New Moon 12th Hebrew Month- 18 February 5786 / 2026
Moon sighting and feast scenarios:
The new moon was seen from Israel on 18 February. As of 18 February, we have not received any reports from Israel of an omer’s worth of aviv barley that would be ready as a wave sheaf offering on March 8th. Therefore, scenario 1 is no longer an option for Rosh HaShanah 5786/2026. We will now watch for scenario 2 as the next possibility. (As always, dates may vary depending upon confirmation of the new moon sighting or the 30-day default.) Please remain current with Torah Calendar News for updates.
Witnesses to new moon:
18:12, Zevulun Valley, Yoel Halevi
18:13, Gadi Eidelheit
Scenario 1 (obsolete):
The new moon was witnessed in Israel today, on 18 February. On 16 February 2026, Becca Biderman of Ancient Path New Moon reported that there is a field of barley with some fruiting heads in a Jezreel Valley location. However, Becca declared a 12th Hebrew month, indicating that she does not witness that the barley in this location would provide an omer’s worth of aviv barley by March 8th, in time for a scenario 1 Yom HaNafat HaOmer.
We have not received reports of any other barley that would be presentable as a wave sheaf offering by 8 March. Therefore, we must declare this new moon as a 12th Hebrew month and wait for the second scenario.
Scenario 2: The new moon (expected to be visible from Israel on 20 March 2026) is the next scenario for Rosh HaShanah 2026. As always, we must wait for Yahweh’s timing to know when there will be an omer’s worth of aviv barley ready in the Land of Israel by 15-21 days after the start of the new month.
If at the time of the next new moon we are able to determine that an omer’s worth of aviv barley would be ready to present as a wave sheaf offering Yom HaNafat HaOmer on 5 April, we will declare Rosh HaShanah. If not, we will post a third scenario afterwards. Please continue reading for more details.
| Scenario 2: | (Dates could be one day later) |
| New Moon (expected): | 20 March (visibility 3.47%) |
| Rosh HaShanah (New Year): | 21 March (and the evening before) |
| Pesach (Passover): | 3 April (afternoon) |
| Chag HaMatzot Aleph (ULB1): | 4 April (and the evening before) |
| Yom HaNafat HaOmer (Wave Sheaf): | 5 April (and the evening before) |
| Chag Hamatzot Sheva (ULB7): | 10 April (and the evening before) |
| Shavuot (Pentecost) | 24 May (and the evening before) |
Our understanding is that the new year must begin when there is enough (one omer’s worth) of ‘aviv’ barley that will be ready to present as the ‘Firstfruits’ Wave Sheaf Offering by 15th to the 21st day of the first month.
Strong’s Concordance defines ‘aviv’ as ‘green’, ‘tender’, ‘young’ and ‘viable for seed’. It must also be the firstfruits, meaning not the middle of the harvest. (See study links below for more information.) This ‘Firstfruits’ Wave Sheaf Offering (in Temple times) is presented unto Elohim on behalf of the entire nation, and harvest can then begin afterwards. (Harvest cannot begin before Yom HaNafat HaOmer without violating Deuteronomy 16:9.)
Several Messianic and Karaite calendar groups declare the new year using barley that is brown, dry, brittle, and from the middle of the harvest (rather than the firstfruits as Scripture commands). They will call it aviv barley even though it does not fit the definition. And they will allow the firstfruits to fall to the ground. (They will even boast that the firstfruits have shattered and been lost!)
These groups also violate Deuteronomy 16:9 by allowing people to harvest prior to Yom HaNafat HaOmer. Other groups add requirements for declaring the new year that are not found in Scripture. Due to these errors, these groups usually declare the start of the Hebrew Year (Rosh HaShanah) late.
Currently, Becca Biderman is the only barley witness we know who ‘identifies aviv barley’ accurately. (We do not support all of Becca’s work, but she seems to define aviv barley accurately. And we cannot support other groups that violate Scripture.)
Please stay up-to-date with Torah Calendar News for important updates on Rosh HaShanah and the feasts.
Feast schedule 5786-7 / 2026 (To be posted upon confirmation)
Printable PDF version
1st month count details
Timing for declaring Rosh HaShanah
Next Hebrew month (expected):
The new moon of the next Hebrew month is expected to be visible from Israel on 20 March. Confirmation will be made upon the sighting of the new moon (or the 30-day default count). Upon confirmation, we will announce whether or not this new moon is Rosh HaShanah.
Last barley season, there was a barley witness considering whether to declare Rosh HaShanah several days beyond the start of the new month (on the 9th or 10th day of the month), in hope of finding an omer’s worth of aviv barley and declaring Rosh HaShanah by the 10th day of the month.
