The Torah reading of RoshChodesh: A. Weekday RoshChodesh: When: On RoshChodesh the Torah is read during the Shacharis prayer immediately after Hallel, Kaddish Tiskabel [and Shir Shel Yom].. Amount of Aliyos: There are a total of four Aliyos read from the Torah on RoshChodesh. One may not add or subtract to these Aliyos. Haftorah: There is no Haftorah read on RoshChodesh.

Blessing Upon Sighting the Rosh Chodesh In ancient times, the rosh chodesh (new moon) was determined by actual observation, and the date of its first visible crescent was announced by kindling fire-signals on the hill-tops. “A man would wave the fire-signal on the Mount of Olives, until he could see his fellow doing the like on the top of the next hill. And so too on top of the third hill, until one could see the whole exile before him like a sea of fire” (Mishna). After the rosh chodesh was confirmed by two or more witnesses and its arrival announced, a blessing was pronounced upon the new month. The following blessing is still said by thousands across the globe each month at the sighting of the rosh chodesh. We encourage you to learn this beautiful blessing in both the English and Hebrew, and then join with the rest of Yisrael in blessing the rosh chodeshym (new moons). The reading of Tehillah 104 is traditional on the rosh chodesh. It is a psalm which brings great esteem to the creation and makes special mention of the moon as marking the time for festivals. Upon the Sighting of the Rosh Chodesh say the following: The beginnings of the months thou didst assign unto thy people for a season of atonement throughout their generations. While they offered unto thee acceptable sacrifices, and goats for a sin offering to atone for them, these were to be a remembrance for them all, and the salvation of their soul from the hand of the enemy. O do thou establish a new altar on Tzion, and we will offer upon it the ascending offering of the rosh chodesh, and prepare he-goats for thine acceptance; while we all of us rejoice in the service of the sanctuary, and in the songs of David thy servant, which shall then be heard in thy city and chanted before thine altar. O bestow upon them everlasting love, and the covenant of the fathers remember unto the children. Bring us with exultation to Tzion thy city, and to Yerushalaym thy sanctuary with everlasting joy, and there we will prepare unto thee the offerings that are obligatory for us, the daily offerings according to their order, and the additional offerings according to their enactment; and the additional offering of this rosh chodesh we will prepare and offer unto thee in love according to the precept of thy will, as thou hast prescribed for us in thy Torah