Blessing over the New Moon

Sources

The benediction over the moon must not be said except at the conclusion of the Sabbath when one is in an exhilarated mood and well dressed. [43a] He directs his eyes towards the moon, places his feet together and pronounces the benediction ‘Who didst create the heavens by Thy word and all their hosts by the breath of Thy mouth. Thou didst set for them a fixed law and time that they should not change their ordained task. They are glad and rejoice to perform the will of their Possessor. They act loyally, for their action is truth…

Tractate Soferim 20:1

§ Having cited a statement of Rabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina, citing Rabbi Asi, citing Rabbi Yoḥanan, the Gemara cites another statement in his name: Rabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina says that Rav Asi says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Until how many days into a new month may one recite a blessing on the month, i.e., Birkat HaLevana? Until the flaw of the moon is filled, when it no longer appears deficient. And until how many days is that? Rav Ya’akov bar Idi says that Rav Yehuda says: Until seven days of the month have passed…

Sanhedrin 41b:12

These words of Rabban Gamliel prove that he did not base his calendar on sightings but on astronomical calculations.
We have an explicit Mishnah (Rosh Hashanah 25) which states that “if both the elders of the court and the entire nation had clearly seen the new moon but it became night while the elders examined witnesses who testified to the sighting of the new moon before the elders were able to pronounce the new moon on the day just concluded, they would declare the month to have had 30 days.” This proves that the elders did not rely principally on the sighting…

Rabbeinu Bahya, Shemot 12:2:7-9

LET THERE BE LIGHTS. Now the light was created on the first day, illuminating the elements, but when on the second day the firmament was made, it intercepted the light and prevented it from illuminating the lower elements. Thus, when the earth was created on the third day there was darkness on it and not light. And now on the fourth day the Holy One, blessed be He, desired that there be in the firmament luminaries, the light of which would reach the earth. This is the meaning of the words, in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth…

Ramban on Genesis 1:14:1

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