ROSH CHODESH CHESHVAN 5786
We have arrived at the new moon that begins Cheshvan 5786. Can you feel it happening? There is an energy that flows in the life of believers who follow YHWH. It is the very essence of His life-giving breath. Some call it the Ruach HaKodesh. Some say it is YHWH’s Holy Spirit flowing within the being of every believer. The followers of Yeshua know He sent it to us.
It is a rhythm that flows like a river’s heartbeat right through our other great gift of time. This rhythm of life began at creation and has been flowing ever since. The river is constantly changing its currents. Our movements are not always downstream. Sometimes we have to fight the currents. Often we crash. The water level isn’t always the same. A few places may require carrying the boat and walking through the shallow waters. Then there are the waterfalls that come rushing in unexpected moments. We think we are about to drown, then we are able to breath again.
If we trust YHWH, these seasonal currents of life bring energy and light into our lives. He will help us to navigate this great river. Many are still learning how to listen to Yeshua. They bask in the sunlight and learn to let these currents happen as they flow through us and take us to new places.
WHERE ARE WE IN THIS RIVER OF TIME?
One way to understand where we are in the river of YHWH’s great gift of time is to celebrate and observe Rosh Chodesh for each new month of His calendar. In 2025, Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan begins at sundown. It correlates with Tuesday, October 21st on our civil calendar. This is the first day of a new Hebraic month. It is always a new moon. The first day of Cheshvan begins at sunset and ends on sunset the next day. Sunset happens when that tiny first sliver of a new moon is spotted within the night sky. Cheshvan is a very interesting month to understand.
Have you ever had to go through a hard time, but you knew it was necessary for your well being? Perhaps you also realized after that time was done that you were better off. Cheshvan is similar in nature.
I heard one Rabbi tell of how his little daughter loved to make bubbles out of soap. She made the bubbles by dipping in the soap and blowing through a wand which produced the bubbles. She delighted in this process. It brought her great moments of temporary happiness. However, her older brother loved to come along and pop the bubbles she made. That sent her happy moments crashing down around her. She had to learn how to handle the challenges presented by her mischievous older brother in order to move ahead and enjoy her time. This too is a great example of what the month of Cheshvan can be like.
NEW MOON OF CHESHVAN
I can’t believe it is already time for a new moon. It seems like yesterday that we were celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles under a big, beautiful harvest moon. Here is a photo of where we were watching it from the lake house where we stayed. Isn’t it beautiful?
God created so much beauty for our enjoyment. Each season shares its own beauty. Now this beautiful full moon in the photo has decreased and phased smaller and smaller. Finally, we could see it no more. We come to a moment of darkness. Then the first sliver of new light will bring us the month of Cheshvan.
LOOKING BACK
So, the first thing I think of on this Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan of 5786 is thankfulness, I’m very thankful for the last month and the blessings of Sukkot. I hope everyone had an amazing Sukkot. We definitely knew the meaning of a “season of joy” in our family.
Before Sukkot, there were the usual trials and tests. Let’s begin Cheshvan by joining together to thank God for getting us through the trials and tribulations of last month. There were the days which led us up to the time of The Feast of Tabernacles. Did you feel that sense of tension that every believer feels before arriving within the joy of the festival that makes us whole?
Was your journey a bit stressful until you arrived at your temporary shelter? It was for us. We even locked ourselves out of our rental home and had to call the owners to let us back inside. Once we walked back in, the stress settled and the joy factor increased. Thinking backwards we laugh, but it is good to be on the other side of the pre-feast times of self-examination and reflection. Surely God met us, graciously forgave us our trespasses, and brought us into a beautiful new place. Now we can feel the peace of having journeyed to the feast and worshipped.
WHAT DID THE LAST MONTH TEACH YOU?
Did you learn anything new at the Feast this year? What about the time spend at the Holy Days we went through before the feast? God taught me so much! I hope everyone recommitted their days to our awesome Creator. It is great that we are all ready for the destiny of this new year YHWH has blessed us with.
Each new day brings us one step closer to Yeshua’s return for His Bride. That should be exciting to everyone. Are you feeling this same hopeful anticipation?
BEING THANKFUL
As you continue to look back, just pause to remember the things YHWH helped you through last month. Can you name them aloud and give thanks for them? Did you learn anything new? Which moments brought you the most joy and filled your heart with love for YHWH, your family and community? Our precious gift of time has given us the blessings of memories. How pleasant to look back and remember the goodness of God in the land of the living. It is a great time to pause and show our gratitude.
