Rosh Chodesh which literally means "Head of the Month" is a monthly holiday that celebrates the arrival of the new moon, marking the start of a new month in the Jewish calendar.
The Jewish Calendar is a lunar calendar with twelve lunar months and 354 days per year. Each lunar month consists of 29 1/2 days. Since it is impossible to switch months in the middle of the day, certain Hebrew months have twenty-nine days whilst others have thirty days.
In order for the Jewish Festivals to be synchronized with the proper season, for example Passover (Pesach) which must fall in the spring (in Israel - the Northern Hemisphere), a leap year is added every few years. In a nineteen year cycle there will be seven leap years.
The Jewish leap year, however, is not like the leap year in the Gregorian calendar which is one day added on at the end of February every four years. A Jewish leap year adds on an entire month to close the gap between the 354 day lunar calendar and the 365 day solar calendar. Since the month of Adar (approximately February-March) is the last month of the Hebrew year, we add on an extra month at this time. We then have Adar I and Adar II which assures us that the holidays will be celebrated in the proper season. Originally, the date of Rosh Chodesh was confirmed on the testimony of witnesses observing the new moon, a procedure known as Kiddush Hachodesh (sanctification of the month). After the Sanhedrin (an assembly of either 23 or 71 elders or rabbi's, appointed to sit as a tribunal in every city in ancient Israel) declared Rosh Chodesh for either a full 30 day month or a 29 day month, news of it would then be communicated throughout Israel and the diaspora.
This system was dependent on the functioning of the Sanhedrin to declare the month, and to communicate this month to far-flung Jewish communities. In the 4th century CE, this became impossible and instead a fixed calendar of 29 and 30 day months was instituted by Hillel.
At the end of a 29 day month, Rosh Chodesh is celebrated for one day, on the first day of the new month. At the end of a 30 day month, Rosh Chodesh is celebrated for two days - the 30th day of the previous month, and the 1st day of the new month.
With the exception of the month of Heshvan, the eighth month of the year, every single month of the Jewish Calendar has some sort of special day or special observance. The importance of Rosh Chodesh is therefore obvious.
The names of the months are not Hebrew but Babylonian. The Bible refers to the Jewish holidays only by the order of the months and not by the Babylonian names which were assigned long after the canonization of the Torah. For example, the Torah gives the date of Yom Kippur as the tenth day of the seventh month, whilst the date of Pesach is the fifteenth day of the first month.
The Hebrew month of Cheshvan, also known as Marcheshvan, is a month of quiet beginnings, rain and the opportunity to bring spiritual inspiration into everyday life. It follows the month of Tishrei, which is filled with the festivals of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. After this busy season of holiness and celebration, Cheshvan invites us to return to our ordinary routines and make them meaningful through Torah, mitzvot and acts of kindness.
In the Jewish year 5787, Cheshvan begins on Monday, 1 Cheshvan, which falls on 12 October 2026, and ends on Tuesday, 30 Cheshvan, which falls on 10 November 2026. Since Jewish dates begin at sunset, Cheshvan begins at sunset on Sunday, 11 October, and ends at nightfall on Tuesday, 10 November. Cheshvan has 30 days in 2026.
Cheshvan and Kislev are two unusual months in the Hebrew calendar because each can have either 29 or 30 days, depending on the year. A month with 30 days is called a full month, while a month with 29 days is called a deficient month. The number of days in Cheshvan and Kislev varies according to the structure of the Hebrew calendar, helping to ensure that the Jewish festivals fall on their appropriate days of the week. In the Jewish year 5787, both Cheshvan and Kislev have 30 days.
Cheshvan is the eighth month when counting from Nisan, the month in which the Jewish people left Egypt, and the second month when counting from Tishrei, the beginning of the Jewish civil year. The Torah refers to months by number in several places, while Jewish tradition also preserves their names, many of which came into use during the Babylonian exile.
