As we start the new secular year, I would like to discuss the halachic ramifications of “Using the Secular Date.”
CHODESH NISSAN
The Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah tells us that there are four “New Years.” (For some reason, January 1st is not listed!) Although in regards to many things, Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, in regards to counting the months, Chodesh Nissan is considered the first. In other words, although the Jewish year starts in Tishrei, we start counting the months from Nissan.
This is based on the possuk in Parshas Bo (12:2): “Hachodesh hazeh lachem rosh chadashim, rishon hoo lachem l’chadshei hashanah – This month [of Nisan] is for you the ‘head’ of the months; it shall be for you the first of the months.” This is the very first mitzvah in the Torah – not to count the months from Rosh Hashanah, which is in Tishrei, but from Chodesh Nissan.
The Ramban expounds on this mitzvah and explains that the Torah wants us to use numbers for counting the months, based on Yetzias Mitzrayim – the 1st month from our redemption, the 7th month, etc. he explains that this is to help us constantly remember the great miracles that Hashem did for us when we were redeemed from Mitzrayim. He writes that this is why there is no mention of any names of the months in the Torah – only the “first month,” the “second month,” etc. He adds that that is the reason for the expression: “This month is for ‘you’ the head,” because it is not the beginning of the year per se, but just the beginning for counting the Jewish months.
“SEVEN ARE THE DAYS OF THE WEEK”
The Ramban further notes that this concept of counting the months is also applicable to the days of the week. The possuk in parshas Yisro states: “Remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it.” Besides the requirement to articulate the great holiness of Shabbos, which we do with kiddush, the Ramban quotes the Mechilta, that one must remember the sanctity of Shabbos throughout the entire week.
This mitzvah is fulfilled by preparing for Shabbos, throughout the week. It is also a source for calling each day of the week in its relationship to Shabbos – “yom rishon,” “yom sheini,” etc., as we mention in the introduction to the shir shel yom. This gives us the ability to constantly remember our Creator. Similarly, the Kaf Hachaim writes, in the name of the Arizal, that reciting the words of the introduction to the shir shel yom is an opportunity to fulfill this mitzvah.
It is worth noting that when performing a mitzvah, one must specifically have in mind to fulfill the mitzvah. Therefore, it is important to remember that when reciting the shir shel yom, a person should have in mind to fulfill this mitzvah.
USING THE SECULAR DATE
Based on what we have seen, there is a mitzvah to count the months from Chodesh Nissan and count the days of the week until Shabbos. If so, why do we use names for the Jewish months and days of the week? And what about using the secular date? Are these violations of the aforementioned mitzvos? This will be explored in a future article, b’ezras Hashem.
IN CONCLUSION
We count the months, starting from Chodesh Nissan to remember Hashem’s wondrous miracles, when He redeemed us from bondage. Similarly, we count the days of the week until Shabbos as a reminder that Hashem is the Creator of the world.
RABBI NACHUM SCHEINER
