In the North Terranian hemisphere the Hebrew season of Teveth (the rainy season) starts after the darkest night when the sun enters the zodiac of Capricorn. The 10th Hebrew month is named after the season of Teveth used to be the darkest month of the Hebrew Year but it is far from quiet. These days the Hebrew Calendar month of Tevet is occaisionally after rather than during the North Terranean Hemisphere's darkest time of the year and most of it's observances have been transferred to December leading to a merging with Hanukkah and a loss of tradition except among the most observant Jews.
In those eyes it appears as if Santa, his Elf and Rudolph survive as a modern pop folk memory of a ancient Jewish Baraita concerning Teveth traditions which is even recalled every Yalda among Persian Muslims who call him Kal Gaxan. In the Russian Empire he is Father Frost while in Central Europe his Elf and Rudolph are replaced by the Christkind and Krampus.
Their story centres around the mission of an earlier Santa, Clophas, to save the "Remnant of Edom" (Amos 9:12 & Acts 15:15) from the clutches of Notzrut (Gnosticism) which Clophas tempers by his Evangelion (Christian Bible). This Baraita was promoted in the Talmuds and by Rashi's Tosafists and the Hassidei Ashkenazi as well as the later Perushim. Gnosticism (Notzrut) being tempered by the Evangelion of Rabbi Simon Colphas HaTzadiq is therefore a Jewish equivalent to the gentile tradition of Krampus (now Rudolph) being tempered by Santa.
Not convinced? Well, there's much, much more...
EVENTS OF OLD TEVETH
In contrast to pagans who celebrate solstice, such times are for fasting and abstinence in Judaism which prefers to celebrate at Equinoxes (with Passover and Tabernacles) . Winter's fast of Teveth is a Judaic reflection of Summer's fast of Tammuz. But there is much more to Teveth than that.
- Teveth starts with the last two nights of Hanukah.
- There is a fast for the death of Ezra the Scribe on the 8th.
- There is a fast for the death of Simon Colpas on the 9th.
- Adam's fast was around the Tekufat-Tevet itself (formerly when the Sun enters Capricorn) around the fortnight of the 9th-22nd. The longest night of the fortnight is also called Nitlenakht (Labour night) or Blindenacht (Blind night) because of the darkness and Moydrikenacht (murderous night) for the dangerous weather.
- The 10th is a fast for the breaching of Jerusalem and is the first day of the 8 day fast instituted by Adam which was corrupted into Saturnalia by the Romans concluding with Saturnalia on the 17th which was once the darkest time of the year.
- After Nitlenakht (Saturnalia), the 8 day feast of Kalenda (Nitl Katan) began on the 23rd.
- The 8th day of Kalenda (Nitl or הלידה in the Talmud) used to be the Shammuti New Year for Trees on the 1st of Shevat (now January) also corresponding to the Messianic Noahide feast of the circumcision.
- Then follows Nitl Gadol on Shevat 2nd.
After the fast of Saturnalia on the 17th, the Kalenda days of Teveth prior to the Octave of Nitl were called Nitlkatan. The Octave of Kalenda is Eid Kalenda (the feast of circumcision) while the day after the Octave is called Nitlgadol (Nitle Gadol 2nd of Shevat) which was fixed to Julian Dec the 26th (the Feast of Stephen) until 1582. Dec the 25th itself was the Octave, the Kalenda "Eid" (Noahide Holiday) known in the Talmud as Eid Kalenda.
Nitle is the Yiddish word (from Italian Natale). Kalenda is the Talmudic word.
In 1582 Pope Gregory removed 10 days to correct the Julian calendar. For non-Catholics, Nitle Gadol was effectively extended from Boxing day to the Gregorian 5th of January (the 12th day of Xmas) during a transitional period of adjustment to the new order. These days however Nitl Gadol starts on the Gregorian 2nd of January (the 9th day of Xmas) although as a result if the transition some confusion has emerged. Some observe Nitl Gadol on Dec 5th, others moved it to Dec 6th and still others have come to regard Julian Xmas as Nitl Gadol
Hence, over time most Teveth events have become associated with fixed Julian first then Gregorian dates in December and even early January rather than fixed to the Hebrew month of Teveth while Nitl Gadol is now usually in Teveth rather than starting on 2nd of Shevat as it should.