Cheshvan is unusual because it contains no major Jewish festival and no regularly scheduled public fast. After the many special days of Tishrei, it is a month in which the holiness of Jewish life is expressed primarily through everyday observance. Although there are no major festivals, Cheshvan contains several important dates.
The month begins with Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, the beginning of the new month. In 2026, 1 Cheshvan falls on Monday, 12 October. Since Tishrei has 30 days, 30 Tishrei, which falls on Sunday, 11 October, is also the first day of Rosh Chodesh. Rosh Chodesh is marked by special additions to the prayers, including Ya'aleh Veyavo and the Musaf prayer.
On 11 Cheshvan, which falls on 22 October 2026, Jewish tradition commemorates the yahrzeit of Rachel Imeinu, our matriarch Rachel. According to Bereishit, Rachel died while giving birth to Binyamin and was buried on the road to Efrat, near Beit Lechem. Her burial place has become a place of prayer, and many Jews associate Rachel with compassion, motherhood and prayer for the Jewish people. In Yirmiyahu 31:14–16, Rachel is described as weeping for her children, and Hashem promises that her children will return to their borders.
Another important date is 7 Cheshvan, which falls on Sunday, 18 October 2026. In the Land of Israel, this is the date on which Jews begin requesting rain in the Amidah prayer by adding the words Veten Tal Umatar Livrachah, meaning, “Give dew and rain for a blessing.” The request begins later in the Diaspora according to the halachic calendar. This difference reflects the importance of rain for agriculture in the Land of Israel and the need to allow pilgrims who travelled to Jerusalem for Sukkot time to return home.
The final day of Cheshvan in 2026, 30 Cheshvan, falls on Tuesday, 10 November. It is also the first day of Rosh Chodesh Kislev, which continues into the following day. Kislev is the month in which we celebrate Chanukah, the festival commemorating the rededication of the Beit Hamikdash and the miracle of the oil.
The mazal, or zodiac sign, associated with Cheshvan is Akrav (עקרב), the scorpion, corresponding to Scorpio. In traditional Jewish teachings about the months, each month has symbolic associations that can help us reflect on its spiritual character. The scorpion is sometimes discussed in connection with the difficult events associated with Cheshvan, including the Flood in the time of Noach. These associations belong to Jewish tradition and should be understood symbolically rather than as predictions about people's lives.
According to certain Kabbalistic traditions, the tribe associated with Cheshvan is Menashe, the elder son of Yosef and Asenat. Menashe's name is connected to Yosef's words in Bereishit 41:51: “For G-d has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's household.” Yosef gave his son this name because Hashem had helped him move beyond the suffering he had experienced in Egypt.
The association of Menashe with Cheshvan can inspire reflection on overcoming hardship and continuing forward with faith in Hashem. Although difficult experiences may shape us, they do not have to prevent us from growing spiritually and fulfilling our responsibilities.
In the Kabbalistic teachings associated with Sefer Yetzirah, Cheshvan is linked with the Hebrew letter Nun (נ). The Hebrew letters are not merely symbols used for writing; in Jewish mystical tradition, they also carry spiritual significance. Nun begins the Hebrew word neshamah (נשמה), meaning soul, although this word association is an additional reflection rather than the source of the traditional monthly correspondence.
The letter Nun can encourage us to reflect on spiritual continuity and growth. Just as the ordinary days of Cheshvan follow the intense spiritual experiences of Tishrei, we are reminded that our spiritual lives should continue to develop even when there are no festivals or special occasions to inspire us.
In the Kabbalistic system presented in Chabad teachings, the body part associated with Cheshvan is the intestines, and the sense associated with the month is smell. These correspondences are part of a traditional symbolic system connecting the months of the Hebrew year with aspects of human life. They are not medical claims, but rather elements of Jewish mystical thought.
Unlike some of the other monthly associations, the precious stone linked specifically to Cheshvan is not uniformly identified across Orthodox Jewish sources. The twelve stones on the breastplate of the Kohen Gadol are associated with the tribes of Israel, and different traditions discuss their identities and meanings. Onyx, for example, is associated with Yosef in traditional discussions of the breastplate, but it should not automatically be described as the universally accepted gemstone of Cheshvan. It is therefore more accurate to acknowledge that there is no single, universally established precious stone for the month in the Orthodox sources consulted.
