Avoiding the confusion: October 7 vs. SimchatTorah as the Day of Remembrance

This week, we marked the remembrance of the massacre that occurred last year on October 7 along Israel's southern border. It seems that this date has been widely adopted as the day of commemoration, both by religious and non-religious communities. But is this date correct? Should we really use it as the Yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) for the fallen?

The poskim have discussed the use of the Gregorian date for various purposes, such as writing dates on checks or letters. Some hold that this practice falls under the Torah prohibition of following the ways of the gentiles (chukot ha'goyim). However, others (Chacham Ovadia) permit it when absolutely necessary, such as for writing checks or official documents that do not accept Hebrew dates.

The Maharik (Rabbi Yoseph Colon, mentioned in the Rema) laid out specific conditions for determining when adopting non-Jewish customs is prohibited under the Torah commandment against following the ways of the gentiles (chukot ha'goyim). His analysis focused on whether a particular custom is inherently problematic from a halachic perspective.

The Maharik established two key conditions to decide if a custom violates this prohibition:

1. Religious or Superstitious Origins: 

  - If the custom originates from non-Jewish religious or superstitious practices, it is prohibited. This is based on the concern that adopting such practices would lead to involvement in foreign worship or belief systems, which is strictly forbidden by the Torah. 

2. Pritzut (Immodesty or Immorality):

Even if a custom has no connection to foreign religions, it is still forbidden if it involves pritzut—behavior that violates Jewish standards of modesty or morality. Any custom that encourages immodesty or immoral conduct is prohibited, as it contradicts Jewish values and the pursuit of holiness.

However, if a custom is clearly rational, neutral, and serves a practical purpose (such as a civic norm), the Maharik permits its adoption, as it is not considered to violate chukot ha'goyim. This includes actions like writing the Gregorian date on official documents, which is seen as a practical necessity with no religious or superstitious significance.

These guidelines help clarify when using non-Jewish customs is acceptable in Jewish law.

Nevertheless, everyone agrees that when it is not necessary to use the Gregorian date, one should use only the Jewish date. The Maharam Shik strongly criticized those who inscribe English dates, write in languages other than Lashon HaKodesh, or use non-Hebrew names on a matzeva (gravestone) or in letters.

Thus, although the world marks October 7 as the day of the massacre, we Jews should follow Hashem's calendar and not that of the gentiles. This is especially crucial when it comes to a yahrzeit, as on that day, each year, the deceased’s neshama(soul) comes before Hashem’s heavenly court for judgment. This is why those who wish to elevate the soul engage in extra mitzvot, fasting, Torah learning, lighting a candle, and leading prayers on that day. By confusing the yahrzeit with the Gregorian date, we risk missing the true, spiritually significant day of helping the neshama through these important actions.

Let us remember the true day of commemorating those massacred, which falls on Simchat Torah, and strive to honor them through our actions on that day.

This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel