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Shareהחדש הזה — He showed him the moon in the first stage of its renewal, and He said to him, “The time when the moon renews itself thus, shall be unto you the beginning of the month”. (The translation therefore is: “This stage of renewal (חדש) shall be the moment of beginning the months”; cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:2:2). But no Scriptural verse can lose its literal meaning, and He really spoke this in reference to the month Nisan: this month shall be the beginning in the order of counting the months, so that Iyar shall be called the second, Sivan the third.
Like astronomers who engage in calculation and know the positions and motions of the stars, the Jewish court calculates and investigates minutely so as to know if it is or is not possible for the new moon to be visible in its time, which is the night of the thirtieth day. If the members of the court found that it would be possible, they had to wait in the court house for the arrival of witnesses throughout the thirtieth day. If witnesses arrived and were duly examined and tested and found trustworthy, the thirtieth day was sanctified as the first day of the new month. If the new moon did not appear and no witnesses arrived, that day was counted as the thirtieth of the past month which became an intercalated month. If, however, the members of the court knew by calculation that the new moon could not possibly be seen, they were not required to sit and wait for the arrival of witnesses the thirtieth day. If witnesses did come to testify that they had seen the new moon, it was certain that they were false witnesses, or that a semblance of the new moon appeared to them through the clouds, and was not the real moon.
There was once an incident where more than forty pairs of witnesses were passing through on their way to Jerusalem to testify about the new moon, and Rabbi Akiva detained them in Lod, telling them that there was no need for them to desecrate Shabbat for this purpose. Rabban Gamliel sent a message to him: If you detain the many people who wish to testify about the new moon, you will cause them to stumble in the future. They will say: Why should we go, seeing that our testimony is unnecessary? At some point they will be needed, and no witnesses will come to the court.
There was a large courtyard in Jerusalem, which was called Beit Ya’zek. And there all the witnesses coming to testify about the new moon would gather, and the court of seventy-one judges would examine them there. And they would prepare great feasts for them, so that they would be willing and accustomed to coming and submitting their testimony.
How do they examine the witnesses who come to testify about the new moon? They deal with them in order, as the pair of witnesses that arrives first they examine first. They bring in the greater of the two witnesses, and they say to him: Say how you saw the moon. Was it in front of the sun or behind the sun? To its north or to its south? How high was the moon over the horizon, and in which direction did it tilt? And how wide was it? If, for example, he said that he saw the moon in front of the sun, he has not said anything of substance, as this is impossible and therefore he is either mistaken or lying. And after they finish hearing the first witness’s testimony, they would bring in the second witness and examine him in a similar manner. If their statements match, their testimony is accepted and the court sanctifies the New Moon.
After the witnesses have been examined and their testimony accepted, the head of the court says: It is sanctified. And all the people respond after him: It is sanctified; it is sanctified. Whether the moon was seen at its anticipated time, on the thirtieth day of the previous month, or whether it was not seen at its anticipated time, in which case witnesses are not necessary to establish the following day as the New Moon, the court sanctifies it and formally proclaims the day as the New Moon. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Tzadok, says: If the new moon was not seen at its anticipated time, the court does not sanctify the New Moon on the following day, as the celestial court in Heaven has already sanctified it, precluding the need for the additional sanctification by the earthly court.
Month Numbers & Babylonian Names
THIS MONTH SHALL BE UNTO YOU THE BEGINNING OF MONTHS.
Now the purport of the expression, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months, is that Israel is to count this as the first of the months, and from it they are to count all months — second, third, etc., until a year of twelve months is completed — in order that there be through this enumeration a remembrance of the great miracle, [i.e., the exodus from Egypt, which occurred in the first month]. Whenever we will mention the months, the miracle will be remembered. It is for this reason that the months have no individual names in the Torah. Instead, Scripture says: In the third month; And it came to pass in the second year, in the second month … that the cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle of the Testimony; And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, etc., and so in all cases. Just as in counting the weekdays we always remember the Sabbath-day since the weekdays have no specific name of their own, but instead are called “one day in the Sabbath,” “the second day in the Sabbath,” as I will explain, so we remember the exodus from Egypt in our counting “the first month,” “the second month,” “the third month,” etc., to our redemption.
