FOUR NEW YEARS
The month of Elul and Teshuvah (returning back to God) are in preparation for the New Civil year (Rosh Hashanah) and to prepare for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The civil new year is when the calendar changes and this year, September 9th, the Hebrew calendar year will become 5771.
Four New Years in order according to the civil calendar
- Civil Year, Tishri 1– Rosh Hashanah (the Head of the Year) (Feast of Trumpets) for the years, for sabbatical years, for Jubilee years, for planting and for vegetables.
- New Year for Trees, Shevat 15, time to tithe fruit from the trees
- Sacred New Year (Exodus 12), Nisan 1, new year for Kings and festivals; no matter when a Jewish king ascended to the throne, the initial year of his reign would conclude on the first of Nisan.
- New Year for Animals, Elul 1, time to tithe animals for Temple sacrifices. Since there is no Temple- the sacrifice is yourself- time to come back to the Lord- begin 40 days of Teshuvah
If you ‘tithed’ yourself, what would it be? Are you worth money to God? Would it be your time? Or like David, would it be your heart?
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