Q&A: New Year’s Celebrations (Sylvester)
New Year’s Celebrations (Sylvester)
Question
Is there any substance to the Haredi claim that it is forbidden to celebrate this holiday because it is one of “their festivals”? After all, this holiday has a clearly secular character nowadays. Thank you.
Answer
I don’t think there is any prohibition. Beyond that, as far as I remember, “their festival days” originally was not a prohibition against celebrating, but a prohibition against selling an animal in anticipation of that day.
Discussion on Answer
There is a prohibition against celebrating an idolatrous holiday, and even a prohibition regarding a holiday they invented on their own (like Jeroboam’s). But that isn’t the situation here.
What is the source of that prohibition?
First of all, it is the prohibition of idolatry. If you want to see some additional clauses as well (which are being applied incorrectly), you can look here: https://www.srugim.co.il/61028-%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%A8-%D7%92%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A8-%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%AA%D7%AA%D7%A3-%D7%91%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%99%D7%91%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%97%D7%92-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%97%D7%92%D7%99%D7%9D-2
Yes, indeed, that is what I saw in the Mishnah they referred to, but isn’t there a prohibition against celebrating an idolatrous holiday? That sounds strange.