Regeneration
The Old Testament outlines, among other things, a special set of annual observances. Within this collection of special days and times, there is one day known as Yom Kippur, or a Day of Covering. This was the one yearly event in which all sins of Israel were “covered” (and where we also get the idea of a scapegoat).
However, as archaic as this may seem, there was biblical support for what some consider New Year’s. The Jews commonly consider this day to mark the end of a year and a new beginning. This same idea carried over into our modern day version of New Year’s day where people remember the last year and make “resolutions” for the coming year.
Often, we consider the last 365 (or 366) days and what memories, both good and bad, that we have for the year. In the ancient observance of Yom Kippur, time was spent reflecting on the mistakes and sins of the past year. In that same day, with the covering of the sins of the people, it was a fresh start in which many would be resolved to do better and have less cause to feel ashamed as the sins of the people were enumerated and placed on the head of the goat to be led into the wilderness. Now, New Year’s has taken on that same significance in the minds of most (without the religious aspect these days) and people usually choose to be better than before.
Ironic that something such as New Year’s actually has some scriptural origins, though highly distorted with drunken revelry and the like. After all, people resolve to be better, almost never worse, but they have yet to decide to be more honest, loving, worshipful, etc. Though I don’t participate in New Year’s as observed in modern times, I did participate in the annual observance of this one day (back on October 12th this year, though it varies based on the lunar calendar) and felt it rather more fulfilling than anything I might do or resolve to do on December 31st this year.
For all who are of a religious bent, it is rewarding to reflect on this last year of stumbles and falls and pick yourself up and move forward another year with a firm resolve to watch the path more closely and stumble a little less than before.
