WORD OF THE MONTH

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...

Technically, the main part of the mitzva of the Jewish Calendar falls upon the Sanhedrin as leaders of the nation, and upon individuals among us who could and would be witnesses to the first visiblity of the lunar crescent. However, part of the fulfillment of the mitzva is for us to know it and use it. And this aspect of the mitzva takes it out of the hands of the few, and puts it into all our hands. The calendar is a perpetual gift from G-d to His Nation. Don't know your Hebrew birthday? Find it out (you can call Phil at the Center for help) and use it. Not instead of the secular calendar, but in addition.Did you know that you can date checks in this country using the Jewish Calendar? So how about it? Everytime you use the Jewish date, you are fulfilling the mitzva to remember G-d's taking us out of Egypt, because the calendar is based on the Exodus. And we also are thanking G-d for taking us out of Bavel and bringing us back to Eretz Yisrael. This has to do with the names of the months. Our calendar is a flag we should wave proudly.