Rosh Chodesh: new moon, new month
Rosh Chodesh, or ‘New Moon’, is the celebration of the beginning of a new month according to the Hebrew calendar. During the period that Israel was ruled by the Syrian-Greek King Antiochus IV and the Romans it was forbidden for Israel to celebrate the Rosh Chodesh. The meaning of Rosh Chodesh makes it clear to us why the foreign rulers did not want Israel to celebrate New Moon. The meaning of this celebration is the symbol of the renewal of Israel.
It teaches us that the glory of Israel may fade or even disappear. But the people of Israel will always appear again and become full, like it happens to the moon. Every month we are looking for renewal and special things that happened because of the intervention of the God of Israel in our lives and in the land of Israel. Also the miracles that are going to happen in the future because the Bible tells us. All promises of God are going to be fulfilled.
In our own life we recognize times of hardship, joy and times that things are alright, but not always special. In difficult times we look for signs of our God and King to keep us safe and we give Him thanks. We are grateful that we are His children and learn to trust Him more and more. To be thankful is a protection for our soul. It is an attitude that brings us good and no harm. It is an attitude of humility in the best meaning. It will make us feeling blessed by Adonai, Who loves us very much!
Sometimes we feel rejected by people we love. Also we have feelings of inferiority. This are very destructive feelings that we have to battle with the help of Adonai. We have to spend time with Him and discover the root of our suffering in our emotional life. The Lord wants to heal us from these destructive emotions. Usually we need professional help for this, but it is always the Lord Who will bring us healing and victory over this emotional unbalance of our souls.
The celebration of the Feast of New Moon is also considered a special Feast for women in the Jewish tradition. This has to do with our monthly cycle that is connected to the cycle of the moon. We experience during our monthly cycle often emotional state of out of balance in our souls and we need the Lord to help us with these emotional difficulties.
In Jewish tradition women often take a holiday during this Feast to recover and come closer to Adonai. It is obvious how we as women have a need to express our emotions and feelings. We experience this in our congregations. Also we can read this in this website in the articles and in our poetry. By expressing our feelings to one another are we able to heal and become whole!
May Adonai, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in kindness and truth bless each of us in our walk with Him and make us women of valor in order to serve Him and be a light to the nations. BeShem Yeshua Meshicheinu.
by Elze Erwteman