Opening Remarks

 

“Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto Yehovah thy Elohim; for in the month of Abib Yehovah thy Elohim brought thee forth out of Egypt by night” (Deu./Devarim 16:1; ASV modified).

 

Which brings me to the title of this discussion post: Guarding the Month of Aviv: Aviv’s Critical Importance to God’s Covenant Elect.

 

We have a lot of ground to cover. So what do you say we get into this thing without further ado?

 

Saints Who Keep the Commandments and the Faith of Yahoshua

 

Yah’s elect, also identified as saints are known as those that “keep the commandments of Yah, and the faith of Yahoshua” (Rev. 14:12). Thus, Yah’s saints keep both Torah in Spirit and in Truth, while maintaining a trusting faith in Yahoshua Messiah. All of which is emblematic of Yah’s reckoning of time through His established calendar.

 

 

We are on the Eve of the Biblical New Year 2022

 

Sometime around sundown Sabbath evening, 4/2/2022, dedicated searchers throughout the Land of Yisra’el will look up into the skies above. And if environmental conditions permit (such as a lack of cloud cover; lack of haze; absence of smoke if any; etc.), they will endeavor to sight the first sliver-crescent of renewed moon. Assuming their are successful in doing so, and upon them reporting their observations, we will begin a new biblical month. And in addition to beginning a new biblical month, we will begin a new biblical year that some in our Faith Communities refer to as Rosh Hashanah, or the head of the biblical new year. Biblically speaking, this new month, being the beginning of a new biblical year is called the Month of Aviv/Abib. The Rabbis, unfortunately, replaced the biblical name Aviv/Abib—the only month of the biblical year, by the way, to have a sanctioned name attached to it—with the Babylonian-derived name of Nissan. The Rabbis also took it upon themselves to change when the start of Judaism’s new year would be. Instead of Aviv 1 as Father Yah commanded in Exodus/Shemot 12:1; 13:4; Deuteronomy/Devarim 16:1, the rabbis changed the head of their year to what they refer to as Tishri 1 or what Scripture refers to as the 7th Month of Yah’s Calendar Year. Which in and of itself is a blatant violation of Torah. But the rabbis explain their changing Rosh Hashanah or the Biblical New Year from Aviv 1/Nissan 1 to that of day one of the seventh month/Tishri 1 because God instructed that there would be two beginnings to the Jewish year: a 7th month civil year; and a 1st month ecclesiastic year. (Of course, this instruction to add a 7th month Rosh Hashanah to the Jewish Calendar also violates Yah’s instruction not to add to or take away from His instructions—Deuteronomy/Devarim 4:2; 12:32.) But what else is new?

 

Anyway, the Jews (as well as most Messianics), which keep a Calculated Calendar that was developed by so-called Rabbinic Sage and last Head of the Sanhedrin, Hillel II, in the middle of the 4th century C.E., will commence Nissan 1 at sundown on Fr-day, 4/1/2022.

 

Dispensing of a Few Calendar Issues

 

Both the Observational Calendar—which is based upon the monthly sighting of the renewed moon and an annual determination of the maturity of the barley crop in the Land of Yisra’el—and Hillel’s Calendar, which I prefer to call the Calculated Jewish Calendar, will begin the new year (in our case the biblical new year, in the case of the rabbis, the ecclesiastic new year) after coming off an intercalated month of the calendar year. You see, unlike the world’s Roman-based calendar—otherwise known as the Gregorian Calendar, which by the way is another calculated calendar that was, in this case, created under the direction and oversight of Pope Gregory XIII in the 16th century C.E., which adds a single day to the calendar every few years to maintain a 365 day calendar that would accurately sync with the 365 day solar year. Well, since both the Jewish Calculated and Observational Calendars are based primarily on a lunar year, which consists of 354 days, as opposed to the 365 days of the solar year, an entire month is added to the biblical calendar year every few years. As far as the Jewish Calculated Calendar is concerned, the added month is calculated into their calendar. As far as the Observational Calendar is concerned, the decision to add an additional month to the calendar is dependent upon the maturity of the barley crop in the Land of Yisra’el at the end of each Biblical Calendar Year. The added month to the Calculated Jewish Calendar is referred to as Adar II/Adar Bet: Adar being the Babylonian name given to the 12th month of the Jewish Calendar. The added month to the observational calendar is simply referred to as a 13th month.

 

And by the way, if you’re not aware, Hilary and I have been keeping the Observational Calendar for at least the last 8 or 9 years. I recently wrote a blog post that I published to this ministry’s website that I titled “Why I Keep the Torah (Observational) Calendar and not the Other Popular Messianic Calendars.” (If you have any interest in understanding why I keep the observational calendar and not the Jewish Calculated Calendar, I will place the link to that post in this post’s transcript for your convenience.) I also post an update on the same website each month on the Observational Calendar for anyone to consult or reference. It can be found midway down the landing page at the left-most panel. It is entitled “Netzari-Messianic Calendar.”

 

Not Judging Anyone

 

But permit me at this juncture to assure each of you that it was not my intention in writing that blog post, and in discussing this topic of “Guarding the Month of Aviv” in today’s discussion, to cast judgment upon or badmouth brethren who keep a different calendar than the one I do; or to promote the Observational Calendar over that of the Calculated Calendar. There are more than enough ministries strewn throughout the internet that have taken on that crusade, which I believe serves only to foment division in the Body.

 

You see, as far as I’m concerned, each of us is on both a collective and individual journey. And there are not two souls in the True Body of Messiah that are at the exact same place in their walk in Messiah.

 

There are indeed many areas of understanding in our Faith communities that have become universally understood and accepted by the general Body. However, there are also many areas of understanding in our Faith communities that are NOT universally understood and accepted by the members of the Body. And I believe the issue and topic of which calendar Yah intends for His people to exclusively use is one of those unresolved issues and topics that Yah will make crystal clear to His Children in His time. As much as I wholly endorse and believe the Observational Calendar is the calendar that was kept and used by our ancient Hebrew cousins, and most importantly our Master Yahoshua during the time He walked this earth, I do not believe it has been fully revealed and restored to the Body of Mashiyach today. If anything, only partially restored. I do believe, however, that its full revelation and restoration is forthcoming.