through the hand of Mosheh thy servant, from the mouth of thy esteem, as it is said: “And in your rosh chodeshym ye shall offer an ascending offering unto יהוה ;two young bullocks and one ram, seven he-lambs of the first year without blemish. And their meal offering and their drink offerings as hath been ordained, three tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour for each bullock, two tenth parts for the ram, one tenth for each lamb, and wine according to the drink offering thereof, a goat for atonement, and two daily offerings according to their enactment.” Our Elohym and Elohym of our fathers, renew this month unto us for excellence and for blessing, for joy and gladness, for salvation and consolation, for support and sustenance, for life and peace, for pardon of sin and forgiveness of iniquity; (in Leap Year add, and for atonement of transgression); for thou hast chosen thy people Yisrael from all nations, and hast appointed unto them statutes for the rosh chodeshym (new moons). Blessed art thou, O יהוה ,who sanctifies Yisrael and the rosh chodeshym. רָ אשֵׁ י חֳדָ שִׁ ים לְ עַ מְּ ָך נָתָָֽ תָּ זְ מַ ן כַּפָּ רָ ה לְ כָל תּוֹלְ דוֹתָ ם בִּ הְ יוֹתָ ם מַ קְ רִ יבִ ים לְ פָ נ ָֽיָך זִ בְ חֵ י רָ צוֹן וּשְׂ עִ ירֵ י חַ טָּ את לְ כַפֵּר בַּ עֲדָ ם זִ כָּרוֹן לְ כֻלָּם יִהְ יוּ וּתְ שׁוּעַ ת נַפְ שָׁ ם מִ יַּד שׂוֹנֵא. מִ זְ בֵָּֽ חַ חָ דָ שׁ בְּ צִ יּוֹן תָּ כִ ין וְ עוֹלַת רֹאשׁ חָֹֽ ד ש נַעֲל ה עָ לָיו וּשְׂ עִ ירֵ י עִ זִּ ים נַעֲשׂ ה בְ רָ צוֹן וּבַ עֲבוֹדַ ת בֵּ ית הַ מִּ קְ דָּ שׁ נִשְׂ מַ ח כֻּלָָּֽ נוּ וּבְ שִׁ ירֵ י דָ וִ ד עַ בְ דּ ָֽ ָך הַ נִּשְׁ מָ עִ ים בְּ עִ יר ָֽ ָך הָ אֲמוּרִ ים לִ פְ נֵי מִ זְ בְּ ח ָֽ ָך ַאהֲבַ ת עוֹלָם תָּ בִ יא לָה ם וּבְ רִ ית ָאבוֹת לַבָּ נִים תִּ זְ כּוֹר. וַהֲבִ יאֵָֽ נוּ לְ צִ יּוֹן עִ ירְ ָך בְּ רִ נָּה וְ לִ ירוּשָׁ לַָֽ יִם בֵּ ית מִ קְ דָּ שְׁ ָך בְּ שִׂ מְ חַ ת עוֹלָם וְ שָׁ ם נַעֲשׂ ה לְ פָ נ ָֽיָך א ת קָ רְ בְּ נוֹת חוֹבוֹתֵָֽ ינוּ תְּ מִ ידִ ים כְּ סִ דְ רָ ם וּמוּסָ פִ ים כְּ הִ לְ כָתָ ם. וְ א ת מוּסַ ף יוֹם רֹאשׁ הַ חָֹֽ ד שׁ הַ זּ ה נַעֲשׂ ה וְ נַקְ רִ יב לְ פָ נ ָֽיָך בְּ ַאהֲבָ ה כְּ מִ צְ וַת רְ צוֹנ ָָֽך כְּ מוֹ שׁ כָּתַָֽ בְ תָּ עָ לֵָֽ ינוּ בּתוֹרָ ת ָֽ ָך עַ ל יְדֵ י מֹ שׁ ה עַ בְ דּ ָֽ ָך מִ פִּ י כְ בוֹד ָֽ ָך כָָּאמוּר: וּבְ רָ אשֵׁ י חָ דְ שֵׁ יכ ם תַּ קְ רִָֽ יבוּ עוֹלָה לַיהןה פָּ רִ ים בְּ נֵי בָ קָ ר שְׁ נַָֽיִם וְ אַָֽ יִל א חָ ד כְּ בָ שִׂ ים בְּ נֵי שָׁ נָה שִׁ בְ עָ ה תְּ מִ ימִ ם. וּמִ נְחָ תָ ם וְ נִסְ כֵּיה ם כִּ מְ דֻ בָּ ר שְׁ ֹלשָׁ ה ע שְׂ רֹנִים לַפָּ ר וּשְׁ נֵי ע שְׂ רֹנִים לָאָָֽ יִל וְ עִ שָּׂ רוֹן לַכּ ָֽ ב שׂ וְ יהןהן כְּ נִסְ כּוֹ וְ שָׂ עִ יר לְ כַפֵּר וּשְׁ נֵי תְ מִ ידִ ים כְּ הִ לְ כָתָ ם. אֱֹלהֵָֽ ינוּ וֵאֹלהֵ י אֲבוֹתֵָֽ ינוּ חַ דֵּ שׁ עָ לֵָֽ ינוּ א ת