Rosh Chodesh

The ladies of my Temple have offered a new-to-me activity - the observance of Rosh Chodesh, the monthly celebration of the new month in the Jewish calendar.  This is definitely a woman-thing and has been since ancient times. No wonder women liked it - it was a day of no work for women only!

I was completely ignorant of this practice so a bit of online research was required before December 28th, the start of the lunar month of Tevet and the next Rosh Chodesh gathering. Wikipedia had a pretty good explanation: Female-centered Rosh Chodesh observances vary from group to group, but many are centered on small gatherings of women, called Rosh Chodesh groups. There is often a particular interest in the Shekinah, considered by the kabbalah to be a feminine aspect of God. These groups engage in a wide variety of activities that center around issues important to Jewish women, depending on the preference of the group's members. Many Rosh Chodesh groups explore spirituality, religious education, ritual, health issues, music, chanting, art, and/or cooking. Some groups also choose to educate young Jewish women in their community about sexuality, self-image, and other women's mental and physical health issues.

Even my 26th Great- Grandfather Rashi had something to say about Rosh Chodesh: According to the Talmud, women are forbidden to engage in work on Rosh Chodesh, and Rashi, in commenting on this passage, delineates the activities from which they must refrain: spinning, weaving, and sewing — the skills that women contributed to the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

I don't do any spinning or weaving and not much sewing but I will be happy to refrain on December 28th!

;-)