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We believe deeply that in the power of mindful living, and anchoring into Jewish time is an incredible way to get there! If you’re new to marking time with this ancient, gorgeous, lunisolar calendar, here are some of the key things to remember.
In Jewish time, every month is anchored to the arrival of a new crescent moon (🌒), peaks at the full moon (🌕), and ends when the moon completely wanes to darkness (🌑). That means, just by looking at the sky, you have a sense of where you are within the month!
Your At The Well Hebrew Calendar shows four of the key lunar phases to help you see how this pattern plays out month after month.
Historically, designated sky-watchers would climb a mountain to spot the new crescent moon. When a sighting was confirmed, they would light bonfires from hilltop to hilltop to spread the news that a new month had officially arrived. This made sure that all the towns and villages stayed on the same sacred schedule of observing holidays and remembrances. (See note below for more.)
When you live by the flow of Jewish time, you learn that each month has its own character.
Jewish mystical teachings from sources like Sefer Yetzirah have revealed that each month invites you to grow and reflect in new ways. And each new moon encourages you to feel a sense of renewal and possibility in your life, remembering that you are never truly stuck.
Your At The Well Hebrew Calendar includes an overview of each month’s spiritual energy, plus an affirmation for each month to help you live in alignment with that moment in Jewish sacred time.
If marking time by the moon feels new to you, that’s no surprise!
The “secular” calendar that is now used worldwide — aka the Gregorian calendar, or Roman time — has dominated since the year 46 BCE. (To be specific, it started as the Julian calendar, and in the 1500s was modified to become the Gregorian calendar.) The Gregorian calendar system is focused on the exact length of the solar year, which disregards any awareness of marking time by the moon.
Marking time with your Hebrew calendar opens you back up to an ancient, cyclical way of understanding time.
Jewish days and holidays start at nightfall the night before they are listed. If you see Rosh Chodesh listed on a certain day, the holiday actually starts at nightfall the evening before.
This is quite different from the Gregorian system, where every single day begins at midnight.
Why start a new day at nightfall? It all comes from one of the earliest verses in Torah: “And there was evening and there was morning, a first day” (Genesis 1:5). This also serves as a beautiful reminder that new things in our lives are often shrouded in mystery at first — and that sometimes we simply need to walk forward in faith.
In order for this calendar to serve its highest purpose in your life, you need to return to it regularly. This may not be your primary calendar, where you write the times of your next doctor’s appointment or your kid’s soccer practice. But how can you make your At The Well Hebrew Calendar an ongoing touchpoint for yourself and your soul?
Hang it somewhere you’ll see it often, like a kitchen, home office, or bedroom. Consider visiting your Hebrew Calendar each morning to remind yourself of today’s Hebrew date and to write one word about your intention for the day. Or before bedtime you could reread the monthly affirmation and then jot down a one-word reflection about how you felt that day.
We’d love to hear how you make your calendar part of your life! Share with us on Instagram and tag @atthewellproject!
Get your 5785 Hebrew Calendar now!
At The Well uplifts many approaches to Jewish practice. Our community draws on ancient Jewish wisdom, sometimes adapting longstanding practices to more deeply support the well-being of women and nonbinary people. See this article’s sources below. We believe Torah (sacred teachings) are always unfolding to help answer the needs of the present moment.
Sources
At The Well 5785 Hebrew Calendar, At The Well
Frequently Asked Questions About the Jewish Calendar, PJ Library
What is Sefer Yetzirah — and What Can It Teach You?, At The Well
Note: Nearly 2000 years ago, the system of directly observing the new moon and announcing a new month got replaced with something more technical. Now a sophisticated calculation is used to determine the length of each Hebrew month. That’s why, when you look at your calendar, you might notice that the new moon isn’t always exactly on the first day of the new Hebrew month.
We're here to support your journey to wholeness throughout every stage of your life. At The Well is spreading the word about Jewish rituals that can help you connect more deeply — to yourself, to your body, and to community.
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