Rosh Chodesh: Key Sources for ATW

הַחֹ֧דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם רֹ֣אשׁ חֳדָשִׁ֑ים רִאשׁ֥וֹן הוּא֙ לָכֶ֔ם לְחׇדְשֵׁ֖י הַשָּׁנָֽה׃

This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you.

The Slonimer Rebbe (1911-2000 CE), in his book Netivot Shalom, made the beautiful observation that the “moon has time when it is at the peak of its darkness and you don’t even see a glimmer of light, but even [then] you know that it will start to give light again and even return to its fullness.” When we feel diminished, exhausted, or small, we trust that there is radiance ahead.

The Jewish mystical tradition of Kabbalah teaches the importance of hitchadshut: the ability to renew oneself. The possibility for perpetual renewal is one of the biggest secrets for spiritual activation and emotional growth! We are not beholden to our past, to who we once were. We have the ability to transcend our prior limitations — to relax from the rigidity of the sun, and to be rejuvenated with the moon.

The new moon represents the strength of receptivity. Just like a full glass can’t receive any more liquid, a full moon cannot receive any more light. On the new moon, as a new month begins, we are open and ready to receive.

This is why Talmudic tradition teaches us that the new moon is a time to celebrate the reappearance of the Shekhinah, the feminine divine presence (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 42b). Under the barely-lit sky, we can open our palms and receive the presence and blessings of the Divine. -At The Well's Blessing Beneath the New Moon

Reflection Questions

What does it mean to mark the beginning of the month?
Why do you think Judaism marks time by the moon? (and not the sun, or another phenomena)?
What does the new moon symbolize for you?
How do you personally “sanctify time”?

Based on the verse above in Exodus, here is commentary by Rabbi Ovadiah ben Jacob Sforno, a 16th-century Italian Rabbi and physician:

Moon & Freedom Sforno on Exodus 12:2:1

החודש הזה לכם ראש חדשים, from now on these months will be yours, to do with as you like. [you have My authority to organize your own calendar. ] This is by way of contrast to the years when you were enslaved when you had no control over your time or timetable at all. [Freedom, i.e. means being able to formulate one’s own timetable. Ed.] While you were enslaved, your days, hours, minutes even, were always at the beck and call of your taskmasters. Therefore, this is the first of the months of the year, since this begins your time of freedom.

Discussion Questions:

How is time and freedom related?
What does it mean to own your time and have agency over your calendar?

Rosh Chodesh: A Lesson in Renewal by Rabbi Eliyahu Safran

Wherein lies the mystery and mystique of Rosh Chodesh?

Rav Soloveitchik teaches that while Shabbat and Yom Tov receive their sanctity and significance from specific historical-religious events and eras, such as Creation, Revelation or the Exodus from Egypt, the significance of Rosh Chodesh emanates directly from the Jewish embrace of Renewal. The Jew identifies personally and dynamically with the moon; with revival from an almost nonexistent state, with illumination returning from a state of darkness. The Talmud alludes to this when it teaches: sanctify the moon, and I will send you a sign – David Melech Yisrael chai vekayam! David, who was defeated and humiliated, lives! He will rise! He will reign with power and pride. Moshiach will be ben David."

משנה ראש השנה א׳:ז׳

אָב וּבְנוֹ שֶׁרָאוּ אֶת הַחֹדֶשׁ, יֵלְכוּ. לֹא שֶׁמִּצְטָרְפִין זֶה עִם זֶה, אֶלָּא שֶׁאִם יִפָּסֵל אֶחָד מֵהֶן, יִצְטָרֵף הַשֵּׁנִי עִם אַחֵר. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, אָב וּבְנוֹ וְכָל הַקְּרוֹבִין, כְּשֵׁרִין לְעֵדוּת הַחֹדֶשׁ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, מַעֲשֶׂה בְטוֹבִיָּה הָרוֹפֵא, שֶׁרָאָה אֶת הַחֹדֶשׁ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, הוּא וּבְנוֹ וְעַבְדּוֹ מְשֻׁחְרָר, וְקִבְּלוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בְּנוֹ, וּפָסְלוּ אֶת עַבְדּוֹ. וּכְשֶׁבָּאוּ לִפְנֵי בֵית דִּין, קִבְּלוּ אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת עַבְדּוֹ, וּפָסְלוּ אֶת בְּנוֹ:

Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:7

If a father and his son saw the new moon, they should both go to the court in Jerusalem. It is not that they can join together to give testimony, for close relatives are disqualified from testifying together, but they both go so that if one of them is disqualified, the second may join together with another witness to testify about the new moon. Rabbi Shimon says: A father and his son and all their relatives are fit to combine together as witnesses for testimony to determine the start of the month. Rabbi Yosei said: There was an incident with Toviyya the doctor. When he saw the new moon in Jerusalem, he and his son and his freed slave all went to testify. The priests accepted him and his son as witnesses and disqualified his slave, for they ruled stringently that the month may be sanctified only on the basis of the testimony of those of Jewish lineage. And when they came before the court, they accepted him and his slave as witnesses and disqualified his son, due to the familial relationship.

אבודרהם, סדר העיבור, הקדמה י״א

וראש חדושה נקרא מולד הלבנה. וראוי היה להקרא חדוש הלבנה אלא שרז"ל קראו לו מולד מפני שבכל חדש הלבנה נסתרת בכמו שני ימים או פחות מעט קודם שתדבק בשמש ואחר כך מתחלת להתילד ולקנות אור ואין באורה כח להראות לבני העלם והיא כענין הילוד שאין בו כח לנהוג מנהג בני אדם וללכת ולנוע כשאר בעלי חיים.

Abudarham, Hebrew Calendar, Introduction 11

And the start of its renewal is called the birth of the moon. Yet it would have been fitting to call it the renewal of the moon. However the Sages, may their memory be blessed called it the birth, since every month the moon is hidden for about two days or a little less before it attaches itself to the sun, and it afterwards begins to be born and gather light. But its light does not [then] have the power to be seen by people. So that is like the matter of a newborn, since it does not have the power to act like the custom of [other] people, to walk and move like other animals.

אבודרהם, סדר העיבור, הקדמה י״ב

וגדר המולד לדברי רז"ל הוא הרגע שהחמה והלבנה נדבקין בו יחד בחלק אחד מחלקי הרקיע במהלכם האמצעי והוא הנוהג על דרך אחד לעולם. והוא ראש לחדש הבא וסוף לחדש שעבר. וראוי היה לפי מהלך המאורות לשוותו ראש החדש לולי שאין שעת המולד גלויה לבני העולם ואין אדם מגיע אליה אלא מדרך חשבון וסברא ושניהם קשים על רוב העולם והספיקות באות מהן ואין מחשבות לב האדם באות בהן לדעת אחד ומפני זה לא החמיר הקב"ה ולא צונו לשמור ראשי החדשים משעת התחלתם ברקיע שהיא שעת המולד אבל הרחיב לנו הדבר הזה ונתן לנו רשות לקבוע החדש על עצת חכמים מפני שאין לנו אות שתהא מעידה לנו על התחלתו ברקיע והתחלתו למראית עינינו היא הגלויה לנו וההתחלה הזאת אינה שוה לעיני כל אדם ומפני זה היא צריכה לסיוע ולסיוג. והקב"ה נתן הרשות והכח בזה בידי חכמינו כדי לסייגו לדעתם ולחכמת' ולכן תלה הכתו' המועדים בקריאה ואמ' אלה מועדי ה' אשר תקראו אותם מקראי קדש. להראות כי הרשות בידינו בקבוע המועדים.

