Rosh Chodesh

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rosh Chodesch ( Hebrew : ראש חודש ) is the name for the first day of every month in the Jewish calendar , which in this lunar calendar always roughly coincides with the first visibility of the crescent moon after the new moon . The custom of greeting the newly rising moon and celebrating it in a festive way dates back to the nomadic days of the Jewish people. It was also preserved in connection with the fact that the moon served as a timepiece.

Since a lunar month has an average of 29½ days, Rosh Chodesh can last either one or two days: In the late post-exilic period, the high council met every 30th day of the month. If it was established by testimony that the crescent moon already appeared on this day, this was sanctified on that day, so that the past month became a month with 29 days. Since the thirtieth day of the month was always a potential Rosh Chodesh, this is also celebrated as Rosh Chodesh in addition to the first day of the month.

Today the following months have a two-day Rosh Chodesh: Cheshvan , Adar (and Adar II), Ijar , Tammuz , and Elul .

In the following months only one day of Rosh Chodesh is celebrated: Tishri , Schwat , Nisan , Siwan and Av .

The months of Kislev and Tevet fluctuate: in some years both have only one day, in some years both have two days of Rosh Chodesh, and in some years the Kislev has one and the Tevet two days Rosh Chodesh.

The priestly law recognizes the new moon day and determines the special sacrifices for it (Num. 28:11), but does not require a general cessation of work as on the weekly holiday, the Sabbath . In traditional Judaism, however, on this day women are exempted from all typical women's work (such as spinning and weaving) that has to be postponed. As on the Sabbath, there was a festival meeting at the sanctuary on the new moon day (Isa 1:13); (Hos 2,13), (Ez 46,1), and since the priest was in a holy mood on such a holy day, it happened that on that very day he was gripped by the divine word (Ez 26,1), ( Hag 1; 1). In (1 Sam 20,6) the custom is described of offering the annual sacrifice of the clan on the new moon, a sign of how popular the new moon day was as a holiday from ancient times.

Also in early Christianity there were circles that celebrated the new moons and the Sabbaths (Col 2:16), (Gal 4:10).

literature

  • Paul Volz: The biblical antiquities , (first 1914) Komet Verlag Cologne 2004, ISBN 3-89836-316-3

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Naftali Silberberg : [" http://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/526942/jewish/Why-is-Rosh-Chodesh-sometimes-one-day-and-sometimes-two.htm " "Why is Rosh Chodesh sometimes one day and sometimes two? "] ( en ) Retrieved December 21, 2015.>