Rosh Chodesh
Halakhic texts relating to this article | |
---|---|
Torah: | Exodus 12:1–2 |
Babylonian Talmud: | Megillah 22b |
Part of a series on |
Judaism |
---|
In Judaism, Rosh Chodesh or Rosh Hodesh (ראש חודש; trans. Beginning of the Month; lit. Head of the Month) is a minor holiday observed at the beginning of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the birth of a new moon.[1] Rosh Chodesh is observed for either one or two days, depending on whether the previous month contained 29 or 30 days.[2]
Origin
The Book of Exodus establishes the new moon of Nisan, which is the first month of Aviv, as the beginning of the Hebrew calendar:
And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying: "This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you."
— Exodus 12:1-2[3]
In the Book of Numbers, God speaks of the celebration of the new moon to Moses:
And on your joyous occasions—your fixed festivals and new moon days—you shall sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being.
— Numbers 10:10[3]
In Psalm 81:4, both new and full moon are mentioned as a time of recognition by the Hebrews:
Blow the horn on the new moon, on the full moon for our feast day.[3][4]
In the Bible, Rosh Chodesh is often referred to simply as "Chodesh", as the Hebrew word "chodesh" can mean both "month" and "new month".[5]
Declaring the month
Judaism uses a lunisolar calendar, so Rosh Chodesh is celebrated in connection with the date of the new moon. Originally, the date of Rosh Chodesh was confirmed on the testimony of witnesses observing the new moon, a procedure known as kiddush hachodesh (sanctification of the month).[6] After the Sanhedrin declared Rosh Chodesh for either a full (30-day) or defective (29-day) month, news of it would then be communicated throughout Israel and the diaspora.
This system was dependent on the functioning of the Sanhedrin to declare the month, and to communicate this month to far-flung Jewish communities. In the 4th century CE, this became impossible and instead a fixed calendar of 29- and 30-day months (see Hebrew calendar for details) was instituted by Hillel II.[7] At the end of a 29-day month, Rosh Chodesh is celebrated for one day, on the first day of the new month. At the end of a 30-day month, Rosh Chodesh is celebrated for two days - the 30th day of the previous month, and the first day of the new month.[2]
Observance
Announcement
Despite the existence of a fixed calendar, Rosh Chodesh is still announced in
Traditional observances
On Rosh Chodesh, a prayer Ya'a'le Ve-Yavo is added to the Avodah blessing of the Amidah. In the morning service "half Hallel" (Psalms 113–118, with two paragraphs omitted) is recited (except on Rosh Chodesh Tevet, which is during Chanukkah, when the full Hallel is recited). The Torah is read, specifically Numbers 28:1–15 which includes the sacrifices of Rosh Chodesh. An additional prayer service, called Mussaf, is added to commemorate the Rosh Chodesh sacrifices in the Temple. Its middle blessing begins "Roshei Chadashim". After the service, many recite Psalm 104.
If Rosh Chodesh falls on
Many have a custom to eat a special meal in honor of Rosh Chodesh, as recommended by the Shulchan Aruch.[10] This gives one the opportunity to recite the Ya'a'le Ve-Yavo in Birkat Hamazon. Some Hasidic Jews sing Psalm 104 during this meal.
Work
Jews nowadays generally treat Rosh Chodesh as barely different from any other weekday (except for expansion of the prayer service).
Yet for much of early Jewish history, Rosh Chodesh was observed much more seriously. In some Biblical sources, Rosh Hodesh is described as a day when business is not conducted
Rosh Chodesh and women
According to the Talmud, women do not engage in work on Rosh Chodesh.[23] Rashi, in commenting on this passage, delineates the activities from which they must refrain: spinning, weaving, and sewing—the skills that women contributed to the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The Shulchan Aruch writes that "Those women whose custom is not to do work on [Rosh Chodesh] have a good custom".[14]
The
Aaron argued with himself, saying: "If I say to Israel, 'Give ye to me gold and silver,' they will bring it immediately; but behold I will say to them, 'Give ye to me the earrings of your wives and of your sons,' and forthwith the matter will fail," as it is said, "And Aaron said to them, 'Break off the golden rings.'" The women heard (this), but they were unwilling to give their earrings to their husbands; but they said to them: "Ye desire to make a graven image of a molten image without any power in it to deliver." The Holy One, blessed be He, gave the women their reward in this world and the world to come. What reward did He give them in this world? That they should observe the new moons more stringently than the men, and what reward will He give them in the world to come? They are destined to be renewed like the new moons, as it is said: "Who satisfieth thy years with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle."[24]
In modern times, female-centered Rosh Chodesh observances vary from group to group, but many are centered on small gatherings of women, called Rosh Chodesh groups. There is often a particular interest in the
Miriam's cup (for the prophet
See also
- Judaism
- Hebrew calendar
- Solar year
- Lunar cycle
- Jewish Feminism
- Yom Kippur Katan - Confessional ritual for the day preceding Rosh Chodesh
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-06-173954-5.
