NEOMENIA. This Word comes from the Greek1, and signifies the first Day of the Month. ‘Tis known that the Hebrews had a particular Veneration for the first Day of every Month, and Moses appointed certain peculiar Sacrifices for this Day. But Numb. xxviii. 11, 12. 1 Sam. xx. 5. & 18.he gave no Orders that it should be kept as an Holy Day. Nor can it be any where proved, that the ancient Jews observed this as a Precept: ‘Twas a Festival of mere voluntary Devotion. It appears that even from the Time of Saul they made on this Day a Sort of Family-Entertainment and Rejoycing, since David ought then to have been at the King’s Table, and Saul took it amiss that he did not attend. Moses insinuates, that besides the national Sacrifices that were then constantly offer’d, every private Person made his particular Sacrifices of Devotion. The Beginning of the Month was proclaimed by Sound of Trumpet, which was performed at the Numb. x. 10. Numb. x. 10. Levit. xxiii. 24.offering of the solemn Sacrifices. But the most celebrated Neomenia of all others was that at the Beginning of the Civil Year, or first Day of the Month Tizri. This was a Sacred Day, on which no servile Labour was performed; on this they offer’d particular Burnt-Sacrifices, and sounded with the Trumpets of the Temple. In the Kingdom of the ten Tribes, the most sober among the People used to assemble sometimes at the Houses of the Prophets, to hear their Instructions. The Shunamite, who entertained Elisha, having a Mind to go to see this Prophet, her Husband said to her; Why do you go to him to Day, since it is neither the Sabbath nor the 2 Kings iv. 23. Isai. i. 13, 14. Ezek. xlv. 17. Vide & 1 Chr. xxiii. 31. & 2 Chron. viii. 13. Judith viii. 6. Ezek. xlvi. 1, 2.New-Moon? Isaiah declares, that the Lord abhors the New-Moons, the Sabbaths, and the other Days of the Festivals and Assemblies of those Jews, who in other Things neglected the Observation of his Laws. Ezekiel says, that the Burnt-Offerings that were used to be offered on the Day of the New-Moon, were provided at the King’s Expence, and that on this Day was to be opened the Eastern Gate of the Court of the Priests. Judith kept no Fast on Festival Days, or on the New-Moon. The modern Jews keep the Neomenia only as a Feast of Devotion, which every one may observe, or not, as he pleases2. They think it rather belongs to the Women than the Men. The Women forbear from Work, and they indulge a little more on this Day than on others. In the Prayers of the Synagogue, they read from Psalm 113, to 118. They bring forth the Role of the Law, and read therein to four Persons. They call to Remembrance the Sacrifice, that on this Day used to be offered in the Temple. On the Evening of the Sabbath which follows the New-Moon, or some other Evening following, when the New-Moon first appears, all the Jews assemble together, and make a Prayer to God, calling him the Creator of the Planets, and the Restorer of the New-Moon; then raising themselves towards Heaven, they ask of God that they may be preserved from all Misfortunes; then after making Mention of David, they salute each other, and so separate.
Spencer3 has made a long Dissertation upon the Neomenia, in which he shews very well, that the Gentiles have heretoforehonoured the first Day of the Month, out of Veneration to the Moon. He would conclude from hence, that the Hebrews have borrowed this Practice from strange and idolatrous People. But he by no Means proves this, and it is much more probable that it is from the Hebrews that other Nations have copied; or rather, that without any Design of imitating the Hebrews, they have thought fit to honour the Moon at the beginning of the Month, at her first Appearance. The Worship of the Moon has been very common among all idolatrous Nations.
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