Rosh Chodesh – The hidden holiday (and a celebration of feminine spirituality)

With the conclusion of the Biblical holidays of Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret, it could appear that there will be a little break now until we celebrate our next holiday from the 5 books of the Torah (Hanukkah is of rabbinic origin and the holiday of Purim was instituted by the prophets).

However, in truth, in just a few days we will be celebrating the biblical holiday of Rosh Chodesh! This is a holiday from the Torah that comes by every month but often is hardly noticed. When one examines the holiday of Rosh Chodesh a little bit more deeply, there appears to be a great mystery surrounding this recurring day. What is the secret underlying this mystery? Why do we say Hallel on this day? Usually when we say Hallel it is because the Jewish people experienced a salvation. What is the salvation that we are celebrating every month on Rosh Chodesh? Moreover, there is a custom that women do not work on Rosh Chodesh (see postscript at the end for specific details). What is it about Rosh Chodesh that particularly connects to women? Why also does there also appear to be a strong connection between King David and Rosh Chodesh ( In Kiddush Levana we mention him and there are other connections between King David and the new moon). Also, in the prophets that describe the End of Days, Rosh Chodesh is often mentioned? Why is a holiday that is hardly celebrated today given such importance in the future Messianic age?

Everything in creation is Male and Female

The Gemara in Bava Basra ( 99B) makes an extraordinary but somewhat cryptic statement. The Gemara says that Hashem created everything in the world with a Male/Female format. In other words, within the inner structure of the world one will find a recurring Male/Female dynamic. Now it is important to clarify that when we use the terms Male and Female in this context, the deeper understanding is that the Male is the giver (the Mashpia) and the Female is the receiver (the Mekabel). This is the dynamic in which new life is formed and this is why the man often earns the parnassah (livelihood) and this is why the man has more of an overarching mitzvah to study our holy Torah-since it his job to bestow upon his wife physical and spiritual blessings. Throughout much of our history, this is the way it has been. The man earns the money and the wife uses it to run a home. The man learns Torah and the woman takes his abstract spirituality and turns it into the living bedrock of an elevated Jewish home experience. This dynamic is expressed in the terminology of the holy Zohar when the man is compared to the sun and the women to the moon.

From the aforementioned perspective, however, one can come to the sense that the male role is more superior since it deals with more lofty spirituality and also earns more income. Moreover, the feminine role, while important though, is compared to the moon which can not compare to the importance and illumination of the sun.

The Woman is the “crown of her husband”

However, there is another perspective that is a bit deeper and as we come closer to Mashiach is becoming more central to our consciousness. In the book of Mishlei ( Proverbs) the Woman of Valor is called “the crown of her husband”. In other words, just as the crown rests above the head, so too the Woman of Valor rests above her husband. From this perspective the woman is not the receiver, who so to speak is “lower” than the giver. Rather she is of loftier status like a royal crown that is above the head of a king.

But how do we reconcile this? How can we say simultaneously that the woman is the “receiver” and at the same time the “crown of her husband”? The first perspective suggests that she is on a “lower” level, whereas the second perspective suggests that she is on a “higher” level?

Kaballistic Spiritual hierarchy: Female, Male, Female

So in order to reconcile this, we have to understand that in the deeper Jewish system of thought based upon the teaching of the Kabbalah, the spiritual hierarchy of the world is first 1.) Feminine (corresponding to the highest sefira of Keser which is united with Malchus , the primary feminine sefira), Keter Malchus) 2.) Male (corresponding primarily to the six sefiros that make up the ‘Zear Anpin’ , the sefiros that give to the malchut) 3.) Feminine ( corresponding to the Malchus, the primary feminine sefira that receives from all of the higher sefiros).

In order to understand this better, let us briefly examine a passage from the ancient Kaballistic work, Sefer Yetzira. In the aforementioned work it says בתחילתן סופן נעוץ,” the end is wedged in the beginning”. Let us elucidate: If a person wants to build a house, the starting point is the pure desire to have a home. From the initial desire until the point when you actually move into the house there will be many steps and challenges. However, everything begins with the initial desire or will. ( This is called ratzon in Hebrew and corresponds to the highest sefira called Keter.) Now the initial desire by itself is something purely ethereal. Only when the initial desire is fully actualized does the initial desire achieve its true fruition. So this is what it means that the “end is wedged in the beginning”. The physical actualization of something is always rooted in the beginning desire and is the full expression of it.

The Midrash Tanchuma in Parshas Naso sasy tha Hakadosh Baruch Hu created the world because He wanted a בתחתונים דירה, ” a dwelling place in the lower realm”. In other words, the ultimate purpose of creation is to elevate the physical world and turn it into a dwelling place for Hashem. All of our mitzvot and spiritual activities are here to help give us spiritual energy for that ultimate goal. In this vein, the Baal Shem Tov explains that when one involves himself in business in accordance with the Torah’s laws of justice and integrity, he is actually expressing the essential Divine will more than even a great Talmid Chacham who may have studied in depth all of the monetary laws from the Talmud! The reason for this is that the ultimate purpose of creation is not just to study but to take the ideas of the Torah and elevate the physical world.

Studying Torah is a gigantic mitzvah and it can imbue a person with incredible spiritual energy. However, the ultimate purpose is the action that follows the study. מעשה לידי שמביא תלמוד גדול. “Great is learning for it brings to action”.

So the unique dynamic of feminine spirituality is the great fusion between the spirituality that is intimately involved with the physical world and simultaneously reveals the ultimate desire of creation that vivifies the entire process of creation.

