaven."  Even pre-exilic Jews were found "weeping for Tammuz," and burning incense to the "Queen of Heaven."  This overt idolatry has gone underground in "Mystery Babylon."  The "mystery" is this:  The Church's "Jesus" is Tammuz, and the Church's "Mary" is Semiramus the "Queen of Heaven."
             The story of the Macabees is one in which the Syrian King tries to force the religious Jews to abandon the Law, to eat pork, to violate the Sabbath, not to circumcise their children, to sacrifice to the gods, and to conform to the customs of the Greeks.  The feast of Hanukkah, is, therefore, the opposite of the Winter Solstice.  The winter soltice celebrates syncretism and compromise with the pagan world, but Hanukkah celebrates deliverance from those who would make us observe idolatrous customs contrary to the Law
and the Prophets.
             Not only is the winter solstice feast mixed up with pagan religious customs: the yule log, Santa Claus, mistletoe, e.t.c., it is also mixed up with commercial Babylon.  It is supported by the world for its money making qualities.  If people feel depressed at this time, it is probably because those trying to sell something put on the fascade of the season more than ever.  Of course, such hypocrisy is depressing.
 

             The feast of Purim is on the 14th of Adar, and it commemorates the deliverance of the Jews recorded in the book of Haddassah (Esther).
 
 
 

                        17 of the 4th month
                                (1) The first tables of the Law broken
                                (2) The daily sacrifice was abolished
                                (3) The Romans breached the wall
                                (4) Apostomos burned a Torah scroll
                                (5) An idol was put in the Temple
                        Ninth of Av
                                (1) The spies gave an evil report
                                (2) First and Second Temple destroyed
                                (3) City of Bethar falls in Second Revolt
                                (4) Site of the Temple is ploughed over
                        Fast of Gedaliah: 3rd of Tishri
                        The beginning of the Seige: 10th of Tevet
                        Fast of Esther: 13th of Adar.
 
 
 

             This calendar was instituted in 359 c.e.  It is close to the Biblical Calendar, but except for the Sabbath, it is not the Biblical Calendar.  It incorrectly computes the equinox at the present time, and it rejects the direct observation of the new moon.  Orthodox scholars know very well that the Talmud teaches the direct observation of the new moon, but in spite of the fact that their own tradition argues otherwise, they continue to average out the months, which gives only the approximate time of the new moon.

             (2) The Samaritan Calendar:
 

             The Samaritans held their offical Passover a day too early.  This is refuted by the examples of Passover observance at Hezekiah's and Josiah's reformation.

            The Sadducees changed Shavuot to a Sunday in perpetuity.  This is refuted by Yeshua in Matthew 23:1-3.  The Pharisees had the correct view.

        The Karaites correctly observed the new crescent of the moon, but they did it locally.  They intercalated the year incorrectly by depending on the crops subject to the fickleness of the weather.  They also celebrated the Passover a day too early like the Samaritans, and they changed Shavuot to a Sunday.

            Essene feast days were always on a Wednesday.  They did not observe the new moon.  Instead the months were 30, 30, and 31 days long for each quarter of the year, hence 91 days per quarter.  The entire year had 364 days.

            Like the Essene Calendar, the Church Calendar is solar in nature. The Church Calendar cannot even pretend to be Biblical.  At the same time it tries to imitate the Biblical Calendar in some respects:

             The feast days are part of God's Law.  Yeshua said He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets (Matthew 5:17-20), and he reinforced this teaching by directing His followers to obey the instruction of the Pharisees (Matthew 23:1-3), and by telling them to teach everything He commanded to the nations (Matthew 28:18-20).
             The feasts are frequently mentioned in the Writings of the Sheliakhim, especially the feast of Passover.  The fast of the Day of Atonement is also mentioned as well as Tabernacles and the Winter Festival (Hanukkah). Shavuot (Pentecost) is mentioned least twice.  Yeshua was born on the feast
of Trumpets, and on the last day of Tabernacles He gave a mighty discourse.
             The Church, like Jereboam, has substituted its own days for God's days.  The Church has corrupted the writings of Paul by mistranslation to reflect their point of view, i.e. that the law of God is abolished.  For
example, Colossians 2:16 correctly translates: Do not let anyone judge you in eating and drinking, either in part of a newmoon, or a feast, or sabbaths. But the Church scholars translate it:  Do not let anyone judge you in eating or drinking, or in respect of a newmoon, or feast, or sabbaths.  In the correct translation, the judges being rebuked are those who would condemn us for eating and drinking during a new moon, a feast, or a sabbath.  In the Church's version, "or in respect of" the judges are being rebuked for telling others they ought to observe the feasts.
             The Church would have you believe that following God's laws are  joyless legalistic exercises in salvation by works.  For those who have actually made a commitment to follow God's laws, this is an absurd point of view.  The feasts of the Lord Yahweh are a joyous time of eating and drinking, worship, reading of scripture, with many reminders of His plan of Redemption for mankind.
             I almost said the Church's point of view was "laughable," but I do not because it has had serious consequences for us who keep the faith of Yeshua. The Church has a long history murder, theft, false witness, coveteousness, slander, hate, pogroms, genocide, and deception directed at us who keep the
faith of Yeshua.  They pass laws prohibiting us from doing the very things that Yeshua did.  They thereby show their hatred for Yeshua and His brothers and sisters in the faith.  They made rulings against us, and they make their form of religion odious to God, and  odious to the faithful, so that we are compelled to conduct ourselves separately.  But it was they who left. It was they who innovated.  It was they who imported the trappings of ba'alism.
             Not only have we suffered, but the persecution has fallen heavily upon those who merely have the same blood as Yeshua, whether they follow the Law or not.  And this crime, we consider worse than the crime against us, because they have caused Yeshua's people to reject Yeshua by their rejection of the
ways of Yeshua, whilst falsely claiming to follow Him.   Yeshua said "By their fruits you shall know them."  The Church has consistently been bearing wicked fruit toward Yeshua's Kin as a result of its anti-Law theology.
 
