Chag Sameach Rosh Chodesh beloved. Happy and blessed 6th Month to you all.
As I am posting this brief discussion here on The Messianic Torah Observer, the renewed moon will have been sighted by at least two-trained observers in Yisra’el. Thus, wherever we live on the planet at sunset this evening—8/28/2022—we begin the 6th Month of Abba’s Hebrew Calendar Year.
We call this special day on the Hebrew Calendar “Rosh Chodesh.” Rosh Chodesh simply means “new moon” or “new month.” The Day referred to as “Rosh Chodesh” marks the beginning of every Hebrew month on Yah’s sacred calendar.
There are essentially three calendars that members of our Faith Community follow or keep: (1) what I refer to as the calculated calendar that was devised and put into operation by a group of exiled rabbis in and around 359 C.E., which is based upon precise mathematical calculation to determine the beginning of each month of the Jewish calendar. (2) What I refer to as the observational calendar which is based upon the sighting of the renewed moon each month over the land of Yisra’el by at least two witnesses, and determination of the maturity of the barley crop in the land of Yisra’el at the end of each biblical calendar year. And (3) the Enochian or Essene Calendar, which is based on annual equinoxes and solstices. Both the rabbinic, calculated and observational calendars are luni-solar based (I.e., reckoning of time takes into account the phases of the moon each month and the influence the sun has on Yisra’el’s agriculture each year), while the Enochian/Essennic calendar is strictly solar based (I.e., the reckoning of time is based on the apparent position of the sun to the planet and stars throughout the calendar year).
Hilary and I keep and observe the observational calendar. I discussed reasons why and how the calendar works in one of my recent posts entitled “Why I Keep the Torah (Observational) Calendar and not the Other Popular Messianic Calendars.” (If you are so led, I would encourage you to read or listen to that installment to get a sense of how and why as it relates to our keeping of this calendar.)
Continuing.
Both observational and rabbinic calendars consist of 12-months with an occasional 13th month (some refer to this 13th month as a leap year, but we tend to refer to it as just the 13th month) that is added, similar to the construction and workings of the secular, Gregorian Calendar that the world uses today.
Generally, half the months of the calendar year are 30-days in length, while the other half are just 29-days in length.
The basic calendar framework was established by Yehovah and is recorded in the Book of Exodus/Shemot:
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 a“This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. (Exo 12:1-2 ESV)
4 This day came ye out in the month Abib. (Exo 13:4 KJV)
And then Numbers/Bemidbar 10:10 establishes Rosh Chodesh itself as a celebration or minor day of observance:
10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God. (KJV)
Historically, the Hebrew Calendar was primarily observational. We have no Tanach records as to how the determination of Rosh Chodesh was made back then. But we do have extra-biblical resources such as the Talmud that give a historic sense of how second-temple Jews determined and enacted Rosh Chodesh each month.
It was the Sanhedrin—the Yerushalayim Counsel that declared Rosh Chodesh each month upon their receiving the testimonies of two-reliable witnesses who’d claimed to have sighted the renewed moon.
Certification of Rosh Chodesh each month was spread throughout Yisra’el and Babylonia via the lighting of fires on hilltops, starting with the Mount of Olives. The set flame on a pole would be waved upon each hilltop until an acknowledgment that the flame was see from neighboring hilltops. Those confirmed hilltop sightings would reciprocate by lighting fires and signaling other neighboring hilltops. And so forth, until all jurisdictions acknowledged receipt of the announcement that a new month had begun.
It should be mentioned that the Sanhedrin had possession of a calculated calendar that they would consult toward the end of each month, in order to provide them with a heads up approximation as to when they could expect visual sightings of the next renewed moon.
Confusion with neighboring Samaritan signal fires during the period of Rosh Chodesh forced the Sanhedrin to resort to the dispatching of messengers to relay the announcement that Rosh Chodesh had commenced.
Today, renewed moon searchers, operating out of Yisra’el, communicate their findings to the world via the electronic fires of the internet. There is no viable Sanhedrin to certify the sightings. Therefore, the renewed moon sightings are only informational. It falls to each Messianic/Netsari to determine for themselves—or the leaders of Messianic congregations to determine the start of each month based upon the information these witnesses provide.
In terms of Jewish observance of Rosh Chodesh, the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh, a liturgy or prayer called “birkat ha-chodesh is often recited at the conclusion or end of the Shabbat Torah reading (Berakhot 16b).
Jewish tradition as it relates to Rosh Chodesh, some of which has filtered over to the Messianic Faith Community, treats Rosh Chodesh as a “minor holiday” that includes the recitation of certain Jewish liturgies, extra-after meal graces, select Torah Readings, even an extra-synagogal service.
Rosh Chodesh holds special meaning for certain Jewish women who gather each month for planned, social activities in association with their synagogues.
This Rosh Chodesh is the 6th Biblical/Hebrew Month of 6022 F.C. In rabbinic circles, it is referred to as the Month of Elul. Rosh Chodesh according to the rabbinic, calculated calendar was on S-nday, 8/28/2022 this year.
Why is Rosh Chodesh important to us Messianics/Netsari? Well, I have three reasons to pass on to you:
1. It teaches us to be in sync with Father Yah’s reckoning of time. Yah sets the annual calendar. Not people, regardless what their seeming pious intentions may be.
2. Rosh Chodesh is an important element of our Faith and it even bolsters our faith. Since Yah’s reckoning of time is the reckoning of time that is important, the calendar must be central to our day-to-day walk in Mashiyach. Also, the calendar, in particular the observational calendar, is a calendar of faith. We rely upon Yehovah to take us through each month of Yah’s calendar year. We rely upon Yah to tell us when His holy days will take place—when He has set aside the days in which to commune with us—His set apart days.
3. Abba mentions in His Torah that each Rosh Chodesh should be treated as a time of gladness, celebration, acknowledgment of Yah’s greatness and keeping power. It is another opportunity to worship Yah as a Faith Community.
If these three reasons for observing Rosh Chodesh are true and accurate, then how do we as Yah’s set-apart, faithful covenant people keep the day—rabbinic traditions aside?
Well, since Rosh Chodesh is NOT a mandated, set-apart day of the Hebrew Calendar year, I believe we treat it as a notable day of our month. That we use it as a day to worship Yah and if possible, fellowship with like-minded brethren. That we rejoice throughout the day by singing songs of praise and worship, and most importantly, that we blow the shofar, if we are blessed to have one. If not, we make a joyful noise unto Yah with whatever thing we have access to, even our voices.
Especially with this 6th Rosh Chodesh, we must begin in earnest to set our hearts and minds towards the coming Fall Feasts of Yah, the start of which are literally only a month away. Let us make preparations in earnest to receive and keep these set-apart days, especially Sukkot—aka the Feast of Tabernacles—day 15-22nd of the 7th Month. If we haven’t already done so, we need to have made reservations and provisions to attend a feast site. Most feast sites have already closed out their registrations for attendees. So, from this day forward, each passing day leading up to these Fall Feast Days makes getting into a feast site all the more challenging.
So, let us begin praying and seeking Yah’s leading and direction as it relates to how and where He wants us to keep His Fall Feasts.
In the meantime, beloved, I bid you Chag Semeach Rosh Chodesh. Make a joyful noise unto Yah.
Shalom!