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Pesach and Chag HaMatzot Aleph 5784-2024
24 March 2024
Shalom, Nazarenes,
1a. Pesach 5784 / 2024
Some of you have asked some good questions about Pesach. Praise Yahweh for those who want to keep His feasts at the correct time, and the correct way. We hope that the following is helpful clarification.
Yahweh commands that no leaven be given with the Pesach sacrifice (Exodus 23:18), and also that leaven should not be found anywhere on our dwellings (homes, property) for a complete 7 days time (Exodus 18-20).
Yahweh commands that no leaven be given with the Pesach sacrifice (Exodus 23:18), and also that leaven should not be found anywhere on our dwellings (homes, property) for a complete 7 days time (Exodus 18-20).
- Pesach is a closed feast in which all males of the household must be circumsised in order to partake in the celebration. (Shemote/Exodus 12:48)
- The 14th day of the first Hebrew month begins at evening, 24 March 2024.
- Clarification: For those slaughtering a lamb themselves, the Peasch (Passover) is to be slaughtered mid-afternoon on 25 March 2024 (between the evenings). Then the Pesach meal is eaten at evening (at the start of 1ULB).
- We eat lamb with bitter herbs, in memory of our bitter bondage to Egypt (the world), and our freedom by Yahweh Elohim.
- The lamb is to be roasted in fire (not eaten raw or boiled). And none of it should be left to morning.
- We should have all leaven out of our houses (off our property) before evening 25 March (before the beginning of the 15th day of the month). This is in accordance with what Yahweh commands in Shemote (Exodus) 12:18-20 (below).
Shemote (Exodus) 12:15-20
15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.
16 On the first day there shall be a set-apart convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a set-apart convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you.
17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance.
18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.
19 For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land.
20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’ “
For more information on Pesach, please see Pesach studies here.
For information on why this is the 1st Hebrew month (and why it is not the 14th month), please see section 2 and 3 (below) and also Torah Calendar News 2024, by clicking here.
For information on why this is the 1st Hebrew month (and why it is not the 14th month), please see section 2 and 3 (below) and also Torah Calendar News 2024, by clicking here.
1b. Chag HaMatzot Aleph 5784 / 2024
The 15th day of the first Hebrew month begins at evening, 25 March 2024 (at the same time as the Pesach meal) and continues until the evening of 26 March 2024. This is Chag HaMatzot Aleph (or the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread). Chag HaMatzot is a feast of getting rid of sin, represented by leaven.
- We should examine ourselves for anything displeasing to Yahweh (sin) and ensure that we are walking out the original faith accurately (no false doctrine in our homes).
- All leaven should already be out of our houses (and off of our property) before the start of Chag HaMatzot on the evening of 25 March (in accordance with Exodus 12:15-20).
- We eat unleavened bread for 7 complete days. (Free recipes here!)
- We are to do no servile work on Chag HaMatzot Aleph (from evening to evening).
- Chag HaMatzot studies here!
1c. Upcoming Discipleship Meetings:
26 March 2024 – Chag HaMatzot Aleph Discipleship Meeting. Yahweh commands for His people to do no servile work on the first and last day of Chag HaMatzot. We are to meet for a set-apart convocation to pray, worship, and keep His feast together. The meeting is a discussion between disciples and is generally 1-hour long but may run longer depending on how the Spirit leads.
NOTE: All meetings are 8 AM Colombian time (always UTC-5, but watch your Daylight Savings Time adjustments). In the case of the monthly Discipleship Meeting coinciding with the weekly Shabbat Meeting, the Shabbat Meeting will continue as planned at 8 AM (Colombian UTC-5 time) on Shabbat.
However, in the case that a Feast Day Meeting coincides with a Shabbat meeting, the Feast Day Meeting will take precedence, and the individual Shabbat meeting will be canceled for that week.
NOTE: All meetings are 8 AM Colombian time (always UTC-5, but watch your Daylight Savings Time adjustments). In the case of the monthly Discipleship Meeting coinciding with the weekly Shabbat Meeting, the Shabbat Meeting will continue as planned at 8 AM (Colombian UTC-5 time) on Shabbat.
However, in the case that a Feast Day Meeting coincides with a Shabbat meeting, the Feast Day Meeting will take precedence, and the individual Shabbat meeting will be canceled for that week.