This order of the counting of the months is not in regard to the years, for the beginning of our years is from Tishri, [the seventh month], as it is written, And the feast of ingathering at the turn of the year, and it is further written, And the feast of ingathering, at the end of the year. If so, when we call the month of Nisan the first of the months and Tishri the seventh, the meaning thereof is “the first [month] to the redemption” and “the seventh month” thereto. This then is the intent of the expression, it shall be the first month to you, meaning that it is not the first in regard to the year but it is the first “to you,” i.e., that it be called “the first” for the purpose of remembering our redemption.
Our Rabbis have already mentioned this matter when saying, “The names of the months came up with us from Babylon,” since at first we had no names for the months. The reason for this [adoption of the names of the months when our ancestors returned from Babylon to build the Second Temple], was that at first their reckoning was a memorial to the exodus from Egypt, but when we came up from Babylon, and the words of Scripture were fulfilled — And it shall no more be said: As the Eternal liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but: As the Eternal liveth that brought up and that led the children of Israel from the land of the north — from then on we began to call the months by the names they were called in the land of Babylon. We are thus reminded that there we stayed [during our exile] and from there, blessed G-d brought us up [to our Land]. These names — Nisan, Iyar, and the others — are Persian names and are to be found only in the books of the prophets of the Babylonian era and in the Scroll of Esther. It is for this reason that Scripture says, In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, just as it says, they cast ‘pur,’ that is, the lot. To this day, people of Persia and Media use these names of the months — Nisan, Tishri, and the others — as we do. Thus through the names of the months we remember our second redemption even as we had done until then with regard to the first one.
The Sages taught in another baraita: When the sun is eclipsed, it is a bad omen for the other nations. When the moon is eclipsed, it is a bad omen for the enemies of the Jewish people. This is due to the fact that the Jewish people calculate their calendar primarily based on the moon, and the other nations calculate based on the sun.
§ Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi raises a contradiction between two verses. It is written: “And God made the two great lights” (Genesis 1:16), and it is also written in the same verse: “The greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night,” indicating that only one was great. Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi explains: When God first created the sun and the moon, they were equally bright. Then, the moon said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, is it possible for two kings to serve with one crown? One of us must be subservient to the other. God therefore said to her, i.e., the moon: If so, go and diminish yourself.
She said before Him: Master of the Universe, since I said a correct observation before You, must I diminish myself? God said to her: As compensation, go and rule both during the day along with the sun and during the night. She said to Him: What is the greatness of shining alongside the sun? What use is a candle in the middle of the day? God said to her: Go; let the Jewish people count the days and years with you, and this will be your greatness. She said to Him: But the Jewish people will count with the sun as well, as it is impossible that they will not count seasons with it, as it is written: “And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14). God said to her: Go; let righteous men be named after you. Just as you are called the lesser [hakatan] light, there will be Ya’akov HaKatan, i.e., Jacob our forefather (see Amos 7:2), Shmuel HaKatan the tanna, and David HaKatan, i.e., King David (see I Samuel 17:14).
