Rosh Chodesh (the new month) is celebrated for either one or two days. Before the calendar was set, this was determined by whether the new moon was seen on the 30th of the month. The Torah instituted that each new month be commemorated with a sacrifice. While no animals are currently sacrificed, many mark Rosh Chodesh with extra singing and prayers, including Hallel, Torah reading, and a haftarah. In some communities, women gather together and refrain from work in honor of the womens' refusal to contribute to the making of the golden calf.
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The First of the MonthsTANAKH
The First of the Months
TANAKH
The divine commandment to mark the beginning of the first month establishes the first “Rosh Chodesh” in the Torah. The book of Exodus recounts how, before the Israelites left Egypt, God commanded Moses and Aaron to mark the day.
Witnessing the New MoonMISHNAH
Witnessing the New Moon
MISHNAH
The first day of each lunar month — Rosh Chodesh — was determined, during the Temple period, by the testimony of witnesses who had seen the new moon. Tractate Rosh Hashanah of the Mishnah, the first codification of Jewish law from the early third-century land of Israel, describes what is and is not considered valid testimony.
The New Moon RevealedHALAKHAH
The New Moon Revealed
HALAKHAH
Rosh Chodesh, which corresponds with the new moon, is determined not by the astronomical reality but by the moment that the new moon is visible to human eyes. In his 14th-century work, Rabbi David Abudarham explains why the calendar is determined by human, rather than astronomical, authority.
Greeting the Divine Presence MonthlyTALMUD
Greeting the Divine Presence Monthly
TALMUD
Each month around Rosh Chodesh, a special blessing is recited upon seeing the new moon. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Sanhedrin describes the different versions of the blessing, the customs surrounding it, and its symbolic significance.
The Humility of the New MoonMIDRASH
The Humility of the New Moon
MIDRASH
The moon, less luminous than the sun, is the marker of Rosh Chodesh. Bereshit Rabbah, a talmudic-era midrash on the book of Genesis from the land of Israel, tries to understand why God chose the moon over the sun to determine the Jewish calendar.
A Blessing for the MoonLITURGY
A Blessing for the Moon
LITURGY
The core element of the ritual of Kiddush Levanah, the sanctification of the moon, is a blessing one recites upon seeing the new moon. This blessing praises God for the harmony in the rhythm of the universe.
People of the MoonTALMUD
People of the Moon
TALMUD
While many calendars throughout the world are based on the sun’s trajectory, Jewish months are determined by the cycle of the moon. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Sukkah discusses the intertwined fates of the Jewish people and the moon.
The Moon’s Renewal as a Symbol of HopeMIDRASH
The Moon’s Renewal as a Symbol of Hope
MIDRASH
The cycle of the moon, which determines the Jewish calendar, is often used as a metaphor for the cycles of fortune and fate for the Jewish people. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, an 8th-century midrashic work, draws parallels between the renewal of the moon and the future of the Jewish people in the world to come.
Moonlight RenewalLITURGY
Moonlight Renewal
LITURGY
According to a midrashic tradition, the moon’s light was diminished during God’s creation of the world but will one day be restored. A passage from the monthly Kiddush Levanah liturgy anticipates the future renewal of the moon to its former luminosity and glory.
Women’s Work on Rosh ChodeshHALAKHAH
Women’s Work on Rosh Chodesh
HALAKHAH
Rosh Chodesh traditionally holds a special significance for women, many of whom refrain from certain types of work on this day. Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, in his contemporary presentation of Jewish law, Peninei Halakha, explains the roots of this practice and offers guidelines for permissible and problematic work.
David’s Escape During the Monthly FestivalTANAKH
David’s Escape During the Monthly Festival
TANAKH
A celebration of Rosh Chodesh served as a strategic opportunity for the biblical David to escape from King Saul. In the book of Samuel, David hides from a murderous Saul instead of joining him at the monthly Rosh Chodesh festival.