But this transition was also natural because the Tekufat Tevet fasts are supposed to correspond to Blindenakht/Moydrikenakht, the darkest time of the year in the North Terranean hemisphere which is identified in the Talmud as the pivotal Roman holiday of Saturnalia. Judaic fasting is not supposed to occur during Saturnalia not after it.
For Bei Abedan:
Edom's Teveth begins on Gregory's 8th Dec.
Fast of Ezra is Gregory's 15th (read Chronicles).
Fast of Simon Clopas is Gregory's 16th.
Asarah b'Tevet is Gregory's 17th.
Nitlenacht, the last day of Saturnalia (Tekufat Tevet) is Gregory's 24th (read Telia).
(unless sunset is after 18pm, it should be observed minimum Midday to Midnight)
The first day of Nitle (Kalenda) is Gregory's 25th.
Nitlekatan Gift Day is Gregory's 31st.
Gregory's 1st is the Octave.
Nitlgadol Gift Day begins after dark on Gregory's 1st Jan to 6th (1st Shevat).
In the Dark ages, Dec 25th used to be the 8th day of Nitlekatan (Kalenda) which used to be followed immediately by the day of Nitle Gadol, the original "Boxing day" where Rabbinical decree permitted Jews to send gifts to Christian friends. But from 1582 Catholics began to celebrate Kalenda 10 days earlier with a new Dec 25th on Pope Gregory's new calendar (corresponding at that time to Julian Dec 15) causing 10 days of confusion for non-catholics until the original Julian calendar Nitl Gadol which had now become the 5th of January on Gregory's. reformed calendar but was still observed as the original (Julian) 26th Dec by all who were opposed to the Papacy. The unintended result was 12 days of Nitl instead of the original 2.
So although the first 7 days of Kalenda were originally the last days of Tevet, thanks to the calendar reforms Kalenda could now be any 8 consecutive days between the 18th of December and the 4th of January inclusive. For example, one could start counting Kalenda from 18th December or completely ignore the Papal reform and count Kalenda from what had become the Gregorian 28th of December. In time however, a middle way emerged to count Kalenda (Nitle Katan) from Dec 25th to Jan 1st (Edom's New Year for Trees) and Nitle Gadol from Jan 2nd to 5th while Tekufat Tevet became associated with Dec 24th.
FASTING VS DEBAUCHERY
Among those who serve the Yetzer HaRa, Saturnalia aka Tekufat Tevet aka Nitlnacht is observed with Antinomianism but it is observed with fasting among the resistance army of HaShem. Fasting lasts through Saturnalia until the "Eid" of Kalenda (Nitlkatan).
Fasting during this darkest time of the year in the North Terranian Hemisphere disciplines into communal repentance Haadam's hopelessness after first arriving on planet earth when he thought that the shortening nights heralded the end of the world. But many pagans indulge in Antinomianism during Saturnalia turning the time to fight the darkness with communal solidarity into a time to be debauched.
RABBI ST SIMEON CLOPAS
For Messianic Noahides, the fasting season begins with remembering the martyrdom and therefore also the work of Rabbi Simon Clopas the Saint starting with the fast of the 9th of Teveth.
The 9th of Teveth is the yahrzeit for the martyrdom of Saint Rabbi Simeon Colpas, the Compiling Editor of the NT and founder of the Bei Abedan Yeshiva for Messianic Noahides retrieved from among the Notzrim.
Simeon Colpas was originally highly esteemed by Herod Agrippa II and Gamaliel II's Council of Jamnia (80–115) but was martyred at a ripe old age in the early 2nd century after Herod Agrippa II had died and been succeeded by Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes (a member of the extended Herodian family erroneously identified as Herod Agrippa II's son).
Saint Rabbi Simeon Colpas was martyred during a time of persecution under the emperor Trajan (Ecclesiastical History 3:32). One intent of this persecution, which began with an order by Domitian, was to eliminate all Jews of the Davidic line, which would have included the Netzarim and "Desposyni" among the Jewish kindred of Jesus Christ following the suggestion of the proconsul Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Simon Clopas was martyred because he disobeyed the order of Herodes not to go to Ai (Jericho) to find a diplomatic solution in dealing with the Notzrim there. Simeon Colpas had gone in secret but was betrayed by two couriers of Herodes who accompanied him and was cast down from the Mount of Olives on the way to Ai. His body was taken to Herodes who was delighted by the murder. Herodes did not allow the body of Rabbi Saint Simeon Colpas to be removed from the palace until Herodes himself died. The Sanhedrin established the date of Simeon's martyrdom on the 9th of Teveth as a fast day.