 

The Importance of Yah’s Reckoning of Time to the Netzari

 

Nevertheless, whichever of the two calendars we use—either the Jewish Calculated or the Observational—the bottom line point underscoring their importance to Yah’s set-apart people is that they are supposed to help us in determining when Yah’s mandated, annual Feasts are to take place during each calendar year. If one does not keep Yah’s Feasts as instructed in Torah, neither calendar is of any practical use to him or her. But for the one who loves his or her heavenly Father and is compelled to keep His instructions in righteousness—His Torah—the calendar which is supposed to reflect Yah’s reckoning of time for His elect becomes an invaluable commodity to them. The calendar, in fact, becomes an inextricable and integral part of their lives. He or she goes to great lengths to fashion every aspect of their life through and around that calendar. Well, at least they’re supposed to.

 

The Netzari’s trusting Faith in Yah and in the Person and Ministries of His Son Yahoshua compels them to keep the Creator’s commandments and instructions in righteousness in Spirit and in Truth (Joh. 4:23-24). And a great portion of those commandments and instructions are to keep Yah’s weekly Sabbath and His seven-annual Feasts, all of which are contained in the calendar. These set-apart days and seasons, otherwise referred to in the Hebrew text as “moedim,” are dates that Abba Father from the time of creation has gifted His people (Gen. 1:14). These set apart days or festivals or feasts or seasons, were established by Abba so that He might meet with His children; bless them; celebrate with them; teach them His Words and Ways; to afford his people special days in which they may worship Him; for Him to strengthen them and make them into a holy and righteous nation (Exo. 19:6); and for Him to love on His chosen ones. These set-apart days also serve as specific rehearsal times. What are Yah’s people rehearsing? Well, the annual Feasts foreshadow Yah’s Holy and Great Plan of Salvation, Redemption, and Restoration. And Yah, knowing how prone humanity is to forget things, wanted to ensure that His people would be reminded and revisit each year the crucial elements of His Plan of Salvation-Restoration-Redemption, which also houses Yah’s Renewed Covenant which was facilitated and enacted through the Person and Ministries of Yahoshua Messiah. The set-apart days and seasons of Yah are rehearsals that remind and teach us of Yah’s Love for His human creation that is embedded in the Person and Ministries of Yahoshua our Master and Messiah.

 

Yah Himself promises to meet with us on these days. But the timing of these set-apart days must match that of the Father’s. A misunderstanding of when Yah’s set-apart days are to take place in any calendar year will obviously result in a missed date or appointment or missed opportunity, which stands a real chance of upsetting or angering Yah, especially if we know better. And we don’t want to do that.

 

Why the Calendar Matters

 

Now, some will invariably contend that it doesn’t matter if we meet with Yah on the days that He has established each year in His calendar. These might reason that Yah visits with them everyday, 365-days out of the year, 24/7. And that may be true. I’m not here to dispute the level of relationship and interaction anyone claims they have with the Almighty. But beloved, that’s not the point of the calendar and our keeping Yah’s moedim. For Yah makes it implicitly clear:

 

“Ye shall therefore keep My statutes, and mine ordinances; which if a man do, He shall live in them: I am Yehovah” (Leviticus/Vayiqra 18:5, 26; ASV).

 

“Ye shall keep My Sabbaths…” (Leviticus/Vayiqra 19:30; 26:2; ASV).

 

And there are numerous other examples of where Yah requires His children to keep His statutes and ordinances and Sabbaths. So, Yah says keep His moedim. And being faithful, obedient children, we don’t ask any questions. Like the obedient children we are called to be, we simply honor and keep His set-apart days because He said so; because we want to please our heavenly Father; and because we are expecting to receive a blessing as a result of meeting with Him on His set-apart days. Yes, there are untold blessings to be had by Yah’s elect if they obediently keep His set-apart days at their appointed times during the calendar year.

 

Case in point are those Hebrews who obediently showed up in Yerushalayim on the appointed day, at the appointed time on Shavuot, otherwise known as Pentecost 40-days after our Master ascended to His Father in Heaven (Act. 2). It was the obedient, circumcised of heart disciple of Yahoshua Messiah who received the gift of the outpouring of Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh (aka Yah’s Holy Spirit). For it was on that set-apart day, followed by the miraculous events that took place on that day, that the first-century Way Movement or the True Faith Once Delivered was launched. The lives of those who obediently attended and participated in the events of that day were forever changed for the better, eternally speaking. Those who for whatever reason missed Shavuot that year, missed out on one of the most poignant and pivotal events in human history.

 

So then, one has to rationalize that it is quite conceivable that another great move of Yah just might occur at or during one of His feasts. I mean, given the perilous times we’re living these days, I think we’re due for another Great move of Yah. Don’t you? And if such another great event were to occur at or during one of His feasts, why would we NOT want to be a part of it?

 

The Accuracy of Yah’s Calendar is Critical to the Netzari

 

The accuracy of the calendar, then, is critical to an elect’s walk with Messiah and to his or hers’ covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe. For our showing up to Yah’s set-apart days at their appointed times is wholly dependent upon the integrity of the calendar we’ll led to follow. And by integrity, I’m primarily focusing on when each calendar declares the beginning of the biblical calendar year to begin. Does that starting point for each calendar year match Abba’s reckoning of time?

 

The criteria for reckoning the start for each calendar year is determined by the state of the agriculture of (primarily talking about the barley crop) and the orientation of the celestial bodies (the sun, moon, and stars) over the Land of Yisra’el. Unfortunately, the Jewish Calculated Calendar does not effectively convey this fundamental understanding. It’s based, rather, on mathematical calculations. You see, when Hillel and his assistants set out to construct this calendar, they calculated the days and months of their calendar with the agriculture (the sowing and harvesting of the barley and wheat crop in the Land of Yisra’el) and the orientation of the celestial bodies in mind. In truth, the Jewish Calculated Calendar is an astounding piece of work. It is quite accurate and has served the Jewish people and even the Body of Messiah well for centuries.

 

Yah’s Reckoning of Time Basics

 

Now, both calendars presume that we, the user, understand the basics of Yah’s reckoning of time. Each day of a calendar week begins and ends at sundown. Each week ends and begins at sunset on the weekly Sabbath. Each month begins with the sighting of the renewed moon over the Land of Yisra’el.

 

But each biblical year begins with certain key elements that must be carefully taken into consideration and factored into the Body’s decision to declare the Biblical New Year or Biblical Rosh Hashanah/Head of the Year:

 

1. The maturity of the barley crop in the Land of Yisra’el at the end of the 12th biblical month. And

 

2. The sighting of the renewed moon in conjunction with the acceptable maturity of the barley crop, which biblically is referred to as “abib” or “aviv.”