Abudarham, Hebrew Calendar, Introduction 12

And according to the words of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, that is the moment that the sun and the moon attach themselves to each other in their median path in one of the parts of the sky; and this is the same in all of the world. So that is the beginning of the next month and the end of the past month. And it would have been fitting to designate this as the start of the month, according to the path of the luminaries, were it not that the [precise] time of this birth is not visible to people, such that the only way to arrive at is by way of calculation and reasoning. But both of these are difficult for most of the world and questions come about them, such that the thoughts of people do not come to a single opinion. And because of that, the Holy One, blessed be He, was not stringent and did not command us to observe the start of the months from their beginning in the sky, which is the time of the [moon's] birth. Rather, He granted us leeway about the thing and give us permission to set the month according to the counsel of the sages, since we have no sign that testifies to us about its beginning in the sky, whereas its beginning according to our eyesight - which is what is revealed to us - is not the same in every person's eyes. And because of that, it requires assistance and control. So the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the right and the power over this to the hands of our sages, so that they could control it according to their opinion and their wisdom. And that is why the verse made the festivals depend on proclamation, in its stating (Leviticus 23:4), "These are the festivals of the Lord, holy gatherings, which you shall proclaim in their seasons." That is to show that we have permission to set the festivals [by way of proclaiming the new months].

סנהדרין מ״ב א:ג׳

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אָמַר רַבִּי אַסִּי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל הַמְבָרֵךְ עַל הַחֹדֶשׁ בִּזְמַנּוֹ כְּאִילּוּ מְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי שְׁכִינָה. כְּתִיב הָכָא ״הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם ״זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ״. תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: אִילְמָלֵא לֹא זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא לְהַקְבִּיל פְּנֵי אֲבִיהֶן שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם כָּל חֹדֶשׁ וָחֹדֶשׁ, דַּיָּים. אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: הִלְכָּךְ נֵימְרִינְהוּ מְעוּמָּד.

Sanhedrin 42a:3

And Rabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina says that Rabbi Asi says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: With regard to anyone who blesses the new month in its proper time, it is as if he greets the Face of the Divine Presence. Alluding to this, it is written here concerning the sanctification of the new month: “This month shall be for you the beginning of months” (Exodus 12:2), and it is written there, where the Jewish people encountered the Divine Presence at the splitting of the sea: “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2). The term “this” is employed in both verses. The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: If the Jewish people merited to greet the Face of their Father in Heaven only one time each and every month, it would suffice for them, since in the blessing of the moon there is an aspect of greeting the Divine Presence. Abaye said: Therefore, we will say the blessing while standing, in honor of the Divine Presence.

Discussion Questions:

How is greeting the new moon like greeting the Shechinah (divine presence)?
What are some ways that you already honor Rosh Chodesh, or what are ways that you would like to incorporate Rosh Chodesh rituals into your life?

סידור ספרד, קידוש לבנה ו׳

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ בָּרָא שְׁחָקִים, וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם, חֹק וּזְמַן נָתַן לָהֶם שֶׁלּא יְשַׁנּוּ אֶת תַּפְקִידָם, שָׂשִׂים וּשְׂמֵחִים לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן קוֹנָם, פּוֹעֵל אֱמֶת שֶׁפְּעֻלָּתוֹ אֱמֶת, וְלַלְּבָנָה אָמַר שֶׁתִּתְחַדֵּשׁ, עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת לַעֲמוּסֵי בָטֶן שֶׁהֵם עֲתִידִים לְהִתְחַדֵּשׁ כְּמוֹתָהּ, וּלְפָאֵר לְיוֹצְרָם עַל שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתו: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה מְחַדֵּשׁ חֳדָשִׁים:

Siddur Sefard, Kiddush Levanah 6

Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who with His utterance created the heavens, and with the breath of His mouth, all their host. Law and season did He give them, that they not deviate from their set function. They are glad and rejoice to do the will of their Creator — the Worker of truth whose work is true. The moon He directed to renew itself — a crown of glory to those who are borne from the womb, who are destined to be renewed just like it, and to glorify their Creator for the name of His glorious kingdom. Blessed are You, Lord, Renewer of the months.

סוכה כ״ט א:י׳

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַחַמָּה לוֹקָה — סִימָן רַע לַגּוֹיִם. לְבָנָה לוֹקָה — סִימָן רַע לְשׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מוֹנִין לַלְּבָנָה, וְגוֹיִם לַחַמָּה. לוֹקָה בַּמִּזְרָח — סִימָן רַע לְיוֹשְׁבֵי מִזְרָח. בַּמַּעֲרָב — סִימָן רַע לְיוֹשְׁבֵי מַעֲרָב. בְּאֶמְצַע הָרָקִיעַ — סִימָן רַע לְכׇל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ.

