In scripture we often encounter the term “new moon”, and it’s not widely understood what these new moons were and what connections they have with the feasts or appointed times. All we can gather from the scriptures is that there is in fact a connection and it seems that they were intended to be kept as a sabbath of rest. We first encounter the phrase “new moon” in 1 Samuel 20:5 and it is found in 10 other instances throughout scripture and 5 of those are mentioned alongside the weekly sabbath so there is a correlation in its observance at a minimum.
Translating חֹדֶשׁ (Chôdesh) as “New Moon”
The word translated as “New moon” in the Hebrew is חֹדֶשׁ chôdesh. The translators seemed to believe it meant “new moon” because the widely held traditional rabbinical interpretation said so but only in certain instances. In fact the term “new moon” doesn’t even exist in the Hebrew Bible. What is even more interesting is chôdesh is listed 279 times in the Hebrew scriptures and out of those 279 times its only translated as “new moon” 20 times with the remaining 259 times being translated as month. Additionally, the same word חָדָשׁ (châdâsh) with different Masoretic vowel points is mentioned 53 times and means ” new” or “fresh”. Logic states that the common translation should be new month not new moon, yet they seem to only make the connection to the moon when the term is closely connected with the feasts or the head of the year. Is there bias? Let’s look a little closer.
The Greek LXX or Septuagint which predates the Hebrew Masoretic by nearly 13 centuries was the prominent version that was widely available during the first century BC when those in Qumran, also known as Bethabara or Damascus were penning the Dead Sea Scrolls.
In the LXX the first Greek word we see translated as “new moon” is also found in 1 Sam 20:5 and it is the same word used in Colossians by Paul. That word is νουμηνία (noumēnia) which is a compound of two Greek words νέος (neos) meaning new, and μήν (mēn) meaning month. The Greek word μήν (Mēn) is NEVER used as “moon” in the Greek. In fact, the Greek word for moon is σελήνη (selēnē) and it is also NEVER associated with the beginning of a new month. So, the equivalent Hebrew term “chôdesh” doesn’t seem relate to the moon in any way. It’s honestly a horrible application of a much later rabbinic tradition that has been thrust upon the modern English translations that we have available today. And to add to the possible connection with tradition, it important to note that the root word for masoretic is masorah meaning “a collection of traditions”. Additionally the Masoretes were considered the ‘Masters of the Tradition’ and were groups of Jewish scribe-scholars who worked from around the end of the 5th through 10th centuries CE, and with their addition of the niqqud they literally altered every word. The fact that the translators of nearly all our modern bibles have leaned heavily on the much later work and traditional interpretations of the lunar calendar keeping Masoretes should cause one to pause.
Verses Relating to the Moon and the calendar
I have been approached by many over the years regarding the use of the moon in the calendar and they have honestly only been able to point out a couple verses in the psalms that may or may not have any connection, so I would like to take a look at those verses for a moment and dispel and notions that may arise.
Psalms 81:3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
Again, here in this verse we have the term חֹדֶשׁ chôdesh being translated as “new moon”. When it really should be translated as “new month” or “head of the month” or even “beginning of the month”. When we look into the Zadok calendar we will see an interesting connection with the Chôdeshim (beginning of months) and the solemn feasts. More on that in a minute.
Psalms 89:37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.
To understand this particular verse as with literally every other verse in scripture we need to examine the context. So lets back up a couple verses and take a look.
Psalms 89:35-37 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. (36) His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. (37) It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.
By going back just 2 verses we are able to establish the subject matter of this particular psalm. The witness spoken of here is the seed of David and his throne, and it is stated that his throne would be established forever just as the moon has been. Now what is it witnessing? For that lets back up one more verse
Psalms 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
So its literally speaking of the covenant given in Torah and our Messiah. While this is a beautiful part of scripture, it has literally nothing to do with the calendar.
The final verse and the one that may have some implication is psalm 104:19
Psalms 104:19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
This one takes a little more digging. The word for moon here is the correct word יָרֵחַ (yârêach) and is used 26 times in the Hebrew manuscripts as moon. The word for seasons is מוֹעֵד (mô‛êd) and is often translated seasons or appointed time. What is super interesting is when we look into the paleo Hebrew we get a little different story. In the paleo yârêach means path, and mô‛êd means to repeat or witness. So now if we jump to the book of Enoch, we find an interesting connection between the path of the moon and the witness it provides.