 

We’ll talk more about this “abib”/”aviv” ripeness or maturity aspect of the calendar later on in our discussion.

 

Our Discussion Purpose

 

But the goal or purpose of our discussion here today is to explore what this “Guarding the Month of Aviv” truly means; what it looks like; what its significance is for 21st century Nazarene Yisra’elites (aka Messianics).

 

Now, I must say in all transparency, that I base much of this discussion on various aspects of the Observational Calendar. And I am aware that many who may come across this discussion may have no interest in this subject because he or she does not follow or keep the observational calendar. And I get that. But rest assured beloved, as I previously mentioned, I have no intention whatsoever of promoting the Observational Calendar over any other calendar that is used by Messianics today. If there is any hint of promoting the Observational Calendar to be made on my part, it was done in the blog post “Why I Keep the Torah (Observational) Calendar and not the Other Popular Messianic Calendars.” Otherwise, for purposes of this discussion, any and all mentions of the Observational Calendar are for purposes of defining our central topic of Guarding the Month of Aviv/Abib.

 

So, let’s move into the nuts and bolts of determining when the beginning of Yah’s Calendar Year is to begin.

 

 

Yah commanded us to “keep” or “guard” or “shamar” the Head of the Year, or rather, keep/guard/shamar the first month of the biblical calendar year.

Yah named the first month of the biblical calendar year Aviv or Abib (depending on which English translation you reference).

Now, if we intend to understand how to guard/keep/shamar the Month known as Aviv, well, we have to understand how we get to or arrive at this month on the calendar in the first place. Yes, there is  criteria for declaring the New Year or Rosh Hashanah and the first month of the biblical calendar year.

So, let’s now discuss the criteria for establishing the first month of the biblical calendar year, before exploring how to guard and keep the Month of Aviv as commanded by Yah.

 

(A) The Biblical Calendar and the Feasts of Yah

 

Yah’s Feasts Serve as Dates for Yah’s Bride to Meet with Him Throughout the Year

 

Yah’s annual feasts are purposely situated in his calendar by Him. They serve as “dates” if you will, for Yah’s elect to meet with Him. Dates from the allegorical standpoint of Yah as an impassioned husband having a romantic social arrangement to meet with His beloved Yisra’el throughout the year.

 

We are Yah’s bride, Yisra’el. Yah, as our husband, longs to meet with us, as His bride on these very special dates. (Some will say that we are Yahoshua’s Bride.) Indeed, these established times of intimacy, celebration, courting, rehearsals, getting to know our husband, and such, requires our presence on these set-apart days. Yah looks forward to being with His bride Yisra’el on these special days, which He effectively establishes at the beginning of each calendar year. And as His beloved, we are compelled to know the dates and times of those special meeting dates. In addition to showing up for those appointed times, we are compelled to earnestly prepare for each date by knowing when each date—each feast—is set to occur. We have to know when to show up. We don’t want to stand-up our husband if we can at all help it.

 

 

One of the many reasons we are commanded of Yah to guard/keep/observe/give heed to/”shamar” the Month of Aviv, is the rationale of, if we get the Head of the Biblical Calendar Year correct (I.e., we accurately establish Rosh Hashanah and the first month of the biblical calendar year) in accordance with the criteria that is contained in scripture, the rest of the calendar year will fall accurately and en-sync with Abba’s reckoning of time.

 

Yah’s Calendar, when properly and steadfastly guarded/kept/honored by Yah’s elect, will lay out before him or her Yah’s Holy Plan of Salvation-Restoration-Redemption. Specific mile-markers of Yah’s Plan are embedded in the calendar through the seven-mandated Feasts/Moedim of Yah.

 

We are commanded by Yah to observe, keep, honor, even rehearse each of those mile-markers or feasts. The observational calendar opens up to us those mysteries of Yah’s Perfect Plan for Humanity, in ways not entirely possible when we don’t properly keep Yah’s Calendar.

 

Because it has everything already figured out for Yah’s people, the Calculated Jewish Calendar has a tendency of fostering rote, mechanical observance of Yah’s set-apart days. Occasionally, those set-apart days don’t always coincide with Abba’s Will and set times for reasons stated. Another area of concern regarding the calculated calendar involves the Rabbis tending to leave off the calendar Yom HaNafat HaOmer; the wrong day for starting the count towards Shavuout; often the incorrect days/dates for Shavuot; the incorrect month noted for Rosh Hashanah; etc. Aspects of Isaiah/Yesha’Yahu 1:13-14 can certainly, in some cases, ring true in regards to the keeping of the Calculated Calendar.

 

And certainly, those brethren who are led to keep the Calculated Calendar (as well as those who keep the Observational Calendar for that matter) must be on guard against complacency, ignorance, error, and dependency on others to keep us up to speed when Yah’s set-apart days are set to occur. We are not supposed to be led and controlled by whatever calendar we’re following, only led by Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh. Rather, we must become heavily invested in the calendar’s workings and understanding what Yah’s set-apart days are all about and when Yah’s set-apart days are set to occur. In other words, we need to have skin in the game beloved. Skin in understanding and keeping Yah’s reckoning of time.

 

 

We should also understand that the set-apart days that are contained in our calendars are Yah’s Feasts and not the Feasts of the Jews. Too many of us get caught up in rabbinic wranglings and misinformation about the elements of Yah’s calendar year. We allow the rabbis to control our understanding of how to keep Yah’s established days and seasons; what these set-apart days and seasons mean; and when these set-apart days are set to occur. The Feasts of the Jews are just what the phrase suggests: Feast days that the Jews have stolen from Yah and made into what they want the people to know and understand. But such a thing as regarding the how, when, where and what of Yah’s set-apart days are reserved exclusively for Yehovah. Who are we to add to or take away from Yah’s Torah.

 

 

We, the Body of Mashiyach, are sons and daughters of Yehovah. Our husband, Yahoshua, is working with us, His bride, through Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh and the various giftings of Yah that prepare us to be apt/able/capable/holy/righteous/faithful help meets to our Husband (Romans 12). And to function as a dutiful wife unto her Husband Yahoshua.

 

Yah’s Calendar—His reckoning of time—serves as a preparatory outline for our becoming and serving as the Bride to Messiah.

