The Budding Season: Discovering the Creator’s New Year in Nisan
Tansi, everyone! As a teacher, I spent my life following bells and semesters, but lately, the Creator has been showing me a different kind of rhythm—His own. It’s like finding a lost trail in the bush that leads exactly where you need to go. From the time I was young, I felt that something was off with the calendar we used; it never quite matched the spirit of the land or the truth in my heart.
For so long, I followed the calendar on the wall as the standard, but I’ve been diving into the "First Month" mentioned in the Good Book, and my heart is just full of excitement. It turns out the New Year isn't in the middle of a frozen January; it’s right now, when the geese come back and the pussy willows start to bud. This month is called Nisan, and it’s a beautiful reminder that our Creator is a Master of new beginnings and miraculous rescues - like the Resurrection of Our Messiah!
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The pussy willows are budding and the geese are returning—welcoming the Creator’s New Year as we find stillness in the midst of the struggle.
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Table of Contents
- The Start of the Biblical Year
- Celebrating the New Year
- The Passion Week Timeline
- A Month of Miracles: Other Important Dates
- Judah: The Tribe of Praise
- The Great Spring Clean: Finding Peace in the Weakness
- Sources
- About the Author
The Start of the Biblical Year
On the Gregorian calendar, we’re well into the year by March. However, in the Torah, the Creator tells Moses, "This month [Nisan] shall be for you the beginning of months" (Exodus 12:2). It’s also called Chodesh HaAviv, the month of spring. For a Métis soul, this makes so much sense. We’ve always watched the "Goose Moon" (Niskipesim) to know when life is stirring again. It’s the time when the "buds" (nitzan) appear, which is actually where the name Nisan comes from.
Torah-orientated believers have been following this calendar ordained by the Creator for centuries. One handy place to see how the Creator’s calendar aligns with dates in the man-made Gregorian calendar is Hebcal. In 2026, Rosh Chodesh Nisan (the New Moon) begins at sundown on Wednesday, March 18, and ends at nightfall on Thursday, March 19.
Celebrating the New Year
Because Nisan 1 is the New Year for Kings and Festivals, it is a time of great joy! Traditionally, the month is ushered in with the Blessing of the New Moon (Kiddush Levanah). One of the most beautiful ways to celebrate this season is through the Blessing of the Trees (Birkat HaIlanot). When you see the first blossoms on a fruit tree, there is a special prayer thanking the Creator for creating "goodly trees and goodly creatures" for us to enjoy.
It is also a time of preparation—getting ready to tell the story of our deliverance at the Passover Seder later in the month. Instead of a loud party, this New Year is about a quiet, blossoming hope. A traditional greeting for this month is "Chodesh Tov," which simply means "A good month!"
The Passion Week Timeline: A Journey in the Creator's Rhythm
- Nisan 13: In the morning, the Messiah sent His disciples to prepare a place for them to enjoy the Passover meal together (Luke 22:7-13).
- Nisan 14 (Passover Day):
- Evening (Start of the day): The Messiah shared the Passover meal (The Last Supper) with His disciples (Matthew 26:20).
- Morning: Yeshua was crucified.
- Noon to 3 p.m.: The sky turned black, and at the ninth hour, Yeshua declared, "It is finished!" (John 19:30, Mark 15:33-37).
- Nisan 15 (Feast of Unleavened Bread begins):
- Evening (Start of the day): This marks the beginning of the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, a mandated Holy Day and a High Sabbath. Yeshua, our "Bread of Life," was laid in a borrowed tomb in the evening, just as the sun was setting and the Sabbath was about to begin (John 19:31, 42).
- Nisan 16: A day of rest and traditionally the day of the First Fruits offering.
- Nisan 17 (Weekly Sabbath): The weekly seventh-day Sabbath where the Messiah remained in the tomb, fulfilling the sign of Jonah.
- Nisan 18 (First Day of the Week):
- Morning: The women arrived at the tomb at dawn to discover the stone rolled away and the Messiah risen from the grave (Matthew 28:1-6, John 20:1).
A Month of Miracles: Other Important Dates
Nisan is packed with historical wonders that show the Creator's hand at work:
- Nisan 1: The Tabernacle was inaugurated in the desert. It is also the traditional anniversary of the birth and passing of the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
- Nisan 7: Joshua sent the two spies into Jericho.
- Nisan 10: The anniversary of the passing of Miriam the Prophetess. On this day, the Israelites also crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land.
- Nisan 21: The final day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, traditionally the day the Red Sea split to allow the Israelites to escape Pharaoh's army.
- Nisan 28: The walls of Jericho fell after the Israelites marched around them for seven days.
Judah: The Tribe of Praise
Each Hebrew month is tucked under the wing of a specific tribe, and Nisan belongs to Judah (Yehuda). The name Judah comes from Yadah, which means to throw out your hands in praise and thanksgiving.
Judah was the leader who went first into the Red Sea before it even parted. As a teacher, I love that—it’s about having the courage to step out in faith before you see the miracle. This month is an invitation for us to lift our hands, even when things look messy, and trust that the Creator is leading the way.
The Great Spring Clean: Finding Peace in the Weakness
Now, I have to be honest with you all—the "Spring Cleaning" part of Nisan is a real struggle for me right now. I’ve been extremely weak for several months because Lupus is kicking my butt. It’s frustrating to see things that need doing—cupboards that need clearing and floors that need a sweep—and simply not have the strength to do them.
Before Passover starts on the 14th, we are supposed to rid our homes of chametz (leaven or yeast). Spiritually, chametz represents "puffing ourselves up" with pride or ego. But practically? It means I am finding crackers and bread products in places they just shouldn't be! I recently wrote about discovering chametz in my freezer, and let me tell you, checking under every chair and floorboard for stray crumbs takes a toll when your energy is low. Some days, my body just says "no."
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Finding the rhythm of the Creator’s New Year while leaning on His strength during the difficult days.
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I’ve had to learn that the Creator isn't looking for a perfect house; He’s looking for a still heart. When the frustration bubbles up, I keep focusing on Psalm 46:10: "Be still, and know that I am the Creator." Even if I can only sweep one small corner today, I am being still in His presence. Getting rid of the "leaven" in my heart—the guilt of not doing enough—is just as important as the physical cleaning. It makes room for the "bread of sincerity," and I’m so ready for that fresh start.
A Call to Joy and Miracles
Friends, Nisan is the month of miracles and new beginnings. I have been so blessed to see many miracles in my life already. If it is the Creator's will, I would certainly appreciate having these Lupus symptoms disappear and my strength renewed. The Good Book promises that those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength! Let’s step into this new month with expectancy, looking for the ways the Creator is budding new life in our own stories.
Thanks for popping into my blog and leaving a note in the comments - I cherish every comment I get. Prayers greatly appreciated.
~ Su
Sources
- Hebcal Interactive Jewish Calendar
- Hebcal: Rosh Chodesh Nisan 2026
- Chabad: The Hebrew Month of Nisan
- Curt Landry Ministries: Miracles & Redemption in Nisan
- Aish: The Spiritual Meaning of Nisan
- The Virtual Museum of Métis History and Culture: Seasonal Cycles
- Lupus Foundation: Managing Fatigue and Daily Life
About the Author
Su is a teacher and a Messianic Métis woman who is passionate about reconnecting with the Creator’s original calendar and Holy Days. Through her blog, Turtledove Thoughts, she shares her journey of faith, her love for the land, and the lessons she learns while navigating life with chronic illness. She believes that even in stillness, there is a powerful work of renewal taking place.
