Shabbos Mevarchim

Shabbos Mevarchim is the name given to the Shabbos before each Rosh Chodesh. This Shabbos is called "Mevarchim" (blessing) because on this Shabbat, before Mussaf prayer, the Jewish people bless the upcoming month with a special blessing established by the Geonim.

The exception is the Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh Tishrei (Rosh Hashanah), when the Jewish people do not bless the month. Instead, Hashem Himself blesses it, which gives the Jewish people the power to bless the other months of the year.

This day is also called Yom Hisvaadus (day of gathering).

Customs of Shabbos Mevarchim

Regarding the special order of Shabbos Mevarchim, the Frierdiker Rebbe wrote:

"On Shabbos Kodesh Mevarchim HaChodesh, early in the morning, Anash should gather in the shul to recite the entire Tehillim. After saying Tehillim, they should learn for about an hour some maamar of Chassidus that everyone can understand, followed by davening, and then a farbrengen at a time that fits the local conditions."

The recitation of Tehillim on Shabbos Mevarchim affects him, his children, and his grandchildren.

It is a day of farbrengen and making good hachlatos (resolutions). The Frierdiker Rebbe also instructed the Rebbe to hold a farbrengen every Shabbos Mevarchim, which the Rebbe did during the Frierdiker Rebbe's lifetime and throughout the years afterward (from 5748, the Rebbe began to farbreng every Shabbat).

During winter Shabbatot, when it's not always possible to properly farbreng in the afternoon, the Frierdiker Rebbe instructed to arrange the farbrengens on Motzei Shabbat.

Details of the Tehillim Recitation Takana

1. The recitation should be early in the morning before Shacharis (and learning Chassidus).
2. It's preferable to recite in a minyan at shul.
3. After Tehillim, say Kaddish Yasom. If there are those who have a chiyuv, yahrzeit or mourners, they should say Kaddish after each sefer of Tehillim.
4. Before saying Kaddish, recite the 'Yehi Ratzon' printed at the end of Tehillim (the Rebbe's custom was to say it only after completing all of Tehillim), and if there's no chiyuv - don't say the 'Yehi Ratzon' either.
5. Even on the Shabbos before Rosh Hashana, recite all of Tehillim.
6. One who couldn't complete all Tehillim before davening with the minyan - it's better to daven with the minyan and complete the Tehillim afterwards, or start saying it earlier on Friday night. If the sun has already set (when Tehillim isn't said until chatzos, one doesn't need to wait until then but) complete the Tehillim recitation on Sunday.
7. It's not enough to say Tehillim individually; each person must also influence their surroundings to say Tehillim. The Rebbe even expressed that this will be Moshiach's demand when he is revealed: how many Yidden did you influence to say Tehillim on Shabbos Mevorchim?

The Rebbe's custom is to say all of sefer Tehillim continuously, without interrupting in the middle to say 'Yehi Ratzon' after each sefer.

Reasons for the Takana

Shabbos Mevorchim is a general day that influences blessing for all days of the month, as in the text of Birchas HaChodesh said on this Shabbos: "Renew for us this month for good and for blessing, for joy and for gladness, for salvation and for consolation." The drawing down of the blessing depends on making a vessel below, and saying all of Tehillim on this Shabbos is the vessel that prepares and gives strength for the blessing to work and influence successfully all days of the month. Tehillim is a vessel for drawing down Hashem's blessing for all days of the month.

Therefore on Shabbos Mevorchim we say Tehillim before Shacharis, unlike the daily Tehillim recitation which is after davening, because the goal is to affect additional strength in Birchas HaChodesh said during davening.

Why wasn't the takana to say Tehillim on Rosh Chodesh which, as its name implies, is a general day that includes all days of the month and leads and influences them like the head leads and influences the entire body?

First - saying Tehillim on Shabbos Kodesh works and influences much more. Second - to a certain extent Shabbos Mevorchim is a general day, whose influence on all days of the month is stronger and more significant than the influence of Rosh Chodesh. In other words: Shabbos Mevorchim is a greater general principle than Rosh Chodesh, and "all days of the month exist in Shabbos Mevorchim with more refinement and elevation than they exist in Rosh Chodesh itself."

This is because it essentially influences all days of the month in two ways:

1. Direct influence from it to all days of the month
2. Since Rosh Chodesh is on one of the weekdays that are blessed from it, it influences indirectly through Rosh Chodesh on all days of the month.

Therefore there is maximum importance to say all Tehillim on Shabbos Mevorchim before davening, as this influences tremendous blessing on all the coming days of the month for good.

Blessing of the New Month

Blessing of the New Month - Expanded Entry

The Blessing of the New Month is customarily recited while standing, commemorating the sanctification of the new moon ceremony during the time of the Beis Hamikdash, when the entire nation would stand as the Beis Din announced the sanctification of the month.

Before reciting the Blessing of the New Month, one must know the time of the molad (new moon), and in Chabad Chassidic synagogues, it is customary to announce the molad time aloud. In 770, a large sign is posted monthly displaying the details of the molad time and the dates when Rosh Chodesh will occur.

It is customary to honor the most distinguished congregant with reciting the Blessing of the New Month, which is said melodiously. When Rosh Chodesh falls on two days, occurring on Shabbos-Sunday, it is customary to add "on the holy Shabbos and the following day, on Sunday." However, when these two days fall during the week, there are varying customs among Chabad Chassidim whether to say "and the following day" or not.

The Shabbos on which the new month is blessed is a joyous day, and therefore Av HaRachamim is not recited, except on Shabbos Mevarchim Sivan, when it is said in memory of those killed in the massacres of 5556, which occurred during those days.

Giving Strength

The month is always blessed in the preceding month. Even when Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos, the blessing is not recited on that Shabbos itself, but rather on the previous Shabbos.

The Rebbe innovates that the inner reason for this is to tell us that the blessing and "giving of strength" for the month's divine service comes from the preceding month.

Shabbos Mevarchim of Tishrei

In Hayom Yom for the 25th of Elul, it is brought down in the name of the Baal Shem Tov that the custom is not to recite the Blessing of the New Month on the last Shabbos Mevarchim of the year, since Hashem Himself blesses the month of Tishrei, and through this power, the Jewish people bless the other months eleven times throughout the year.

In 1983, the Rebbe issued a call to sign immediately after this Shabbos Mevarchim a pledge to give tzedakah generously throughout the year, thereby opening new channels for abundant parnassah.

Further Reading

Ten Facts About Reciting Tehillim on Shabbos Mevarchim in Beis Moshiach Magazine Issue 1225

External Links

• Chabad History: How the Recitation of Tehillim on Shabbat Mevarchim Was Established - on website, 30 Kislev 5775/December 2014
• 4 Things You Didn't Know About Shabbat Mevarchim Chabad House website
• Who Initiated the Recitation of Tehillim on Shabbat Mevarchim? (English)
• 'Maximal Shabbat Mevarchim' - article in Beit Moshiach weekly by Israel Yehuda (link is not active, 6 Tevet 5785/January 2025).