 

Master Yahoshua is the very start of our preparation leading to the sanctification process—foreshadowed in the Month of Aviv, Pesach/Passover, and the Wavesheaf Offering. His atoning sacrifice and fulfillment of Torah, qualifies us to be in a covenant relationship with Father Yah and eventually become one of His children.

 

Elements of Yah’s calendar epitomize the various aspects and elements of Yah’s Great and Holy Plan of Salvation, Restoration, and Redemption; the ultimate goal of which is for us, Yah’s elect, to transform into the image of His beloved Son Yahoshua Messiah. This often lengthy and involved process, when completed, will result in us becoming children of Yah; chosen of Yah; elect of Yah:

 

 

(1) Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of Yah: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. (2) Beloved, now are we the sons of Yah, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: But we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is (1 Joh. 3:1-3; KJV modified).

 

Shaul wrote to the Assembly of Messianics in Philippi:

 

(3) I thank my Elohim upon every remembrance of you, (4) always in every prayer of mine for you all making requests with joy, (5) for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; (6) being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Yahoshua HaMashiyach (1:3-6; KJV modified).

 

The sanctification process of Yah’s chosen ones is helped along by the gift of and indwelling of Yah’s Holy Spirit-Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh:

 

(16) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: But Ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you…(26) But the Comforter, which is the Ruach Kodesh, whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have unto you (Joh. 14:16, 17, 26; KJV modified).

 

Of course, this is all part and parcel of Yah’s renewed covenant (Jer. 31:31-34).

 

The writer of the Cepher of Hebrews described Yahoshua our Messiah as the same yesterday (the original or first covenant given by way of His Father’s Torah to His people); the same today (the renewed covenant, the Torah of the original covenant being inscribed on our circumcised hearts and minds); and the same tomorrow (the coming Kingdom of Yah where He will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords).

 

This journey that we are on requires that we never tire in our study of Yah’s Word. And that study is not simply reading Yah’s Word whenever we find a free moment to do so, or we find ourselves in a fellowship or church service where we engage in community scripture reading. No. We are tasked with engaging in intense study of Yah’s Word. The prophet described such level and intensity of study:

 

(9) Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (10) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: (11) For the stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. (12) To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. (13) But the word of Yehovah was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little…(Isa. 28:9-13; KJV modified).

 

The apostle Shaul (aka Paul), counseled his young apprentice Timothy to:

 

“Hold fast the form (ie., the established pattern) of sound words (ie., of righteous teachings), which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Messiah Yeshua” (2 Tim. 1:13; KJV modified).

 

In saying all that I’ve said here, why is it important to understand and keep Yah’s Calendar? His reckoning of time for His chosen people? Because the calendar is another instrument whereby Yah addresses and teaches His people that which He has for them to receive (cf. Isa. 28::9-13).

 

Abba commanded: “These are the feasts of Yehovah to be proclaimed holy convocations along with their prescribed offerings, each upon their appointed day (Lev./Vayiqra 23:37).

 

We cannot keep Yah’s festivals—His Feasts—His set-apart days as they were originally revealed to us. But we certainly can do our best to honor and observe them in Spirit and in Truth, and to do so at their appointed times.

 

 

Biblical and even extra-biblical texts suggests the patriarchs kept Yah’s Calendar, as did our Master Yahoshua Messiah, the apostles and the first century kehilah.

 

Shaul wrote to the Messianics of Corinth:

 

“Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:8; ESV).

 

If we are true disciples of Yahoshua Messiah, and saints in training, we are compelled to keep Yah’s calendar—guard the Month of Aviv—to the best of our abilities and understanding. Whichever calendar we are led to keep, we must guard it and keep/shamar it and not allow anyone/any organizations/any doctrines or ideologies to rob us of our connection to Yah’s reckoning of time.

 

Yah is a rewarder of the one who diligently seeks after Him (Heb. 11:6). And one of the ways we seek after our Father, His righteousness, and His Kingdom is through our guarding the Month of Aviv.

 

The Prophet Jeremiah/Yirmeyahu made this comparison:

 

“Storks in the sky know their seasons; doves, swallows and cranes their migration times; but My people do not know the rulings of Yehovah” (Jer. 8:7; CJB).

 

Yah’s animal creation possesses instinctual drives that causes them to migrate and hibernate or whatever. Unlike humans, they do not possess moral and reasoning agency that compels them to obey the laws of nature, or rather, Yah’s reckoning of time—Yah’s sovereign providence if you prefer. They simply do what nature dictates to them to do.

 

We humans, on the other hand, possess moral and reasoning agency and free will. Why do we resist doing those things that Yah has instructed us to do, especially being His people? It thus behooves us to get in sync with Yah, keep and guard His Holy Days, knowing that in our doing so, we fulfill His Will and Plan and glorify Him in the earth. It only makes sense that we not be shown up by the animal kingdom. They do what they’re supposed to do. It then falls to us to do what we’re supposed to do when we’re told to do it.

 

 

(B) The Criteria for Establishing the Month of Aviv or Rosh Hashanah

 

The key to establishing the beginning of the biblical calendar year is determining the maturity of the barley crop in the Land of Yisra’el.

 

Why should we care about the barley crop in Yisra’el?

 

Well, we care about the maturity of the barley crop because it is the established and sanctioned indicator of when the beginning of Yah’s biblical calendar year will or will not begin. (This, along with the sighting of the renewed moon.) The way this all worked back in the day was that the Levitical High Priest would determine whether the barley crop would be in a state of maturity referred to as “aviv” by the time of the pilgrimage feast of Pesach/Unleavened Bread—Chag HaMatzah was set to occur. We were commanded by Yah to gather an omer/sheaf of the first of the firstfruits of our aviv barley harvest—the best of the best—bring that omer/sheaf of the firstfruits of our barley crop with us to the feast, which is to take place beginning on the 15th day of the first month, and present that sheaf to the attending Levitical Priests at the Temple or Tabernacle to be waved and accepted by Yah on our behalf.

 

The Levitical Priesthood was initially responsible for declaring Rosh Hashanah for the people of Yah, and they’d base their declaration on the sighting of the renewed moon over the Land of Yisra’el and determining the maturity of the barley crop in the Land.

