Positive Mitzvah Forty-Two Rosh Chodesh Musaf-offering Requires Beit HaMikdash
We are commanded offer a sacrifice on every Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) in addition to the daily olah-offering, this being the Musaf (Additional)-offering of the Rosh Chodesh. In this connection it may be noted that, the Jewish calendar being essentially based upon the rotation of the moon around the earth, the appearance of the new moon, following the period of its invisibility (approx. 2 days), was always marked by a festival-day in Yisrael. The Musaf-offering brought on that day emphasized the importance of the occasion. |