Understanding YHWH's Hebrew Calendar: Step-by-Step Guide - Part 1

YHWH's calendar is how God tells time, and we must align with the Most High in calculating His appointed times. This biblical feast calendar—available for 2026 at israelitemedia.com/calendar—helps you know when to keep the feasts of YHWH.

Why Keep YHWH's Feasts?

Yeshua, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, kept Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread—all the feasts (Hebrews 13:8). If Christ is in us, we walk like Him, transformed into His image. People call it 'Mosaic law,' but it's YHWH's law, given through Moses. It doesn't change until heaven and earth pass away—and they are still here (Matthew 5:18). As believers, we keep YHWH's feasts to walk in His way.

YHWH's Calendar: Sun and Moon

The Gregorian calendar (named after Pope Gregory) starts January 1st in winter and uses only the sun. YHWH's calendar uses both sun and moon.

  • Year begins: At the equinox (around March 20-21), marking spring's 'turn of the year' when kings go to battle (2 Samuel 11:1). Hebrew teshuva means 'return' or 'turn,' aligning with spring greening.
  • Months begin: With the visible new moon.

Scripture Foundation: First Month of Aviv

YHWH told Moses and Aaron in Egypt: "This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you" (Exodus 12:1-2). Chodesh means new moon; rosh means head/beginning; kadash ties to moon months.

This is the month of Aviv (Deuteronomy 16:1): "Observe the month of Aviv and keep the Passover to YHWH your God, for in the month of Aviv YHWH your God brought you out of Egypt by night."

  • Select lamb on the 10th.
  • Kill it on the 14th at evening (Exodus 12).

What is the New Moon?

The new moon is the first visible sliver, not the astronomical 'dark moon.' In the northern hemisphere, it appears on the right.

Use apps like Daff Moon (Android) to check visibility (around 2.3% illumination minimum with naked eye). Example: October 2025 new moon was October 23rd (Thursday, since days start at sunset).

Even if clouds hide it, calculate based on fixed visibility. YHWH set the moon in fixed order (Jeremiah 31:35-36): "YHWH gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and stars for light by night."

Because it's fixed, computers can calculate new moons accurately.

Determining Aviv: The Barley Test

During the hail plague (7th plague, before Passover's 10th), "the barley was aviv (in the ear/green ears) and flax in bud" (Exodus 9:31). Aviv means greening from winter to spring—around equinox in the Promised Land (March).

Equinox signals the year start, as greening begins. Romans called it 'March' for war god Mars; Scripture confirms spring battles (2 Samuel 11:1).

Next Steps

Part 1 covers year start (equinox/Aviv barley) and new moons. Upcoming: Full feast calculations. Get the Biblical Feast Calendar 2026 and resources at israelitemedia.com. Walk as Yeshua walked!