This Shabbat falls on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. That means that the new month is happening! The new Jewish month starts with the new Jewish moon – as soon as you can see a tiny sliver in the sky. Here are a few texts we are told to read this weekend.
Ezekiel 46:3
The common people shall worship before the LORD on sabbaths and new moons at the entrance of the same gate.
וְהִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ עַם־הָאָ֗רֶץ פֶּ֚תַח הַשַּׁ֣עַר הַה֔וּא בַּשַּׁבָּת֖וֹת וּבֶחֳדָשִׁ֑ים לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃
Isaiah 66:23
And new moon after new moon, and sabbath after sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship Me —said the Eternal Source of Life.
וְהָיָ֗ה מִֽדֵּי־חֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ בְּחׇדְשׁ֔וֹ וּמִדֵּ֥י שַׁבָּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ יָב֧וֹא כׇל־בָּשָׂ֛ר לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֥ת לְפָנַ֖י אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה׃
Numbers 10:10
And on your joyous occasions—your fixed festivals and new moon days—you shall sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being. They shall be a reminder of you before your Source: I, the Source Of Life, am your Creator.
וּבְי֨וֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶ֥ם וּֽבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם֮ וּבְרָאשֵׁ֣י חָדְשֵׁיכֶם֒ וּתְקַעְתֶּ֣ם בַּחֲצֹֽצְרֹ֗ת עַ֚ל עֹלֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעַ֖ל זִבְחֵ֣י שַׁלְמֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָי֨וּ לָכֶ֤ם לְזִכָּרוֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹֽקֵיכֶ֔ם אֲנִ֖י ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶֽם׃
The new moon is cause for celebration (especially for women) in a similar way as Shabbat. Rosh Chodesh is a celebrations the people can do on their own – you don’t need a priest or rabbi or officiant. You need to “sound the trumpet” and give thanks!
But why is the moon so special? The moon affects the tides and water on planet Earth. She is a light when the sun goes down and helps us count the months, thus keeping track of time. Maybe she is evidence of some intelligent divine creator. I did a little digging into what else our Torah says about the moon until a spark of inspiration hit me, and check out what I found:
Psalm 89:37
…As the moon, established forever,/and a trustworthy witness in the sky.
כְּ֭יָרֵחַ יִכּ֣וֹן עוֹלָ֑ם וְעֵ֥ד בַּ֝שַּׁ֗חַק נֶאֱמָ֥ן סֶֽלָה׃
This line is one of many that is talking about the continuity of the line of David. But the context matters less here than how the moon is characterized – as a witness.
And it is true. The moon is the eternal, universal witness to our world. You could argue that all the celestial bodies are. But there is something about the moon, isn’t there, that makes you feel as though she is actually listening – like she notices you, too. When lovers are apart, or parents from children, the moon is that central point of connection – look up at the moon and you can know that I’m looking at the same one. She reflects our faces back down to those we are missing. She makes us infinite in this way, just as she has been around since the first humans.
When we look at her, we look at the same orbiting treasure every other person has seen, since the beginning of time on this planet. She is the ultimate link in humanity’s chain – or rather, the hub connecting all of us, spokes.
Perhaps that is how she is different from the sun – we can look at her. We must turn away from the sun or risk damaging our eyes or skin. But the moon, she is the one that turns away and makes us wait for her to re-emerge into the sky. She is the one who makes her fullness or complete lack into our gift. By her cycles, we are given the incredible joy of contrast, or the contrast needed for incredible joy.
Our rabbis teach that “To bless the new moon at the proper time is like greeting the Divine Presence” (Sanhedrin 42a). This makes sense to me. When the moon is new, she is an embodiment of potential – her lack is invigorating because we know she will bloom. We get to revel in her process. If only we saw ourselves this way – that when we are our smallest and most dim we are likewise our most ready to grow. Not to mention, without her waning, the stars couldn’t shine so bright.
This Rosh Chodesh, consider what it means that the moon is our witness. Stand in awe at how many lives have looked to her for guidance. How many songs, poems, stories, paintings, and dreams she has inspired. How many lovers or children have found comfort in her availability.
And though she is our witness, if she could talk? I don’t know if she would. What would she even have to say after all this time?
Yet she has been communicating since she met her first audience. She teaches us how to play peekaboo – to close and emerge and close and emerge again.
Chodesh tov – happy new month.