 

Prior to this upcoming Biblical New Year, I’d always thought of Rosh Hashanah requiring the harvestable barley crop in the Land simply be in an aviv stage of maturity at the beginning of what would be declared  the first month or the Month of Aviv. I’ve since come to understand, through deeper biblical study and from a few extra-biblical resources, that the certifying priests would project whether the barley crop would or would not reach an aviv stage of maturity by the time we would journey to Yerushalayim to celebrate the pilgrimage feast of Unleavened Bread or Pesach on the 14th day of the Month of Aviv. And so, the Rosh Hashanah declaration made by the Sanhedrin was a subjective one to say the least. And I believe, in great part, it’s this subjectivity—that being determining the ripeness of the barley crop in anticipation of Pesach–that gives many folks in our Faith communities cause for pause when it comes to the Observational Calendar. Many have become conditioned and made comfortable by the objectivity that the Calculated Jewish Calendar has to offer. In other words, no one has to guestimate when or if the barley crop will be in an aviv stage of maturity in time for Pesach. The calculated calendar essentially has this all figured out well in advance. But truth be told, it’s not possible for the calculated calendar to truly project the maturity of the barley crop in the Land of Yisra’el, nor atmospheric conditions that would either facilitate or hinder the sighting of the renewed moon. Such things fall solely within the purview and omnipotence of our illustrious Holy Father, Yehovah Elohim. Indeed, the calculated calendar is pretty good about projecting, within a day or two, when we can expect to see a renewed moon. But it cannot possibly project weather and atmospheric conditions at the time searchers/observers go out to assess the maturity of the barley crop and sight the renewed moon. But it does provide a reasonable estimate of when both criteria for determining Rosh Hashanah and the Month of Aviv are likely to occur.

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Today, since we no longer have an operating Temple in Yerushalayim to which we’d take our pristine sheaves of firstfruit barley. Nor do we have a functioning and sanctioned Levitical Priesthood in which to have our offering waved before Yehovah at the place Yah designates. For those of us who keep the observational calendar, we rely upon trained searchers or observers to canvass the Land of Yisra’el for fields of barley that they project will be in an aviv stage of maturity by the time the Feast of Unleavened Bread is set to occur. If they find fields of barley they believe will be aviv by the 15th of the 1st month, they relay that information to the observationalists, who must then prayerfully and meditatively decide for themselves whether they will accept the searchers’/observers’ report and recommendations and declare Rosh Hashanah or the Month of Aviv when the renewed moon is sighted over Yisra’el either on the 29th or 30th day of the 12th Month.

 

If on the other hand the searchers/observers determine and report to us observationalists that the barley they’d inspected will not be aviv in time for Unleavened Bread-Yom HaNafat HaOmer/The Day of Firstfruits Offering, they may recommend that another month—a 13th month—a leap month if you will—be added to give the barley another 30-days to mature towards aviv maturity. It then, again, falls to the observationalists or the leaders of fellowships and assemblies to make the call whether to declare a 13th month.

 

This last scenario happened back in late F-bruary of this year (2022), which translates to the end of the 12th month, when searchers/observers determined that the fields of wild barley they inspected would not be aviv in time for a firstfruits offering if Rosh Hashanah were to be called when the very next renewed moon was sighted. Turns out that this particular winter in the Land of Yisra’el was quite erratic and at the time the searchers/observers went out to survey the barley fields, it was pretty cold and rainy: Weather which they suggested would stall the maturation process of the barley they inspected. This was the report that the observers/searchers passed on to the Body of observationalists. Some observationalists decided to hedge their bets and call Rosh Hashanah on Shabbat on 3/5/2022. Seems the majority of us observationalists, however, decided to accept the searchers’/observers’ report and recommendation and at the sighting of the renewed moon on 3/5/2022, a 13th month was declared.

 

Given that the barley would most certainly be in an aviv state of maturity for a 4/16/2022 Pesach observance (and later canvassings by the searchers/observers confirmed this), when the renewed moon is sighted over the Land of Yisra’el either on Shabbat 4/2/2022 or S-nday, 4/3/2022, we will by default declare the New Biblical Year for 2022. Which is one of the reasons I chose to discuss Guarding the Month of Aviv at this time.

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More detailed instructions as it relates to determining Rosh Hashanah in its proper time and season are found in various Jewish texts:

 

• As it relates to the occasional “Leap Year” that is added to the 12th Month to allow for the barley to ripen, the Mishneh Torah: Sanctification of the New Month 4 (also known as Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka, serving as the primary resource regarding Rabbinic Jewish law-aka halachah—was authored by Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon/Rambam or Maimonides) asserts that the “Leap Year” (ie., the intercalation) is added only to Adar—Adar being the Rabbinic name given to the 12th month. The text further states that Pesach is to be observed during the barley season, in commenting on Deuteronomy/Devarim 16:1. The so-called sages state that the reason for the occasional intercalation or Leap Month is to avoid Passover being observed in the summer or winter months.

 

• More instructions are given in the Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yisma’el 12:2 (a midrash or rabbinic teaching on the Cepher of Shemot or Exodus), the text instructs that the Jews are to observe the Month of Aviv, which it describes as taking place in the spring. And that Pesach takes place only during the Month of Aviv. The text continues, stating that the Month of Aviv must always fall out in its proper time in the year. Any intercalation that is required must be added to the 12 month at the sighting of the renewed moon. In commenting on Exodus/Shemot 13:10, the text states that the Jew is required to keep Pesach in its proper time, which is during the Month of Aviv. In terms of Exodus 23:15, the text instructs that the Jew is expected to keep the Festival of Matzah/Unleavened Bread and that occasional intercalations are necessary to ensure that Pesach falls only in the Month of Aviv, when the grain begins to ripen.

 

• Another rabbinic midrash on the Book/Cepher of Exodus/Shemot, the Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Bar Yochai 12 (from the rabbinic school of Rabbi Yishma’el) states that the Month of the Aviv always constitutes the first month of the biblical calendar year. The text goes on to say that the Month of the Aviv is the first month of the year because Yah commanded that His people “guard it.” And according to the text, part of guarding the Month of Aviv involves occasionally adding another month to the calendar year—ie., the intercalation or “leap year.” This adding of a “leap month” to the calendar serves the purpose of keeping/guarding the Month of Aviv as commanded by Yah.

 

• In his commentary on Exodus/Shemot 23:15:1, the most recognized and most referenced Rabbi, Rashi, formally Shlomo Yitzchaki, a medieval French rabbi and author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, instructs that the Month of Aviv is when the grain ripens in its stalks and matures. The month is the first month to ripen its fruit.