After the fast of the 9th we have the fast of the 10th in remembrance of the conquest of Jerusalem. Reminding us more about the darkness associated with Tekufat Teveth.
This is followed by 8 days of fasting established by Adam to counter the the debauched ways of the Gentiles during Saturnalia as we approach the Tekufat Tevet.
The last fast day of the fasting season is Tekufat Tevet itself which follows the 8 day Fast of Adam.
It is interesting to note that Noahide Judaism's Fasts of Teveth are paraleled by Christianity's almost forgotten Nativity Fast of Advent. Fazlur Rahman Sheikh's work in the Chronology of Prophetic Events by Fazlur Sheik even shows that Islam's Ramadan was originally at the same time of the year. Hence Asara b'Tevet followed by Eid Kalenda is even related to the last 10 days of Ramadan followed by Eid ulFitr.
The fasting season to oppose Saturnalia is followed by the Kalenda celebration which, according to Judaism at least, is mainly about the arrival of the Good News brought by the lengthening of Days to Adam and by Messianic Noahide Judaism as collated by Rabbi St Simeon Clopas for the Notzrim.
TEKUFAT-TEVETH
The last day of the fast is Tekufat Tevet, identified by the last of three longest nights and darkest days during the winter solstice. Tekufat Tevet is the time of the Apostate Notzrim of Northern Israel (such as Benstada) who have secretly done things against the L-rd.
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Ben Stada
Judaism's Krampus |
It is at this time of the year that the spirit of Saturnalia seeks to trick humans into sexual immortality as it did a stepbrother of Jesus called Joses Pandora better known as Yosl Pondrik among Jews. This spirit is therefore also named after Yosl who in Judaic tradition raped a disciple of Jesus called Magdalena who named her illegitimate offspring Jesus after her teacher causing all manner of misunderstandings for many centuries. Hence seasonal ghost stories (Christmas Carol, Gremlins, Krampus) are appropriate for the days of tekufat teveth while romantic activity among believers also ceases at this time to deprive Yosl Pondrik of hosts through whom he can sire his children. Hence the Yiddish term Beyz Gebore Nacht (no impregnation night).
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| Yosl Pondrik's Offspring |
TIME TO TRIUMPH
For Messianic Noahides, Tekufat Teveth is the best time to try and convert Yosl Pondrik's Offspring to faith in God's Word and according to Judaic tradition it is at this time of the year that the Evangelion (New Testament) was first compiled by Rabbi Simeon Colpas in order to do just that. After all, it is out of faithless Edom that righteous Thyatira's offspring were redeemed to rule the world with an Iron Rod and even conquer the armies of Gogmagog. Rabbi Simeon Colpas conquered the Notzrim with God's Word when he used miracles like arriving on a cloud to introduce his Euangelion to them on the First Day of Kalenda in the Jewish year 3849 (88/89AD).
Having this been conquered, the personifications of Tekufat Tevet therefore carry chains as depicted in the stories of Krampus and Jacob Marley as a warning to other gentiles who have not embraced Noahide Judaism.
NATAL NIGHT
The last and darkest night of Tekufat Tevet is also known as Blind night or Murderous night but also Natal night because it was the night when the mother of Jesus went into labour.
It is traditional not to visit the study house on Natal Night.
Food eaten during Tekufat Tevet should be layden with Garlic to ward off various evils associated with the season.
KALENDA (NITL KATAN)
Kalenda (Nitl Katan) is Xmas (which literally means "Christ's Mission"). Tekufat Tevet ends at Midnight where a candle is lit to study a passage of Torah symbolising the light of Noahide Judaism's victory over the historical darkness of the season before retiring to bed.
Talenight ends at midnight with the completion of the story of how Simon Clopas brought the New Testament to the original Notzrim. And thus the horned Spirit of Saturnalia is subdued. At the completion of this telling a candle is lit and a Pasuk of Torah is read before going to bed. All is now right with the world, all is calm, all is bright.
Hence, when the frosty wind howls down the chimney and drives tiny deerhorn-like snowflakes across the rooftops in the North Terranean Hemisphere, the telling of Xmas comes again to put a leash on Crampus and his cronies proclaiming the rejuvinated novelty of a Messianic future as the old year passes away. The transition is an Alpha and Omega as it personified the death and rebirth of mankind in the end and the beginning of years.
