As we prepare our hearts and homes for the upcoming Feast of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot), many of you have reached out with thoughtful questions about how to determine its proper timing. These conversations remind us how deeply we desire to walk in alignment with the Word—and how important it is to understand the rhythms our Creator set in motion from the very beginning.
This year, the Biblical New Year began on the evening of March 30, 2025, when the crescent New Moon was sighted in the Land of Israel with the naked eye (Exodus 12:2). Based on that confirmed sighting and the commands given in Torah, Chag HaMatzot will begin at sunset on Sunday, April 13, 2025.
We’ll go about our day on April 13 as normal, and then at sundown, we enter into this appointed time—a week of unleavened bread, reflection, and remembering the mighty deliverance of YHWH.
Below, we’ve included a clear explanation of how this timing is determined, based on the Biblical calendar, the command to begin the year with Chodesh HaAviv, and how the sun, moon, and harvest continue to work together as signs for His people (Genesis 1:14, Exodus 12:2, Deuteronomy 16:1).
Understanding the Timing: The Torah Calendar
The Torah calendar follows a luni-solar design—a harmony of the moon and sun, given by the Creator, YHWH, as signs to mark His appointed times (Genesis 1:14). The start of each month is tied to a key phase in the lunar cycle (specifically the first visible sliver of light after total conjunction),
The start of the year is tied to a key moment in the solar cycle—the Spring Equilux, when day and night are nearly equal in length. This event triggers the barley to develop. Some years the barley is delayed due to weather patters etc.In those cases the season's celebrations would have to be delayed and an additional month calculated. The crescent New Moon, visibly sighted after these markers, is the signal that a new Biblical month—or a new year—has begun.
This is what Scripture means by “Chodesh HaAviv”—the Month of the Aviv (Exodus 12:2; 13:3–4; 23:15; 34:18; Deuteronomy 16:1). The ripening of barley at this time is no coincidence—it’s triggered by the growing strength of the sun, a built-in sign of the changing season. This alignment helped ancient Israel know exactly when to begin their journey to Jerusalem for the feasts—no matter how far they lived.
And at the other end of the year, the cycle closes with Chag HaSukkot—the Feast of Tabernacles—coinciding with the completion of the agricultural season (Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Leviticus 23:39; Deuteronomy 16:13).
Messenger Of The Name
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
As we prepare our hearts and homes for the upcoming Feast of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot), many of you have reached out with thoughtful questions about how to determine its proper timing. These conversations remind us how deeply we desire to walk in alignment with the Word—and how important it is to understand the rhythms our Creator set in motion from the very beginning.
This year, the Biblical New Year began on the evening of March 30, 2025, when the crescent New Moon was sighted in the Land of Israel with the naked eye (Exodus 12:2). Based on that confirmed sighting and the commands given in Torah, Chag HaMatzot will begin at sunset on Sunday, April 13, 2025.
We’ll go about our day on April 13 as normal, and then at sundown, we enter into this appointed time—a week of unleavened bread, reflection, and remembering the mighty deliverance of YHWH.
Below, we’ve included a clear explanation of how this timing is determined, based on the Biblical calendar, the command to begin the year with Chodesh HaAviv, and how the sun, moon, and harvest continue to work together as signs for His people (Genesis 1:14, Exodus 12:2, Deuteronomy 16:1).
Understanding the Timing: The Torah Calendar
The Torah calendar follows a luni-solar design—a harmony of the moon and sun, given by the Creator, YHWH, as signs to mark His appointed times (Genesis 1:14).
The start of each month is tied to a key phase in the lunar cycle (specifically the first visible sliver of light after total conjunction),
The start of the year is tied to a key moment in the solar cycle—the Spring Equilux, when day and night are nearly equal in length. This event triggers the barley to develop. Some years the barley is delayed due to weather patters etc.In those cases the season's celebrations would have to be delayed and an additional month calculated.
The crescent New Moon, visibly sighted after these markers, is the signal that a new Biblical month—or a new year—has begun.
This is what Scripture means by “Chodesh HaAviv”—the Month of the Aviv (Exodus 12:2; 13:3–4; 23:15; 34:18; Deuteronomy 16:1). The ripening of barley at this time is no coincidence—it’s triggered by the growing strength of the sun, a built-in sign of the changing season. This alignment helped ancient Israel know exactly when to begin their journey to Jerusalem for the feasts—no matter how far they lived.
And at the other end of the year, the cycle closes with Chag HaSukkot—the Feast of Tabernacles—coinciding with the completion of the agricultural season (Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Leviticus 23:39; Deuteronomy 16:13).
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