Writing a secular date
From Halachipedia
This is the approved revision of this page, as well as being the most recent.
Is it permissible to write the English/secular date?
- There’s a serious discussion in the poskim whether certain prohibitions are infringed when writing the secular date instead of the Hebrew date. There’s a number of opinions:
- Some hold that there’s a Torah prohibition to write the secular date. [1]
- Many hold that if possible one should be strict not to write the secular date. [2]
- Some add that it’s preferable to write both the Jewish and secular date or not to write the month as a number but to mention it by name. [3]
- Lastly, some authorities hold that there’s no prohibition and it’s only a nice idea to write the Jewish date. [4]
Related Links
- Rabbi Aryeh Leibowitz about using a secular calendar
Sources
- ↑ Sh”t Maharam Shik Y”D 171, Sh”T Bear Mayim 1:77, חתם סופר in Torat Moshe (Parshat Bo). The potential issue revolve around counting the secular month and not using the months that Hashem appointed for our calendar and secondly, the secular year is somewhat connected to the death of Yeshu.
- ↑ Sh”t Az Nidabru 12:38, Sh”t Bear Moshe 8:18
- ↑ Sh”t Yabia Omer Y”D 3:9, Sh”t Vayitzbor Yosef 4:50. Orchot Rabbenu (vol 1 pg 231) quotes the Steipler who holds that quoting the secular months isn’t an issue, whereas counting the secular year is an issue.
- ↑ Sh”T Teshuvot Hanhagot C”M 1:830 permits altogether.