For most of history, most people have only been focused on the “lower” part of feminine spirituality-the part that cleans the home and takes care of the children so to speak, the part that is very involved in the physical. However, as Mashiach comes closer, one of the big changes is that the higher aspect of feminine spirituality is . which the wife is the “crown of her husband” is becoming more revealed ( this is why there is much more learning-in breadth and depth-amongst Jewish women today than there was in the past). This higher part of feminine spirituality is the catalyst for the ultimate expression of elevating the physical world.

So let us try now to answer the opening questions:

Answering the questions about Rosh Chodesh

We asked about the mystery of Rosh Chodesh? Well, Rosh Chodesh is the celebration of the new moon. The moon always corresponds to the feminine aspect of creation as we explained earlier. The mystery of spiritual femininity that Rosh Chodesh is attempting to express is that while on face value, to many, the feminine role may seem “lower” than the male , but from the ultimate purpose of creation the feminine role is the expression of the main purpose.

Why do we say Hallel of Rosh Chodesh? Well the Aruch Hashulchan ( 422,2) explains that we say Hallel on Rosh Chodesh to celebrate the future redemption. In other words, Hallel on Rosh Chodesh is not commemorating an event from the past but anticipating the ultimate event of the future. Since the higher element of feminine spirituality, in which the ultimate will is one with the physical action, will only be fully expressed in future times, the celebration of Rosh Chodesh which is a holiday that focuses on feminine spirituality is ultimately future based. ( However, since this ultimate revelation has not been fully expressed yet, we do not say a complete Hallel on Rosh Chodesh).

Now it is important to emphasize here, that the usage of the term feminine here is very relative. In many contexts, such as the Song of Songs, the entire Jewish people are referred to in the feminine sense in relation to Hashem, the ultimate giver who is the male. So in this national context, Rosh Chodesh is ultimately celebrating the hope and anticipation for the full expression and purpose of the collective national Jewish soul.

But since Rosh Chodesh is connected to the moon which is a symbol of feminine spirituality this helps us also understand why women have a custom to refrain from some physical activity on Rosh Chodesh. This is their holiday!

The strong connection between Rosh Chodesh and Dovid Hamelech is also quite understandable. In Kaballistic thought, Dovid Hamelech corresponds to the sefirah of Malchut which is the feminine sefira. Even though he was a man, on a conceptual level he was a vehicle to express feminine spirituality to the world. Just as feminine spirituality was originally looked down upon by many, so too King David was originally looked down upon by his brothers. But just like feminine spirituality ultimately expresses the highest and ultimate purpose of creation, so too King David’s dynasty is the ultimate expression for the divine purpose of creation which is that the whole world should recognize Hashem, which can only be achieved through the progeny of David. פינה לראש היתה הבונים מאסו אבן ” the stone that was abhorred by the builders has become the top of the building”

This also explains the much stronger emphasis on Rosh Chodesh in Messianic times as expressed in the writings of our prophets. The ultimate purpose of Mashiach is not to turn us into Angels. The purpose of Mashiach is to elevate the physical world and reveal Hashem’s presence in it. Olam Haba ( the World to Come) exists right here in this physical world. The only difference is that right now there are sheaths that prevent us from connecting deeply to the hidden light that permeates the physical world. When Mashiach comes, those sheaths will be removed. The hidden heavenly light that expresses itself in the physical world, the main expression of feminine spirituality, will be revealed.

Every month on Rosh Chodesh we celebrate the great anticipation for this incredible era!

Postscript: Some Halachot of Rosh Chodesh

In order to complement this deeper esoteric essay, I would like to add a few practical halachos of Rosh Chodesh ( not related to the prayers) that may not be as widely known.

-It is customary for women to refrain or minimize from work on Rosh Chodesh. More specifically, women should not sow on Rosh Chodesh. It they must, they should do it in an unusual way. Women should also not do laundry on Rosh Chodesh and other heavy jobs. Nowadays when doing laundry is much easier, since we have a washing machine, there are legitimate halachic opinions who allow women to do laundry on Rosh Chodesh. However, if possible it is still preferable for the husband to handle laundry on Rosh Chodesh in order to remember that this is a special day for women. ( CF Shulchan Aruch , Orach Chaim, 417 and Piskei Teshuvos ad loc).

-The Vilna Gaon would wear his Shabbos hat on Rosh Chodesh ( Maasey Rav). One should try to wear nicer clothes than he usually wears. Their is also a custom to light candles on Rosh Chodesh.

-One should eat more than usual on Rosh Chodesh to celebrate the holy day. Eating a meal on Rosh Chodesh is a Seudas Mitzvah. Even though one is not required to wash for bread, it is still preferable to do so ( Shaar Hatzion, 419, 1). Even if Rosh Chodesh falls out on Shabbos, one should add more food than usual. Eating a seudah on Rosh Chodesh is a segulah for Yirat Shemayim, happiness, parnassah and success for the entire month. ( Piskei Teshuvos 419). The main meal should be eaten during the day ( just as it is more important to say Yaaleh Veyavo during the day, as if one forgets at night he does not have to repeat Shemone Esre, as opposed to the day when one must repeat Shemone Esre if he forgets Yaaleh Veyavo). However, it is still considered a seudah of Rosh Chodesh if one eats it at night ( cf Mishneh Sachir, 140, from Rav Yissocher Shlomo Teichtal).

-There is an old custom from Worm Germany that children get out early from ‘cheder” ( school) on Rosh Chodesh. Rav Shmuel Salant, the great Rabbi of Jerusalem instituted this custom also for the children of Yerushalayim. Here in Beitar we also follow this custom.