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The New Moon of Tomorrow
There is an interesting Gemara in Rosh Hashanah that deal with a particular instance of sanctifying the new moon.
תלמוד בבלי – ראש השנה כה.
רַבִּי חִיָּיא חַזְיֵיא לְסֵיהֲרָא דַּהֲוָה קָאֵי בְּצַפְרָא דְּעֶשְׂרִים וְתִשְׁעָה שְׁקַל קָלָא פְּתַק בֵּיהּ אֲמַר לְאוּרְתָּא בָּעֵינַן לְקַדּוֹשֵׁי בָּךְ וְאַתְּ קָיְימַתְּ הָכָא זִיל אִיכַּסִּי אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי לְרַבִּי חִיָּיא זִיל לְעֵין טָב וְקַדְּשֵׁיהּ לְיַרְחָא וּשְׁלַח לִי סִימָנָא דָּוִד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי וְקַיָּם.
Talmud Bavli - Rosh Hashanah 25a
The Gemara relates that Rabbi Ḥiyya once saw the waning moon standing in the sky on the morning of the twenty-ninth of the month. He took a clump of earth and threw it at the moon, saying: This evening we need to sanctify you, i.e., the new moon must be visible tonight so that we may declare the thirtieth of the month as the New Moon, and you are still standing here? Go and cover yourself for now, so that the new moon will be seen only after nightfall. The Gemara further relates that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi once said to Rabbi Ḥiyya: Go to a place called Ein Tav and sanctify the New Moon there, and send me a sign that you have sanctified it. The sign is: David, king of Israel, lives and endures.
What is the idea behind using the coded message, of “David King of Israel lives and endures”? What is the connection to the moon?
הערוך על סדר הש"ס ראש השנה כ"ה.
דוד – מלך ישראל חי (ראש השנה כה.) פי' מלכות בית דוד נמשלה כירח שנאמר כירח יכון עולם כלומר נתקיימה ראיית הלבנה בעולם:
Aruch - Daled
"David – King of Israel is alive (Rosh Hashanah 25). Meaning, the monarchy of the House of David is compared to the moon, as it is said, 'Like the moon, it will be established forever' (Psalm 89:37), meaning that the appearance of the moon will endure in the world."
The Aruch elaborates that the use of this coded message was no mere coincidence. The Davidic dynasty is compared to the moon, as it will endure, leaving a lasting impact on the world. He quotes a verse from Tehilim.
תהלים פ“ט – (לז) זַ֭רְעוֹ לְעוֹלָ֣ם יִהְיֶ֑ה וְכִסְא֖וֹ כַשֶּׁ֣מֶשׁ נֶגְדִּֽי׃ (לח) כְּ֭יָרֵחַ יִכּ֣וֹן עוֹלָ֑ם וְעֵ֥ד בַּ֝שַּׁ֗חַק נֶאֱמָ֥ן סֶֽלָה׃
Psalms 89 - 37) His seed will be forever and his throne is like the sun before Me. 38) Like the moon, which is established forever, and it is a witness in the sky, eternally true."
Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch - Commentary on Tehilim 89:31-38
And even if Israel's fate seems inconstant, and, like the moon, it seems at times close to the vanishing point, nevertheless, also like the moon, Israel will survive for all time. Even as the moon will remain forever a faithful witness in the clouds, so the throne of David shall also ever be faithful testimony in the skies of the nations. The moon with the changes which it undergoes is a dependable time regulator for human activity, and Jewish ideology has instituted it as the witness and messenger, awakener and summoner for all spiritual, moral and social rebirth (see Commentary to Exod. 12:1, 2). Similarly, the kingship of David shall remain such a witness for the spiritual and moral renascence of all of mankind; indeed, it acts as such even now by virtue of the fact that the awareness of its role has already penetrated the minds of the nations.
The Jewish people have a divinely ordained role in the world. They are to be a “messenger, awakener and summoner for all spiritual, moral and social rebirth”. They will retain this role and responsibility throughout time, as constant as the moon. Though another element of the analogy comes forth. The moon waxes and wanes. Exactly how this responsibility will be executed will change over time. Like the moon, even as its visibility waxes and wanes, its influence remains constant.