Christ's Engeel (the Christingle symbolised by the Christcandle and originally identified as Mikölas rather than Nikolas with whom he came to be identified) brought on the clouds to the Notzrim by the white horse Rabbi Saint Simon Clopas revealing and Establishing the Rule of God's Inconquerable Logos in the Human Heart to liberate us from the freezing deadly power of darkness and bringing joy to all the oppressed. Saint Clopas and the Notzrim became Santa and his reindeer.
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| Messianic Noahide Judaism carrying the Christ Angel |
The Old Year personified as the Ancient of days hands over authority to the New Year which the Fraticelli depicted as the Child Messiah but in the middle ages was represented as Boy Bishops and by the Christ kind (Mary) delivering the word, among German protestants. Good Old Xmas also became known as Old Father Xmas from 1658 earning it Epithets like Grandfather Frost and Kal Gaxan. The personifications are well known.
Every year the NATIVITY ANNIVERSARY invites all to become part of a Christ-Mission whereby Noahides join the triumph of the skies as Christ is born in us anew.
When it is time for Noahides to swap HaAdam's Nittel fast for Adam's Kalenda celebration, the faithful remnant of Pharisees still describe the influence of Tekufat Tevet through the life of the Talui and recount how this influence was broken by the disciples of Jesus because Xmas is the effort of the disciples of Jesus and without the effort of his disciples there is no Xmas.
Xmas Eve, on the 7th day of Kalenda...
As already mentioned, since 1582, the darkest night Vigil ends at 00:00:00am on the 25th of December and the hiatus on studying Torah ends at midnight with the beginning of the 8 day Kaleyd (Yiddish for the Talmudic Kalenda i.e. Xmas) celebration established by Adam Kadmon to celebrate the lengthening of days now called Nittel Katan. The protective covers are removed and a Mitzva is observed to begin each new season like Kalenda with a fresh supply of sweet water, as brought down by the 10th century Hai Gaon.
But it is either Xmas Eve the 7th day of Kalenda or the day after the 8th which is the correct day for Jews to give non-Jewish friends presents to separate ourselves from any Gentile activities around the New Year season.
This Halakhah about when to give presents during Kaleyd was recorded by Israel Isserlein (1390-1460) in Austria mentioned in the Terumat HaDeshen [Siman 195. :
שו"ת תרומות הדשן (סי' קצה')
Responsa of the Terumat haDeshen 195
שאלה:
בכמה עיירות נוהגים היהודים לשלוח דורונות לכומרים ולשלטונים ביום שמיני לניתל כשמתחדשין להם השנה, יש חשש זהירות בדבר או לאו
?
Question:
In many cities it is the custom for Jews to send gifts to priests and nobles on Day Eight of Nitel when a year is renewed for them. Should we be concerned about the danger of this or not
?
תשובה:
יראה דיש ליזהר בזה שלא ישלחו ממש באותו יום אלא יום קודם או אחריו
...
Answer:
It appears that we should be careful not to send it on the same day {Eid Kalenda} but rather on a day before {Nitlkatan} or after {Nitlgadol}
...
The correct Hilchos is for Jews to send gifts to non-Jews on the eve (Nitlkatan ie on the 7th day of Kalenda) of their Eid Kalenda (Octavo Kalendas) or the day (Nitlgadol) after rather than the 8th Day (Eid Kalenda, originally Xmas Day) itself.
In the 1400s when Rabbi Isserlein was writing Terumat HaDeshen, there had been no Georgian calendar reformation and the Jewish 8th Day of Kalenda was Dec 25th. But Jewish Nitle Katan became the Gregorian 3rd of January after Pope Gregory's counter-reformation calendar insertion and was gradually replaced by the 1st of January thus:
Pre-1582 (Edom's Tevet 1 = Dec 1)
Nitlnacht (17), Nitlkatan (24) Eid Kalenda (25) Nitlgadol (26+)
Transition (Edom's Tevet 1= Dec 11)
Nitlnacht (27), Nitlkatan (3) Eid Kalenda (4) Nitlgadol (5+)
Modern (Edom's Tevet 1 = Dec 8)
Nitlnacht (24), Nitlkatan (31) Eid Kalenda (1) Nitlgadol (2+)
Sadly this responsum (along with several others on the topic of dealing with apostates and Gentiles) was often censored from the Terumas HaDeshen but the responsa were printed at the end of the sefer in certain editions.
