Editing Rosh Chodesh (section)

===Rosh Chodesh and women===
According to the [[Talmud]], women do not engage in work on Rosh Chodesh.<ref>{{cite Talmud|b|Megillah||22b}}</ref> [[Rashi]], in commenting on this passage, delineates the activities from which they must refrain: spinning, weaving, and sewing&mdash;the skills that women contributed to the building of the Mishkan ([[Tabernacle]]). The [[Shulchan Aruch]] writes that "Those women whose custom is not to do work on [Rosh Chodesh] have a good custom".<ref name=sa417/>

The [[midrash]] ''[[Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer]]'' gives a historical explanation for this practice:

<blockquote>Aaron argued with himself, saying: "If I say to Israel, 'Give ye to me gold and silver,' they will bring it immediately; but behold I will say to them, 'Give ye to me the earrings of your wives and of your sons,' and forthwith the matter will fail," as it is said, "And Aaron said to them, 'Break off the golden rings.'" The women heard (this), but they were unwilling to give their earrings to their husbands; but they said to them: "Ye desire to make a graven image of a molten image without any power in it to deliver." The Holy One, blessed be He, gave the women their reward in this world and the world to come. What reward did He give them in this world? That they should observe the new moons more stringently than the men, and what reward will He give them in the world to come? They are destined to be renewed like the new moons, as it is said: "Who satisfieth thy years with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle."<ref>{{cite book |translator-last=Friedlander |translator-first=Gerald |title=Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer: The Chapters of Rabbi Eliezer the Great According to the Text of the Manuscript Belonging to Abraham Epstein of Vienna |location=New York |publisher=Hermon Press |date=1965 |pages=353–354}} (chapter 45)</ref></blockquote>

In modern times, female-centered Rosh Chodesh observances vary from group to group, but many are centered on small gatherings of women, called Rosh Chodesh groups. There is often a particular interest in the [[Shekinah]], considered by the [[kabbalah]] to be a feminine aspect of God. These groups engage in a wide variety of activities that center around issues important to Jewish women, depending on the preference of the group's members. Many Rosh Chodesh groups explore spirituality, religious education, ritual, health issues, music, chanting, art, and/or cooking. Some groups also choose to educate young Jewish women in their community about sexuality, self-image, and other women's mental and physical health issues.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gottlieb |first=Lynn |title=She Who Dwells Within: A Feminist Vision of a Renewed Judaism |location=San Francisco |publisher=Harper San Francisco |date=1995 |chapter=Ch. 12: The Initiation of the New Jewish Woman}}</ref>

Miriam's cup (for the prophet [[Miriam]]) originated in the 1980s in a Boston Rosh Chodesh group; it was invented by Stephanie Loo, who filled it with mayim hayim (living waters) and used it in a feminist ceremony of [[guided meditation]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/74341/why-miriams-cup-because-without-miriam-jewish-life-would-not-exist/ |title=Why Miriam's Cup? Because without Miriam, Jewish life would not exist &#124; j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California |newspaper=J |publisher=Jweekly.com |date=2015-04-02 |access-date=2015-04-13}}</ref> Some seders (including the original Women's Seder, but not limited to women-only seders) now set Miriam's cup as well as the traditional cup for the prophet Elijah, sometimes accompanied by a ritual to honor Miriam.<ref>[http://www.miriamscup.com/RitualFirst.htm Miriam's Cup: Miriam's Cup rituals for the family Passover seder] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504070956/http://www.miriamscup.com/RitualFirst.htm |date=2015-05-04 }}. Miriamscup.com. Retrieved on 18 October 2011.</ref> Miriam's cup is linked to the ''[[midrash]]'' of [[Miriam#Jewish culture|Miriam's well]], which "is a rabbinic legend that tells of a miraculous well that accompanied the Israelites during their 40 years in the desert at the Exodus from Egypt".<ref name="Esserman defrosting">{{cite news|last=Esserman|first=Rachel|title=Defrosting Judaism: A look at the Ritualwell Website|url=http://www.rrc.edu/sites/default/files/legacy/Defrosting%20Judaism%20-%20Esserman.pdf|access-date=29 January 2014|newspaper=The Reporter|date=1 September 2006|agency=Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton|location=Binghamton, NY|page=5|format=Print|archive-date=7 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407064500/http://www.rrc.edu/sites/default/files/legacy/Defrosting%20Judaism%20-%20Esserman.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Passover/The_Seder/Seder_Plate_and_Table/Miriams_Cup.shtml |title=Miriam's Cup |publisher=My Jewish Learning |date=2014-01-22 |access-date=2015-04-13}}</ref>