Historically and globally the hostages were finally released to Israel. This is such an answer to so many millions of prayers. I hope you read all of the heart-wrenching stories. Amazing miracles brought them all home again.
Let’s not forget to stop and give God the glory for such a miracle of the first signs of peace we have experienced in a long, long time. Let’s continue to pray that true peace will continue and multiply through the earth. As goes Jerusalem, so goes the world. Everyone will benefit from the peace of Jerusalem. Of course many things still seem shaky and unsteady. We aren’t totally there and may not arrive until Yeshua’s final reign begins. Still we can always hope and never give up. Keep God’s Holy City in your daily prayers. Also continue to pray for world peace, which is just another way of saying “Come Lord Jesus Come!”
In thinking of the state of the world we must remember that prophetically Cheshvan is a month of struggles, conflicts, fighting among nations and families. There are aspects of this month though that have shown us better ways. This is the month to ask God for extra strength in becoming an overcomer.
SLOW DOWN A BIT
Last month was very full. Have you ever been so busy? Let’s rest in this little time/pause we have before the days of Hanukkah come. Take some time to sit and wait on the miracle of Emmanuel – God with us. If you are like us, we are celebrating that Yeshua is the miracle of Hanukkah. He is the REAL Light of the World symbolized by that long ago miracle of the oil after the restoration of the Temple.
These quiet moments will be a good time to reread those stories of the first Hanukkah. This is also a great time to think about the story of The Annunciation. Ponder the days of Mary and Elizabeth’s pregnancies and the birth announcements of John the Baptist followed by the miracle of the first-coming of Christ.
REVIEW THE MIRACLES
Keep these stories that happened around Mary and Joseph fresh in your heart. Remember how God was made flesh and placed inside Mary’s womb. Ponder how this baby grew into the One who would be Our Messiah.
Again, even AFTER celebrating this birth of Yeshua at Sukkot, we begin our new year remembering the nine months of miracles and the embryo of a child who grew and became Yeshua. He will one day be The King of All Kings. We must ponder how we too carry God inside of us. Are we allowing Him to grow? Do we nurture that growth and share it with everyone, even shepherds and wise men following stars?
In finishing the celebrations of commemorating the birth of Yeshua at The Feast of Tabernacles, our calendar is so far ahead of those who are still stubbornly holding on to December and Christmas. Let’s continue to thank God for how He sent Yeshua just in time to save us. HIs timing is always perfect. It matters. Many of us feel the truth of God’s timing is the truth we should celebrate. We believe Yeshua’s followers can’t be deceived by man-made dates for man-thinking reasons. So ponder these things in your heart as Mary did so you will be ready when we arrive at the Hanukkah celebrations next month.
ALWAYS KEEP THE JOY
Keep the joy. Do not let the world steal it away with their backwards logic. Just be grateful for God’s mercy and love. Some days will be a struggle this month. Others are going to disagree with you. Love and walk through these days. Celebrate His grace with those around you who haven’t reached the place of your own journey. Don’t let the struggle, chaos and confusion overcome your spirit. Love God. Then love your neighbor. LOVE.
THE DOUBLE PORTION OF CELEBRATIONS
In this quieter month of Cheshvan I find myself thankful for something many cannot understand or maybe they know and simply forget. Before we came to celebrate the Hebraic feast days as followers of Torah and Yeshua, we only got to celebrate Yeshua’s coming to be flesh and living among us on the world’s holiday called Christmas. That happened on only one day and only once a year. As Torah believing, feast and festival keepers, now we get to celebrate BOTH His conception (at Hanukkah) and His birth (at Sukkot, which comes nine months later.) Two eight day holy weeks! It is a double blessing each year! Two great celebrations. Plus, we get to celebrate the life of Yeshua every day in so many other special ways.
How good that our hearts were overflowing with thankfulness for His birth at Sukkot. Now our hearts will begin a new year by preparing to celebrate His conception at The Festival of Lights/Hanukkah. The whole rest of our new year will show us how the process of life and its miracles transpire and grow under YHWH’s faithful care. We know the first miracle of that Hanukkah where God made the oil for one day last eight days. Also, we know the miracle of The Light of the World, Yeshua, Our Messiah.
What could be more wonderful or more complete? These things are coming and Cheshvan prepares our hearts by giving us extra time to rest and be ready. We celebrate the quietness and the waiting. There are no holidays or holy days to prepare for in this month called Cheshvan. We rest in extra time. Our strength will be built up and stronger for when we do need to be busy and preparing again.
ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS
So, tonight, on spotting the new moon, we find ourselves right in the middle of resting from celebrating Yeshua’s birth for 5785, and starting the new year’s cycle of the coming celebrations about the miracles of His conception for 5786.
