Rosh Chodesh, the Women's Holiday

(כב) וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים עַל־הַנָּשִׁ֑ים כֹּ֣ל ׀ נְדִ֣יב לֵ֗ב הֵ֠בִיאוּ חָ֣ח וָנֶ֜זֶם וְטַבַּ֤עַת וְכוּמָז֙ כָּל־כְּלִ֣י זָהָ֔ב וְכָל־אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵנִ֛יף תְּנוּפַ֥ת זָהָ֖ב לַיהוָֽה׃ (כג) וְכָל־אִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נִמְצָ֣א אִתּ֗וֹ תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֣שׁ וְעִזִּ֑ים וְעֹרֹ֨ת אֵילִ֧ם מְאָדָּמִ֛ים וְעֹרֹ֥ת תְּחָשִׁ֖ים הֵבִֽיאוּ׃ (כד) כָּל־מֵרִ֗ים תְּר֤וּמַת כֶּ֙סֶף֙ וּנְחֹ֔שֶׁת הֵבִ֕יאוּ אֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וְכֹ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ נִמְצָ֨א אִתּ֜וֹ עֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּ֛ים לְכָל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת הָעֲבֹדָ֖ה הֵבִֽיאוּ׃ (כה) וְכָל־אִשָּׁ֥ה חַכְמַת־לֵ֖ב בְּיָדֶ֣יהָ טָו֑וּ וַיָּבִ֣יאוּ מַטְוֶ֗ה אֶֽת־הַתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙ וְאֶת־הָֽאַרְגָּמָ֔ן אֶת־תּוֹלַ֥עַת הַשָּׁנִ֖י וְאֶת־הַשֵּֽׁשׁ׃

Exodus 35:22-25

(22) Men and women, all whose hearts moved them, all who would make an elevation offering of gold to the LORD, came bringing brooches, earrings, rings, and pendants—gold objects of all kinds. (23) And everyone who had in his possession blue, purple, and crimson yarns, fine linen, goats’ hair, tanned ram skins, and dolphin skins, brought them; (24) everyone who would make gifts of silver or copper brought them as gifts for the LORD; and everyone who had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service brought that. (25) And all the skilled women spun with their own hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen.

שמות ל״ב:א׳-ג׳

(א) וַיַּ֣רְא הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־בֹשֵׁ֥שׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָרֶ֣דֶת מִן־הָהָ֑ר וַיִּקָּהֵ֨ל הָעָ֜ם עַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ ק֣וּם ׀ עֲשֵׂה־לָ֣נוּ אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵֽלְכוּ֙ לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ כִּי־זֶ֣ה ׀ מֹשֶׁ֣ה הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶֽעֱלָ֙נוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְנוּ מֶה־הָ֥יָה לֽוֹ׃ (ב) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אַהֲרֹ֔ן פָּֽרְקוּ֙ נִזְמֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָבִ֖יאוּ אֵלָֽי׃ (ג) וַיִּתְפָּֽרְקוּ֙ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם אֶת־נִזְמֵ֥י הַזָּהָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּבִ֖יאוּ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹֽן׃

Exodus 32:1-3

(1) When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered against Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who shall go before us, for that man Moses, who brought us from the land of Egypt—we do not know what has happened to him.” (2) Aaron said to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” (3) And all the people took off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.

דעת זקנים על שמות ל״ה:כ״ב:א׳

(כב) ויבואו האנשים על הנשים. כלומר לשלול מהן תכשיטיהן כדכתיב חח ונזם ואעפ"כ הנשים שמחות וזהירות במלאכת שמים כדכתיב כל הנשים אשר נשא לבן אותנה לפיכך זכו הנשים שלא לעשות מלאכה בראש חדש לפי שבמעשה העגל לקחו תכשיטיהן בעל כרחן כדמשמע מדכתיב ויתפרקו וגו' ובמעשה המשכן שמחו בנתינה לפיכך נתן להם ר"ח לי"ט ונ"ל דזהו ר"ח ניסן שבו הוקם המשכן ואגב אותו ר"ח משמרות כל ר"ח השנה:

Daat Zkenim on Exodus 35:22:1

(22) ויבואו האנשים על הנשים, “and the men came to the women intending to deny them to offer their jewelry such as חח ונזם nose rings and ear rings; however the women were quite anxious to donate even these pieces of jewelry, seeing that it was for holy purpose. This is why the Torah gives them special credit for their general attitude in verse 26: וכל הנשים אשר נשא לבם אותנה, “and all the women whose heart stirred them, etc.” According to our sages, this is the reason why they were given a holiday each Rosh Chodesh by being allowed to treat it as a sort of holiday, not having to perform tedious activities. This was also in recognition of the fact that they had refused to part with any of their jewelry during the episode of the golden calf. (Compare Exodus 32,2, as interpreted by Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer in chapter 45). According to our author, they were given off on the first day of the month of Nissan during that year, as that was the day when the Tabernacle was put up. Subsequently, every Rosh Chodesh became a semi-holiday for the women.

אורח חיים תי״ז:א׳

(א) רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ מֻתָּר בַּעֲשִׂיַּת מְלָאכָה, וְהַנָּשִׁים שֶׁנּוֹהֲגוֹת שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת בּוֹ מְלָאכָה הוּא מִנְהָג טוֹב.

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 417:1

On Rosh Chodesh it is allowed to do Melacha (work), and the women who choose not to do Melacha , are right to do so.

Pirkei d' R. Elizer

When the men came to take their wives' gold earrings for the golden calf, the women refused to hand them over. They told their husbands, "We will not obey you and help you make an abomination that has no power or salvation." God rewarded them in this world [for this refusal] by granting them a greater degree of observance on Rosh Chodesh. And God rewards them in the World to Come by giving them the power of constant renewal which characterizes Rosh Chodesh.

(Book of our Heritage, Eliyahu Ki Tov, pg. 222)

״אור זרוע״, רבי יצחק מוינה (זיאטמור תרכ"ב, 1862 , הלכות ראש חודש סי' תנ"ד)

תדע לך שבכל חודש וחודש האישה מתחדשת וטובלת וחוזרת לבעלה והיא חביבה עליו כביום החופה. כשם שהלבנה מתחדשת בכל ראש חודש והכל מתאוין לראותה... ולכך הווי ראש חודש יום טוב של נשים.

Or Zarua (Rabbi Isaac ben Moses of Vienna, 1862)

Laws of Rosh Chodesh 444

Know that every month, the woman renews, immerses, and returns to her husband, and she is beloved as if it is her wedding day. Just as the moon renews itself every Rosh Chodesh, and we cannot see it... and therefore, Rosh Chodesh became a holiday for women.