The Jewish calendar, unlike the secular calendar, is arranged according to the phases of the moon. Many Jewish festivals fall on the full moon. Rosh Chodesh (literally, "head of the month" or "head of the moon"), the first of every Hebrew month, always falls on the new moon. In biblical times, Rosh Chodesh was a festival marked by celebratory sacrifice and feasting, in rabbinic times, bonfires were lit on the mountains to announce the arrival of the new moon, and today Rosh Chodesh remains a minor holiday for all traditional Jews. The renewal of the moon, when the moon begins to show its light after a dark period, is a day for Jews to celebrate their own renewal.
In Jewish lore and mysticism, as in other cultures, the moon has been a symbol for feminine principles. Rosh Chodesh, the new moon, has special meaning for Jewish women. From Talmudic times, Jewish tradition has designated Rosh Chodesh as a special holiday for women. In the Middle Ages, Jewish women did not work on Rosh Chodesh. Instead, they held feasts, charity collections, and even gambling parties with one another (or, sometimes, they saved their laundry to do on Rosh Chodesh!). In recent years, modern women have reclaimed Rosh Chodesh as a time for women's celebrations, and have formed Rosh Chodesh groups for study, reflection, discussion, and creative ritual. Rosh Chodesh groups have spread throughout North America and Israel and are a source of women's spiritual creativity and fellowship. The new moon, a dark time when we wait and hope for the moon's light, has now become a symbol of women emerging from obscurity to take their rightful place in Jewish tradition.
Origins of Rosh ChodeshHow did Rosh Chodesh become a women's holiday? The tradition offers three reasons. Midrash (interpretive legend) from the rabbinic period (4th-10th century) comments on the story of the Golden Calf 1, when the Israelite nation made and worshipped a gold idol while Moses was receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai:
The women heard about the making of the Golden Calf and refused to give their jewelry to their husbands. Instead, they said to them: 'You want to construct an idol, a molten form which is an abomination? We won't listen to you!' And the Holy One of Blessing rewarded them in this world that they would observe the new moons more than men, and in the next world they are destined to be renewed like the moon...
—Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer, 45
In this interpretation, the women are rewarded with a holiday because of their independence, wisdom, and piety in the face of an inappropriate request. Rosh Chodesh becomes a celebration of women's commitment to the Israelite vision of God.
In a second Rosh Chodesh story, a medieval commentator notes that when the Israelites in the wilderness gave their most beautiful materials for the making of the mishkan (the Tabernacle, the dwelling place of God's presence), women donated more than men 2. The Torah says that "the men gathered upon the women" 3, implying that the women were more quick to come with their gifts. Therefore, women refrain from weaving, spinning, and sewing on Rosh Chodesh in honor of their generosity and zealousness 4. In this story, women are the most enthusiastic givers to the Tabernacle, which represents the indwelling Divine Presence. This foreshadows women's association with the Shekhinah, the immanent, feminine aspect of divinity in Jewish culture.
The third story explaining the connection between women and the new moon is perhaps the most telling. According to the Talmud, the moon precipitates an argument because she and the sun are the same size:
The moon said to God: 'Sovereign of the Universe, can two kings share a single crown?' God replied: 'Go and make yourself smaller.' 'Sovereign of the Universe,'she said to him, 'because I made a proper claim before you, am I to make myself smaller?' He said to her, 'Go, and you will rule over both the day and the night.' She said 'What good is a lamp in broad daylight?' He said, 'Go! Israel shall use you to count the days and the years.'[The moon went on complaining].... On seeing that the moon would not be consoled, the Holy One of Blessing said 'Bring an atonement for me for making the moon smaller.'[Hence the sin-offering of the new moon was offered in the Temple.]
—Babylonian Talmud, Chullin 60b
In this story, the moon points out the fundamental problem of duality—how can two beings be equally important? She does not offer a solution, merely asks a question. Instead of answering her, God commands the moon to make herself smaller, implying that one luminary does have to be bigger. But the moon complains that this decision is unjust, and no matter what other gifts and enticements she is offered, she refuses to give up her claim of equality. God is eventually forced to admit that the situation is unfair and makes a sin-offering every month to atone for this injustice. So too, though women have been smaller in influence within the tradition, they have continued to pursue equity and fairness. Just as the moon, according to legend, will be restored to her full size in the time of the Messiah5, so many women hope to achieve full equality when society is transformed.
