Rosh Chodesh

Rosh Chodesh (Hebrew: "Head/Beginning [of the Hebrew] Month") is the name for the first day of every month in the [[Hebrew calendar]]. Although Rosh Chodesh is not considered a religious holiday, it is observed with additional [[Jewish prayer]]s, including the Psalms of Hallel ("praise") in all Orthodox and [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative]] synagogues. The occurrence of Rosh Chodesh was originally based on the testimony of witnesses observing the appearance of the "new moon," i.e., a sliver of light reflected from the moon, typically appearing one or two days after the astronomical new moon, when no moon is visible and only the shadowed side of the moon faces the earth, and also upon mathematical calculations to which the testimony was compared and regulated with.

Origin of Rosh Chodesh

In the Book of Exodus it is written, "And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying: 'This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.'" (12:1-2) It was decreed from that point that the Jews themselves should start counting the months.

Determination of dates

Observational-Calculated calendar

A group of Rabbis from the Sanhedrin would accept the testimony of at least two witnesses that they had seen the new moon (while only two witnesses were required to declare a new month, other witnesses were also allowed to testify, since the Rabbis did not want to discourage anyone from coming to testify). If after 29 days there were no witnesses, or no credible witnesses, the 30th day was declared as Rosh Chodesh, making the month a full month (as opposed to a defective 29-day month). After the new month had been declaired, the news of it would be broadcasted to the various Jewish communities.

At a later date a custom was developed in which a 30th day could be added if necessary to ensure that certain holidays did not fall on particular days (for example, to prevent Yom Kippur from falling on a Friday or Sunday, which would require the inconvenience of observing this holiday directly before or after the Shabbat).

Calculated calendar

In the 4th century CE, Hillel the younger disbanded the Sanhedrin and created a purely mathematical calender. This was done due to the difficulties of that era in having the information about the New Moon broadcasted to the various dispersed Jewish communities.

Public announcement

The gabbai of the shul announces on the Sabbath before Rosh Chodesh the day (or days) of the week Rosh Chodesh will fall, as well as the day and time the New Moon will be visible over Jerusalem. If Rosh Chodesh occurs on a Sabbath, the announcement is made on the preceding Sabbath. This is done right after the reading of the Torah and is accompanied by a brief prayer for the coming month.

Observances

General

The prayer ya'alei ve-yavo is added to the three [[Jewish services|regular prayers]]; if it is forgotten, the morning and afternoon prayers are invalid and need to be repeated. After the morning Amidah, the Hallel (Psalms 113-118) are inserted. The Torah is read from Numbers (28:1-15, dealing with the offerings of Rosh Chodesh). An additional Amidah, termed mussaf is inserted to commemorate the sacrifices in the [[Tempmle of Jerusalem|Jewish Temple]]. The ya'alei ve-yavo prayer is also inserted in the Grace after Meals (birkath ha-mazon). If Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbat, the regular Torah reading is supplemented with a reading of Numbers 28:9-15. In some months, a special Haftarah portion is read (additionally, a different Haftarah titled machar chodesh is often read if Rosh Chodesh occurs on the next day). In the mussaf of Shabbat the central benediction is replaced with a version (atta yetzarta) that mentions both the Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh.

A Woman's Holiday

Rosh Chodesh has long been recognized as a women's holiday. According to the Talmud (tractate Megillah 22b) women are exempt from work on Rosh Chodesh, and Rashi, in commenting on this passage, delineates the activities from which they may refrain: spinning, weaving, and sewing — the skills which women so enthusiastically contributed to the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). According to midrash Pirke DeRabbi Eliezer (chapter 45), it is specifically the women who merit this monthly holiday in commemoration of the Biblical women's refusal to relinquish their earrings to the men who were building the Golden Calf. As a reward, God gave them an extra holy day each month, free from work. It is customary to wear new clothing on Rosh Chodesh, in celebration of the day's special character.

External links

[http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=260664 The Laws of Rosh

Chodesh] chabad.org

[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Rosh_Chodesh.html

Jewish Virtual Library - Rosh Chodesh]

Jewish Calendar for Outlook

- A solution for incorporating Jewish dates and holidays into Microsoft Outlook.