 

                Preparation             14th Aviv (Nisan-1st month)
                Passover Seder          15th Aviv
                Firstfruits             16th Aviv
                Resurrection Sabbath    First Sabbath after 15th
                Shavuot                 Fiftieth day counting 16th Aviv on.
                Shofarim                1st Ethanim (Tishri-7th month)
                Yom Kippur              10th Ethanim
                Tabernacles             15th Ethanim
                Last Great Day          22nd Ethanim
                Hanukkah                25th Kislev onward (eight days)
                Purim                   14th of Adar
 
 
 

             No doubt, your Rabbi has taught you that to believe in Yeshua (Jesus) is to reject the Jewish way, and that those who teach such, like us, are committing spiritual genocide against the Jewish people.  It is hard for a gentile to overcome the hatred of centuries to see that he ought to live as Yeshua lived.  It is equally hard for the Jewish people to see past the hatred of the gentiles to the true deliverer.  We all know that hatred is a sin.
         Now, I must address the question of spiritual genocide, but first I must note what is happening to the Jewish people.  They are assimulating into Gentile culture left and right.  They are marrying people of other faith left and right.  They are becoming secular left and right.  They are dabbling in the occult, in sexual sins, and in all manner of lawlessness that the Gentiles commit.  It is only a matter of time before the secular Jews sell out the religious Jews, and then we will have the next holocaust, or hopefully only an attempt at holocaust, as God will intervene.  But it will happen.
           So, who are your real enemies?  Is it not all those lawless, faithless, and rebelious people of whatever nation?  And what is the unforgiveable sin? Is it not willful, premeditated rebellion against God's instruction? (Num. 15)   Therefore, if we sincerely believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, or any other Jew sincerely believes that He is the Messiah, then how can you charge them with spiritual suicide, or those who sincerely made a convincing argument  to one who sincerely believes that Yeshua is the Messiah with genocide?
             I would submit that charges such as "spiritual genocide," only make enemies of potential friends, and it also undermines the definition of real genocide.  And in a world of lawless people, the Jewish Nation needs all the friends it can get.
 

             "Hear O Yisra'ayl, Yahweh [is] our Elohim, Yahweh only" (Deut. 6:4).

             Clearly, only Yahweh is God.  There are no other gods.  But God manifests himself in many ways.  He was in the burning bush.  He took a human like form when the elders of Israel saw "God" on the mountain.  He appeared like an angel to Samson's parents.  He wrestled with Jacob.  He manifests a back part which He showed to Moses.  He manifested a face which was seen by Moses.  He took the form of a man when visiting Abraham the year before Isaac's birth.
             What is also obvious, is that only a part of God was in these forms.  For the Divine Essence is everywhere and He sustains the Universe.  Now what if God choose to manifest part of himself as the man Yeshua?  Plainly, the matter He manifested himself with is created substance, so that it is not the Eternal God, but what if God manifested Himself in Yeshua?
             You may not believe it, but such a possibility is completely in line with all the truth of the Law and Prophets, including the Shema.  It is only pure tradition that would say otherwise.  It is only the drawing of unwarrented philosophical conclusions from statements in the Scripture that are otherwise open to interpretation --- a thing, by the way, that the Church is guilty of more than the Rabbis.  However, the Rabbis have not escaped from philosophizing beyond the clear statements of Scripture.
             So, it is possible to believe in Yeshua as God-making-Himself manifest.   And Zechariah does say: "They will look upon Me whom they have pierced."  Many will be wanting to escape these conclusions by way of the traditional hatred, or the traditions not taught in the Torah.
     Let me say this about that.  I teach and write to many Christians, who are in the process of dumping their extra-biblical Catholic traditions.  It is because of their contrary to Torah traditions that they have persecuted you in the past, and it is by repenting of these traditions that they are becoming righteous.
             So, I submit that repentence works both ways.  You expect the Christian world to abandon its Anti-Semitism, which is based on tradition only.  Good! Then the very least you can do is not deny them to be Jewish with the Jewish people because of a human tradition.
            I should address a popular opinion among the Rabbis, and this is that they have the right to extend Torah in each new age, adding new laws.  This practice is condemned in Deut. 12.  "You shall not add to it, nor shall you subtract from it."  Therefore, the scholars authority ends at the interpretation and application of already existing law.