Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utcsrgv.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcsrgv!dave From: dave@utcsrgv.UUCP (Dave Sherman) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: birchat hachodesh Message-ID: <81@utcsrgv.UUCP> Date: Tue, 9-Oct-84 14:18:38 EDT Article-I.D.: utcsrgv.81 Posted: Tue Oct 9 14:18:38 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 9-Oct-84 14:47:26 EDT References: <1521@ucla-cs.ARPA> Organization: The Law Society of Upper Canada, Toronto Lines: 22 In article <1521@ucla-cs.ARPA> freuden@ucla-cs.UUCP writes: ~| Does anybody know why we do not say birchat ha-chodesh the shabat before ~| Rosh Hashannah? I heard this explained two weeks ago by Rabbi David Schochet at the Lubavitch shul in Toronto (Thornhill). On the Shabbos before Rosh Hashanah, G-d blesses the new month. It is on the strength of this blessing, which lasts a whole year, that we say Birchas Hachodesh the other eleven months. I don't know whether this explanation has its roots in Chabad Chassidus or more widely read sources. From a practical perspective, you can see why Birchas Hachodesh need not be said. I find it very useful the rest of the year, since it reminds me that Rosh Chodesh is coming up during the week. I don't normally go to shul on weekdays, and I might otherwise forget to say ya-aleh v'yavo, Hallel, Musaf, etc. But I'm not likely to forget Rosh Hashanah. (This is my own theory only.) Dave Sherman Toronto -- { allegra cornell decvax ihnp4 linus utzoo }!utcsrgv!dave