the first day of every Jewish month; a minor holiday
12
votes
3answers
245 views
Why is Rosh Chodesh sometimes TWO days?
Why for certain months of the year do we celebrate the festival of Rosh Chodesh for two days while on other Roshei Chadashim we have one day of Rosh Chodesh?
9
votes
2answers
118 views
Purpose of announcing Molad
The custom is that the gabbai announces the time of the Molad during the course of "Bircas HaChodesh" on Shabbos Mevorchim. What is the purpose of this? The molad is anyhow not directly connected to ...
8
votes
3answers
260 views
Meat on Rosh Chodesh of 9 days
Why is The reasoning that Sefardim do eat on Rosh Chodesh and Ashkinazim do not?
Sefardim
http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=950&txtSearch=meat 9 days
Ashkenazim
...
7
votes
2answers
677 views
What are “Chukei Rosh Chodesh”?
In the Musaf of Rosh Chodesh, we mention that Hashem has given us "חוקי ראש חודש". What are these Chukim?
7
votes
3answers
159 views
Hours, minutes, and chalakim
On Shabbat preceding Rosh Chodesh, the time of the molad is generally announced in units of hours, minutes, and chalakim. However, minutes are not a traditional Jewish unit of time; rather hours are ...
7
votes
1answer
72 views
Source for wearing special clothing on Rosh Chodesh
Is there a source for wearing somewhat festive clothes on Rosh Chodesh?
I have seen some people who hold this custom.
7
votes
1answer
79 views
forgot birkas hachodesh
If a congregation forgot to say birkas hachodesh on the Shabas before rosh chodesh, should it say it another time? When? (Does it, perhaps, depend on what day(s) of the week rosh chodesh is?)
Note: ...
6
votes
3answers
106 views
Why do we Daven for (יראת שמים) fear of heaven twice?
In the Birchas HaChodesh that we say monthly the Shabbos prior to Rosh Chodesh we say as follows:
Chaim Sheyesh Bohem Yiras Shomayim V'Yiras Chet and then in the same paragraph we later say Chaim ...
6
votes
2answers
114 views
When do we start reciting Psalm 27?
Yesterday being the 30th of Av (and Rosh Chodesh Elul), prompted a question at shul: exactly when do we start saying Psalm 27—on the first day of Elul or the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul? Most ...
6
votes
1answer
65 views
Forgiveness on Rosh Chodesh
If Rosh Chodesh is a "Zeman Kapara" (time of atonement) as we say in the Mussaf prayers, why does it contain no selichot and no tachanunim? Why doesn't it (the day of Rosh Chodesh itself) resemble Yom ...
6
votes
2answers
177 views
5
votes
2answers
91 views
Why do we “bentch” Rosh Chodesh the Shabbos before?
On the Shabbosim before Rosh Chodesh we "Bench" the new month between Shacharis and Mussaf (like here).
Why do we do this? What's the source for it?
5
votes
4answers
72 views
How to care about the molad
I have read the great answers to Purpose of announcing Molad and understood that the halakhic reason to know the molad is to know what the Sanhedrin would know when they declared a new month.
But ...
5
votes
1answer
93 views
Why do we Daven for יראת שמים / fear of Heaven?
The Gemara in Nidah 16: mentions the following in the name of Rabbi Chanina:
דאמר רבי חנינא הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים
שנאמר (דברים י) ועתה ישראל מה ה' אלהיך שואל מעמך כי אם ליראה וגו'. - ...
5
votes
2answers
55 views
Why do Israelis keep one day of Yom Tov?
From what I understand, we outside of Eretz Yisrael we keep two days of Yom Tov as a continuation of the minhag that evolved from the time of the Bais Hamikdash when we would not necessarily know when ...
5
votes
1answer
47 views
Mistake in aliyah on Rosh Chodesh
On Rosh Chodesh we have four aliyos by Krias HaTorah.
Rosh Chodesh fell out on Monday and by mistake it was read by the first aliyah of Kohen the Parsha of that week. After the aliyah was finished ...
4
votes
4answers
88 views
Why are the commandments for Rosh Chodesh and Passover in the same paragraph?
The reading for Parashat Hachodesh consists of a single paragraph in the Torah, Exodus 12:1-20, whose main topic is God's commandments related to the Passover offering and holiday observance that ...
4
votes
3answers
781 views
Saying Ulichaporas Pasha in Musaf of Rosh Chodesh
During Musaf of Rosh Chodesh the words Ulichaporas Pasha is added on during a leap year. Why is this done? And what is the significance of it?
4
votes
2answers
215 views
Tefillin removal on Rosh Chodesh
Removal before Musaf, some wait until after Kaddish, some don't. Why wait? Is there a source for this?
Some do not 'wind up' the rezuas but wait until after amidah. Is this because it creates a ...
4
votes
1answer
63 views
Shir HaMa'aloth or 'Al Naharoth Bavel on Rosh Hodesh Av?
