Page 46 - Chayei Adam LAYOUT sivan 5782

Chayei Adam - K’lal 139 - The Laws of Rosh Hashana Night & Rosh Hashana Tefilos

Hashana, does not need to annul the vow [in order to eat in subsequent years] if
he stipulates that he is not accepting it as a vow and that he only intends to fast
this once. Otherwise, he must annul the vow [in order to eat]. 87

]14[ On Rosh Hashana, two days of yom tov are observed even in Eretz Yisroel
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and they are considered like one long day. [This is because] even in the times of
the Beis HaMikdash, they would sometimes observe two days of yom tov, if, [for
example] the witnesses came after mincha time. Since they always observed the
thirtieth day of Elul as yom tov because maybe the witnesses would come and
that day would be sanctified as the new month, in which case [Rosh Hashana]
would only be on that day. However, if they came after the afternoon daily
sacrifice was offered, if they would accept witnesses, it would mess up the song
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[of the levi’im] for they would have said a weekday song. Furthermore, they

םדו רשב

87. As is the case with all vows in general, was easy to known when, for example, Pesach
that the vow only takes effect as stipulated. would be (i.e. exactly two weeks later) and
Whether or not making such a stipulation or messengers were sent out to publicize which
annulling such a vow is advisable, depends on day (the 30th or the 31st of the previous
the tradition which some had regarding one month) had been declared as Rosh Chodesh.
who doesn’t fast in subsequent years, as Spreading this news however had its limits as
discussed above. it was only possible to travel so far by the end
of the two weeks.
88. Originally, the Torah set up a system People living outside of Eretz Yisroel waited
in which the Jewish people would be involved to hear the news which often wouldn’t arrive
in determining the calendar on a monthly until much later. Accordingly, they observed
basis as follows: The lunar cycle (i.e. the birth an extra day of Pesach; although only the first
of a new moon) occurs every 29 ½ days day of Pesach is yom tov according to Torah
(approximately) and therefore every month law, an extra day was observed, just in case
would have either 29 or 30 days, based on the the previous month had 30 days and not 29,
testimony of two valid witnesses who came and a full day was added to the end of Pesach
before the Sanhedrin to testify that they had (i.e. the eighth day) as well.
seen the “rebirth” of the moon (known as the The innovation of a predetermined calendar
‘molad’). This occurred on a monthly basis. was born out of necessity, as eventually the
Once Rosh Chodesh had been declared, it need for a set calendar became apparent and

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