Rosh Chodesh traditions - Nissan 5776 - Fraenkelufer

2. It is forbidden to force a woman to work on Rosh Chodesh, even in places where they do not have this custom. Apart from what I have mentioned above, the reason women rest on Rosh Chodesh is that the root of woman is in malchut, and Rosh Chodesh is a time of increased malchut, which is not present in Tiferet, the root of man. Therefore, this is a festival for women far more than for men. However, if a man wishes to also abstain from work on Rosh Chodesh, this is considered righteous - this does not fall under the category of “All who are exempt from something and do it are called idiots.” From this you can understand how much more so a woman should care for the holiness of Rosh Chodesh, since in many commandments they are treated as inferiors, and only in this are they superior.

10. It is a mitzvah to feast well on Rosh Chodesh. If it falls on a weekday, one should eat more than usual; if it falls on Shabbat, one also eats more than one would usually eat on Shabbat. Those too poor to do so should at least buy a fruit to eat on Rosh Chodesh. The feast should also be at a [special] table, and one should lean honourably. It is said in the Talmud Yerushalmi that when Rosh Chodesh lands on Shabbat one should feast on Sunday, and even though this is not our custom, those who do so are blessed. And Rabbi Yaabetz wrote that in this case one should have a fourth meal on Shabbat itself, in honour of Rosh Chodesh

11. There is an ancient custom to light a candle on the evening of Rosh Chodesh, even in the summer when one sits on the roof and starlight fills the sky. Rabbi Chesed Le’alafim used to light seven candles on Shabbat, six for Yom Kippur, five for the festivals, and four on Rosh Chodesh, like those called to the Torah. However, in our house the custom is to light seven candles usually, and four on Rosh Chodesh. Those whose custom is to light two candles on Shabbat should light two on Rosh Chodesh, for if they only light one, how is it different to a weekday? For even on a weekday they light a candle and don’t sit in the dark. However, the poor don’t have to suffer to light two candles on Rosh Chodesh, but rather should light one candle in the same place as they do on Shabbat, for even the poor have special candles for Shabbat, and that is sufficient.

22-24. One should recite the blessing of the moon with joy and serenity and in a clear voice, as if one is receiving the divine presence. This is why pious ones bathe in a mikveh before the blessing, and this is a good custom… and one should not bless before it is certainly night and one can see the moon… even if there is a small cloud covering it, one should not bless... The blind do not say the blessing, since it is questionable whether they are obliged to, but should rather stand next to the chazzan as he blesses and be included by hearing. As for those who wear “eye houses”, they do bless, even though they cannot see without these houses. The blessing is recited under the sky, not under a roof. Only if one is very ill or for some other reason cannot stand outside, can one stand under a roof, although it is better to stand under a hole in the roof, if possible.

28. During the blessing of the moon, one turns to a neighbour and says “Shalom Aleichem” three times. The reason for this is that when Esav cried at not receiving a blessing, three tears fell from his eyes, and the third tear rested on his eye. This is why I have instructed that one give tzedaka daily, first two-thirds and then one-third, is to protect us from these tears… we should find peace, shalom, from the tears of Esav, whose name equals shalom, and therefore we say shalom three times. I have explained that this is in order to connect to the merit of our father Jacob, because twice the value of his name [plus six] is shalom.

Likutei Halachot - Orach Chayim - Rosh Chodesh 1:3

The only reason we can have Rosh Hashanah is that it falls on Rosh Chodesh. This is because of God’s mercy, since it was on Rosh Chodesh that God Himself said “bring me atonement”, therefore we have an opportunity to also ask for mercy. We find that the essence of Rosh Chodesh is the renewal of the moon, because God’s appeal for atonement is its own tikkun, and the moon begins to grow since He is sorry for having decreased its size. That is why we can have Rosh Hashana, only because it falls on Rosh Chodesh, which is a time for fulfilment and atonement.

Rosh Chodesh itself is a time for the beginning of repentance, since the Holy One Himself said “bring me atonement,” and from then on repentance disseminated into the entire created world. For our Holy Rabbi wrote that everyone thinks of repentance on Rosh Chodesh. This is why we say the “half Hallel”, that is, we ‘skip’ parts of Hallel, since those doing Teshuva don’t ascend in a steady way, from step to step, but skip and jump over several steps… this is why the reading of the Torah on Rosh Chodesh skips back and forth. It hints at this theme of repentance which is central to Rosh Chodesh, because those doing Teshuva do not move in a straight line, but sometimes go backwards, and then forwards again.

​The Blessing of Trees (said over flowering fruit-trees in the month of Nissan):

Blessed are you, God King of the Universe, who has nothing missing in the world, and who created good creations and good and pleasant trees for us to enjoy.