New Moon Festival

According to biblical tradition, the start of every new month should be celebrated. This festival is called the New Moon Festival or Rosh Chodesh (in Hebrew), meaning “beginning of the month”.

There were various instructions for the New Moon Festival. On the first day of the month, a trumpet was sounded and according to Numbers 28:11-15, various burnt offerings, grain offerings and wine offerings were brought. In addition to this, it was customary to have a festive meal (see for example 1 Samuel 20:11-34).
The prophet Amos suggests that working during the New Moon Festival is forbidden, “We can hardly wait for the holy days to be over so that we can sell our corn. When will the Sabbath end, so that we can start selling again?” (Amos 8:5).
However, there is no explicit embargo against working during the New Moon Festival anywhere in the Bible.

The New Moon Festival has become less important nowadays. It is still seen as a joyful day, which is why it is forbidden to fast or to mourn on that day.
The day is also seen as the perfect day to get married. Other customs include giving money to the poor and lighting lamps.