- ^ a b In the Jewish calendar, months are either 29 or 30 days in length. Why is it that for a 29 day month (known as a choser), we observe only one day Rosh Chodesh, while for a 30 day month (which is referred to as a moleh) we observe 2 days Rosh Chodesh?
- ^ a b c JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh, Second Edition. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2003.
- Wycliffe Bible: the latter reads, "Blow ye with a trump in the new moon; in the noble day of your solemnity"
- ^ Concordance - Dictionary: חֹדֶשׁ
- ^ Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1
- ^ Rosh Chodesh
- ^ Tehillat HaShem, Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, 1988 (Standard Lubovitch prayerbook)
- ^ For an example, see Chazan Michael Friedman (2014). "Nusach According to the Ashkenaz Tradition". Jerusalem: K’hal Adas Yeshurun.
- ^ Shulchan Aruch 419
- ^ Numbers 28:11–15, in contrast with the holidays in the remainder of the chapter where a work prohibition is specified
- ^ Hagigah 18a
- ^ Yerushalmi Taanit 1:6; see a different wording of the same ruling in Tur Orach Chaim 417
- ^ a b Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 417
- ^ Amos 8:5; 1 Samuel 20:19 (referring to the day before Rosh Chodesh as "the day of work")
- ^ 2 Kings 4:23; Isaiah 66:23; Ezekiel 46:1
- ^ 1 Samuel 20:24–29
- ^ Samuel E. Loewenstamn "Ostracan 7 from Arad, Attesting the Observance of the New-Moon-Day? / כתובת 7 מאוסטרקאות ערד, עדות לביטול מלאכה בראש חודש?", Beit Mikra: Journal for the Study of the Bible and Its World, 21:330-332; https://www.jstor.org/stable/23503560
- ^ 1 Maccabees, 10:34
- ^ Rosh Hashana 23a
- ^ Megillah 22b
- ^ Turei Even, Megillah 22b. See also Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Shiurim lezecher abba mori, "Hachrazat Rosh Chodesh Vechol Hamoed", who argues that omitting the addition Yaaleh Veyavo from Rosh Chodesh prayers does not require repeating the prayer at night because this recitation is fundamentally a consequence of the mussaf sacrifice which was only offered during the day.
- ^ Talmud, b. Megillah 22b
- ^ Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer: The Chapters of Rabbi Eliezer the Great According to the Text of the Manuscript Belonging to Abraham Epstein of Vienna. Translated by Friedlander, Gerald. New York: Hermon Press. 1965. pp. 353–354. (chapter 45)
- ^ Gottlieb, Lynn (1995). "Ch. 12: The Initiation of the New Jewish Woman". She Who Dwells Within: A Feminist Vision of a Renewed Judaism. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco.
- ^ "Why Miriam's Cup? Because without Miriam, Jewish life would not exist | j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California". J. Jweekly.com. 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
- ^ Miriam's Cup: Miriam's Cup rituals for the family Passover seder Archived 2015-05-04 at the Wayback Machine. Miriamscup.com. Retrieved on 18 October 2011.
- ^ Esserman, Rachel (1 September 2006). "Defrosting Judaism: A look at the Ritualwell Website" (PDF). The Reporter. Binghamton, NY. Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton. p. 5. Archived from the original (Print) on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
- ^ "Miriam's Cup". My Jewish Learning. 2014-01-22. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
External links
- My Jewish Learning: Rosh Chodesh
- Jewish Virtual Library - Rosh Chodesh
- Rabbi Peninei Halakha - Zmanim, Rosh Chodesh