Special Observances For Rosh •Kho′dësh

Scripture References

See b^Ə-Mi•d^Əbar′ 10.10; 28.11-15; Sh^Əmu•eil Âl′ëph 20.18; M^әlâkh•im′ Beit 4.23; Ho•shei′a 2.13; •mos′ 8.5 and Y^әsha•yâh′u 66.23.

Today

In Y^әru•shâ•la′ yim, on the eve of every new month, thousands of men and women encircle the gates of the Ko′ tël, dance, sing and chant T^әhil•im′ .

Women's Celebration

Rosh •Kho′dësh has long been recognized as a women's holiday. In the Talmud [Ma•sëk′ët M^әgil•âh′ 22b], we read that women are exempt from work on Rosh •Kho′dësh. Why do women merit a special holiday once a month? In Mid•râsh′ Pirqe d^әRab′i Eliezer, chapter 45, we are told that in the incident of the Golden Calf mask, the women refused to relinquish their earrings to the men who were smelting the calf. As a reward, 'ה gave them an extra holy day each month, free from work. It is customary, if one has new clothing not yet worn, to wear new clothing on Rosh •Kho′dësh, in celebration of the day's special character.

Men can add to Rosh •Kho′dësh by volunteering to do the dishes, vacuum or laundry and bringing home (moon-shaped) crescent rolls for the ër•ëv′ meal. When practical, a special wine (including sparkling) or apéritif, as well as a special fruit (e.g. pomegranate) for dessert, may contribute to making the festival meal special.

Women are encouraged to use this evening to start a women's Rosh •Kho′dësh group. Rosh •Kho′dësh groups began in the early 1970's, as women gathered to explore the nature of women's spirituality and the role of Jewish women in ritual. The small group nature of Rosh •Kho′dësh also served to provide a forum for women's studies and support. Through the years, ceremonies of various kinds have arisen out of these groups, involving a variety of themes (most prominently rebirth, renewal, fertility, nature, and the life cycle), ritual elements (including, but not limited to: tz^әdâq•âh′, candles, feasting, water imagery), foods (such as fruits containing seeds, round khal•ot′, crescent-shaped rolls, egg dishes, sprout salads), and liturgical elements (singing of Ha•leil′, T^әhil•im′ and Birk•at′ ha-Mâ•zon′). Each group has its own character, shaped by the participants and serving their unique needs.

(Parts paraphrased from www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org.)

General

Tor•âh′ placed רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ on a par with the Khaj•im′ (b^Ə-Mi•d^Əbar′ 10.10). A special Mu•sâph′ was ordained in b^Ə-Mi•d^Əbar′ 28.11-15.

"Originally [רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ] was not fixed by astronomical calculations, but was solemnly proclaimed after witnesses had testified to the reappearance of the crescent of the new moon. On the 30th of each [Judaic] month, the members of the [Beit Din hâ-Jâ•dol′] in a courtyard in [Y^әrushâ•la′yim], named [בֵּית יַעֲזֵק], where they waited to receive the testimony of two reliable witnesses; they then sanctified [רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ]. If the moon's crescent was not seen on the 30th day [e.g., because of overcast], [רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ] was automatically celebrated on the 31st day. To inform the population of the beginning of the month, beacons [fires] were kindled on [Har ha-Zeit•im′] and thence over the entire land and in parts of the [Gâl•ut′]. Later, however, the Samaritans began to light misleading beacons, and the [Beit Din hâ-Jâ•dol′] dispatched messengers to far-removed communities. Those Jews who lived great distances from [Y^әrushâ•la′yim] always celebrated the 30th day of the month as [רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ]. On those occasions when they were informed of its postponement to the 31st, they also observed this second consecutive day as [רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ]." (New Moon, Ency. Jud., 12.1039).