These legends tell of the origin of Rosh Chodesh as a women's holiday, but they were probably invented long after the connection between women and the moon was formed. Women, like the moon, have cycles, and the association between them is an ancient one. Modern feminism, by reclaiming this holiday as a time for women to share their voices and experience renewal and growth, is connecting both to long-standing Jewish custom and ancient female experience.
Rosh Chodesh Throughout HistoryA variety of colorful sources tell us how women celebrated Rosh Chodesh in different time periods. There was a widespread custom for women not to work on the new moon6. Women refrained from spinning, weaving, cleaning, and other difficult chores. Though some felt women should not entirely refrain from work, in order not to embarrass men, women were encouraged to abstain from all but light work.7 Some women lit memorial candles on Rosh Chodesh. In Yemen, candles were lit in homes and synagogues, and in Algiers, gold coins would be placed inside the burning candles for good luck.8 In Europe, Ashkenazic women recited special Yiddish prayers called techinas for Rosh Chodesh 9, and some women collected charity for the poor. Rabbis declared a ban on Rosh Chodesh gambling because some Jewish women were using the holiday to entertain themselves with gambling.
Some months had particular customs associated with them. Rosh Chodesh Nisan, the beginning of the month when Passover falls, was the anniversary of the death of Miriam the prophetess 10. Some women began Passover preparations on that day.11 Rosh Chodesh Tevet, which falls during the last days of Chanukah, was associated with Judith, a Chanukah heroine, and was called Chag haBanot, Festival of the Daughters.12 This holiday was a time when women sent presents to their married daughters, gathered in the synagogue to pray for their young daughters, passed down inheritances, and accepted gifts from their bridegrooms.13 Rosh Chodesh Kislev has special meaning for the Jews of Ethiopia—the day before Rosh Chodesh Kislev is the holiday of Siged, when the community celebrates, and when women recall their dedication to Jewish tradition.14
Celebrating Rosh Chodesh in the Here and NowThe modern woman's conception of Rosh Chodesh began with feminists who wanted to create authentically Jewish women's traditions and recover neglected one. Their Rosh Chodesh celebrations included newly invented liturgies as well as re-creations of old rituals. Some groups gathered to celebrate biblical women and tell new stories about them. Others gathered to explore Jewish law and practice. Some groups invented ways to worship feminine aspects of divinity, or to celebrate new rites of passage related to women's lives. Many of the new women's rituals we have came out of Rosh Chodesh communities. Members of Rosh Chodesh groups came from all religious denominations and levels of observance. From its inception, this new approach to Rosh Chodesh was a force for spiritual creativity and cultural change.
Rosh Chodesh means different things for different women. Some light a candle, make a blessing over a cup honoring Miriam the prophet, or buy flowers. Some attend an independent group; others attend a synagogue-affiliated Rosh Chodesh group. Some Rosh Chodesh groups focus on study of Torah or other texts or invite a woman speaker or teacher. Some discuss current events, women's history, or their own spiritual struggles. Some focus on inventing creative new rituals; some just begin or end with a ritual. Many groups focus on life events, activities, or themes pertaining to the month: new growth for Shvat, month of the trees' birthday; mourning for Av, month of the destruction of the Temple; masks and hiding for Adar, the month of Purim; freedom for Nisan, the month of Passover. Some groups work on art projects or other creative work that centers on women and Judaism.
On ritualwell.org, you'll find advice on how to begin a Rosh Chodesh group, suggestions for prayers and rituals to use, activities for each month, and references to look up for further information. You can also contact Ma'yan and Kolot for further help or to learn about groups in your area. In addition, "Kolot's Rosh Chodesh: It's a Girl Thing!" helps to organize Rosh Chodesh groups for adolescent girls. If you are already a member of a group, or when your group gets started, send us your ideas, rituals and activities so that we can share them with others. We are eager to hear from you!
Rabbi Jill Hammer
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1. Ex. 32
2. Mekorei haMinhagim, 38
3. Ex. 35:2
4. the commentator Rashi, on Megillah 22b
5. Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer 45, 51
6. Jerusalem Talmud, Shulchan Arukh
7. Mishnah Berurah
8. Celebrating the New Moon, p. 9
9. Berrin, Susan. Celebrating the New Moon. Northvale, New Jersey: Jason Aronson, 1996, p.51
10. Numbers 20:1; Adelman, Penina. Miriam's Well. New York: Biblio Press, 1986, p. 66
11. Celebrating the New Moon, p. 17
12. Miriam's Well, p. 86
13. Celebrating the New Moon, p. 18
14. Celebrating the New Moon, p. 19
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