Q. Is it proper to give New Year bonuses to employees right before the New Year or should our company wait until after or give them out weeks before the New Year?
Can we include also a New Year’s wishing-well card?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is that unlike Christmas, New Year is not considered today a religious celebration and therefore you may give out the bonuses right before that day while also accompanied with a New Years greeting card.
On question # 695 on this forum we wrote:
Q. If someone greets me with a "Happy New Year" can I respond likewise?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit"a opinion is that it is permitted since in our days there is no religious connotation to the greeting. In addition, you may initiate the salute if it generates a Kidush Hashem by displaying good manners.
Ohalei Yakov (p. 20) quotes in the name the Apter Rov Zt"l, the meaning of the Posuk (Tehilim 87:6) "Hashem counts in the script of the nations" as conveying that during their New Year we are also granted retroactively a better Rosh Hashono judgment. Since the differences between the individual conduct during the two celebrations, becomes now widely apparent and evident, therefore a Good Year salute to anyone is not out of place. (Nitey Gavriel – Chanuka p.418)
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
Important Numbers
