8TH BIBLICAL MONTH

Shalom beloveds,

Another month has flown by, and we’re planning on looking for the crescent moon, this evening, 23 October 2025.

To remind you, the Biblical Calendar is a luni-solar calendar (Gen 1:14), with the Biblical months beginning the first evening the crescent moon is spotted by the naked eye from the Land of Israel, or 30 days have passed.

This is why the word in Tanakh for month is “chodesh” (Psalm 81:4[3], Ezekiel 46:1), whose root means “new”, as the moon is seen “anew” at the beginning of the Biblical Month. And presumably what is meant by “the moon is for moadim (appointed times), and the sun knows when to set” (Ps 104:19). As there needs to be enough time between sunset and moonset (i.e. the horizon needs to get dark enough), to be able to spot the crescent moon with the naked eye, just after the sun sets.

From our perspective on Earth, it takes the moon an average of approximately 29.5 days to complete its lunation (orbit around Earth). This means it’s only possible to spot the crescent at the end of the 29th day half the time, on average.

When the moon has very low stats at the end of the 29th day, yet is spotted with the naked eye (as was the case on 23 September 2025), it won’t be far enough along on its cycle, to spot it again 29 days later (22 October 2025). Therefore, the upcoming 8th Biblical Month will begin on 23 October 2025 at sunset by default, as a lunation is never more than 30 days.

Remember, the crescent moon must be spotted from the Land of Israel, as the Biblical Calendar is to be set according to the signs (Gen 1:14) in The Land (Dt 6:1, Dt 11:8-9, Dt 30:5). And the moadim (appointed times) are set holy days (Lev 23:4), to be observed as a nation, in the place the Creator placed His name (Ex 23:17, Ex 34:23, Dt 16:15-16, 1 Kings 11:36, Zech 14:16), not everyone celebrating on different days.

I hope this bring some light to many questions and may you have a blessed new month!

Chodesh Tov (חוֹדֶשׁ טוֹב)
🕊️ Pronounced: KHO-desh TOV
Meaning: “Good month!” or “Have a good month!”

You can also say a fuller blessing:

Chodesh Tov u’Mevorach (חוֹדֶשׁ טוֹב וּמְבֹרָךְ)
✨ Meaning: “A good and blessed month!”

Chodesh Tov b’Shem YAHUAH — “A good month in the Name of YAHUAH.”

Shalom,