CHODESH TOV! THE NEW MONTH OF SHEVAT!
This beautiful photo of the brand new moon was taken by Yehezkel Bloomstein from the Samarian town of Yitzhar, overlooking the coastal plain. During the time of the Holy Temple, the spotting of the new moon was crucial for determining the beginning of the new month, and the new month was crucial for the determination of the proper days for observing whatever holidays fell within that month.
It is in this week's parashat Bo, that the child...ren of Israel are given the commandment (the first commandment they received - even before leaving Egypt), to determine the start of each new month: "This month shall be to you the head of the months; to you it shall be the first of the months of the year." (Exodus 12:2) This is why witnesses to the new moon would run directly to the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem to give testimony. The moment that the Sanhedrin received two trustworthy testimonies they would send word out to all Israel that the new month had arrived. In order to reach far flung Jewish towns in Israel and in the more distant diaspora, a system of torches lit and waved on high mountaintops stretching from Jerusalem heading north and east toward Babylon, got the word out quickly.
This beautiful photo of the brand new moon was taken by Yehezkel Bloomstein from the Samarian town of Yitzhar, overlooking the coastal plain. During the time of the Holy Temple, the spotting of the new moon was crucial for determining the beginning of the new month, and the new month was crucial for the determination of the proper days for observing whatever holidays fell within that month.
It is in this week's parashat Bo, that the child...ren of Israel are given the commandment (the first commandment they received - even before leaving Egypt), to determine the start of each new month: "This month shall be to you the head of the months; to you it shall be the first of the months of the year." (Exodus 12:2) This is why witnesses to the new moon would run directly to the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem to give testimony. The moment that the Sanhedrin received two trustworthy testimonies they would send word out to all Israel that the new month had arrived. In order to reach far flung Jewish towns in Israel and in the more distant diaspora, a system of torches lit and waved on high mountaintops stretching from Jerusalem heading north and east toward Babylon, got the word out quickly.
In the Holy Temple, of course, the special Rosh Chodesh offerings would be made.
Today, in the absence of a Sanhedrin we go by a set calendar, but many people are studying the laws concerning the determining of the new moon via two witnesses before the Sanhedrin in preparation for the return to the original commandment.
Today, of course, we wouldn't need to rely on torches. Via Skype, cellphone, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., etc., the entire world could be alerted to the new moon in an instant!
!חודש טוב שבט
See MoreToday, in the absence of a Sanhedrin we go by a set calendar, but many people are studying the laws concerning the determining of the new moon via two witnesses before the Sanhedrin in preparation for the return to the original commandment.
Today, of course, we wouldn't need to rely on torches. Via Skype, cellphone, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., etc., the entire world could be alerted to the new moon in an instant!
!חודש טוב שבט
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