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"Saying, When will the new moon [chodesh] be gone, that we may sell corn? and the Sab-
bath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsify-
ing the balances by deceit?" (AV of Amos 8:5).

The count of a lunar-based Sabbath requires the extraneous count of a singular day or
days (or lunar stages). The stand-apart singular counts are required because counting only 28 day
cycles (or 4 repeating 7-day cycles) -- an uninterrupted count -- does not quite interface with the
lunar cycle (which contains over 29 days). Essentially, it is fully necessary that the count of a
7-day cycle (as an interface with the lunar cycle) be an interrupted count -- where a periodic addi-
tional day, or additional stage (as a singular time-unit not belonging amid the cycle of weeks) be
periodically intercalated.

The New Moon Celebration

Some of the biblical texts seem to indicate the special celebration of the "new moon", or
"chodesh", or "new beginnings". This unique intermission interval was celebrated with special
sacrifices -- as follows:

"Blow in the month a trumpet, In the 'chodesh', at the day of our festival..." (Psalms 81:3,
based upon YLT).

"And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the 'chodesh', and I should not fail to
sit with the king at meat..." (AV text of 1 Samuel 20:5).

"And in the beginnings of your 'chodesh' ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD; two
young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; And three tenth
deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of
flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram; And a several tenth deal of flour
mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a
sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of wine
unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of an hin unto a
lamb: this is the burnt offering of every 'chodesh' [throughout each] 'chodesh' of the year.
And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD shall be offered, beside the con-
tinual burnt offering, and his drink offering." (AV of Numbers 28:11-15).

Thus, the Bible indicates a specially celebrated "chodesh" or "new beginnings" event (syn-
onymous with a routinely appearing feast which required sacrificial offerings).

In exploring the early celebration of "chodesh", it seems significant that the meaning of the
word "chodesh" is akin to the meaning of "renewal" or "new beginning" (where the root meaning
of this word is not specifically linked to the meaning of new moon). (The root of the word "cho-
desh" -- in fact -- is identical to the root of the biblical word: "chadash" (which frequently is
translated: "new").

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