Rosh Chodesh

Question: What is the appropriate way for a Jewish woman to celebrate Rosh Chodesh? I would like to start this tradition, as I have two little girls and I think that it would be wonderful to do this together. Answer: Rosh Chodesh, the day (or days) that ...

It was an eerie feeling as the orbit of the planets suddenly swung into reverse. The moon was no longer receiving and reflecting light; as though sucked inwards, radiance flowed from the moon to the sun...

On the essence of lunar time

Did you ever wonder why our calendar has both weeks and months? Why follow two different cycles that never match up?

Today is the first of the two Rosh Chodesh ("Head of the Month") days for the month of Elul (when a month has 30 days, both the last day of the month and the first day of the following month serve as the following month's Rosh Chodesh). Special portions ...

The Jewish calendar follows the lunar year. The renewal of the moon marks the beginning of the month; special laws apply on this day

Kabbalah explains the connection between the Hebrew months of Sivan and Tammuz

Every Rosh Chodesh [New Moon Day] brings a unique new spiritual light.

Shortly before sundown on the 29th of Adar, G-d commanded Moses regarding the mitzvah of sanctifying the crescent new moon and establishing a lunar calendar. This is the first mitzvah the Jews were given as a nation. Moses had difficulty envisaging the ...

The Lunar Cycle The Jewish calendar is based on lunar cycles. The lunar cycle which the Jewish calendar follows is called a synodic month—not to be confused with the sidereal month, the amount of time it takes for the moon to complete an orbit around the ...