When Bentching on Rosh Hodesh Av, do you say Shir HaMa'aloth for Rosh Hodesh or 'Al Naharoth Bavel for the Nine Days?
3
votes
1answer
104 views
New Moon Based on Sighting Outside of the Land of Israel
I would appreciate someone directing me to a source that states/indicates/suggests whether the visibility of the new moon outside the Land of Israel may be used to begin the Jewish month in that ...
3
votes
1answer
77 views
When to get an aliya for a Bar Mitzvah?
According to the new "Annotated Edition" of the Siddur Tehillas Hashem, a Bar Mitzvah bachur should get his first aliya either on Shabbos Mincha time, Monday, Thursday, or Rosh Chodesh.
I assume that ...
3
votes
1answer
74 views
Posuk (Breishis 24:1) said after the end of Hallel on Rosh Chodesh
Artscroll Hebrew Siddurim - and 1 2 among others have at the end of Hallel to say the following Posuk.
וְאַבְרָהָם זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים וַה' בֵּרַךְ אֶת-אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל
Artscroll says it is a ...
3
votes
2answers
158 views
Cutting hair when Rosh Hodesh Av is a Friday
Is it permissible to cut hair on Rosh Hodesh Av when it comes out on a Friday?
3
votes
1answer
47 views
Splitting up the rosh chodesh reading when another follows it
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 684:3 says (in my own translation):
If rosh chodesh Teves comes out on Shabas, we remove three Torah scrolls, and six people read in the weekly section and one in that ...
3
votes
1answer
53 views
Forgot to say Yaaleh V'Yavo by Shacharis Rosh Chodesh - before the Molad
Orach Chaim 422:1 mentions that one who forgets Yaale V'Yavo at Maariv does not have to Daven again since we do not do Kiddush HaChodesh at night. However if one forgot at Shacharis or Mincha he does ...
3
votes
1answer
150 views
Shabbat Rosh Chodesh: Ata yatzarta
Why does the Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Musaf have its own special text (Ata Yatzarta Olamecha Mikedem ...) for the middle beracha?
3
votes
3answers
651 views
Music on Rosh Chodesh Iyar?
1) Are you allowed to listen to Music on Rosh Chodesh Iyar? 1a) Does your individual Sefirah status matter such as the first half, second half or both?
3
votes
0answers
69 views
Why isn't Tefilat Mussaf consistent?
[Edit: According to Nusach Edot HamMizrach,] why does the Mussaf prayer on Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh include a description of the actual mussaf sacrifice, while the Mussaf prayer on Moed does not? Why ...
2
votes
4answers
103 views
Jewish Leap Year
Why when we add an additional month to the year do we only add it in Adar? Why not have a second Chesvon or a second Shevat, etc.?
2
votes
3answers
339 views
Why do we say the complete Hallel on Chanuka?
On Rosh Chodesh and after the first days of Pesach we say Chatzi Hallel. Why on Chanuka do we say Hallel Shaleim?
2
votes
1answer
118 views
Why is my molad-time chart off by a day?
The HaMaor Mikraos Gedolos chumash has a chart of molad (forecasted first visibility of the new moon in Jerusalem, based on averages observable to the naked eye, assuming Jerusalem local time; am I ...
2
votes
1answer
206 views
Shaving on Rosh Chodesh when it is Erev Shabbos
Is one who has the minhag of Reb Yehuda Hachassid to not shave or take a haircut on rosh chodesh (as outlined in his will) allowed to shave and or take haircuts when Rosh Chodesh comes out on Erev ...
1
vote
2answers
65 views
Rosh Chodesh Av versus the rest of the 9 days?
Is Rosh Chodesh Av any different than the rest of the nine days in terms of stringencies otherwise applicable during the nine days and the three weeks? For example, is there any heter to listen to ...
1
vote
2answers
74 views
More info on tzerufei shemos (permutations of G-d's name) vis-a-vis months of the year?
I've seen some siddurim -- I think the Artscroll all-Hebrew Nusach Sefard -- that list one permutation of the name YKVK for each of the twelve months, and that one should have appropriate kavana when ...
1
vote
0answers
37 views
Why is the atonement for פשע limited to leap years in the Amida for Musaf Rosh Chodesh? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Saying Ulichaporas Pasha in Musaf of Rosh Chodesh
This question is a slightly different take on this one. I have posted a comment there and await to see if it needs to ...
0
votes
0answers
45 views
How important is it to read from a Torah on Rosh Chodesh?
Where does the practice of reading for the Torah on Rosh Chodesh come from and how crucial is it?
Would skipping it (due to lack of easily accessible Sefer Torah) constitute a serious transgression?
...
-1
votes
0answers
37 views
Can a gentile celebrate the holidays like Rosh Hashanah or Pesshach with jews?
we have gentile friends that would like to celebrate the Chagim with us.
Can they do it? Also on Yom Kippur?
