In this Psalm we can understand that the moon was to be used to set Yehovah’s mo’edim or the SCRIPTURAL HOLYDAYS (Leviticus 23). All the Feasts ³ are related to the NEW MOON. But when the Torah of Mosheh was written, Psalm 104 was not yet written. We must then ask ourselves, “How did the ancient Israelites know this?” The answer is that the Hebrew word for MONTH (CHODESH) itself indicates a connection to the moon. The word is used interchangeably with the word YERAH (moon) in the Scriptures. For example:

“In the month (YERAH) of Ziw, which is the second month (CHODESH)...” 1 Kings 6:1
Br “In the month (YERAH) of Bul, which is the eighth month (CHODESH)...” 1 Kings 6:38

Also see “A CHODESH (month) of days” Genesis 29:14; Exodus 11:20-21 [meaning a period of 29-30 days], which corresponds to the phrase “A YERAH (month/moon) of days” Numbers 21:13; 2 Kings 15:13. So, clearly Chodesh is related to YERAH, which means moon!

The meaning of CHODESH is then actually “NEW MOON” or the “NEW MOON DAY”, and only by extension came to mean month; or the period between one new moon and another.

In 1 Samuel 20:5, David said to Yehonathan,”See tomorrow is the NEW MOON...” meaning a SPECIFIC DAY on which a new month begins and not the ENTIRE month. We can also see this in Ezekiel 46:1 which says,” The day (Yom) of the NEW MOON (ha-Chodesh).” This speaks then of a specific event and the beginning of a month when the event occurs.

The Hebrew word Chodesh comes from the root word CH-D-SH (chet-dalet-shin) which means, “new, renewed, to make new/renew”. The CRESENT New Moon is called CHODESH because it is the FIRST time the moon is SEEN ANEW after being CONCEALED for SEVERAL DAYS at the end of the lunar cycle. At the end of the cycle the moon is close to the sun and reaches the CONJUCTION when it passes between the earth and the sun. At this point the moon is NOT VISIBLE because of the glare of the sun. The moon then moves past the sun and continues towards the opposite side of the earth. As it moves away from the sun, a small percentage of its surface becomes VISIBLE shortly AFTER sunset one evening after being INVISIBLE for 1.5-3.5 days. The moon is then seen ANEW and becomes what our ancient fathers called a “New Moon” or Chodesh”. At the beginning of the month the moon seems to be born again in a THIN CRESENT known in Hebrew as a MOLAD, a word connoting BIRTH” The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life and Thought”.

Originally this word CHODESH meant the very FIRST SLIVER of the moon or CRESENT seen after the conjunction. Modern astronomers took the term and applied it to the conjunction ITSELF (when the moon is INVISIBLE). So today, to be more accurate, the scientists refer to the “astronomical new moon” and the “crescent new moon” (or the first sliver that can be observed). Any good dictionary will give BOTH as the meaning for new moon.

Because of this calculation by scientists, many have sought for Scriptural proof of the invisible moon being the New Moon. They usually sight Psalm 81:3 which says “Blow the ram’s horn (shofar) at the time of the CHODESH (New Moon), at the KESEH (Full Moon), on the day of our CHAG (Feast).” According to the “invisible moon” observance, the term KESEH comes from the root word K-S-Y meaning to cover or conceal. Thus we have the observation of the new moon on the “covered or concealed moon”. A shofar then is blown on the “concealed moon” .The problem is that the Hebrew in the second part of the verse does NOT support that thought. It calls the KESEH as “the day of our Chag or FEAST”. In the Scriptures the word CHAG, ALWAYS REFERS TO THE THREE PILGRIMAGE FEASTS OF Yehovah (PASSOVER, SHAVUOT, AND Tabernacles see Exodus 23, 34).

NEW MOON DAY is NEVER classified as a “pilgrimage Feast”. Therefore KESEH/CHAG cannot possibly mean New Moon Day (CHODESH). It has been suggested that the CHAG spoken of here is YOM TERUAH (Feast of Trumpets), which does fall on a New Moon Day. However, Yom Teruah is listed as one of the MO’EDIM NOT a CHAG. Therefore this verse is not talking of Yom Teruah!

KESEH is probably related to the ARAMAIC word KISTA and the ASSYRIAN-KUSEU, which mean FULL MOON (Brown-Driver-Briggs p.490b). This makes perfect sense as TWO of the three CHAG (Passover and Tabernacles) are on the 15th of a month or a FULL MOON!

One other point is that there is no actual day of the concealed moon. The moon stays concealed between 1.5 –3.5 days in the Middle East (Israel). It has been said that it is the day of the conjunction. NOTE: It was 1,000 years after Mosheh and the Torah that the BABYLONIANS discovered how to calculate the moment of conjunction of the moon. Therefore the ancient Yisraelites HAD NO WAY of figuring the day of conjunction UNTIL AFTER THEY CAME OUT OF BABYLON! They could not look at the “old moon” and calculate the conjunction date, as in Israel it could be as long as 3.5 days! Today it is common for the moon to stay concealed for 2.5 days in Israel.