 

• Another well recognized and often cited rabbi, Moses ben Maimon, commonly known as Maimonides and also referred to as Rambam, a medieval Sephardic Jewish philosopher and Torah scholar, in his commentary on Exodus/Shemot 13:2:1, writes on the importance of occasional intercalations to the biblical calendar. In regards to Exodus/Shemot 12:42, he writes that Passover/Pesach is a night of watching for all the children of Yisra’el throughout their generations. And that its observance is accomplished through the eating of the Passover-offering, remembering the miracles, reciting praises and giving thanksgiving to the Name of Elohim. He emphasizes the critical importance of observing the Month of Aviv and keeping the Passover.

 

 

(C) How the Day of the Wavesheaf Offering Factors into Determining the Month of Aviv

 

Most brethren of our faith community are unaware of the significance that the Day of the Wavesheaf Offering (aka Yom HaNafat HaOmer) to us, much less its significance to the biblical calendar. And that’s primarily because the Calculated Calendar that most of us follow does not lend itself to highlighting the significance and application of the Day of the Wavesheaf Offering. In most cases, you will not see this special day even mentioned in the calculated calendar.

 

 

Our Master Yahoshua represents and is the first of the first of the firstfruits. This reality and truth is foreshadowed in Yom HaNafat HaOmer/the Day of the Wavesheaf Offering, one of the determining factors for guarding the Month of Aviv.

 

After His Passion, Yahoshua was raised from the dead and His sacrifice was accepted by Abba; more so, accepted by Yah on our behalf. Yeshua Himself didn’t need to be accepted of Yah at the time of His crucifixion. He’d already been accepted by Yah previously, at His baptism (Mat. 3:17; Mar. 1:11) and at the Transfiguration that took place at Mount Hermon (Mat. 17:5). He was accepted of Yah because He was without sin. And because He was without sin, He was chosen of Yah to atone for our sins and be the first of a new race of transformed, holy beings—children of Yah. Yah accepted His sacrifice as being sufficient to cover our sin debt and to confer upon those who will Trust Him, the righteousness of His Son, Yahoshua Messiah (Rom. 3:22; 1 Cor. 1:30; Phi. 1:11; 3:9; 2 Pet. 1:1).

 

 

(D) Defining Aviv and its Importance to Establishing Rosh Hashanah

 

Now, I will be transparent with you and inform you that the vast majority of what we’re discussing in terms of established protocols for declaring and determining when Yah’s Rosh Hashanah or His Biblical New Year will occur is not clearly nor fully spelled out in scripture. At best, our understanding of the process by which we arrive at a Rosh HaShanah/Biblical Head of the Year, is strewn throughout the Torah with only obscure reference to the process that we follow and understand today. Where scripture is not clear, we rely on extra-biblical resources and texts to fill in the holes and provide better understanding of those areas that are not clear.

 

The Observational Calendar as we know it today is based upon Yah’s reckoning of time that He passed down to Moshe while he worked to free Yisra’el from their bitter bondage and enslavement.

 

Clearly, before Yisra’el enslavement, the patriarchs kept the observational calendar (or at least some form of it), and they passed down the understanding and keeping of the calendar to their descendants. Whether our enslaved Hebrew cousins kept some semblance of the observational calendar that their parents kept is unknown. But what we do know is that when Yah is just about to wrap-up His series of plagues and judgments against the Egyptians and their gods, that He informs Moshe and Aharon:

 

“This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: It shall be the first month of the year to you” (Exo./Shemot 12:2; KJV).

 

And thus, Yah goes on to explain to Moshe and Aharon, in stark detail how Yisra’el was to prepare and keep the very first Pesach/Passover, during which Yah slew the firstborn of Egypt whose homes had not received an application of the Pesach’s blood upon it (Chapter 12).

 

But the critical keys and indicators to be understood as it relates to our discussion here today is contained in this 2nd verse of the 12th chapter of Shemot/Exodus.

 

Yah says that this month shall be the beginning of months (I.e., the Head of Months), even the first month of the year for our ancient Hebrew cousins, and by extension us who are engrafted into the commonwealth of Yisra’el.

 

This “beginning” or “head of months” in Hebrew is “Rosh Chodesh.” “Rosh” means head, or the beginning; chief or front. Rosh is derived from an unused root that some scholars say means “to shake,” indicative of a “head that is most easily shaken” (Strong’s Definition Legend of the Blue Letter Bible).

 

Now, without any knowledge or understanding of the role that the barley crop plays into Yah’s reckoning of time, His calendar, and the Month of Aviv, the Hebrew term “rosh” that has this illusive root that carries with it a meaning of “to shake” would make absolutely no sense to anyone. But when you understand that the head of the barley stalk that reaches an advanced state of aviv maturity, when the stalk is shaken, the head shatters and the grain falls to the ground and if conditions are right, the barley plant reproduces itself the following season.

 

So, the physical application of this term as it relates to Rosh Hasahanah and Yah’s calendar/Yah’s reckoning of time, is fascinating to say the least. But then, when you factor into the equation the spiritual applications: Whereby the perfect, pristine aviv barley stalks that are collected and bound into sheaves to be waved before Yah on Yom HaNafat HaOmer is emblematic of none other than our Master and Savior Yahoshua Messiah. His Person and Ministry led to Him being in a sense shaken—His agony—His passion—all leading to His crucifixion, His resurrection, and ultimately His sacrifice being accepted on our behalf by Yah, all leads to our coming on line as Children of Yah. The fruits of Yahoshua’s Person and Ministry is reproduced in us. We are being made in His image through the work of Yah’s Holy Spirit (aka Ruach HaKodesh), all made possible through Yeshua’s atoning sacrifice and His intercessory ministry in the heavenly mishkan. We are instructed by Yahoshua to continue His work—His ministry (Mat. 28:19-20). Our honoring and obedience to our Master’s Great Commission leads to growing the family—reproducing and bringing to a spiritual harvest, sons and daughters for the Kingdom.

 

Beloved, such vital spiritual applications cannot possibly be understood by those who reject or who have no appreciation for Yahoshua as Yah’s Right Arm—Our Pesach—Our Savior—The World’s Messiah. And that’s why our Jewish cousins go about their calendar year oblivious as to what they are doing. They believe their doing what God commanded them to do as it relates to Torah. But they are blindly following a calendar that should cause them to praise Yah for sending His Son to atone for their sins and bring them into a true and substantive relationship with Him. But they can’t understand the true significance of Yah’s calendar as we do. But Yah’s got plans for them. And some day, our Jewish cousins will realize that the calendar they’ve been following for thousands of years holds the keys to life eternal and the Kingdom.