Liturgy

1. שחרית.
   1. On the Shab•ât′ preceding Rosh •Kho′dësh is מברכין החודש (M^Əvar^Əkh•in′ ha-Kho′dësh; the announcement of the New [Moon / Month]) is recited in יהי רצון (yehi ratzon; may it be His will…), after the recitation of Tor•âh′ and Haphtâr•âh′.
   2. When Rosh •Kho′dësh falls on Shab•ât′, recite יעלה ויבא (ya·aleh w^ә-yavo) in Shakharit near the end of the Sh^әmoneh Esreih (in r^әtzeh י--ה ).
   3. When Rosh •Kho′dësh falls on Shab•ât′, recite הלל at the end of the Sh^әmoneh Esreih, before the qadish.
   4. תורה When Rosh •Kho′dësh falls
      • On weekdays: the Tor•âh′ reading is b^Ə-Mi•d^Əbar′ 28.1-15
      • On Shab•ât′: the Tor•âh′ reading is the Pâ•râsh•at′ Shâ•vu′a and the Maph•tir′ is b^Ə-Mi•d^Əbar′ 28.9-15
   5. הפטרה
      • If Shab•ât′ falls on Erev Rosh Khodesh then the Haphtâr•âh′ מחר חודש (Ma•khar′ Kho′dësh; tomorrow is New [Moon])—Sh^Əmu•eil Âl′ëph 20.18-42 — supersedes the usual Haphtâr•âh′.
      • When Rosh •Kho′dësh falls on Shab•ât′: the Haphtâr•âh′ is ישעיה ס"ו א'-כ"ד (Y^әsha•yâh′u 66.1-24)
      • Note 66.23:

        והיה, מדי-חדש בחדשו, ומדי-שבת בשבתו; יבוא כל-בשר‮;

        For Christians who believe in the Displacement Theology prophesied by Dâniy•eil′ 7.25 (e.g. displacing Shab•ât′ with Sun-god-day) it is inconsistent to be looking forward to messianic days in which they will be required to observe Shab•ât′—if they survive (for which see Y^әsha•yâh′u 66.24)!

2. מוסף
   1. When רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ falls on a weekday, it is included in that day's liturgy.
   2. On Shab•ât′, when רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ falls on a week day of the following week, it is שַׁבַּת-מְבָרְכִין and the מוסף רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ (Mu•sâph′ Rosh •Kho′dësh) is recited
   3. When Shab•ât′ falls the day before רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ, it is מָחָר רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ and .
   4. When רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ falls on שַׁבָּת (Shab•ât′) then אַתָּה יָצַרְתָּ (at•âh′ yâ•tzar′tâ; You have molded, formed [i.e., the Potter]) is inserted in the מוסף שַׁבָּת.
3. ברכת הלבנה is recited
   1. in the open air
   2. in the evening
   3. between the 8^th and 14^th of the Judaic month (inclusive)
   4. the first evening the moon is clearly visible (not obscured by clouds)

   subject to the following:

   1. ברכת הלבנה is never recited on a יום טוב (yom tov). In such cases it is deferred until after hav•dâl•âh′ (but not recited after the 14^th of the Judaic month).
   2. Where there is a problem of ערוב (ei•ruv′) and the New Moon is first sighted on ערב שבת (ër•ëv′ Shab•ât′), reciting of the ברכת הלבנה is deferred until after havdâl•âh′ (but not recited after the 14^th of the Judaic month).
   3. As a matter of convenience in Bât•ei′ ha-k^әnës′ët Teimân•i′, and subject to the moon being clearly visible, ברכת הלבנה is recited outside the Beit ha-k^әnës′ët after havdâl•âh′ of the Shab•ât′ which falls between the 8^th and 14^th of the Hebrew month, inclusive.
   4. Since few Bât•ei′ ha-k^әnës′ët recite ברכת הלבנה today, you should recite it, outside, the first evening the moon is visible and unobscured between the 8^th and 14^th of the Hebrew month, inclusive. Please mark on your calendar when to recite ברכת הלבנה this month.
   5. Within these constraints, according to the earliest Sages, the ראשנים (Ri•shon•im′; first ones), the ברכת הלבנה is to be recited in the evening in which the New Moon is first sighted (or, if missed, the subsequent evening) until the 14^th of the Judaic month. In order to be recited on Shab•ât′ (where an ערוב permits), the first sighting must occur on ערב שבת from the 2^nd Shab•ât′ of the Judaic month through the 14^th of the Judaic month.

© 1996-present by Paqid Yirmeyahu Ben-David,
Google+ registered author & publisher