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Why is Rosh Chodesh sometimes one day and sometimes two?
By Naftali Silberberg
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The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar cycle. Since a lunar month is approximately 29 days and twelve hours, we alternate months — one month is twenty-nine days and the next month is thirty. When the Sanhedrin (Rabbinical Supreme Court) was convened, the months were determined by witnesses who testified that they saw the crescent new-moon. The Sanhedrin would assemble on the thirtieth of each month, for perhaps witnesses would come and this day would be designated Rosh Chodesh ("Head of the Month") of the upcoming month (rendering the previous month a 29 day month).
Since the thirtieth day of the month was always potentially Rosh Chodesh, whenever a month has thirty days, the thirtieth day is observed as Rosh Chodesh together with the next day, the first of the following month.
However, if a month has only twenty-nine days, then the Rosh Chodesh of the following month will be only one day--the first of the month.
The following months always have two days of Rosh Chodesh (the first day of the month plus the last day of the previous month): Cheshvan, Adar (and Adar II), Iyar, Tammuz, and Elul.
The following months always have one day of Rosh Chodesh: Tishrei,1 Shevat, Nisan, Sivan, and Av.
The months of Kislev and Tevet fluctuate; some years they both have one day of Rosh Chodesh, some years both have two days, and some years Kislev has one day and Tevet has two days Rosh Chodesh.
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When the month was sanctified by the Sanhedrin, if it was a month that proved to be of thirty days (because no witnesses came), only one Korban Musaf was brought - on the thirty first day.
However, due to the possibility that in the event that witnesses would come, this day might be established retroactively as Rosh Chodesh, the masses would treat the thirtieth day as Rosh Chodesh as well, to some degree.
This was especially so on the thirtieth day of Elul, which would retroactively be Rosh Hashana, if the witnesses came. For this reason, the thirtieth day was treated as Rosh Hashana, with all the restrictions of work etc. that apply to a holiday, (besides for in regard to the sacrifices, which were dependant on if witnesses would come or not.) If no witnesses would arrive in time on the thirtieth day, the thirty-first day would be declared as Rosh Hashana as well, resulting in two days of Rosh Hashana even in Israel.
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A very informative article, as usual, but I would like some clarification. When a month had 30 days when there was (and G-d willing very soon will be) a Sanhedrin, did they actually celebrate both days as Rosh Chodesh with a musaf, etc., or did they only celebrate one day (either the 30th or "31st" day) depending on whether or not the 30th day was sanctified?
Thanks.
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Gerry Joseph,
We Jews follow a lunar calendar because of our special relationship with lunar time. For more on this subject, see "The 29th Day" (http://www.chabad.org/2764), "The Lunar Files" (http://www.chabad.org/1209), "Stony Light" (http://www.chabad.org/460543), and "The Nineteen Year Marriage" (http://www.chabad.org/1208).
It is our uniqueness which has preserved our nation for thousands of years, not our desire to be "inline" with all others.
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