At sundown, Tuesday 2/25/2020, the month of Shevet comes to its end and Rosh Chodesh Adar begins. Rosh Chodesh is not a prescribed monthly Shabbat but it is commanded to be “observed”. In 1 Samuel 20, we see that particular Rosh Chodesh was being observed for two days . Some use this recorded biblical event as proof that the current calendar based method of determining the arrival of Rosh Chodesh today was in use earlier than the construction of the first Temple. This two day observance is still in effect today for several Rosh Chodeshim during the year and is based on the actual time that the New Moon is supposed to arrive. We also notice that the Rosh Chodesh was being observed with a convocation that included a meal.
Judaism follows a 19 year lunar calendar that includes 7- thirteen month “leap years” and 12 – 12 month regular years. The 12 month lunar calendar comes up 11 days short of the solar calendar. To avoid the first month from progressively creeping back towards winter, an additional month (Adar 2) is added to the “leap” years to “move” the arrival of the first month to line up with the spring season. The lunar month lasts 29 days and 11 hours. This necessitates that some months contain 30 days to keep the months in balance. In ancient times Rosh Chodesh was declared by the beit din (Jewish court) only after two credible witnesses would testify that they had seen the new moon. Since the first century, however, it has been determined by a fixed calendar which claims it’s origin from Hillel, a pre fourth century teacher. However, he may have simply codified something that was in practice for more than a thousand years prior.
I have included some of the Scriptures that could be recited during your observance. I want to draw particular attention to Psalm 47. This Psalm is recited on every Rosh Chodesh by most of the Hassidik congregations and on Rosh Chodesh Tishre it is recited seven times. We have been following this same tradition for several years. The shofarim should be blown during the observance as well. I hope that these verses and prayers enhance your observance and help you to draw near to Avinu during this very special time.
CELEBRATING ROSH Chodesh
Candle Lighting Blessing
Baruch ata Avinu, Eloheinu melech haolam, a’sher
qiddeshanu b’ruach Kodesheka uv’torat’ka
Kidshanu bitmitz’votav, l’hoyot or l’goyim, v’natan
l’anu Yeshua, m’shikhaanu….. l’olam v’ed.
Blessed are you, Avinu, Eloheinu, Malek of the Universe,
Who sanctifies us with Your Holy Spirit and Your Torah and commands
us to be a light to the nations and has given us Yeshua,
the light of the world.
Kiddish
Baruch atah Avinu, Eloheinu Melech ha olam, borei p’ri ha-gafen.
Blessed are you, Avinu Eloheinu Malek of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Blessed are you Avinu Eloheinu who has sanctified us by your Holy Spirit and your Torah and has taken pleasure in us in love and favor and has given us Rosh Chodesh, (mention month) as an inheritance. A memorial of Yeshua being crowned Malech HaOlam, this day being the first day of the month, (mention month), a remembrance of Your soon coming kingdom. For you have chosen us and hallowed us above all nations and in love and favor has given us Rosh Chodesh as an inheritance blessed are you Avinu who has given us another Rosh Chodesh
May it be Your will Avinu Eloheinu, Elohei avoteinu, to renew unto us this coming month for good and for blessing. And grant us long life, a life of peace, a life of goodness, a life of blessing, a life of providence, a life of bodily vigor, a life marked by the fear of Heaven and the dread of sin, a life free from shame and reproach, a life of prosperity and honor, a life in which we will have a love of Torah and the fear of Heaven, a life in which Avinu shall fill the desires of our hearts to do good.
Psalm 47
1) Clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout to Avinu with cries of joy!
2) For Avinu Elohim is awesome,
a great king over all the earth.
3) He makes peoples subject to us,
puts nations under our feet.
4) He chooses our heritage for us,
the pride of Ya’akov, whom He loves.
5) Elohim goes up to shouts of acclaim,
Avinu to blasts on the shofar.
6) Sing praises to Avinu, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7) For Avinu is King of all the earth;
sing praises in a maskil.
8) Avinu rules the nations,
Avinu sits on His holy throne.
9) The leaders of the people gather together,
the people of Elohei Avraham,
for the rulers of the earth belong to Avinu
who is exalted on high.
Zechariah 14:9 And Avinu will be Malek over all the earth. On that day Avinu will be one and His name one.
Genesis 1:14 Elohim said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to divide the day from the night, let them be for signs, seasons, days and years.”
Exodus 12:2 “You are to begin Your calendar with this month; it will be the first month of the year for you.”
Numbers 10:10 “Also on your days of rejoicing, at your designated times and on Rosh Chodesh, you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; these will be your reminder before Elohekah. I am Avinu Elohekah.”