No, the ancient Israelites knew the New Moon by the VISIBLE CRESENT. They would have been watching the “old moon” and notice it getting smaller and smaller in the morning sky. When the “morning moon” disappeared, they would have waited for its REAPPEARANCE 1.5-3.5 days later in the evening sky. After its observation by TWO WITNESSES and the notification of the Sanhedrin, the news was relayed throughout ERETZ YISRAEL by beacons or fires on the mountaintops, starting with the Mount of Olives in Yerushalayim. The shofar was sounded and the mo’ed began!

“ ...and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your peace offerings .And they shall be a remembrance for you before your Elohim. I AM Yehovah your Elohim.” Numbers 10:10

We read in 1 Samuel 20 and 2 Kings 4:22-23 that the New Moon was a Festival time of family and friends to meet and hold a feast (food). It was a time to fellowship and seek out the man of Yehovah (NAVI-prophet). It appears in Amos 8:5 that it was possibly observed as a Sabbath. In the Torah Revival of Ezra the observance of the New Moons were restored (Ezra 3:5).

We read in Colossians 2:16 that the early talmidim of Yeshua observed the New Moons. This verse is NOT against the observance of Shabbat and New Moons! It is saying that no one is to judge us IF we DO OBSERVE these Feasts of Yehovah! These are shadows (protection skiavon the Greeek is the same as the Hebrew lc which is a shadow or shadow to protect) of things for the Body of Messiah of things to come! This verse has been mistranslated and misinterpreted for centuries by the “gentiles”.

In Hoshea 2:11 Yehovah says that there would come a time that the House of Yisrael would cease to observe the New Moon and Shabbat (Hosea 2:11). He would cause ALL her rejoicing, festivals, New Moons, Feast days, and Shabbats to cease! This was her punishment for leaving the Torah and committing fornication with other mighty ones! Remember Yisrael (the Northern Tribes) set up FALSE FEAST DAYS (see 2 Kings 17). This happened when Ephraim became scattered into the GOYIM (nations) and assimilated herself into their religions, mighty ones, and holidays! Even now, the “church’ does not observe the New Moon! When we leave Torah, we forget our identity as Yisrael!

What about today? Should we as Biblically Hebraic believers celebrate the New Moons as the early Yisraelites did in the Torah? YES! Yeshua said Matthew 5:17-19 that He did NOT come to destroy the Torah of Mosheh, but to bring it to its fullest expression. As long as heaven and earth would remain, Torah would stand! Torah is for you and me! OK then-how do I celebrate the New Moon as Yisrael?

The first thing we do is gather together on the night of the New Moon for a festival gathering, with food and fellowship. Then we go outside to actually observe the New Moon, recite Numbers 10:10 and say this blessing “ Blessed are you Yehovah our Elohim, King of the universe, who has kept us alive and sustained us, and enabled us to enjoy this season.” Then we sound the SHOFAR loud and long to announce Rosh Chodesh. We recite the following blessing, “Blessed are the people that know the sound of the shofar, in the light of your countenance, Yehovah, shall they walk.” Also, the blessing for the New Moon can be recited in the congregation (3-14 days after the New Moon) after Havdalah on Shabbat. The Talmud states that,” Whoever pronounces the benediction over the New Moon...welcomes, as it were, the presence of the Shekinah.” It also says,” Had Israel merited no other privilege than to greet the presence of their Heavenly Father once a month (New Moons), it would have been sufficient.”

The focus here is two-fold. Like the moon, Yehovah is continually renewing Yisrael. The New Moon is a SYMBOL, SIGN, and WITNESS of Yisrael’s redemption and total restoration. It speaks of the hope of the restoration of the Davidic Dynasty and reign under Moshiach (more on that later under the prophetic significance). It is traditional to say,”David King of Yisrael LIVES!” Speaking of the restoration of the reign of David from Yerushalayim. The New Moon also speaks of atonement. In Jewish tradition, Rosh Chodesh is a mini Yom Kippur, or a time for confession, repentance, and atonement. Rav Shaul also quotes this verse in Romans chapter 11:26, speaking of the time when “ALL YISRAEL will be saved.” So the focus during Rosh Chodesh is atonement and the Messianic Kingdom! It is interesting to note that these two themes are the focus of the Passover Seder and Yeshua’s memorial meal. Interestingly enough, Chasidic Rebbes hold a Tish (Yiddish for table/the rebel’s meal where bread and wine are served) on Rosh Chodesh and sing Psalm 104 (please read this wonderful Psalm of praise to Yehovah).