Sukkah 29a:10

The Sages taught in another baraita: When the sun is eclipsed, it is a bad omen for the other nations. When the moon is eclipsed, it is a bad omen for the enemies of the Jewish people. This is due to the fact that the Jewish people calculate their calendar primarily based on the moon, and the other nations calculate based on the sun. When the sun is eclipsed in the east, it is a bad omen for the residents of the lands of the east. When it is eclipsed in the west, it is a bad omen for the residents of the lands of the west. When it is eclipsed in the middle of the sky, it is a bad omen for the entire world.

פרקי דרבי אליעזר נ״א:א׳

רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: כְּמוֹ רָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים מִתְחַדְּשִׁים וּמִתְקַדְּשִׁים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כָּךְ יִהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְחַדְּשִׁים וּמִתְקַדְּשִׁים לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״דַּבֵּר אֶל כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם קְדֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי ה'״. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ עֲתִידִים לַעֲבֹר וּלְחַדֵּשׁ, מַה כְּתִיב עֲלֵיהֶם? ״וְנָגֹלּוּ כַסֵּפֶר הַשָּׁמָיִם״. כְּאָדָם הַקּוֹרֵא בַּתּוֹרָה וְגוֹלֵל אוֹתָהּ וְחוֹזֵר וּפוֹתֵחַ וְגוֹלֵל אוֹתָהּ, כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָתִיד לָגֹל אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנָגֹלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם כַּסֵּפֶר וְהָאָרֶץ כַּבֶּגֶד תִּבְלֶה״. כְּאָדָם שֶׁהוּא פּוֹשֵׁט אֶת טַלִּיתוֹ וּמְקַפֵּל אוֹתָהּ וְחוֹזֵר וּפוֹתֵחַ וְלוֹבֵשׁ אוֹתָהּ וּמְחַדֵּשׁ אוֹתָהּ בִּמְקוֹמָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהָאָרֶץ כַּבֶּגֶד תִּבְלֶה״.

Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 51:1

THE NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH
RABBAN GAMALIEL said: Just as the New Moons are renewed and sanctified in this world, so will Israel be sanctified and renewed in the future world just like the New Moons, as it is said, "Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy" (Lev. 19:2). The sages say: The heavens and the earth are destined to pass away and to be renewed. What is written concerning them? "And all the host of the heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll" (Isa. 34:4). Just as when a man reads in a scroll of the Torah and he rolls it, and again he opens it to read therein and he rolls it (together), likewise in the future will the Holy One, blessed be He, roll together the heavens like a scroll, as it is said, "And the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll" (ibid.); "And the earth shall wax old like a garment" (Isa. 51:6); just as a man spreads out his garment and folds it up, and again he unfolds it || and puts it on and renews it (thereby), likewise the Holy One, blessed be He, in the future will fold up the earth and again will He spread it out and put it in its place like a garment, as it is said. "And the earth shall wax old like a garment" (ibid.).

פרקי דרבי אליעזר נ״א:א׳

Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 51:1

קהלת ג׳:א׳

(א) לַכֹּ֖ל זְמָ֑ן וְעֵ֥ת לְכׇל־חֵ֖פֶץ תַּ֥חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ {ס}

Ecclesiastes 3:1

(1) A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven:aI.e., all human experiences are preordained by God; see v. 11.

“For everything there is a season and there is a time for everything under the sky- a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to reap that which is planted, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. A time for throwing stones and a time for gathering stones, A time for embracing and a time for shunning embraces;A time for seeking and a time for losing,A time for keeping and a time for discarding;A time for ripping and a time for sewing, A time for silence and a time for speaking;A time for loving and a time for hating;A time for war and a time for peace.”

Reflection Questions:

King Shlomo brought his wisdom of the rhythms of time, what would you add to this?

Why do you think this message touches so many people? How does it help you frame the circumstances of your life?