Our understanding is that the month of the aviv must be announced when the new month is announced. In ancient times it would take time for the news to spread, and for the people to prepare, and make the pilgrimage up to Jerusalem in time for the feast, in accordance to Elohim’s commandments. For more information on why it is necessary to provide the 14 days that Yahweh provides in His instructions, please see “Babylon Mystery Calendars“.
Guarding Deuteronomy 16:9
Some ministries are declaring that you must be able to substantially “bring in the harvest” before you can declare the month of the Aviv. To see why this is completely wrong (and is damaging to the farmers), please check out our study, “Let’s Not Break Deuteronomy 16:9!”)
How to correctly declare Rosh HaShanah
To declare the biblically correct Rosh HaShanah, Nazarene Israel must be certain that an omer quantity of the firstfruits of barley (in Israel) will be ready (in its aviv stage) within the 15-21 day time frame after the new moon sighting (in time for Yom HaNafat HaOmer, or the Day of the Wave Sheaf Offering). In simple terms, to declare Rosh HaShanah, we need to have an omer’s worth of aviv barley firstfruits ready to offer for Yom HaNafat HaOmer.
Other calendars claim to be biblical calendars, but get the timing wrong every year, which leads many to celebrating the feasts at the wrong times. This is because other calendars use non-biblical concepts not found in the written Torah when declaring the new year.
As we explain in our studies, declaring Rosh HaShanah too late (as the Karaites usually do) would cause Yahweh’s firstfruits to be lost. In contrast, when we declare Rosh HaShanah at the time when the firstfruits of aviv barley will be ready for Yom HaNafat HaOmer, 15-21 days after the new moon, everything aligns perfectly!
Keeping the correct calendar is important in order to meet with Yahweh on the days that He appointed to meet with us. We have many studies explaining how to keep the calendar according to the written Torah commandments, and why it is important. For more on how the Biblical Hebrew new year is determined (and how it is not determined), and how you and your family can keep the true biblical calendar (the Torah Calendar), please see the studies in the table below.
Calendar FAQs
1: Is it a requirement for a Hebrew year to have 12 months?
Scripture does not set a requirement for month counts before beginning a new year. While a Hebrew year with less than 12 months is not common, the occurrence is possible. For example, if barley becomes aviv later one season, and then becomes aviv earlier the next season, it is possible to have a year without a 12th month. The opposite is also true. If barley ripens early one season and then ripens later the next season, the length of the year in-between may be longer.
Shemote (Exodus) commands to begin the new year at with the month of aviv barley. There is no commandment for a specific month count, and ignoring the timing specified in Scripture in order to adhere to man-made requirements would mean violating Yahweh’s instructions. Rather than following man-made routines and assumptions, we believe it is crucial for His people to follow the instructions given to us by Elohim, that we may be found keeping His commandments.
Shemote (Exodus) 12:2
2 “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 4:2
2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments Yahweh your Elohim which I command you.
2. Does roadside barley in the Southern Jordan checkpoint work for declaring the new year?
Some barley groups monitor roadside barley in the Southern Jordan checkpoint area. This barley usually grows much faster in this area due to artificial heating elements. Therefore, barley in these areas does not represent the natural timing in the Land. (Becca Biderman, Ancient Path New Moon explains)
3. Can you wait for several days after the first day of the Hebrew month to determine what month we are in?
There is at least one barley witnesses who attempts at times to declare the Hebrew month count retroactively (on the 9th or 10th day of the month), in hope of finding an omer’s worth of aviv barley and declaring Rosh HaShanah several days after the new month confirmation.
Our understanding is that the month of the aviv must be announced when the new month is announced. In ancient times it would take time for the news to spread, and for the people to prepare, and make the pilgrimage up to Jerusalem in time for the feast, in accordance to Elohim’s commandments.
For more information on why it is necessary to provide the 14 days that Yahweh provides in His instructions, please see “Babylon Mystery Calendars“.
Calendar studies
We encourage you to check out our calendar studies, which explain the correct definitions of aviv barley, how to observe the calendar correctly, and errors found in other calendars. A full list of studies can be found in ‘Calendar studies’ below for convenience. We also encourage you to track our calendar updates on our Torah Calendar News page.
Witnesses qualification
Currently, sister 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). Becca documents her barley inspections, and her definitions of aviv barley seem accurate according to our understanding of Scripture.
Disclaimer: For reasons explained in our studies, NI does not support Messianic doctrine. We also do not support the doctrine of waiting to declare Rosh HaShanah days after the new month begins. (Scripturally, it does not work.) For more on these topics, please see NI’s 2025 explanation in “Babylon Mystery Calendars“.)
Other barley groups: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 often a month (or sometimes two months) late.New moon witnesses:
Several groups sight the first crescent sliver of the new moon well. NI uses various new moon witnesses for new moon reports. Again, as far as we can tell, only sister Becca Biderman publishes accurate barley reports.
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