Why Not Celebrate Sylvester?

In the coming days, many Israelis will go out to celebrate Sylvester, the civil New Year. Clubs have already started advertising parties, and many are wondering how to celebrate this special day. As every year, many observant Jews are confronted with the question, "So why not, really?"

It seems we all know the historical background: Pope Sylvester, who led the Catholic Church from 314-335, was not fond of Jews, to say the least, and under his orders, there were many pogroms against Jews in countries where Christianity dominated. Observant Jews claim it is inappropriate to celebrate a date originally held in memory of a Jew-hater under whose orders our ancestors were massacred. Some even argue that it's akin to celebrating Hitler's birthday a few decades from now. Celebrants don't always grasp the comparison. "What's the big deal?" they argue. "Sylvester doesn't interest us at all. We're celebrating the start of the new civil year, and if there's a reason to party, what's wrong with that?"

Rabbi Yitzchak Fanger reminds us of what many leading Christian figures did to Jews over the years, including blood libels, the Crusades, and the Inquisition. He says, "Of course, a Jew with personal integrity and minimal conscience won't allow himself to celebrate the holidays of those who massacred his parents or ancestors."

"According to Kabbalah, anything originating from the shell - from the moment you give it a hand or foothold, power, sanction, or recognition, the shell's hold is upon you," he explains. "This means that you've given evil a foothold with you, akin to 'sin crouches at the door.' On the other hand, when I have no connection to Christianity - I don't participate in their events, their holidays, I'm not identified with them - I maintain my uniqueness, and there's no reason for the sitra achra to attach itself to me. But the moment I start to celebrate, and on a particular day - it takes on a different meaning."

Since, in any case, it's forbidden to celebrate Christian customs, what's unique about this day?
"Beyond that, the sages say that certain days have power. Why do we celebrate Chanukah at this specific time, for example? The holiday could have been set on another day. But we bless and say that Hashem performed miracles for our ancestors in those days, at this time. This means that according to the Kabbalists, the same influence keeps recurring in the world year by year."

"Conversely, Tisha B'Av is known as a day of bad fortune for the Jewish people throughout history. Similarly, a non-Jewish holiday has an influence on that date through the ages because it draws from other roots - problematic roots according to Judaism. And the moment you give it sanction or collaborate - regardless of your intentions - you get attached to it. If you enter a place with a bad smell - it will stick to your clothes, whether you identify with it or not," Rabbi Fanger continues. "When I'm in a place where people smoke and come home, my wife immediately asks, 'Did you smoke today?' I tell her, 'Of course not, I don't smoke.' She responds, 'But we can smell it on you.' So naturally, it'll stick to me - irrespective of whether I smoke or not. And in spiritual terms, the significance is much higher."

Watch Rabbi Zamir Cohen's lecture on the topic: Sylvester - A Holiday for Jews?

Rabbi Fanger further shares that the Chassidim regard the night of Jesus' birth in an interesting way. They call it "Nittel Night" and refrain from Torah study, engaging only in ethical learning.

"The holy Baal Shem Tov said that when Jesus descended to the world - a shell descended to the world," Rabbi Fanger explains. "So, on his birthday, the Chassidim don't study Torah because of the absorption of external forces on that night. Therefore, they only study ethics that night to avoid giving control to external forces according to Kabbalah. Therefore, if I'm going to celebrate on that night - it's clear I won't receive holiness from that evening."

The average celebrator might say to you: You're talking to me about things that happened nearly 2000 years ago. Today there's globalization, there's peace between religions. Why maintain this separation? Why not support them and celebrate together?
"I encourage them freely, and I have no problem working or doing business with them. But the sages told us it's like meat and milk. The meat can be alone, and so can the milk, but they don't go together," Rabbi Fanger concludes. "According to Judaism, there are problematic combinations. Just as when you take two electrical wires, connect them, and create a short circuit - there are things that don't mix within certain boundaries. So I can respect a Christian, help him. I'm for globalization, world peace, unity of nations, and all that it entails, but within certain limits. The moment the Torah says, for example, that it's forbidden to marry Christians - then I don't marry them. I respect them, give them their place, but crossing boundaries - that's problematic."