In accordance with his ruling the Rema [
Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah 148:12] further writes in the mid 1500s: “If a person wishes to send a gift to a gentile
on the eighth day of Nittel (which they call New Year) when they view it as a good omen if they receive a gift —
he should send it the night before. (The words in
italics were censored from later editions.) Thus the most common Halakhah came to be for Jews to send gifts to their Messianic friends on Nitlkatan (New Year's Eve) ie the 7th day. But among Eastern Ashkenazim, to do so on Nitlegadol is still a common minhag.
Nittel Katan & Nittel Gadol
Thus there were two days of Xmas which Jews called Nittel Katan (Kalenda 7) and Nittel Gadol (the 12th day of Xmas). These two days were originally Xmas Eve and Boxing day when the Jews and Kings gave gifts, after all religious obligations had been fulfilled for Xmas (Dec 25th). In Rzeczpospolita, many Noahides also gave gifts on the 7th day of Kalenda (Nittel Katan) ie Xmas Eve. The 8th Day of Nittel Katan was not supposed to be a day of gifting but of Tikkun Olam Mitzvot. Hence the Secret Santa Giftbringer tradition emerged whenever someone practicing Judaism forgot the Halakhah and sent a gift by accident on Xmas day itself.
When the Calendar reform of 1582 took place, non-Catholics who were not under the influence of the Vatican were 10 days later than Catholics in Xmas Eve and and Boxing day traditions causing a change in how Jews observed Nitl. Noahides had to adapt quickly and began to celebrate Nittel Katan on Xmas Eve while Jews and non-Catholic Royal Families held out longer passing presents out on old Boxing day which had become the 12th day of Xmas (the Gregorian 5th of January) rather than on Catholic 25th of December.
24 Modern Xmas Eve (Lesser Nitl Gifting Day)
25 Modern Xmas (Octave Kalenda/Nitl)
26 Modern Greater Nitl Gifting Day
27
28
29
30
31
01
02
03 Old 24th
04 Old 25th
05 Old Greater Nitl Gifting Day
Both nights came to be considered equivalent to each other and what became January 5th came to be considered equivalent to the Feast of Stephen crystalizing the idea of 12 nights then days of Xmas among non-catholics rather than the original 2.
Teveth is followed by the Epiphany (1 Shevat) New Year for Trees.
Julian 2BC: Xmas Eve or Twelfth Night?
Finally it is interesting to remember that the relationship between Xmas Eve and Twelfth Night (therefore also Xmas and Epiphany) has even earlier roots than the counter reformation. This relates to an alternative Judaic fence not to give gifts throughout any of the 12 days of Xmas and only to give gifts only on either Xmas Eve (eg among Rzeczpospolita Noahides) or Epiphany Eve (eg among Iberia Noahides). In Julian 2BC (Gregorian 1BC), the year before Herod died, the 1st of Shevat corresponded to two dates, namely both Old Epiphany (Julian 6th Jan) as well as Modern Xmas (Gregorian 25th Dec) both corresponding to the Hebrew Calendar date of 29th of Teveth in the years 3759 and 3760 respectively.
All of this results in a makhlokhes. over the correct timing of Nittel observance among Perushim leading to a loss of tradition among Jews. In the end, Xmas Eve has generally become recognized as Nittel Katan while the 12th Night "Feast of Stephen" remains Nittel Gadol making 12 days of Nittel from Dec 25th to Jan 5th followed by Epiphany season which begins on the 6th of January.
Greater Nitl now smaller than Lesser Nitl
By 1901 the Julian Calendar had slipped by 3 more days causing the remaining formerly Julian countries to adopt the Gregorian Calendar in the 20th century. Thus, in recent decades, the significance of Nittel Gadol has diminished everywhere outside of the sphere of Russian Orthodox hegemony. While among certain Anapabtists, the 12th day of Xmas still remains significant as a lasting testimony to resisting the Gregorian Calendar reform. It is likely that the observance of 12 days of Nittel will eventually vanish if the remaining Julian Churches abandon their calendar in favour of the Gregorian.
