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Not surprisingly, Tractate Rosh Hashanah discusses the upcoming Jewish New Year, which we will soon mark on the first day of the month of Tishrei. However, as we will, learn in the very first Mishnah, Rosh Hashanah is but one of several new years in the Jewish calendar.
The Tractate then moves on to extensively discuss Rosh Chodesh, the new month in the Jewish calendar. The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar cycle, unlike the solar cycle used in determining the secular calendar. From Biblical times through Mishnaic times, Rosh Chodesh was determined by a process which involved witnesses appearing (generally) in Israel before a Beis Din -- a panel of at least three judges who were members of the great Sanhedrin, the highest court in the land -- and providing testimony regarding the appearance of the new moon (or, more precisely, the moon’s first visible crescent). Based upon the panel’s intimate knowledge of astronomy and its vetting of the witness’ testimony, the Beis Din would decide the precise day of Rosh Chodesh. Once the decision was made, Beis Din would then inform the people so that the festivals could be celebrated on their proper dates. (Thus, the custom of a two day Yom Tov outside of Israel – where it took longer to get “word” of the Beis Din’s declaration – took root.) Almost half of the Tractate is devoted to the very specific details of this process. Of course, this process was eventually replaced in 358 C.E. by the current fixed Jewish calendar by R’ Hillel, the then-head of the Sanhedrin (although it is interesting to note that Ramban teaches that the preceding process for determining Rosh Chodesh will be reinstituted at the time of Messiach).
The final two chapters of the Tractace return to the discussion of Rosh Hashonah and, in particular, the sounding of the Shofar and the extended Mussaf prayer on this holiday.
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