God has given us plenty of time for every thing. No detail goes unnoticed. In the quiet fall days of Cheshvan we can begin to ponder the importance of endings and beginnings. We wonder at the cycle of life that starts all over again and again. That is what YHWH does for His people. We feel so blessed.
THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH
What else should be considered about Cheshvan?
The symbolic tribe for the month of Cheshvan is Manasseh. This fact held the deepest personal significance for me in this year’s thoughts about Cheshvan. It has been said by some of the ancient and modern Rabbis that Manasseh was the tribe that lived with the higher level of spirituality. Surely this is something we all must aspire to accomplish in our lives too.
Why is this?
It is because they possessed the humble trait of being content with the blessings which God has provided. How strange that this tribe was always second in the blessings and allotment from their heritage. When Jacob blessed Manasseh (who was the oldest child of Joseph) he crossed his hands so that the greatest birthright blessings went first to Ephraim. Manasseh was also blessed, but his blessing was not as great and was second in line to Ephraim’s. As the oldest, Manasseh would usually have been considered the one to receive the first and greatest blessings. That is not how it transpired.
The most interesting thing is that Manasseh did not mind what happened. He trusted God for His provisions. He did not resent his younger brother getting the largest blessing. Manasseh’s character was to always be grateful for whatever blessings God provided. He was never jealous or envious of his younger brother. As a matter of fact, he celebrated his brother’s blessings with him.
THE HUMBLE LIFE OF MANASSEH
Wow! This lesson seemed to speak right into my soul. May we all learn to be like Manasseh. He certainly did live on a higher and more spiritual plane. His values were not put into earthly wealth or possessions. He was always happy and grateful for what he had. God appreciated Manasseh’s attitude so much that He actually showered Manasseh with more than he ever needed later in his lifetime.
So, as we go through this month that can be a time of bitterness and darkness, let’s learn how to be more like Manasseh. Let’s not let the jealousy that causes bitterness prevail. Instead let us overcome it with brotherly love.
TRAINING FOR OVERCOMING
The Light of Yeshua is always available to us. HIs Holy Spirit lives within us. All the comfort we need has been provided. We should constantly cultivate this attitude in order to overcome any darkness that prevails for a while as we travel through the month of Cheshvan. Just remember that joy comes in the morning.
This month will have its trials and tribulations, but YHVH is simply training us to be overcomers. He is getting us ready to think in heavenly ways. YHVH wants us to learn to live above the ways of the earth. Hold on to Yeshua for strength and endurance. Trust Him. God will bring us through and bless us on the other side.
THE CONSTELLATION OF SCORPIO IN THE MAZZARATH
If you are following God’s calendar in the sky you will see that Scorpio is the constellation for this month in God’s order of the Mazzaroth. We can recognize that this deadly insect is so selfish and dark that it will actually poison itself and die rather than be overcome by another. Beware of Scorpio’s sting. Avoid giving him the chance to prey on you. Guard your thoughts and watch your words.
Overcome and prevail over the scorpion. Victory will be ours at the end of this month. The next new moon will remind us of how God has helped us through danger and protected our souls. Hold on and keep walking. If you tire, look up into the night sky, like Abraham, and hear God telling His stories. You will see them written in the stars. Every language will be able to understand the stories of the heavens.
THE FRAGRANCE OF THE MONTH OF CHESHVAN
The sense of this month called Cheshvan is the sense of smell. Do you realize that Yeshua can smell His fragrance upon you? It is a legendary teaching of old that when He returns he will judge righteously because he can smell our lives and determine how we have lived.
So, we might want to concentrate on that thought as we walk through Cheshvan 5786. Do we smell of a Torah lived life? Can others smell the fragrance of Yeshua on our being when we walk through a room? It is a spiritual perfume that can overcome evil. Walk in this lovely fragrance. It is another gift from Yeshua. Enjoy this month by clothing yourself in His fragrance every day.
PRAYER FOR CHESHVAN 5786
Lord, please protect us as we walk through this month of Cheshvan. Keep us clothed in your perfume from above. May others notice and want to know more about You and Your ways.
Help our hearts to be as unburdened as Manasseh, who humbly accepted second place in life. Teach us how to find joy in whatever you chose to provide for us. We know that your decisions are better than ours and that your ways are higher than we can ever think.
We yield our minds, souls, bodies and spirits over to you and celebrate that you have given us life, time and love. Let us be joyful in the success of our brothers and sisters. Thank you Father for everything.