 

Back to our discussion regarding Shemot/Exodus 12:2—This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

 

There are a lot of ministries and websites on the internet dedicated to defining exactly what aviv barley is. Unfortunately, there is wide variation among these self-professing experts as to what exactly constitutes aviv barley. I make no such claims, apart from that which scripture and the resources we’ve come to trust over the years. I’ll leave the specifics and the debate to those experts. I also trust a handful of expert observers/searchers in the Land who have consistently over the years provided loving and reliable assessments of their canvassing operations at the end of every biblical calendar year.

 

But the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon defines aviv as “fresh young ears of barley.” Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance defines abib/aviv to be “tender; green; a young ear of grain.” We also know that during the month declared as Aviv, the heads of grain can have their seeds shaken out and onto the ground as well. So, again, there is a wide variance of maturity that the barley crop goes through during the month that Yah has named as “Aviv.”

 

Often, the mature, aviv patches of barley are surrounded by immature, green barley in varying states of maturity. Again, from a spiritual standpoint, the barley being aviv represents or is emblematic of Yahoshua our Messiah. The whole scene of the barley crop being in various stages of maturity during the Month of Aviv is emblematic of a few things:

 

(1) The first of the mature barley that will be taken and offered and waved unto Yah on Yom HaNafat HaOmer (aka the Day of the Wavesheaf Offering represents Yahoshua being the perfect, mature Son of Yah whose sacrifice is accepted by Yah on our behalf. He is the first to be resurrected from the dead and the first of a new creation of souls that will be called Children of Yah (Act. 26:23; 1 Cor. 15:20; 1 The. 4:16; Rev. 1:5).

 

(2) Yahoshua’s Person and Ministry is designed to be reproducible as symbolized by the grains in the head being capable of becoming new barley plants when sown into the soil.

 

(3) The offered barley grain must be at a stage of maturity where it can be parched, crushed, beaten, and planted for new growth (Lev/Vayiqra 23:10-14). All shadow-pictures of our Master Yahoshua Messiah’s Passion and sacrifice (Isa. 53:5).

 

(4) The offered barley sheaves must be the first of the firstfruits—the choicest stalks of grain, to be offered unto Yah at HaNafat HaOmer (Lev. 23:10; Exo. 23:19; 34:26).

 

And (5), the barley fields will invariably have barley at various stages of maturing surrounding the mature aviv barley, which is harvested and threshed and processed upon our return from the pilgrimage feast of Unleavened Bread. This is emblematic of the Body of Messiah that goes through a sanctification process with the aim of ultimately being harvested and presented as a type of firstfruits when Yahoshua our Master returns (1 Cor. 15:20-23; Act. 26:23; Jas. 1:18; Rev. 14:4).

 

All of this and so much more is factored into the whole concept and understanding of what Yah meant when He instructed us to “shamar,” keep, observe the Month of Aviv/Abib and in our understanding of what the aviv barley crop is supposed to represent (Deu. 16:1).

 

How do we know that the instructions given to Moshe and Aharon in Exodus/Shemot 12:2 that “this will be the beginning of months” for them is what we know as the Month of Aviv and the barley crop being in an aviv stage of maturity?

 

We find in Exodus/Shemot 13:3-4, Moshe says to the people:

 

(3) Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage, for by strength of hand Yehovah brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. (4) This day came ye out in the month Abib (KJV).

 

We know that the term aviv is only applied to the maturity of the barley crop in the Land. Again, “aviv” is defined by Strong’s as “fresh, young barley ears; barley; the month of ear-forming; of greening of crop; of growing green abib.”

 

Stepping back four-chapters, we find in Exodus/Shemot 9:31 that it was during the 7th plague that we learn about the maturity of the barley crop in the Land of Egypt during that time:

 

(29) And Moshe said unto him (him being Pharaoh), As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto Yehovah; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is Yehovah’s. (30) But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear Yehovah Elohim. (31) And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled (or budded). (32) But the wheat and the rye were not smitten: for they were not grown up (9:29-32; KJV modified).

 

Aviv barley, for the most part, would not be able to survive a catastrophic hailstorm because the stalks are not pliable enough; they don’t bend as did the wheat and rye stalks that were in an immature stage of maturity. The barley and the flax could not take the pelting because of their aviv state, while the rye and wheat survived the pelting because of their immature state.

 

So, clearly the maturity of the barley crop in the Land of Yisra’el is vital to determining Rosh Hashanah and the start to our biblical calendar year.

 

As the Day of Wavesheaf Offering approaches, we will discuss more about the significance of the day and how it applies to us today.

 

 

(E) The Prophetic Shadow Pictures Embedded in the Month of Aviv

 

The aviv barley, as previously mentioned, is emblematic of the Person and Ministry of Yahoshua Messiah. We also previously mentioned that the firstfruits offering must be of a stage of ripeness—aviv—such that it is parchable, crushable, and capable of reproducing itself if it is planted into the ground, that is if it is to be acceptable to Yah on Yom HaNafat HaOmer.

 

How did the Prophet Isaiah/Yesha’yahu identify and describe the Person who would become our Messiah?

 

1. He would be revealed as the Arm of Yah: “Behold, the Master Yehovah will come with strong hand, and His “arm” shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him” (Isa. 40:10; KJV modified)!

 

2. He would grow up in righteous humility in the midst of a depraved and deprived people.

 

3. We would strike Him.

 

4. Yah would smite Him and afflict Him on our behalf.

 

5. He would be wounded for our transgressions; bruised for our iniquities; chastised in order that peace would emerge between us and our Creator; and through His many beatings we would be healed of our sins and our infirmities (Isa. 53:1-5).

 

 

Practical Messianic Halachah

 

Beloved, I believe, along with a remnant of other brethren, that we have been called for such a time as this, to walk in the ancient paths and ways of our ancient forefathers, even at the expense of rejection, ridicule, and isolation by those who comprise/make-up establishment religion and secular society. In order for end time miracles and Yah’s power to be manifested in and through us as foretold by the Prophet Joel/Yo’el, we must be in complete sync with Father Yah in every aspect of our lives. And this would include our getting neck-deep, if you will, into Yah’s calendar, which is part and parcel of operating in Torah. Loving Him and also loving one another (Yo’el 2). Otherwise, we’ll keep status quo and never reach the aviv stage of maturity that our Master reached during His ministry here on earth.

