A Merry Chri$tmas To Us All; G-D Bless Us, Every One!

by Ram ben Ze'ev

A Merry Chri$tmas To Us All; G-D Bless Us, Every One!

Putting aside religion, as most followers of HeyZeus do each year for their holiday, it is worth pausing to examine the messaging behind this day devoted to idolatry, confusion, and deception.

Spoiler Alert: If you have a tree inside your home and found gifts beneath it this morning, rest assured: they were not left there by a jolly man in a red suit descending a chimney. The myth perpetuated by NORAD and other secular authorities that a single man circles the globe in one night to distribute gifts is as absurd as it is idolatrous. It stands as a testament to how deeply falsehood has been woven into society under the guise of celebration.

Let us address a few facts. The man referred to as 'Jesus' or 'the Christ' was not born on the 25th of December, nor during any winter month. Historical and astronomical evidence suggests a birth during the Spring, possibly near the time of סוכות (Sukkot - Festival of Booths) or slightly earlier. December is ruled out entirely by multiple factors, including weather conditions in Israel and census records. The choice of 25 December reflects not truth, but the absorption of earlier pagan festivals like Saturnalia, dedicated to sun worship.

Indeed, the first recorded Christmas celebration was only in the year 336 CE, long after the supposed life of their messianic figure, under Emperor Constantine, who sought to fuse Roman paganism with his newly adopted religion. In 345 CE, Pope Julius I declared the 25th of December the official date — not because of fact, but for political expediency.

The gift-giving aspect, widely celebrated today, did not stem from the alleged "Three Wise Men" — a fabrication unsupported by any reliable text — but emerged during the 1800s, especially in America, as a strategy by businesses to drive consumerism. Corporate America eagerly embraced and expanded the season into an annual binge of materialism, reaching a point where some corporations now derive up to 80 percent of their profits during this so-called "season of giving."

And what of Santa Claus?

The Bishop of Myra, known posthumously as Saint Nicholas, was a figure steeped in legend, whose charitable acts were later commercialized. After the Reformation, Protestant Europe rebranded Saint Nicholas through corporate partnerships, evolving him into the red-suited idol worshipped today. In the United Kingdom, he became 'Father Christmas,' and in the United States, 'Kris Kringle' and eventually 'Santa Claus' — a grotesque combination of Dutch folklore, marketing campaigns, and American invention.

Thus, in one of the gravest ironies, parents deliberately lie to their children, embedding deception in the fabric of their upbringing. They teach that unseen forces reward obedience with material gifts, a perverse reinforcement of bribery and falsehood. As the ספר הזוהר (Sefer HaZohar - Book of Splendour) warns, one who accustoms a soul to sheker (שקר - falsehood) distances that soul from the אור אין סוף (Or Ein Sof - Infinite Light) of HaShem.

Christians claim they obey the commandment not to "take the Name of G-D in vain." Yet the correct translation of the verse in שמות (Shemot - Exodus) 20:7 is not about mere casual speech; it forbids attributing to G-D that which He did not command. Ascribing lies, materialism, and pagan-rooted customs to the service of G-D is a direct violation of this command.

Idolatry, by any other name, remains idolatry. It is written: "ואהבת את ה' אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך" (Devarim - דברים 6:5) — "And you shall love HaShem your G-D with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might." Worship polluted by lies and pagan practices is a betrayal of that love.

Celebrating the birth of a man whom the Nations mistakenly elevate to divinity — itself a grave sin according to הלכה (halakhah - Jewish law) — is bad enough. But promoting falsehood, teaching children that lies are justified if wrapped in ribbons and bows, and prioritizing consumption over truth, kindness, and genuine acts of charity, is an even deeper corruption.

If one wishes to honour G-D, it must be through truth, justice, compassion for the needy, and loyalty to His commandments — not through decorated trees, empty songs, and credit card debt.

Teaching our young that lies are acceptable if they produce temporary joy is a betrayal not only of them, but of the Creator Himself.

As the ספר הזוהר (Sefer HaZohar - Book of Splendour) reminds us, truth is the seal of HaShem. Let us not trade it away for a cheap imitation.

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Bill White (Ram ben Ze'ev) is CEO of WireNews Limited, Mayside Partners Limited, MEADHANAN Agency, Kestrel Assets Limited, SpudsToGo Limited and Executive Director of Hebrew Synagogue.