The month is often called Marcheshvan, although Cheshvan is the shorter name commonly used today. One popular explanation connects the word mar with the Hebrew word for bitter, because the month has no major festival. This is a traditional interpretation of the name rather than a definitive explanation of its historical origin. Other explanations connect the name with water, which is appropriate given the month’s association with rain. The names of the Hebrew months came into Jewish use during the Babylonian period.
Cheshvan is associated with the story of Noach and the Great Flood, described in Bereishit, chapters 6–9. According to the rabbinic chronology discussed in traditional Jewish sources, the Flood began on 17 Cheshvan and Noach left the Ark on 27 Cheshvan. These dates connect the month with water, destruction and, ultimately, the renewal of life.
The story of Noach also reminds us of the importance of remaining faithful to Hashem even when surrounded by a world that has lost its moral direction. Noach's obedience and perseverance enabled him to fulfil the task Hashem had given him and to preserve life through the Flood.
Cheshvan also has a connection with the building of the First Beit Hamikdash in Jerusalem. Melachim I (1 Kings) 6:38 states that King Shlomo completed the construction of the Temple in the eighth month, called Bul, after seven years of building. Jewish tradition identifies this eighth month with Cheshvan. However, the dedication of the Beit Hamikdash took place later, during Tishrei.
According to a traditional teaching, Cheshvan was destined to receive the distinction of hosting the dedication of the Beit Hamikdash, but the dedication took place in Tishrei instead. This idea is sometimes used to explain the month’s association with a future spiritual completion. It is important to distinguish this traditional interpretation from the biblical account, which records the completion of the building and the later dedication.
Rain is essential to life, and Cheshvan marks an important stage in the Jewish prayer calendar. On Shemini Atzeret, Jews begin mentioning the power of rain in the Amidah through the prayer Mashiv Haruach Umorid Hageshem. In the Land of Israel, the request for rain begins on 7 Cheshvan. Outside Israel, the request begins later according to the halachic calendar.
The delay in Israel until 7 Cheshvan traditionally allowed pilgrims who had travelled to Jerusalem for Sukkot to return home before the rains began. This practice reflects the Torah values of caring for others and considering the needs of the community. Rain is not merely a natural phenomenon; in Jewish prayer, it is also a reminder that life and sustenance ultimately come from Hashem.
One of the most meaningful ideas associated with Cheshvan is that Jewish spiritual life does not depend on having a festival or a special occasion. During Tishrei, we experience the inspiration of the High Holidays and the joy of Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Cheshvan challenges us to carry that inspiration into the ordinary days that follow.
It is relatively easy to feel inspired during a beautiful Yom Tov or a meaningful prayer service. The greater challenge is to continue learning Torah, praying with concentration, giving tzedakah, treating others kindly and fulfilling mitzvot when life returns to its usual routine. Cheshvan reminds us that these everyday acts are themselves a way of serving Hashem.
The month also teaches us the value of consistency. Just as rain gradually nourishes the earth, small acts of goodness can gradually strengthen our homes, communities and spiritual lives. We may not always experience the excitement of a festival, but every day offers opportunities to grow closer to Hashem and to bring holiness into the world.
Cheshvan may appear to be an ordinary month, especially when compared with the festivals of Tishrei. Yet its quiet character carries an important message. Through its associations with rain, the Flood, the completion of the First Beit Hamikdash and the traditional symbolism of its mazal, tribe, letter and body part, Cheshvan encourages us to build something lasting from the inspiration we have received.
The month reminds us that holiness is not confined to special days, beautiful ceremonies or moments of intense inspiration. It must become part of our daily lives. A life of Torah and mitzvot is built not only through extraordinary moments, but also through faithful, consistent actions every day. In this way, Cheshvan teaches us to carry the holiness of Tishrei into the entire year.