Colossians 2:16, 17 “Let no man pass judgment on you in connection with eating and drinking, or in regard to a festival or Rosh Chodesh or Shabbat.”
17. These are a shadow of things that are coming, but (let) the body of the Meshiach (pass the judgment).
2 Chronicles 2:12,13 Then Shlomo offered burnt offerings to Avinu on the altar of Avinu that he had built in front of the vestibule,
13 As each day required, offering according to the mitzvah of Moshe on Shabbot, at Rosh Chodesh and at the designated times three times a year, the festivals of Matzah, Shavu’ot and Sukkot.
Ezra 3:4, 5 They observed the festival of Sukkot as written, offering daily the number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day.
5 And afterwards the regular burnt offering, the offerings for Rosh Chodesh, those for all the designated times set apart for Avinu, as well as those of everyone who volunteered a voluntary offering to Avinu.
Isaiah 66:23 “Every month on Rosh Chodesh every week on Shabbat, everyone living will come to worship in my presence,” says Avinu.
Psalm 81:3 Sound the shofar at Rosh Chodesh and at full moon for the pilgrim feast.
Psalm 104:19 You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set.
Holiness of the Day
New moons have You given Your people, a time of atonement for all their offspring, when they would bring before You offerings for favor and goats of sin offering on their behalf. They would serve as a remembrance for them all and a salvation for their soul from the hand of the enemy. May You establish a new altar in Zion, and may we bring up upon it the elevation-offering of the New Moon, and prepare he-goats with favor. In the service of the Holy Temple may we all rejoice and in the songs of Your servant David that are heard in Your city, when they recited before Your altar. May You bring them an eternal love and the covenant of the forefathers may You recall upon the children. May it be Your will, Avinu, Eloheinu and Elohei avoteinu (forefathers), that You bring us up joyously to our land and implant us in our borders. May You bring us to Zion, Your city, in glad song, and to Jerusalem, Your holy temple, in eternal gladness. There we shall perform before You our obligated offerings, the continual-offerings according to their order and the mussaf offering according to their law. Even the mussaf offering of this New Moon day. We shall perform and bring before You with love according to the commandment of Your favor, as You have written for us in Your Torah, through Moshe Your servant.
Historical Responsive Reading
Avinu, on the 4th day of creation You created all the lights in the expanse of the heavens. And the moon You created “for signs and seasons.” For Shabbat, we need only count the days. But to know when to keep Your Moedim, Your Appointed Times and Feasts, we need Your timetable of Months.
You “appointed the moon for seasons” says Psalm 104:19, and Your Moedim are determined by the Moon. In a “season” we reach a new time, and we get to begin again!
When Judges and Kings ruled, Your people blew the Shofar on the New Moons, offered peace and fellowship sacrifices, and gathered in community to feast and worship before You. Ezra and Nehemiah, in times of revival, offered sacrifices and freewill offerings, when the New Moons were reestablished.
Watched for was the arrival of Rosh Chodesh in Temple times. And when seen by two witnesses, the observers hurried to tell the authorities in Jerusalem. “We have seen the Crescent Moon,” they testified. And when the fact was established, a bonfire was lit on the Mount of Olives to serve as a beacon.
People in neighboring areas saw the signal, and the lit fires on the highest peaks, to spread the word. From hill to hill fires burned brightly, and so it was proclaimed: “The New Moon is upon us. Let us begin to count the days and prepare for the coming Moedim.”
Often forgotten and neglected in our people’s history, Hezekiah and others restored Rosh Chodesh observance when revival broke out. Colossian believers, also observed the New Moons.
In times to come, the record is clear. Everyone will worship Avinu on Rosh Chodesh and Shabbat. Yeshua himself, will once again be in the Temple. We, the body of believers, have returned to the Feasts of Avinu, Shabbat and the New Moons. O Avinu, don’t delay, send Meshiach soon!
Psalms 116:13, I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of Avinu.
The Blessing of Messiah
Baruch atah Avinu, Eloheinu Melech ha olam ahsher natahn lanoo et dehrech hay’shooah b’masheahch Yeshua. Ahmain.
Blessed are you O Avinu Eloheinu Malek of the universe, who has given us the way of salvation in our Messiah Yeshua.
*The Blessing of First Fruits
Baruch attah Avinu Eloheinu Melach ha olam hamotzi Ha B’curim min ha-aretz.
Blessed are You, O’Avinu Eloheinu, Malek of the universe, who brings forth the First Fruits from the earth
May you be blessed with Peace and Joy in this coming Rosh Chodesh!
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