If yesterday, the Summer Solstice, is all about the sun, then this upcoming Shabbat is a reminder that—for the most part—our Jewish calendar lives by the moon.
I spent Shavuot camping in Sycamore Canyon, noticing once again that it is our only harvest festival that does not take place under a full moon. Driving home last week, I was struck by the beautiful, low-hanging full moon, only to find out that it was actually a Strawberry Supermoon. And this Shabbat is one of the Shabbatot during the year known as Mevarchim Chodesh. The new month of Tammuz, and its new moon, begins the night of June 28. On the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh, the custom is to announce the day or days on which the new month will fall, and to pray that The Holy Blessed One renews it for us and all of Israel for goodness and blessing.
According to tradition, the commandment (mitzvah) of sanctifying the month is the first one which the Children of Israel were commanded upon leaving Egypt. And perhaps this month especially, following the day of the year with the most light, is a reminder that even in the darkness of the new moon, there is light to be found and to be blessed.
—Rabbi Sari Laufer