A weekly feature of Torah Tidbits to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby better fulfilling the mitzva of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem... The issue of 2 days Rosh HaShana is very different from 2 days Yom Tov, and much earlier in origin. As the 29th of Elul winds down, there could be doubt as to whether the moon would be visible that night or not. In such a case, we were required to consider the night and day following 29 Elul as Rosh HaShana, with the prohibitions of Melacha and mitzvot of the day. Since the possibility exists that the day might not end up being Rosh HaShana (because witnesses didnot show up at Sanhedrin), OR if one's community did not find out that witnesses DID appear and the day was indeed proclaimed Rosh Chodesh, the following night and day would be fully observed as Rosh HaShana. It is difficult to commit oneself intellectually, emotionally, spiritually to a day that might or might not be Rosh HaShana. People (especially in Jerusalem) would daven with half a heart and wait for word that might or might not come as to which of the two possible dates is the "real" Rosh HaShana. There was a decree (from way back in the time of the Nevi'im) that RH is always 2 days. [The Ki Tavo Homepage]
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