As to the manner in which the New Moon was observed, there were other features besides the sacrifices. There was no ‘solemn convocation’ on the New Moon, but it is usually inferred from 2 Καὶ 4° that visits were paid to the prophets on that day. The servants and asses were available for longer journeys than on the days of labour. Some (e.g. Duhm) explain Is 66% as referring to general assemblages in Jerusalem for worship on the New Moon (‘jeden Monat am Neumond’), and this er Ὡς of Isaiah was the text for a fine Rabbinical 1omily in the Pesikta Rabbathi for the New Moon. Ezra publicly read the law on the New Moon of the seventh month (Neh 8%). The New Moon was apparently the time for changing David’s officials, according to 1 Ch 271, It is not easy to gather the full significance of the incident related in 1S 20°". David evidently refers to a family feast on the New Moon, but it is not clear that the king had a special feast on that day. It is very probable that this was so, but Wellhausen’s remark as cited by Driver (Notes on the Hebrew Text of Samuel, p. 127) is evidently weighty. ‘David, as appears rom v.™™, was, together with Abner and Jona- than, Saul’s daily and regular companion at table : thus the sentence ‘x 32° +22") cannot be so related to the preceding one, as though the new moon were the occasion of his being a guest at the king’s table; on the contrary, the new moon is rather alleged as the excuse for his absence. Con- sequently, the rendering, “To-morrow is new moon, and I must sit with the king at meat,” is excluded ; and the only course remaining open is
NEW MOON
to read with LXX τὰκ xb ae “To-morrow is
new moon, and I will not sit with the king at meat; but thou shalt let me go,”’ ete. No time
of day is specified for the king’s meal from which
David absented himself; but, as Smith points out, from the fact that Jonathan waited till next morning after the second aay to carry his news to David, the meal was probably late in the day.
Fasting was avoided on the New Moon (Jth 85), The observance of the New Moon fell into disuse in the Christian communities (Col 216), In the medieval Jewish circles the New Moon, however, retained its importance. Women did not work, fasting was prohibited, and in the synagogue liturgy many special features were introduced. On the Sabbath before the New Moon the event was publicly announced, on the day itself a read- ing from the law (Nu 28%) was introduced, special Psalms (forming part of the Hallel, Pss 113-118) were chanted, and other liturgical pas- ages were added. These are retained in the modern synagogue, and are fully described in the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, par. 417ff. See also Maimonides, Hilchoth Kiddush Ha-Chodesh (of which there are several Latin translations). The Blessing of the Moon is also retained. This is a collection of passages of varying antiquity, and is recited at night while the moon is visible, a Saturday night in the first week of new month being preferred for the celebration. (The best commentary on these rites is to be found in Landshut’s edition of the Hebrew Prayer-Book, Hegyon Leb, p. 390f.). Some of the ceremonies are clearly yery ancient, especially the dances, which until quite recently were performed in Jewish communities in the public streets. Others of the rites are at least as old as the Talmud. The modern Arabs of the desert still ‘greet the New Moon with devout ejaculations, and the women chant their perpetual refrain of a single verse, and dance for an hour or two’ (Doughty, Travels in Arabia Deserta, i. pp. 366, 455, cited in Smith’s Samuel, p. 185).
We are without information as to the method by which the New Moon was fixed and announced in biblical times. But the Mishna (Rosh Hashana) describes the method then prevalent. There was no fixed calendar till the 4th cent. (see TIME), and the New Moon was declared from actual observation. The eye-witnesses were carefully examined on the 30th day of each month (espe- cially of the months Nisan, Ab, Elul, Tishri, Chislev, and Adar), and, if the testimony of the witnesses was accepted, that day was declared ‘sanctified’ by fiat of the Sanhedrin. If no witnesses were available, then the following day was New Moon, as the Jewish month never con- tained more than 30 days. The New Moon was announced in Judea till the year 225, when the declaration was made in Tiberias. The news was conveyed by means of signals, torches being lit on the hills. The Samaritans rendered a change necessary, as they ignited similar bonfires at wrong
eriods. Messengers were despatched to mvie
istant parte, where it was not unusual for two days to be observed as New Moon, a custom which still prevails at certain months of the Jewish year. After the 4th cent. the New Moon was no longer fixed by observation, but the Karaites restored the older custom. Schwartz (Der jiidische Kalender) holds that the New Moons of the first and seventh months (Nisan and Tishri) were fixed by astro- nomical calculation and not empirically, as early as the time of Ezra. Certainly, the Jews must have had sufficient knowledge of astronomy to make such a calculation possible (but see TIME).