By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
The posuk in Bamidbar 28:11 says that a special korban was brought every Rosh Chodesh.
The Mishna in Shekalim 8:8 says that the limbs of a Korban Mussaf was placed on the mizbeach before it was burned. It was placed on the lower half of the ramp of the mizbeach. However, when it came to the Mussaf of Rosh Chodesh it was placed on the upper half of the ramp. The reason for the change in the Korban Mussaf of Rosh Chodesh is brought down in Meseches Sukkah 55a. It is to show the importance of Rosh Chodesh and it serves as a “pirsum” (advertisement) that people should know when Rosh Chodesh was set by Bais Din. Another indicator to show the chashivus of Rosh Chodesh is seen in Meseches Sukkah 54b when we are taught that when Rosh Chodesh fell out on Shabbos they sang the Shir Shel Yom of Rosh Chodesh before the Shir Shel Yom of Shabbos despite the fact that Shabbos comes more often than Rosh Chodesh. This shows the importance of Rosh Chodesh.
The gemara in Sanhedrin 41b tells us that Bais Din would let people know when it was Rosh Chodesh by blowing a shofar. The Aruch La’ner in Rosh Hashana 8b says we learn this out from a posuk in Tehillim 81:4 where it says “Tiku ba-chodesh shofar.” The Redak on Pirkei D’reb Eliezer explains that the blowing of the shofar was a pirsum for Rosh Chodesh.
The Rishonim write in Yereim 259 and Ohr Zarua, Hilchos Rosh Chodesh 552 and Shibalei Haleket 170 that the reason we bentch Rosh Chodesh the Shabbos before Ros
The Minhag haolam is that we don’t bentch Rosh Chodesh Tishrei. The Levush 421 writes the reason for this is because since Rosh Hashana is the Yom Tov that is called ”bakeseh,” it is covered and kept quiet. We don’t want to give a heads up for the satan to be mekatreg on us. This is also brought down in the Magen Avraham 417. We explained above that our bentching Rosh Chodesh takes the place of the blowing of the shofar to remind us when it is Rosh Chodesh. During the time of the Bais Hamikdash there was no need to blow the shofar for Rosh Chodesh Tishrei since everyone knew when it was Rosh Chodesh when they blew the shofar for Rosh Hashana. Therefore, since today we bentch Rosh Chodesh in place of the blowing of the shofar to remind us when Rosh Chodesh will be, and there was no blowing of the shofar for Rosh Chodesh Tishrei, we are consistent and do not bentch Rosh Chodesh.
May we all be zocheh to hear the shofar shel Moshiach.”
I have two questions for which perhaps either Rabbi Steinfeld or a reader can provide answers.
1) If Rosh Chodesh Bentching was indeed a “takonas Chachomim” why do b’nei Ashkenaz and the Adot Mizrach have a completely different nusach?
2) If the takanah dates back so far, why did it not get into our siddurim until about 3-400 years ago?
To anonymous
Because at a certain point some people wanted to stop the whole Rosh Chodesh, since it was discovered that the moon is just a reflection of the sun and nothing really gets Renewed on Rosh Chodesh.
We realized that the sun definitely doesn’t travel above the sky during the night.
@Dov – As a student of science (I earned two degrees included an MS), I wish to remind you of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. As stated, and as I heard from the renown mathematician, Dr. Leon Ehrenpreis, based on Dr. Einstein’s findings, it would be absolutely impossible to ever prove either heliocentric or geocentric theories since we can only relate to the universe as we observe it, and that, by definition, is relative.
@Dov –
1) As a student of science (I earned two degrees included an MS), I wish to remind you of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. As stated, and as I heard from the renown mathematician, Dr. Leon Ehrenpreis, based on Dr. Einstein’s findings, it would be absolutely impossible to ever prove either heliocentric or geocentric theories since we can only relate to the universe as we observe it, and that, by definition, is relative.
2) As one who wishes to be a true student of Talmud, I am familiar with the Gemorah which is often referred to as a proof that we accept scientific findings over the mesorah of CHaZa”L; “nir’in divrei chachmei umos ha’olam . . . ” However, if one takes a look at, I believe, the notes of Rabbi Akiva Eiger, he will find that the word “nir’in” should be understood literally (i.e. “they APPEAR”). In other words, while the words of the chachmei umps ha’olam APPEAR to be correct, we nonetheless stand behind the revelations and mesorah of CHaZa”L (for only they remain uninfluenced by the effects of relativity.
Having said that, and even putting it aside, I don’t see how your post answers my two questions. How does the fact you felt until now that having been enlightened by the flaw-filled science and so many of its findings based on a method of research – the scientific method – which cannot take into consideration anything which cannot be measured or observed on the physical level, we now better, give rise to differences in nusach ha’tefillah and/or in the inclusion of any particular tefillah into our liturgy?