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