The Beginning of Months​

When Spring arrives, it brings with it new life and new beginnings. One of these new beginnings is a new cycle of the Festivals of God starting with Passover on the evening of the 14th day of Nisan, the first month in the Biblical calendar. As a way to prepare for the arrival of Passover, an additional Torah and Haftarah portion are read on the Sabbath that precedes the first day of Nisan. These readings mention the first month and this Sabbath is called Shabbat HaChodesh, which literally means “Sabbath of the Month” but understood as “Sabbath of the First Month”.

In the Exodus story, before the tenth and final plague and while the Children of Israel were still in Egypt, The Lord rearranged, as it were, the order of the months and created a calendar for them to follow.

Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you…” — Exodus 12:1-2, NASB 1995

God was about to deliver Israel out of bondage and slavery to Pharaoh “with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and wonders” (Deuteronomy 26:8). Israel would become His treasured people and He would soon instruct them in His ways and sanctify them through His Word. The first step was to put everyone on the same page be establishing a calendar and then creating appointments on this calendar.

This week is Shabbat HaChodesh and at the close of Shabbat, we usher in the month of Nisan. Below are suggested readings for these events. You can add them to your worship time or your daily devotions.

Shabbat HaChodesh
(Sabbath of the First Month)
TORAH: Exodus 12:1-10
HAFTARAH: Ezekiel 45:16-46:18

Rosh Chodesh Nisan
(Head of the New Month [or Moon] of Nisan)
TORAH: Numbers 28:1-15