In recent years the New Moon has become a special festival for women. They form Rosh Chodesh groups, which meet on the New Moon to celebrate, light candles (symbolic of the ancient bonfires on the mountain tops to signal the New Moon) and study the Torah together. They have created new rituals that combine the ancient and modern symbols of the moon, water, and women. Perhaps this would be a good time for the women to under go mikveh (immersion to ritually cleanse) in a mikveh pool if available? Women’s monthly cycle (menses) is connected to the waxing and thewaning of the moon every 28 days. We find that the moon also controls the tides, whose ebbs and flows parallels the organic rhythms of the women’s female fluids. That is why the moon has from ancient times been a symbol of the woman’s procreative powers and femininity. This is the reason the Kabbalists say the moon represents the Shekinah, Yehovah’s feminine aspects in His character.

We can see that there are several ways then, we as Biblically Hebraic believers, can celebrate or observe the New Moon. It is important the we set Yehovah’s Feast days by the New Moon and start the sacred calendar with the FIRST NEW MOON of “GREEN EARS Of BARLEY”(AVIV) seen in Israel. I think it is also needful for Biblically Hebraic women to begin celebrating the New Moons with study groups meeting on the New Moons. Every congregation should be observing these mini-festivals of Yehovah.

“ And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, ALL FLESH shall come to worship before Me,” declares Yehovah. Isaiah 66:23
“ Thus said the Master Yehovah,” The gate of the inner courtyard facing EAST is shut the six days of work, but on the Sabbath it is opened, and on the day of the NEW MOON it is opened.” Ezekiel 46:1

We now come to the final portion of this teaching. Many people do not realize that in the Millennial Kingdom or what is known as the Messianic Kingdom the New Moon will still be observed by Yisrael! The above scriptures tell us that we will GO UP to Yerushalayim to stand before Yehovah (as in the Chag) and worship Him in the third Temple (Biet HaMikdash). Melek Moshiach Yeshua (the PRINCE of Ezek.44-48) will personally offer up the offerings on the Sabbath (Ezek.46: 4), the Feasts (Ezek.46: 11-12), and NEW MOONS. This will go on for 1,000 literal years!

Rosh Chodesh then is always associated with the renewal of the Davidic Dynasty and the rebuilding of the Tabernacle of David (see Amos 9:11; Acts 15:16). The sages (Sanhedrin 42a) associate the moon’s renewal with the ultimate renewal of the Yisraelite people in the Era of Redemption (reign of Messiah). They say,” The shining of the moon ANEW each month, however, reassures us of the coming of the ultimate rebirth-the REDEMPTION...Thus the rebirth of the moon also reflects a promise of renewal for that dynasty (David’s), the shining forth of the LIGHT of Moshiach, who will be a descendant of David (Rambam, Mishnah Torah, Hilchos Melachim 11:4). Rebbe Moshiach Yeshua said He was the light of the world (John 9:5). Psalm 89 is a Psalm of Yehovah’s faithfulness to His covenant with David.

In Psalm 89:37 (speaking of this covenant) Yehovah says,” It shall be established FOREVER as the MOON, and a faithful WITNESS in the sky.” Yehovah promises that the Messiah should come from David’s lineage in this Psalm .

The sages also explain to us that the Sanctification of the Moon should be recited with JOY and CELEBRATION that should parallel that of a WEDDING (remember the Ketubah). For the redemption of the Yisraelite people alludes to an analogy, as the renewal of the marriage bond to Yehovah at Mount Sinai (Rama, Darchei Moshe426; Taanis 5:7). The prophet Hoshea says in Hosea 2:19,”And I (Yehovah) will betroth you to ME FOREVER; yeh, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, and in justice, and in CHESED (loving kindness-covenant love) and mercies. I will even betroth you unto ME in faithfulness; and you shall know Yehovah.” He is speaking to the Northern Kingdom of Yisrael . Israel will be restored in their marriage to Yehovah as in the beginning at Mount Sinai! HALLELU-YAH!

The ceremony of the Sanctification of the Moon includes the following verse:” The voice of my Beloved! See, He is coming, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.” Song of Solomon 2:8.The Yalkut Shimoni comments that,” the voice of my Beloved refers to Moshiach. He comes and tells Israel –You will be redeemed this month.”

This blessing is so appropriate as Moshiach Yeshua will return on the New Moon at Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets/Shouting) for the final redemption of Yisrael (I Thess.4: 16; Matt. 24: 31; Rev.11: 15-19). “Sound the GREAT SHOFAR for our freedom; raise a banner to gather our EXILES, and bring us TOGETHER from the FOUR CORNERS of the earth into our land.” Daily liturgy Tehillat Yehovah. Daily we are praying for this final return of Messiah Yeshua and the gathering together as one the twelve tribes of Yisrael.