מדרש אויף תהילים 81:4

Whence do we know that Sarah, Rachel and Hannah were visited on New Year's Day? R. Elazar said: We infer by comparing the expression, Zechiro, Zechiro (remember) and Pekidah Pekidah (visit) that appear in both places. Concerning the expression Zechira Zechira (remember), it is written of Rachel (Gen. 30, 32) And God remembered (Voyizkor) Rachel; and of Hannah, it is written (I Sam. 1, 19) And God remembered her (Voyizkor); this institutes an analogy between the word remember (Zechira) used in these passages and Zechiro, used in connection with New Year's Day, which is written (Lev. 23, 24) A remembrance (Zichrow) of blowing of cornets. Again, we make an inference from the analogy of Pekido Pekido (visit); it is written concerning Sarah (Gen. 21, 1) And the Lord visited (Pakad) Sarah as He said. Again, it is written concerning Hannah (I Sam. 2, 21) And truly the Lord visited (Pokad) Hannah. By the rule of analogy, all these events took place on the same [New Year's] day. Whence do we know that Joseph was released from prison on New Year's Day? It is written (Ps. 81, 4-5) Blow on the new moon the cornet at the appointed time on the day of our feast; for this is a statute for Israel. And again (Ib.) As a testimony in Joseph did he ordain it, when he went out over the land of Egypt. (Ib. b) On New Year's Day the bondage of our fathers in Egypt ceased. Whence do we know this? We infer it by rule of analogy of the word Sebila mentioned in two places. It is written (Ex. 6, 6) I will bring you out from under the burdens (Sibloth) of the Egyptians; and it is written (Ps. 81, 6) I removed his shoulder from the burden (Seibel); i.e., from the burden of Egypt on the day spoken of in the Psalm. In Nissan they were redeemed, as previously proven. In Tisari we shall again be redeemed. This he deduces by analogy from the word Shofor (cornet), found in the following passages. It is written (Ib.) Blow the cornet on the new moon (i.e., on New Year's Day); and it is written there (Isa. 27, 13) And on that day the great cornet (B'shofor), shall be blown [just as in the former case it means New Year's Day, so does it also in the latter]. R. Joshua says: "In Nissan they [our ancestors] were redeemed, and in Nissan we shall be redeemed in the future." Whence do we infer this? From the following passage (Ex. 12, 42), … this same night is a night of watching unto the Lord; i.e., a night specially designated from the first days of creation for the final redemption of Israel. (Ib.) … For all the children of Israel throughout their generations; i.e., a night looked forward to for the future redemption.

R. Tachlipha, brother of Rabanai Huzanah, taught (Fol. 16): "All the necessities of a man are definitely assigned to him by Heaven during the ten days between New Year and the Day of Atonement, except the expenses for the Sabbath, the festivals, and for educating his children; for these purposes, one who spends little is assigned little; but one who spends much gets a big assignment." R. Abahu said: "Where is the passage to prove this? (Ps. 81, 4) Blow the horn at the new moon while it (the moon) is hidden on the day of our feast. What festival is that on which the new moon is hidden (seen only by a few)? This is New Year's. Immediately following the above is the passage. For this is chok (a statute) for Israel, an ordinance by the God of Jacob. How do we know that the word chok refers to maintenance? It is written (Gen. 47, 22) And they ate their (chok) portion which Pharaoh gave them. Mar Zutra said: From here we learn it (Pr. 30, 8) Let me eat the bread Chuki (appointed to me). We are taught in a Baraitha: It is told about Shammai, the senior, that every day of the week he ate in honor of the Sabbath. When he found a good animal, he would say: "This shall be for the Sabbath." And when he found a better one, he ate the former, and left the better one for the Sabbath; but Hillel, the Elder, had another habit: Because all his deeds were for the sake of Heaven, as it is said (Ps. 68, 20) Blessed be the Lord! day by day. We are also taught so in the following Baraitha: Beth Shammai say: "Prepare from every day for the Sabbath," but Beth Hillel say: "Praised be the Lord day by day."

The dwelling of the moon is between cloud and thick darkness made like two dishes turned one over the other, and when it is the conjunction of the moon these two clouds turn in the east quarter and (the moon) goes forth from between them like a ram's horn. On the first night (is revealed) one measure (of light), on the second night the second measure, and so on until the half of the month when the moon is fully revealed, and from the middle of the month these two clouds turn their faces in the west quarter. The corner (i.e. crescent) of the moon with which it comes forth first, (the same) begins to enter and is covered therein by the two (clouds) on the first night (by) one measure, on the second night (by) a second measure, and so on to the end of the month until || it is entirely covered. And whence do we know that it is placed between two clouds? Because it is said, "When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it" (Job 38:9). And whence do we know that it becomes entirely covered? Because it is said, "Blow ye the trumpet in the new moon, at the covering, on our solemn feast day" (Ps. 81:8). "At the covering," on the day when it is entirely covered, blow ye the trumpet in the new moon.