Enoch 74:5. On stated months it changes its settings; and on stated months it makes its progress through each gate. In two gates the moon sets with the sun, in those two gates which are in the midst, in the third and fourth gate. From the third gate it goes forth for seven days and makes its circuit.
Here again we have the circuit or path mentioned and even a setting or going down. What we don’t seem to have is the witness mentioned in the paleo, but it’s there I promise. Enoch states that in 2 gates which are in the midst, these are the 3rd, and 4th gates the moon sets with the sun. What is interesting is that in the spring, and generally on either side of the equinox the moon sets in same location on the horizon as the sun. So, in the appointed time or mô‛êd (in this case the start of the biblical year) the moon establishes a witness to the transition between the 3rd and 4th gates, and it happens to be the same place where the sun goes down just as its stated in Psalm 104:19. Now is that the final say in this matter? It’s hard to say but there isn’t anything else to go off of, but it does fit with Genesis 1 when it states that the sun and moon were given for signs and seasons or mô‛êd which simply means appointed times.
For Signs and for Seasons
To understand the calendar, we must first understand where it all began and how we got to where we are today. This literally takes us to the beginning in Genesis 1 and the creation week. While Yahuwah was establishing the foundations of the earth and spreading out the firmament above, he also set in place two orbs, one he called the sun and the other he called the moon. These two orbs along with the stars were put in place on the 4th day of creation and are the basis for nearly every calendar found worldwide including the Zadok Priestly Calendar. Genesis states that God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, to divide between day and night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years.”
In the book of Jubilees we get more clarity regarding the roles of these orbs.
Jubilees 2:9-10 9. And God appointed the sun to be a great sign on the earth for days
and for sabbaths and for months and for feasts and for years and for sabbaths of years and for jubilees and for all seasons of the years. 10. And it divided the light from the darkness [and] for prosperity, that all things may prosper which shoot and grow on the earth. These three kinds He made on the fourth day.
The emphasis placed on the moon for marking the years, months and feast dates is strictly derived from a lunar calendar tradition discussed above, and that same bias has truly shaped a lot of our modern translations of scripture.
Now armed with the text that we have in Genesis and Jubilees, along with a deeper understanding of some of the traditions that have permeated our cannon of scripture we can see that the sun in fact holds the primary roll when establishing the calendar.
The True Chôdeshim
The Dead Sea Scrolls and Jubilees both outline 4 specific days that are set apart and called “Days of Remembrance”. Those days are the first days of the 1st, 4th, 7th, & 10th months and as mentioned above we do believe that like the feasts these too are appointed times. There are a lot of events that happen in scripture on those days and its a worthy study. But I’ll just post the verses in scripture and the DSS here for starters.
Fragment from the DSS
4Q258 "At the entry of seasons according to the new moon as well as their completion of their circuit when one succeeds to the other]; at their renewal there is a great day for the Holy of Holies and a
sign for the opening of the everlasting mercies at the beginning of the seasons for all ages to come. At the beginning of the months for their seasons and on the holy days according to their rules for remembrance in [their] seasons"
From Jubilees
Jubilees 6:23 And on the new moon of the first month, and on the new moon of the fourth month, and on the new moon of the seventh month, and on the new moon of the tenth month are the days of remembrance, and the days of the seasons in the four divisions of the year.
Again here we have the issue with the translation of חֹדֶשׁ chôdesh as “new moon” but I hope we can get past that at this point. What is important to note is we now have 2 witnesses stating that these specific chodeshim are the first days of the 1st, 4th, 7th, & 10th months and they align very closely with the turning of the seasons being marked by the solar equinoxes and solstices.
The DSS places a lot of significance on these days saying, “there is a great day for the Holy of Holies and a sign for the opening of the everlasting mercies at the beginning of the seasons for all ages to come“. And Jubilees states that they are days of remembrance. So, these are days that we should set aside to remember the immense mercy and grace that has been afforded us through our Messiah Yahushua.
So, now when you read scriptures and you encounter the term “new moon” I truly hope you have a clearer understanding to what these days are and their significance.
Torah is Light 