Rosh HaShanah: 1st Hebrew Month- 19 February 5786 / 2026 (and evening before)
1a. Rosh HaShanah 19 February 5786/2026 (and evening prior)
If you observed 19 February 5786/2026 as Rosh HaShanah, please follow the first Pesach schedule as normal. If you were unable to keep the first Pesach this year due to the incomplete barley reports, please follow the 2nd Pesach schedule for the feasts of the first month. Estimated timing is given for the Feasts of the 7th Hebrew month. Please remember that these dates could possibly change by a day or two, depending on the confirmation of the beginning of the 7th month. Confirmation of the 7th month feasts will be made at that time.
We should never intentionally miss the first Pesach, but the Second Pesach is for these type of situations. However, King Hezekiah asked Yahweh for mercy in this kind of situation, and Yahweh honored his request (Divre HaYamin Bet / 2 Chronicles 30).
Bemidbar (Numbers) 9:10-12
10 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the Yahweh’s Passover.
11 On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
12 They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.
1b. Feast schedules:
Printable PDF- 1st Pesach schedule
Printable PDF- 2nd Pesach schedule
1c. Reversal:
The new moon was seen from Israel at evening on 18 February. We had received no reports of aviv barley in the land by the day of the new moon by any search groups in the Land, and our erstwhile barley witness Becca Biderman declared a 12th Hebrew month based on her observations. Therefore, we also declared a 12th Hebrew month.
Then on 5 March we received verifiable news of barley in one location (maybe two locations) that would have been (or rather, is) ready for the Wave Sheaf Offering by 8 March 2026 (today!). This was too late for us to observe the Pesach or the Omer offering on time–but nonetheless, no matter how mess it is, we need to do the responsible and accurate thing, and officially reversed the declaration.
Based on this new information, as of 8 March 2026, we are officially overturning our prior declaration, and are officially confirming that 19 February (and the evening prior) was Rosh HaShanah–and that we are currently in the first Hebrew month.
We realize that this is extremely inconvenient, but we want to align the year accurately, so please continue for explanation and what to do with this current situation for keeping the feasts.
1d. Explanation:
Had we known that there would be barley when Rosh Chodesh (the New Month) was declared on 18 February, we would have declared a March 4th Pesach. However, we did not receive this information until two or three days later on March 6th, when Joe Dumond of www.sightedmoon.com wrote us. Although it is very messy, we are very glad for this new information, so we can issue a correct calendar start date. For details, Joe asked us to use his name (which we are glad to do).
On 5 March, Joe reached out to Norman with concerns that we were not using his witness (which we had not done because Becca had made a video claiming that his witness was invalid). Joe implored us to review the data more carefully, and Norman reviewed Joe’s videos with regard to his claims, and found them to have merit. To be clear, we do NOT qualify ALL of Joe’s fields, as there are some qualification issues. However, there were TWO locations that DO seem to be qualified.
For details, some of Joe’s locations are near roads, which we consider artificially altered ground. This causes a sooner ripening effect (but only for the barley near the roads). Since the goal is to find out what weather Yahweh has sent (rather than what microclimates man has created) we disqualify “roadside” barley (and we reject any barley on any man altered surface, and we want barley to be well away from any roads). Joe also used terminology different than we do. However, TWO of Joe’s locations DID seem to qualify according to our understanding of Scripture definitions. These locations are “Checkpoint Charlie” and a field near Mash’en, Israel (north of Gaza).
The barley at Checkpoint Charlie in the Jordan Valley had what appeared to be worm stage and soft dough on 25 February. That means there were 11 days for the barley to reach the medium dough stage, which only takes a few days in good weather (which there has been). That means this barley almost certainly WOULD have been ready for a Wave Sheaf Offering on 8 March! This field was approximately 60′ x 300′, and did not appear to be by any road, or power lines (which can also cause early ripening). You can check the video from 11:33 to 17:20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNNE3vQ1BII
Joe also reported on barley found in Mash’en on March 6th, two days prior to the Wave Sheaf offering. (Joe referred to this barley as ‘hard dough’. By our definitions, this barley would be more like medium dough, as you can still break it in half with your fingers. Nevertheless, medium dough IS acceptable as a Wave Sheaf offering, as it needs no more time to ripen to become viable). You can see the full report here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vg3HCkOOWo
While PART of the barley field was on a road embankment, a large amount of barley seemed to be well away from the road, and in an accceptable state. Becca Biderman commented on the disqualified locations, but to our knowledge, she has not reported either on Checkpoint Charlie, or on Mash’en. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6sHoik2Ns4&t=2094s (We cannot help but wonder, why did she report publicly on the disqualified sites, but say nothing about the qualified ones?) Please pray with us that she will answer this.
Mash’en: up for discussion/debate, but definitely aviv.
To clarify about the inspection sites, we consider Joe’s sighting at Mash’en questionable ONLY because of multiple heat islands, which dry out the ground, and accelerate the maturation of the barley. HOWEVER, that is not conclusive. While we would reject barley in a controlled environment such as a greenhouse, one CAN still make a VERY strong argument for using wild barley in a limited heat island zone, because Yahweh surely knew that people and cities would exist, altering the environment.
Further, in any case, our approach is to present the very first of the healthy medium dough (wild or domestic) to Yahweh, to clear the way for the rest of the harvest. That way, none of the poor farmers need to hypothetically break Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:9, or risk losing their crops (and hypothetically having to sell themselves or their families into slavery).
Checkpoint Charlie: verified.
However one feels about the heat island effect at Mash’en, we have no questions about Checkpoint Charlie. While Becca said that she was unable to find aviv barley there in sufficient quantities, Joe’s search team of 14 people found multiple extensive fields with what appears to be late worm and early dough content, with short-sleeve weather, and 11 days to go.
Since barley only takes 14 days to go from flowering to modern combine ripe (i.e., hard or “super hard” in Joe’s terminology), that the barley could go from late worm to medium dough is a virtual certainty, unless Yahweh should send a blizzard or something (Elohim forbid). We do NOT consider that “prognostication”.
Further, we consider Becca Biderman’s insinuation that our saying the barley will advance normally from late worm to medium dough in 11 days’ time is “prognostication” (i.e., soothsaying, consulting the spirit realm) to be completely unfounded and unreasonable. Assuming that the barley will advance normally (as Yahweh has designed it), and following the pattern prescribed in Scripture is NOT prognostication—it is trusting Yahweh! (And if Sister Biderman cannot tell the difference, then that is a reflection on her, not us.)
Please pray with us that Joe and his team will declare before Rosh Chodesh in the future, and that they will give GPS coordinates, and use standard terminology, and closeups. However, we are very thankful for their reporting! We also ask for your prayers, as they are currently stranded in Israel, due to the war. Please pray for their safety, and an early return home.
1e. Correctly defining ‘aviv’
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.
1f. 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.
1e. Supporting His work
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