הַ חָֹֽ ד ש הַ זּ ה לְ טוֹבָ ה וְ לִ בְ רָ כָה לְ שָׂ שׂוֹן וּלְ שִׂ מְ חָ ה לִ ישׁוּעָ ה וּלְ נ חָ מָ ה לְ פַ רְ נָסָ ה וּלְ כַלְ כָּלָה לְ חַ יהןהם וּלְ שָׁ לוֹם לִ מְ חִָֽ ילַת חֵ טְ א וְ לִ סְ לִ יחַ ת עָ וֹן ) in add Year Leap וּלְ כַפָָּֽ רַ ת פָָּֽ שַׁ ע(. כִּ י בְ עַ מְּ ָך יִשְׂ רָ אֵ ל בָּ חַָֽ רְ תָּ מִ כָּל הָ אֻמּוֹת וְ חֻקֵּ י רָ אשֵׁ י חֳדָ שִׁ ים לָה ם קָ בָָֽ עְ תָּ . בָּ רוְּך אַ תָּ ה יהןה מְ קַ דֵּ שׁ יִשְׂ רָ אֵ ל וְ רָ אשֵׁ י חֳדָ שִׁ ים. The reappearance of the moon, like that of everything beneficial to man, such as fruits in their season, calls for praise and gratitude to יהוה .The following blessing dates from the 4th century. It is recited upon the appearance of the rosh chodesh. Tehillah 148:1-6 “Praise ye יהוה .Praise ye יהוה from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his malakym: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that are above the heavens. Let them praise the Name of יהוה :for he commanded, and they were created. He hath established them for ever and ever: he made a decree which none shall transgress.” Blessed art thou, יהוה Eloheynu, King of the Universe, by whose word the heavens were created, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. Thou didst assign them a statute and a season, that they should not deviate from their appointed charge. They are glad and rejoice to do the will of their Master, the truthful Worker whose work is truth, who bade the moon renew itself, a crown of esteem, and to those that have been up borne by him from the womb who in the time to come will themselves be renewed like it, to honor their Creator for his esteemed kingdom’s sake. Blessed art thou, O יהוה ,who renews the months. הַ לְ לוּיָהּ הַ לְ לוּ א ת יהוה מִ ן הַ שָּׁ מַָֽ יִם הַ לְ לוּהוּ בַּ מְּ רוֹמִ ים. הַ לְ לָֽ וּהוּ כָל מַ לְ ָאכָיו הַ לְ לָֽ וּהוּ כָּל צְ בָ ָאיו. הַ לְ לָֽ וּהוּ שׁ ָֽ מ שׁ וְ יָרֵָֽ חַ הַ לְ לָֽ וּהוּ כָּל כָּֽ וֹכְ בֵ י אוֹר. הַ לְ לָֽ וּהוּ שְׁ מֵ י הַ שָּׁ מָָֽ יִם וְ הַ מַָּֽ יִם אֲשׁ ר מֵ עַ ל הַ שָּׁ מָָֽ יִם. יְהַ לְ לוּ א ת שֵׁ ם יהוה כִּ י הוּא צִ וָּה וְ נִבְ רָָֽ אוּ. וַיַּעֲמִ ידֵ ם לָעַ ד לְ עוֹלָם חָ ק נָתַ ן וְ ֹלא יַעֲבוֹר. בָּ רוְּך אַ תָּ ה יהוה אֱֹלהֵָֽ ינוּ מ ָֽ ל ְך הָ עוֹלָם אֲשׁ ר בְּ מַ אֲמָ רוֹ בָּ רָ א שְׁ חָ קִ ים וּבְ רָֽ וּחַ פִּ יו כָּל צְ בָ ָאם חֹ ק וּזְ מַ ן נָתַ ן לָה ם שׁ לֹּא יְשַׁ נּוּ א ת תַּ פְ קִ ידָ ם. שָׂ שִׂ ים וּשְׂ מֵ חִ ים לַעֲשׂוֹת רְ צוֹן קוֹנָם פּוֹעֵ ל אֱמ ת שׁ פְּ עֻלָּתוֹ אֱמ ת. וְ לַלְּ בָ נָה ָאמַ ר שׁ תִּ תְ חַ דֵּ שׁ עֲט ָֽ ר ת תִּ פְ א ָֽ ר ת לַעֲמָֽ וּסֵ י בָָֽ ט ן שׁ הֵ ם עֲתִ ידִ ים לְ הִ תְ חַ דֵּ שׁ כְּ מוֹתָ הּ וּלְ פָ אֵ ר לְ יוֹצְ רָ ם עַ ל שֵׁ ם כְּ בוֹד מַ לְ כוּתוֹ. בָּ רוְּך אַ תָּ ה יהוה מְ חַ דֵּ שׁ חֳדָ שִׁ ים.