2a. Barley and Wave Sheaf Offering:
Currently, Becca Biderman of Ancient Path New Moon is the only barley inspector who seems to understand what a proper wave sheaf is (and why you should not let the true firstfruits fall to the ground, so you can take your “first” fruits offering from the middle of the harvest, as other groups do). She documents her work, and it seems accurate as far as we can tell. There are several other (Amalekite) barley groups whose work we cannot recommend in any way. They ignore Deuteronomy 16:9, they define “firstfruits” as a random sheaf from the middle of the harvest, and they add rules and definitions that Yahweh does not add. They are seemingly always a month (or sometimes two months) late. While several groups sight the first crescent sliver of the new moon well, as far as we can tell, only sister Becca Biderman publishes accurate barley reports.
Even more details:
As we explain in our studies (see list below), there only needs to be enough aviv barley ready for the omer (wave sheaf) firstfruit offering by either the 15th or the 21st day of the first month. As explained in these studies, it is a disaster if we declare Rosh HaShanah too late, because it would force farmers in the land of Israel who have the earliest ripening barley to do one of two things:
A) Either they must break Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:9 and begin harvesting their crop BEFORE the firstfruit offering has been presented unto Yahweh for the nation. Or
B) Lose all or part of their barley crop, while they wait an extra month for the leaders to declare Rosh HaShanah!
By declaring the true firstfruits unto Yahweh Elohim as He commands, and keeping His appointed days according to His perfect timing, the farmers do not need to lose their crops; neither are they encouraged to break any of Yahweh’s commandments. For more on declaring Rosh HaShanah, please see section 3b (below) for the studies on aviv barley and the Torah calendar. For more on the current barley inspections, please visit NI Torah Calendar News for 2024.
A) Either they must break Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:9 and begin harvesting their crop BEFORE the firstfruit offering has been presented unto Yahweh for the nation. Or
B) Lose all or part of their barley crop, while they wait an extra month for the leaders to declare Rosh HaShanah!
By declaring the true firstfruits unto Yahweh Elohim as He commands, and keeping His appointed days according to His perfect timing, the farmers do not need to lose their crops; neither are they encouraged to break any of Yahweh’s commandments. For more on declaring Rosh HaShanah, please see section 3b (below) for the studies on aviv barley and the Torah calendar. For more on the current barley inspections, please visit NI Torah Calendar News for 2024.
2b. Need to Begin the Year with the True FIRST Fruits of Barley!
We always receive iquiries about why NI observes the Hebrew months at different times from the other calendars (such as the calendars taught by the Messianics and the Sadducees / Karaites).
There are several reasons, but the main reason is that we begin the calendar year with the (true) firstfruits of barley.
In contrast, other groups take a sheaf from the main harvest, and falsely CALL them the “first” fruits (when they are more like the MAIN fruits.)
Because of this, the Messianics and the Karaites will usually be a month (or even two) late.
You can learn about the difference between Firstfruits and Falsefruits (and the significance for the body of Yeshua) by clicking here.
There are several reasons, but the main reason is that we begin the calendar year with the (true) firstfruits of barley.
In contrast, other groups take a sheaf from the main harvest, and falsely CALL them the “first” fruits (when they are more like the MAIN fruits.)
Because of this, the Messianics and the Karaites will usually be a month (or even two) late.
You can learn about the difference between Firstfruits and Falsefruits (and the significance for the body of Yeshua) by clicking here.
3a. Feast Schedule 5784-5, 2024
Rosh HaShanah and the first month feast dates are confirmed.
Seventh month feast dates are “expected dates”, based upon the expected new moon sighting for the 7th month (September). It is possible for these ‘expected dates’ to change by a day or two, depending on when the new moon day of the 7th month is confirmed.
3b. Torah Calendar studies:
Learn all about the Aviv Barley New Moon calendar, and why the Jewish, Karaite, Messianic, and the equinox calendars are wrong! These are topics you need to know!
For Torah Calendar News, please click here!
For 5784-5 / 2024 Feast Schedule, please click here!
To know more on how to correctly declare Rosh HaShanah (according to Scripture), please click here!
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Please keep us in prayer for Yahweh’s continuing favor and support, so that together we can build Yeshua’s kingdom.
Chag sameach!
Chag sameach!