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The Shabbat preceding Nisan 1 is called HaChodesh and is one of the special Shabbatot (special Sabbaths) intended to ready oneself for a festival or other event (in this case, Passover, which begins two weeks later on Nisan 14). In addition to the regular Torah reading for Shabbat, Exodus 12:1-20 is read and Ezekiel 45-46 is recited as Haftarah. The New Moon of Nisan is the most significant of the "new moons" of the Jewish calendar, since it is the first month of the Biblical Calendar - and therefore represents the Biblical "New Year's Day." This year, Rosh Chodashim begins Wed., March 25th.
Originally Rosh Chodashim was simply called the "First Month" because it is the month of the Exodus and the other months were named in relation to it, similar to the days of the week in the Hebrew calendar (i.e., the first day, the second day...). Later it was called "Chodesh Ha-Aviv," the springtime month, because the Hebrew Calendar is reset in the spring. According to the sages, after the Babylonian Exile and the prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled (i.e., "it will no longer be said 'as the LORD lives, who took the people of Israel out of Egypt,' rather it will be said 'as the LORD lives, who raised up and brought the people of Israel from the Northern Land' (16:14-15), the Jews began to call the months by the names commonly used in exile as a reminder of God's faithfulness.
Of all the various Rosh Chodesh celebrations, Rosh Chodesh Nisan is the most significant, since it prepares us for the coming time of Passover and is the starting point for the biblical cycle of yearly festivals (mo'edim) which reveal great prophetic truths about the LORD God of Israel and His beloved Son, Yeshua the Mashiach, blessed be He.
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