My answer is “no,” and not only because it is in bad taste to attend optional parties unrelated to any Jewish value when so many Jews in Israel are dead, wounded, displaced, grieving and suffering. That implies that, save for the war, it would be appropriate. Untrue.
There is some merit to the argument that New Year’s Eve is no longer a religious holiday, despite its pagan and Gentile origins. I doubt there is even one Jew who attends such events consciously aware of or even thinking about its religious basis. It is rather perceived as an innocuous marking of time – a secular year has passed, and a new secular year has begun – and a good reminder to date our checks to charity (those who still write checks) with the new year’s number.
Of course, it is more complicated than that. The count of the year itself is based on a Christian formulation, and rejoicing in the arrival of that new year immerses us in a pagan and tawdry culture that is not ours. And that is the point. We have a rich and expansive culture of our own, holidays and commemorations of events that shape our lives and guide us toward sanctity.
Does such revelry make us better Jews? Does it bring us closer to Hashem? No and no.
It is churlish to condescend to the merriment that accompanies New Year’s Eve in the general society – the drinking, the carousing, the mischief – even though the contrast to our New Year (Rosh Hashana) observances is quite stark and illuminating. It is enough to underscore that we eschew the statutes, customs, and ceremonies of the Gentiles simply because they are theirs, and not ours – and ours are meant to reinforce that we are a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Better to sit and learn Torah with our children and grandchildren.
– Rav Steven Pruzansky is Israel region Vice President of the Coalition for Jewish Values and author of six books, including the recent “Road to Redemption,” available at Kodeshpress.com.
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Although there is a difference of halachic opinion whether January first is a day with religious significance (in Christianity) or has lost this significance and become merely a secular celebration, this is relevant only to the halachic issue whether making a celebration on that day transgresses the prohibition of “walking in the ways of idolators.”
However, in my opinion, there is another aspect to consider and that is that the manner and nature of New Year’s celebrations are definitely not in keeping with Torah ideals and values. They are usually comprised of excessive alcohol consumption, debauchery and frivolity. This behavior is antithetical to Torah living. Additionally, celebrating a new year in such a frivolous manner is diametrically opposed to how we celebrate our new year on Rosh Hashana. Hence, celebrating a secular new year in the manner that the secular world does has to have a negative influence on our attitude towards “New Years”!
Bottom line, making a New Years celebration is not proper for a Torah observant Jew. The four Rosh Hoshanas listed in the first Mishna in Tractate Rosh Hashana are sufficient for us; we need not add a fifth one.
– Rabbi Zev Leff is rav of Moshav Matisyahu and a popular lecturer and educator.