Sources
It seems appropriate at this point to mention even more sources from Orthodox Judaism which are relevant to "The Way" of the Messianic Hebrews formalized by the Chazal of the Shimon ben Shetach Yeshiva as described in the Teliya of Yochanan ben Zakkai (c.20-c.100). This way is pertly describe in both Talmuds.
We should also consider the Christology of Aqiba (c.50-c.135) who has never been disregarded for having temporarily mistaken Bar Kokhba for the Sar HaPanim. His student Rabbi Simeon bar Yochai who said "There is a perfect man, who is a messenger, this messenger is Metatron, the keeper of Israel; he is a man in the image of the Holy One, blessed be He, who is an emanation from Him; yea, He is HaShem; of him cannot be said, He is created, formed or made; but he is the emanation from G-d. This agrees with what was written in Jeremiah 23:5-6 of the sprout from David, that though he shall be a perfect man, yet he is ‘the Lord our Righteousness’ " in The Propositions of the Zohar.cap 38, Amsterdam Edition.
Further details are provided in the Piyyutim of Eleazer ben Kalir (570 – c. 640) which mention Sar HaPanim and the preexistence of our righteous Messiah.
Here I provide a list of some more Scribes and Pharisees who made comments relevant to Messianic Noahides:
The Pirqoi ben Baboi (8th–9thC.).
Rabbeinu Bahiya (1050–1120);
Rashi (1040 – 13 July 1105) and the Tosafists
{like Simhah ben Samuel of Vitry (d. 1105);
Rabbeinu Tam (1100 – 9 June 1171);
Yechiel of Paris (died c. 1268);
Moses ben Jacob of Coucy (fl.1240s);
Judah of Melun (fl.1240s);
Samuel ben Solomon of Falaise (fl.1240s)};
The Hassidei Ashkenaz
{such as Judah ben Samuel of Regensburg (1150 – 1217)};
and other Rishonim
{like Nachmanides (1194–1270);
the Meiri (1249–1316);
Rabbeinu Yerucham (1290–1350);
and Ibn Shaprut (born c.1350)};
The Litvak Perushim
{like the Rema (1530-1572);
Elijah Baal Shem of Chelm (1520 – 1583);
Moses Rivkis (17thC.) who said "the gentiles in whose shadow Jews live and among whom Jews are disbursed are not idolaters. Rather they believe in creatio ex nihilo and the Exodus from Egypt and the main principles of faith. Their intention is to the Creator of Heaven and Earth and we are obligated to pray for their welfare."
Jacob Emden (1697 – 1776)}
Moses David Valle (d.1777);
Baruch Fränkel-Teomim (1760–1828);
Nachman MeUman (1772-1810);
Elijah Tsvi Soloveitchik (1805–1881);
Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808 – 1888) who said "although disparaged because of its alleged particularism, Judaism….has been at pains to stress that, while in other respects their views and ways of life may differ from those of Judaism, the peoples in whose midst the Jews are now living [i.e. Christians] have accepted the Jewish Bible of the Old Testament as a book of Divine revelation. They profess their belief in the God of heaven and earth as proclaimed in the Bible and they acknowledge the sovereignty of Divine Providence in both this life and the next.
Israel produced an offshoot [i.e., Christianity] that had to become estranged from it in great measure, in order to bring to the world—sunk in idol worship, violence, immorality and the degradation of man—at least the tidings of the One Alone, of the brotherhood of all men, and of man’s superiority over the beast. It was to teach the renunciation of the worship of wealth and pleasures, albeit it not their use in the service of the One Alone. Together with a later offshoot [Islam] it represented a major step in bringing the world closer to the goal of all history."
Then there was Isaac Lichtenstein (1824-1908);
Chaim Yedidiah Pollak (1854-1916)
Judah David Eisenstein (1854 – 1956);
Pinchas Lapide (1922 – 1997);
Harvey Oscar Falk (1932-2006);
the Rabbonim of the CJCUC;
and this project has also been supported by Yisroel Ben Naftali haKoen (Yeshayahu Hollander d.2025) and Rav Dov Meir Stein (d.2020) of blessed memory as well as other members of his Nascent Sanhedrin Project currently under my Sandak, Nasi Meir Hakak HaLevi.
Main sources for this article are Rabbi Yeshayahu Hollander, Rabbi Dov Meir Stein, Rabbi Yoel Schwartz, Rabbi Steinsaltz, "Christmas Around the World" and the author's family.
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