שמואל א כ – (מב) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יְהוֹנָתָ֛ן לְדָוִ֖ד לֵ֣ךְ לְשָׁל֑וֹם אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨עְנוּ שְׁנֵ֜ינוּ אֲנַ֗חְנוּ בְּשֵׁ֤ם יְהֹוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְהֹוָ֞ה יִהְיֶ֣ה׀ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעִ֛י וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
Samuel I Chapter 20 - 42 And Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace! (And bear in mind) that we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, 'May the Lord be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.' "
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik
David owed his very life to Jonathan. If indeed their mutual love was so strong, why was it necessary for Jonathan to relinquish his right to the throne and transfer it to David? Additionally, aside from the first verse of this haftarah, what is the relationship between the day before Rosh Chodesh and the rest of the narrative? The answer to both questions is based on a Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 27) which indicates that Jewish history is modeled after the lunar cycle…During a time of persecution in Israel, the occupier prohibited Kiddush Levanah, sanctification of the new moon. Rosh Hashanah 25a records that Rabba asked Rav Chiya to observe and report on the appearance of the new moon, but instead of reporting the event explicitly to the court, Rabba asked him to use the coded message “David King of Israel is alive and enduring.” Chazal saw a symbol of Jewish history in the steady disappearance of the moon, and its subsequent reemergence and expansion. While the Jewish people may have disappeared from the historical arena for the last 1900 years, we will reappear with the arrival of the Messiah, son of David. (2013, p.424-425)
It was David’s dynasty, not Jonathan’s, that would have the staying power to outlast the exile of the Jewish people. His kingdom might weaken during the long night of history. But like the moon, it will ultimately reemerge as bright as ever.
References
Rosenberg, A. (1980). A new English translation of the Hebrew Bible text and Rashi, with a commentary digest. New York: Judaica Press. Retrieved from: https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/
Soloveitchik, J. D. & Lustiger, A. (2013). Chumash Mesoras Harav. New York, NY: OU Press/Ohr Publishing.
Steinsaltz, A., In Weinreb, T. H., In Schreier, J., & Hotsaat Koren (Jerusalem),. (2017). Koren Talmud Bavli, the Noe edition: Talmud Bavli. Retrieved from: https://shas.alhatorah.org/
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bentorah.substack.com
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By Ben TorahThere is an interesting Gemara in Rosh Hashanah that deal with a particular instance of sanctifying the new moon.
תלמוד בבלי – ראש השנה כה.
רַבִּי חִיָּיא חַזְיֵיא לְסֵיהֲרָא דַּהֲוָה קָאֵי בְּצַפְרָא דְּעֶשְׂרִים וְתִשְׁעָה שְׁקַל קָלָא פְּתַק בֵּיהּ אֲמַר לְאוּרְתָּא בָּעֵינַן לְקַדּוֹשֵׁי בָּךְ וְאַתְּ קָיְימַתְּ הָכָא זִיל אִיכַּסִּי אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי לְרַבִּי חִיָּיא זִיל לְעֵין טָב וְקַדְּשֵׁיהּ לְיַרְחָא וּשְׁלַח לִי סִימָנָא דָּוִד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי וְקַיָּם.
Talmud Bavli - Rosh Hashanah 25a
The Gemara relates that Rabbi Ḥiyya once saw the waning moon standing in the sky on the morning of the twenty-ninth of the month. He took a clump of earth and threw it at the moon, saying: This evening we need to sanctify you, i.e., the new moon must be visible tonight so that we may declare the thirtieth of the month as the New Moon, and you are still standing here? Go and cover yourself for now, so that the new moon will be seen only after nightfall. The Gemara further relates that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi once said to Rabbi Ḥiyya: Go to a place called Ein Tav and sanctify the New Moon there, and send me a sign that you have sanctified it. The sign is: David, king of Israel, lives and endures.
What is the idea behind using the coded message, of “David King of Israel lives and endures”? What is the connection to the moon?
הערוך על סדר הש"ס ראש השנה כ"ה.
דוד – מלך ישראל חי (ראש השנה כה.) פי' מלכות בית דוד נמשלה כירח שנאמר כירח יכון עולם כלומר נתקיימה ראיית הלבנה בעולם:
Aruch - Daled
"David – King of Israel is alive (Rosh Hashanah 25). Meaning, the monarchy of the House of David is compared to the moon, as it is said, 'Like the moon, it will be established forever' (Psalm 89:37), meaning that the appearance of the moon will endure in the world."