Waxing and Waning
Another interpretation: "This month for you..." (Exodus 12:2) This is what is written, "That the righteous shall flourish in his days and multiply peace until the moon is no more" (Psalms 72:7) - until the Holy One Blessed Be He does not bring out Israel from the land of Egypt. It was a hint that kingship did not come to them for 30 generations, as it is written "This month for you shall be the head of the months..." A month is 30 days, and your kingship is 30 generations. The moon begins to give light on the 1st of Nissan, and all the more so it gives light until 15 days, and its disc becomes full. And from 15 to 30, its light diminishes - on the 30th, it cannot be seen. Accordingly is Israel 15 generations from Abraham to Solomon. Abraham began to give light, as was written: "Who has roused a righteous one from the East; He shall call him to His foot" (Isaiah 41:2) [reading ha-ir with an ayin "roused" as "ha-ir" with an aleph "gave light"] Isaac came, and even he gave light, as was said, "Light was sown for the righteous" (Psalms 97:11). Jacob came and added light, as was said, "And the light of Israel will be for fire" (Isaiah 10:17). And after this: Judah, Peretz, Ram, Amminadab, Nachshon, Salmon, Boaz, Oved, Jesse, David. When Solomon came, the disc of the moon became full, as was said, "And Solomon sat on the throne of Hashem as king" (1 Chronicles 29:23). And how could a human sit on the throne of the Holy One Blessed Be He who said about it, "His throne was tongues of flame" (Daniel 7:9)? Rather, just as the Holy One Blessed Be He dominated from end to end of the earth and dominates all kings, as is said "All of the kings of the world shall acknowledge You" (Psalms 138:4), so Solomon dominated from end to end of the earth, as was said, "And all the kings of the earth would request to come before Solomon... and each one of them would bring his tribute..." (2 Chronicles 9:23-24) And therefore it was said, "And Solomon sat on the throne of Hashem as king". The Holy One Blessed Be He dressed him in majesty and splendor and gave Solomon the majesty of kingship, as was said, "And He gave him the majesty of kingship..." (1 Chronicles 29:25) on the throne of the Holy One Blessed Be He, as was written, "And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man and the face of a lion..." (Ezekiel 1:10). And regarding Solomon, it was written "And on the insets that were between the frames were lions, oxen..." (I Kings 7:29) And one verse says, "...like the work of chariot wheels..." (I Kings 7:33). On the throne of the Holy One Blessed Be He, no bad thing befalls, as was said, "Evil cannot dwell with You" (Psalms 5:5), and regarding Solomon it is written, "...there is no bad adversary and no bad happenstance" (I Kings 5:20). The Holy One Blessed Be He made 6 firmaments and dwelt in the seventh. And regarding Solomon's throne it is written "Six steps up to the throne..." (I Kings 10:19) and he sits on the seventh step. Behold, the disc of the moon became full, and from there, the kings began to diminish and go: "And the son of Solomon was Rehoboam" (I Chronicles 3:10), and the son of Rehoboam was Aviyah, and his son Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Achazia, Joash, Amazia, Uzziah, Jotham, Achaz, Hezekiah, Menashe, Amon, Josiah, Jehoiakim. Since Zedekiah came, as was written "And the eyes of Zedekiah were blinded" (Jeremiah 52:11) - lacking the moon's light. And all of those years, despite Israel sinning, the patriarchs would pray for them and make peace between Israel and the Omnipresent, as was said, "Let the mountains lift up peace for the people" (Psalms 72:3). And there are no mountains other than the patriarchs, as was said, "Listen, mountains, to the argument of Hashem" (Micah 6:2) . And until when were the patriarchs praying for them? Until Zedekiah lost his eyes and the Temple was destroyed, as was said "..and multiply peace until the moon is no more" (Psalms 72:7) - until 30 generations that Israel had kingship. From that hour until now, who makes peace for Israel? Hashem, as was said, "May Hashem lift his face to you and grant you peace" (Numbers 6:26)
The Rebbe, Shabbat, 16 Av 5785 (1985)
We see from this, that the theme of the Fifteenth of Av, (A) continues into the following days, and (B) in a manner of continuous increase and improvement. Yet at the same time the theme of the Fifteenth of Av is associated with the fact that the moon is in a state of fullness, as we quoted earlier from the Zohar.
This is a contradiction! The Fifteenth of Av conveys the principle of increasing into the future, while the moon begins to wane right after the 15th!
None of the commentaries has approached this perplexing enigma. But we know that: “The words of Torah are sparse in some places and rich in other places” (Yerushalmi), and therefore one must search in all of Torah for an answer. As our sages say:
If you study, and find that you do not come up with an answer — this void is from yourself, you have not been diligent enough in your study. (Yerushalmi, Shabbos 1:4)
The monthly lunar cycle includes: the stage of full moon, also the first half of the month when it waxes, and the subsequent period when the moon wanes, until it disappears completely, only to reemerge again as a new moon. (There is also the period when it disappears completely.)
The Jews count by the moon because they are compared to the moon. “The Jewish people count by the moon because we are compared to the moon” (Sukkah 24a), and, as we recite in the Blessing of the New Moon:
Who likewise are destined to be renewed.... (Blessing of New Moon)
If so, we must say that these two phenomena, waxing from smaller to greater and waning from higher to lower must be mirrored in the Divine service of the Jewish people.
