Rosh Chodesh & the Libyan Candle Wick Maker

Is Rosh Chodesh a holiday or a special day? In the Bible it is clearly regarded as a holiday with a festive meal (what else is new in Judaism?). During the times of the Temple it was put on an equal footing with Shabbat, where in addition to eating a sumptuous meal the people refrained from all work. The latter continued to be practiced in the 20th century by many Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities.

Now we're into the 21st century and asking how we can continue making Rosh Chodesh relevant. The answer is clear. Today's frantic pace necessitates a framework for R&R. Which is why we should look to the past as to how this can be accomplished. Throw out the virtual and bring in the real with a custom of Libyan Jews who lit a special oil candle on Rosh Chodesh. Work was forbidden as long as the candle remained lit.

I like the idea of a designated Rosh Chodesh candle. It ties in beautifully with Shabbat. And I like the idea of an oil wick candle. It makes the decision of how long you want to take a break from your daily routine up to you. You pick the size of the wick and the amount of oil.

What do you say? Rosh Chodesh Kislev is 2+ weeks away. Hanukkah is 5 weeks away. True, there's no miracle with this oil lamp but a cause for celebration is always oil right.

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Combine a Kibbutz Rosh Chodesh Custom with Shabbat Rosh Chodesh and You have the Makings of a Wonderful Kaballat Shabbat

A good friend of mine used to live on Kibbutz Sa’ad – a B’nei Akiva kibbutz located in Israel’s southern region. Sitting next to her in synagogue yesterday on Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, I asked her if the kibbutz had any special Rosh Chodesh customs. She longingly licked her lips, remembering the yummy fresh rolls given to each kibbutz member for the Rosh Chodesh meal. My mind immediately began to hyper wander. First to my Rosh Chodesh post last year, where I mentioned that in days of yore Rosh Chodesh was celebrated through a delicious feast. Then I thought of the numerous specialty rolls sold on today’s market – seven-grain, plain, seeded, tomato herb, onion, marble and so much more, each topped with an equal amount of unusual seeds and grains. Many rolls are even braided. Finally, I started thinking about Kabbalat Shabbat and how to integrate this custom into the classroom. The answer came on Motzei Shabbat when I Googled Rosh Chodesh, only to discover that in many Sephardic communities there is a custom for women to light candles without a blessing. “There it is,” I said to myself. Combine the Kibbutz custom of a mouth-watering roll with the Sephardi candle lighting custom and you have the ingredients for a wonderful classroom Kabbalat Shabbat Rosh Chodesh. After all, the next Shabbat Rosh Chodesh is only four months away. Adar Aleph (this is a Jewish Leap Year, with two months of Adar) starts on February 5th – another Shabbat Rosh Chodesh. Add some hot chocolate for the winter weather and you’ll be set.
Chodesh Tov…Tami