The Aruch elaborates that the use of this coded message was no mere coincidence. The Davidic dynasty is compared to the moon, as it will endure, leaving a lasting impact on the world. He quotes a verse from Tehilim.
תהלים פ“ט – (לז) זַ֭רְעוֹ לְעוֹלָ֣ם יִהְיֶ֑ה וְכִסְא֖וֹ כַשֶּׁ֣מֶשׁ נֶגְדִּֽי׃ (לח) כְּ֭יָרֵחַ יִכּ֣וֹן עוֹלָ֑ם וְעֵ֥ד בַּ֝שַּׁ֗חַק נֶאֱמָ֥ן סֶֽלָה׃
Psalms 89 - 37) His seed will be forever and his throne is like the sun before Me. 38) Like the moon, which is established forever, and it is a witness in the sky, eternally true."
Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch - Commentary on Tehilim 89:31-38
And even if Israel's fate seems inconstant, and, like the moon, it seems at times close to the vanishing point, nevertheless, also like the moon, Israel will survive for all time. Even as the moon will remain forever a faithful witness in the clouds, so the throne of David shall also ever be faithful testimony in the skies of the nations. The moon with the changes which it undergoes is a dependable time regulator for human activity, and Jewish ideology has instituted it as the witness and messenger, awakener and summoner for all spiritual, moral and social rebirth (see Commentary to Exod. 12:1, 2). Similarly, the kingship of David shall remain such a witness for the spiritual and moral renascence of all of mankind; indeed, it acts as such even now by virtue of the fact that the awareness of its role has already penetrated the minds of the nations.
The Jewish people have a divinely ordained role in the world. They are to be a “messenger, awakener and summoner for all spiritual, moral and social rebirth”. They will retain this role and responsibility throughout time, as constant as the moon. Though another element of the analogy comes forth. The moon waxes and wanes. Exactly how this responsibility will be executed will change over time. Like the moon, even as its visibility waxes and wanes, its influence remains constant.
שמואל א כ – (מב) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יְהוֹנָתָ֛ן לְדָוִ֖ד לֵ֣ךְ לְשָׁל֑וֹם אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨עְנוּ שְׁנֵ֜ינוּ אֲנַ֗חְנוּ בְּשֵׁ֤ם יְהֹוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְהֹוָ֞ה יִהְיֶ֣ה׀ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעִ֛י וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
Samuel I Chapter 20 - 42 And Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace! (And bear in mind) that we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, 'May the Lord be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.' "
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik
David owed his very life to Jonathan. If indeed their mutual love was so strong, why was it necessary for Jonathan to relinquish his right to the throne and transfer it to David? Additionally, aside from the first verse of this haftarah, what is the relationship between the day before Rosh Chodesh and the rest of the narrative? The answer to both questions is based on a Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 27) which indicates that Jewish history is modeled after the lunar cycle…During a time of persecution in Israel, the occupier prohibited Kiddush Levanah, sanctification of the new moon. Rosh Hashanah 25a records that Rabba asked Rav Chiya to observe and report on the appearance of the new moon, but instead of reporting the event explicitly to the court, Rabba asked him to use the coded message “David King of Israel is alive and enduring.” Chazal saw a symbol of Jewish history in the steady disappearance of the moon, and its subsequent reemergence and expansion. While the Jewish people may have disappeared from the historical arena for the last 1900 years, we will reappear with the arrival of the Messiah, son of David. (2013, p.424-425)
It was David’s dynasty, not Jonathan’s, that would have the staying power to outlast the exile of the Jewish people. His kingdom might weaken during the long night of history. But like the moon, it will ultimately reemerge as bright as ever.
References
Rosenberg, A. (1980). A new English translation of the Hebrew Bible text and Rashi, with a commentary digest. New York: Judaica Press. Retrieved from: https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/
Soloveitchik, J. D. & Lustiger, A. (2013). Chumash Mesoras Harav. New York, NY: OU Press/Ohr Publishing.
Steinsaltz, A., In Weinreb, T. H., In Schreier, J., & Hotsaat Koren (Jerusalem),. (2017). Koren Talmud Bavli, the Noe edition: Talmud Bavli. Retrieved from: https://shas.alhatorah.org/
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bentorah.substack.com