also considered the beginning of the calendar year in terms of the order of the holidays.
In addition to this New Year, the Mishnah sets up three other legal New Years:
1st of Elul, New Year for animal tithes,
1st of Tishrei (Rosh Hashanah), the New Year for the calendar year and for vegetable tithes
15th of Shevat (Tu B’Shevat), the New Year for Trees/fruit tithes
Pesach Passover
Main article: Passover
Erev Pesach and Fast of the Firstborn known as “Ta’anit Bechorim” 14 Nisan
Passover (Hebrew: Pesach, ) (first two days) 15 and 16 Nisan
The “Last days of Passover”, known as Acharon shel Pesach, are also a holiday commemorating K’riat Yam Suf, the Passage of the Red Sea. 21 and 22 Nisan
The semi-holiday days between the “first days” and the “last days” of Passover are known as Chol Hamo’ed, referred to as the “Intermediate days”.
Passover commemorates the liberation of the Israelite slaves from Egypt. No leavened food is eaten during the week of Pesach, in commemoration of the fact that the Jews left Egypt so quickly that their bread did not have enough time to rise.
The first seder begins at sundown on the 15th of Nisan, and the second seder is held on the night of the 16th of Nisan. On the second night, Jews start counting the omer. The counting of the omer is a count of the days from the time they left Egypt until the time they arrived at Mount Sinai.
Sefirah Counting of the Omer
Main article: Counting of the Omer
Sefirah ( , Sefirat Ha’Omer) Counting the Omer
Sefirah is the 49 day (“seven weeks”) period between Pesach and Shavuot; it is defined by the Torah as the period during which special offerings are to be brought to the Temple in Jerusalem.