New Moon/Rosh Hodesh

NEW MOON/ROSH HODESH

Recited standing in the synagogue on the Shabbat before Rosh Hodesh (except before Rosh HaShanah)

וּניֵהֹלֱא הוהי ,ךיֶנָפְלִּמ ןוֹצָר יִהְי וּניֵתוֹבֲא יֵהֹלאֵו הֶזַּה שֶׁדֹחַה תֶא וּניֵלָע שֵׁדַּחְתֶּשׁ .הָכָרְבִלְו הָבוֹטְל ,םוֹלָשׁ לֶשׁ םיִיַּח ,םיִכוּרֲא םיִיַּח וּנָל ןֶתִּתְו ,הָכָרְבּ לֶשׁ םיִיַּח ,הָבוֹט לֶשׁ םיִיַּח םיִיַּח ,הָסָנְרַפּ לֶשׁ םיִיַּח ,תוֹמָצֲע ץוּלִּח לֶשׁ םִיַמָשׁ תאְַרִי םֶהָבּ שֵׁיֶשׁ םיִיַּח ,אְטֵח תאְַרִיְו ,הָמִּלְכוּ הָשׁוּבּ םֶהָבּ ןיֵאֶשׁ םיִיַּח ,דוֹבָכְו רֶׁשֹֽע לֶשׁ םיִיַּח הָרוֹתּ תַבֲהאַ וּנָב אֵהְתֶּשׁ םיִיַּח ,םִיַמָשׁ תאְַרִיְו וּנֵבִּל תוֹלֲאְשִׁמ הוהי אֵלָמְּיֶּשׁ םיִיַּח .הָלֶס ןֵמאָ .הָבוֹטְל May it be Your will, Adonai, our God, and God of our ancestors, that You renew for us this coming month as a month of good and blessing. Grant us long life, a life of peace, a life of goodness, a life of blessing, a life of sustenance, a life of physical vitality, a life of spiritual awe, and attentive wariness of sin, a life without shame and humiliation, a life of abundance and honor, a life with love of Torah and spiritual awe, a life in which Adonai fulfills our heart‑aspirations for the good. Amen, Selah.

THINK

The nascent Jewish nation is about to leave Egypt. God offers them Rosh Hodesh, the new moon, or the establishing of each new month by the people. We might ask why, of all the mitzvot, is this the very first one given to Jews as a nation? In facing the darkness, we can raise our gaze to find a sliver of light, a renewal of possibilities, amidst the darkness, and to know that with God’s help, we can act to bring this light down. One of the most challenging aspects of slavery is the lack of autonomy to guide one’s life. Now, on the cusp of leaving Egypt, Jews become masters of their own time, setting the new month of their calendar.

REFLECT

How might you take a step toward increased ownership over your time and calendar? How do you find light when things feel dark? How can the waxing new moon inspire you toward growth and renewal?

CONNECTION

In biblical times, the women of Israel refused to offer their jewelry for the creation of the Golden Calf,3 and were rewarded with a special connection to Rosh Hodesh. The Talmud describes a custom of women abstaining from work on Rosh Hodesh, a time to pause, reflect, and appreciate the cyclical nature of renewal.

PERSONAL PRAYER

Master of the universe, You gave us the new moon, a time to entreat You, our God. We pour out our heart before You, making our voices heard. Heal us and purify us from all our transgressions and renew this month for much goodness. Bring to us this month joy and gladness. Master of the universe, You have called us Your beloved, so we call to You, our compassionate God, and pray to You that You give to us and to all who study Your holy Torah, and to all who pray to You, the ability to serve You with wholehearted love.

— Leah (Sara Rivkah Rachel Leah)

Horowitz (1715–1795),4

Poland

3 Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 45. 4 Adapted from Leah Horowitz’s personal prayer, called Supplication of the Matriarchs, an eight-page prayer for the Shabbat before the new moon. It consisted of an introduction written in Hebrew, a liturgical poem in Aramaic, and a paraphrasing of the poem rendered in Yiddish. The prayer points to a highly learned scholar.