Rosh Chodesh Musaf: The Additional Prayer for the New Month

Rosh Chodesh (Head of the Month) marks the beginning of each new Jewish month, coinciding with the new moon. In Temple times, Rosh Chodesh was a minor holiday with special sacrifices. Today, it retains special observances including Hallel, Torah reading, and the Musaf prayer. Some months have one day of Rosh Chodesh, others have two. Women have a special connection to Rosh Chodesh and some have the custom not to do certain work.

The Rosh Chodesh Musaf follows the standard Amidah structure with seven blessings, but the middle blessing is special for Rosh Chodesh. It acknowledges God's designation of the new months for His people, recalls the Temple sacrifices for Rosh Chodesh, and asks for the month to bring goodness and blessing. Unlike Shabbat and holiday Musaf, there is no kedushah addition in the repetition for the individual Amidah.

Musaf for Rosh Chodesh is recited after the Shacharit service, following the Torah reading and Hallel. It should ideally be recited before the end of the seventh halachic hour of the day. If that time passes, it can still be said until sunset. Musaf is recited both when praying alone and with a minyan. When with a minyan, the Amidah is repeated by the prayer leader.

In addition to Musaf, we add 'Ya'aleh V'yavo' to the regular Amidah prayers (Shacharit and Mincha) and to Birkat Hamazon on Rosh Chodesh. This insertion asks God to remember us for good on this special day. If you forget Ya'aleh V'yavo in Shacharit, you don't repeat the Amidah since you'll say Musaf. In Mincha or Birkat Hamazon, forgetting may require repetition - consult halachic guidelines.

On Rosh Chodesh, we recite 'Half Hallel' - the Hallel psalms with two sections omitted (the beginning of Psalms 115 and 116). This is because Rosh Chodesh, while special, is not a full holiday. The blessing before Hallel on Rosh Chodesh is 'likro et haHallel' (to read the Hallel), not 'ligmor' (to complete). Hallel is recited with great joy, praising God for the renewal of the month.

Rosh Chodesh represents renewal and new beginnings. Just as the moon wanes and then renews itself, we too have the opportunity to renew ourselves each month. The Jewish calendar's lunar basis connects us to natural cycles and reminds us that even after darkness, light returns. Historically, the declaration of Rosh Chodesh was a central communal event, with witnesses testifying to seeing the new moon before the Sanhedrin.