But this is very strange.
Agreed, that a Jew’s Divine service must wax and grow from level to level, but can we say that once he has reached the goal of fullness, he should decrease his action and activity? We have a rule in Torah: “We may raise an object to a higher grade of sanctity,” not lower it!
It behooves us therefore to deduce, that in the first half of the month the incomplete moon represents something negative and lacking — while in the second half of the month — the unfull moon represents a positive quality.
How does the Talmud describe the diminution of the moon? G‑d said: “Go then and make yourself smaller” (Chullin 60b). This is analogous to the description of the Jews: “You are among the smallest of all the nations” (Devarim 7:7). As Rashi explains: “You humble yourselves before Me.” This is the quality of “bittul” — humility!
When a Jew reaches a state of perfection in his Divine service, there is a threat of falling into pride or haughtiness. To eliminate this problem we need the attribute of bittul — “diminish yourself.” Do not minimize your work or your good influence on others, or your radiation of light. We speak only of your ego! Minimize your self-esteem!
Interestingly, the moon, itself, always radiates the same amount of light (half the moon is always lighted by the sun) it is only relative to our view of the moon that it appears to wane and wax! (Because of the axis and period of its rotation around the earth.)
So, too, when we speak of the attribute of humility and self-nullification, it must increase after reaching fullness, in a regular, step by step order, each day a bit more humility, a bit less shine.
In this respect there is a greater quality in the decrease, of the latter half of the month, over the increase, in the former part of the month. The increase is in the radiation of light, the decrease reaches higher, to the level of the source of the light. To reach the point of birth of the new moon there must first be the advancing improvement of the decreasing light during the second half of the month!
This concept is expressed in Tanya:
Whoever is close to G‑d, with ever-exceeding uplifting and elevation, must be even more humble — to the lowliest plane, as it is written: “From afar the L‑rd has appeared to me” (Yirmeyahu 31:2). And it is known that “all that are before Him are esteemed as nothing” (Zohar I:11b). Hence, whoever is more “before Him” is that much more as nothing, naught and non-existent. (Iggeres Hakodesh 2)
Consequently, in our Divine service, our first responsibility is to increase light, day by day, till we reach the state of fullness, then we must exercise restraint and self-abnegation, day by day, to the point of ego disappearance, which brings us closer to the source of light. The cycle then renews itself and resumes its upward movement with the revelation (on Rosh Chodesh) of,
A new and renewed light which never yet shone ... a new, more sublime light descends, so sublime a light as has never yet shone since the beginning of the world, (Iggeres Hakodesh 14)
this being a constant monthly phenomenon.
Excerpt from The Jewish Holy Days in Chassidic Philosophy
The renewal of the moon itself has a Kabbalistic dimension. The moon corresponds to the sefira of malchut in that it "has no light of its own" and shines with reflected light from the sun. Similarly, the spiritual "light" of malchut is only what it receives from the sefirot above it. Just as the moon becomes smaller and smaller until it is not visible immediately before its rebirth, similarly malchut receives its light from the sefirot above it by "nullifying itself" in its yearning to receive this light. In the same way, the Jewish people (who are compared to the moon) are able to become a vessel for G‑d's light through exhibiting the trait of self-nullification.
...
The spiritual character of Rosh Chodesh can best be explained by contrasting it with Shabbat. Each of these two days expresses one mode of a basic two-fold pattern in spiritual service, a pattern that is also built into the structure of Creation: elevation and drawing down. Rosh Chodesh, on which work is permitted, represents drawing down the spiritual into the earthly and mundane; Shabbat, on which work is forbidden, represents elevation, as the mundane and the earthly become more spiritual.
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Chassidic philosophy explains that Rosh Chodesh and Shabbat each have an advantage over the other. The advantage of Shabbat is that it is spiritually loftier than any weekday, and therefore it is forbidden to work. On the other hand, that in itself is the advantage of Rosh Chodesh over Shabbat: It is permitted to work, and the elicitation of G‑dliness reaches farther, all the way down into the workday world. This gives it an advantage in achieving the goal of a "dwelling here below". On Shabbat, time and space themselves are elevated, as if Shabbat is a different world, but the ultimate objective is to draw down G‑dliness into this world.