 

We are as the general barley crop to be harvested after our ancient cousins would return from their pilgrimage to Yerushalayim in their keeping of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It is then that they would begin the harvesting and threshing process of the general aviv barley crop.

 

Throughout the first month leading up to Unleavened Bread, the barley matures, emblematic of the sanctification process we all must go through in our walk in Messiah. We are, in effect, as humble grain on the stalk, bowing before our Father as His Ruach works tirelessly within to mature us, as in the corn maturing in the head of the barley crop during the month of aviv.

 

Mashiyach was the first of the firstfruits to have been harvested and waved before Yah. As aviv barley firstfruits, our Master was crushed, beaten, winnowed, threshed, all on our behalf. And because of this, His obedience and sacrifice was wholly accepted by Yah on our behalf (cf. Exo. 23:19; 34:26). This also plays into the perfect Pesach that is to be offered as a commanded sacrifice during the month of Aviv. The physical perfections of the selected pesach/Passover Lamb symbolizes Yahoshua’s sinless, perfect Being.

 

Again, the timing of declaring the Head of the Year or Rosh Hashanah is crucial to us who keep/guard/shamar the observational calendar because it establishes the entire calendar year. The timing of the seven-mandated Feasts for every biblical calendar year depends on getting the date for Rosh Hashanah right. Failure to properly time Rosh Hashanah will invariably result in our not meeting Yah at the time He has ordained through criteria—the signs that He has provided us.

 

Why is the Month of Aviv so important? Why are we commanded to guard it?

 

1. It is the starting point of the Biblical Calendar year and the nexus by which all of the 7-mandated feasts (ie., moedim) converge. If we get aviv wrong, we get the whole calendar year wrong. We miss our appointed times with our Heavenly Father—our Husband. We run the risk of upsetting Abba, and worse, meeting with the wrong elohim. Just saying.

 

2. Aviv is all about Yahoshua. He is the first of all creation. He is the focus of the entire calendar year and its various elements.

 

3. Aviv is about the firstfruits of our harvest, with prophetic shadows of Yahoshua as the firstfruits of those to be raised from the dead. It’s also about the Body of Mashiyach/the Kehilah being the firstfruits of humanity to be saved and made Kingdom ready. A harvest of souls that will become firstborn sons of Yah.

 

4. It’s about a general harvest of our crops, emblematic of a general harvest of redeemed/saved/converted souls for the Kingdom.

 

5. The Month of Aviv is about sacrifice and the blood of our savior that covers over the sins of Yah’s chosen ones, justifies them, reunites them with Him through a renewed marriage covenant, and ultimately leads them to eternal life.

 

6. It’s about the miraculous.

 

7. It’s about redemption.

 

8. It’s about Yah’s people turning their backs and abandoning their former lives and gods—turning their backs to them and their faces towards Yah (Exodus/Shemot 14:1-2).

 

 

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As modern-day Nazarene Yisra’elites, how do we Guard the Month of Aviv? Indeed, Abba explicitly commands us to do so. So, how do we do this in a day where we no longer have a functioning Temple in Yerushalayim (destroyed 68-70 C.E. by the Romans) and no Levitical Priesthood which had been effectively defrocked, or rather, they were fired by Yah for their failure to do what they were assigned to do and because of their corruptness. Furthermore, most of us probably don’t have barley farms and we wouldn’t know the difference between barley, wheat, flax, or rye if we were made to differentiate between them.

 

So, how do we “guard/keep” the Month of Aviv?

 

1. First and foremost, we ensure that the month begins at the right time and in the right season. That is, ensure that we utilize the criteria Yah has given us in which to determine when the head of the year, Aviv 1, Rosh Hashanah will take place/will occur.

 

2. Keep/observe/honor/rehearse the set-apart days (ie., the moedim) that are embedded within the Month of Aviv:

 

• Pesach on the 14th day of the Month Aviv (/Vayiqra 23:5).
• The 7-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, which begins on the 15th day and concludes on the 21st day of the Month of Aviv (/Vayiqra 23:6-8).
• Yom HaNafat HaOmer or the Day of the Wavesheaf Offering, to occur on the day after the weekly Sabbath that occurs during the Week of Unleavened Bread (/Vayiqra 23:10-22).

 

3. As we enter the month Aviv, we must prepare to receive the set-apart days that are embedded within this month. In addition to the weekly Sabbaths contained therein, we’re going to have two holy, set-apart, convocational days where we cannot perform any servile work. So, for those of us who work or who have activities that would normally take place on those set days, we’re going to have to not engage in those things. We need to plan for those special days to give Yah our whole attention. Take these days off. Convocate with like-minded brethren if it is possible. Treat the day as special and a day that we are set to meet our husband.

 

4. Leading up to and throughout the Month of Aviv, it behooves us to engage and commit to deep and Spirit-led study of Yah’s Word. Learn and know what the Month of Aviv is all about. Learn and know what the Pesach, Unleavened Bread, and the Day of the Wavesheaf Offering are all about. In so doing, we not only please Yah, but we guard against error and misleading teachings and doctrines that ensnare so many of Yah’s people.

 

5. Open/avail ourselves to a move of Yah/of Yah’s Ruach. Expect the miraculous. Make our homes suitable for Yah’s presence. Do some house cleaning such that we identify and remove those things that would hinder or deter Yah’s presence. And this applies also to our bodies, which are the Temples of Yah (1 Cor. 3:16). Make sure our bodies are suitable to house Yah’s presence/His Ruach. Be available to Yah and to whatever He wants to do in our lives during that month.

 

6. Share the gospel and the meaning of this season with those who are searching and desirous to receive Truth. Shaul counseled Timothy to “preach the word, be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (1 Cor. 15:20). Beloved, you don’t have to be a teacher, preacher or podcaster to teach others the gospel and to provide every man an answer that asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you (1 Cor. 15:20). It’s part of our charter: To spread and teach the gospel. And the gospel is indeed embedded and is part and parcel of Yah calendar and the Month of Aviv. And let’s not forget to prepare and teach our children, grandchildren and such, the importance and truths of this season and how it relates to their young lives.

 

 

There are other ways and parts to Guarding the Month of Aviv. And I pray that you will receive this month with zeal, love, hope, and a thirst and hunger for the truths that are contained in this set-apart month. May the Month of Aviv be a meaningful and blessed month for you. As each element of the Month of Aviv approaches, we’ll enter into discussion on it as we Guard the Month of Aviv.