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eRosh: Parshat HaChodesh

By Brian Reed  | Comments (0) | Posted on April 4, 2008

The Shabbat that falls on or before the first day of Rosh Chodesh Nisan is known as Shabbat HaChodesh. This is a special Sabbath in that it recounts when God spoke to Moses in Egypt two weeks before the Exodus concerning the establishment of the Jewish calendar (which is the first commandment they were given as a nation, i.e. to sanctify the new moon) as well as the instructions for the month of Nisan and the Passover offering. The special reading for this day in commemoration of this event is Exodus 12:1-20. This special reading takes the place of the standard Maftir reading for the regular portion and is read after the standard weekly Torah reading. Also, the Haftarah changes from the standard reading which is replaced with Ezekiel 45:16-46:18 (although some have the custom of reading Ezekiel 45:18-46:15). This special Haftarah speaks of the bringing of the Pesach offering in the Third Temple.

This Shabbat is also Shabbat Mevarchim, the day on which the new month is blessed. This blessing is found in the Sabbath morning prayers after the conclusion of the Shacharit Amidah. Since the new month of Nisan begins on Sunday one would insert in the blessing of the new month, "first day of the week," or in Hebrew, "yom rishon." Because this Sabbath is the day before the New Moon, it is customary to read the first and last verses of the Haftarah for the regular Sabbath Rosh Chodseh reading, 1Samuel 20:18, 42.

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About the Author: Brian Reed is a staff writer and researcher specializing in Messianic apologetics.

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