{"id":5153,"date":"2010-02-01T08:00:17","date_gmt":"2010-02-01T06:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=5153"},"modified":"2010-02-01T08:00:17","modified_gmt":"2010-02-01T06:00:17","slug":"05-01-08","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-01-08\/","title":{"rendered":"8 \u2013 Shabbat Mevarchim (Blessing the New Month)"},"content":{"rendered":"
On the Shabbat<\/em> before Rosh Chodesh<\/em>, the custom is to announce the day or days on which the new month will fall, and to pray that \u201cHaKadosh Baruch Hu<\/em> renew it for us and all of Israel for goodness and blessing.\u201d In a certain way, this also commemorates the sanctification of the new moon that the Beit Din<\/em> used to perform. Therefore, the custom is to announce the exact time at which the new moon will appear (the molad<\/em>). This is also why we stand during the ceremony, because the people used to stand before the Beit Din<\/em> when it performed the mitzvah<\/em> of Kiddush HaChodesh<\/em>. There is only one Rosh Chodesh<\/em> before which we do not bless the new month \u2013 Tishrei<\/em>, because Rosh Chodesh Tishrei<\/em> is also the holiday of Rosh HaShanah<\/em>, and everyone knows that it\u2019s coming[11]<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n We announce the coming of the new month specifically on Shabbat<\/em> because that is when the entire congregation is gathered in the synagogue, and everyone will hear when Rosh Chodesh<\/em> is slated to fall. Furthermore, all the days of the week receive blessing from Shabbat<\/em>, and even the sanctity of Rosh Chodesh<\/em> flows from the Shabbat<\/em> that precedes it. Therefore, we bless the new month on that day. This is why we begin to feel on that Shabbat<\/em> the festiveness of the forthcoming Rosh Chodesh<\/em>[12]<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n
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