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Presented below are a number of ways in which Psalm 81:4 (81:3 in many standard Christian editions) can be translated:

a. Sound the shofar horn at the [time of the] New Moon, at the [time of the] New Moon (covered moon) in celebration of the day of our sacrifice.

b. Sound the shofar horn at the [time of the] New Moon, at the [time of the] New Moon in celebration of our Festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles).

c. Sound the shofar horn at the [time of the] New Moon, at the [time of the] New Moon (covered moon) in celebration of our Rosh HaShanah (New Year).

d. Sound the shofar at the [time of the] New Moon, at the [time of the] Full Moon in celebration of our Festival.

There are other variations on these themes, but these represent the more mainstream approaches found amongst biblical scholars of the last thousand years or older. To summarize and point out the points of agreement and the points of difference between these translations, it should be noted that all four agree that this verse calls for the shofar horn to be sounded on the first of Tishrei, while they differ with regards to whether it also speaks of the shofar being sounded at other times as well.

Translation B and C are of the view that the verse informs that the shofar would be sounded on that one day alone while Translations A and D hold to the perspective that the shofar is to be sounded at other times too; Translation A insisting that it should be sounded at the first of each and every month of the year, while Translation D is of the view that the shofar should be sounded twice, once on the first day of Tishrei and again on the fifteenth of that same month.

What allows the verses to be rendered in a multitude of ways are the various meanings which can be attributed to three words appearing in this verse – chodesh, kesse, and chag (the words being presented here without the prefixes or suffixes with which they appear in the actual verse). Let’s discuss the meaning of each of these three words closely.

CHODESH

Chodesh is the Hebrew for month. It is derived from the root word chadash, ‘new,’ so named in all likelihood due to month being a unit of time marked by the phases of the moon, a heavenly body which constantly renews itself, waning and waxing and then waning again, only to wax once more. The dark stage or conjunction of the moon is the separation of the cycle or the actual New Moon phase.

In this verse, the word appears with a bet prefix traditionally pronounced in such a way as to reflect the presence of a preposition paired with a definite article –”at the month,” or “in the month.” This could be understood in two ways – either the verse is referring to a specific month out of the twelve months of the year (Translations B, C, and D) or it is referring to a specific day of the month, namely the first day of the month. In this latter case it may be referring to that day of each and every month – “at the start of the month.”

KESSE

This word’s root is somewhat archaic, which can bring a bit of confusion to its real meaning. The most literal approach is that it is derived from the root kasoh, ‘to cover.’ This leads us to interpret this word as meaning that time of the month when the moon is “covered over,” when the moon is not visible (conjunction), as if a sheet had been drawn over it. This is obviously the first day of the month when the moon is “new,” and not even the smallest part of crescent can be observed. Because this word also has a bet prefix appended to it, we know that it is likely that this word stands parallel to the word chodesh in the first half of the verse. Thus, if we understood that chodesh refers to that phase of the moon when it is being renewed, it would stand to reason that kesse too would refer to that same lunar phase, that time when the moon is covered over, or that time of the month when the moon is least visible (conjunction), the start of the month.

Other interpretations relate this word to another root, ‘prepared’ or ‘set aside.’ Kesse would thus mean at the designated time, i.e., blow the shofar at the designated time. Well, we know from other biblical sources that the designated time for sounding the shofar is the first of the month of Tishrei. However, other verses do speak of sounding horns or trumpets on the first day of each month, as well as on the festival of Sukkot. So this would support more the first definition of Kesse being covered moon.

CHAG

This word carries with it several meanings within biblical literature. On most occasions, the word means festival or celebration. Usually it will refer to one of the pilgrimage festivals – Passover, Pentecost, or Tabernacles – and in this way is cognate with the Arabic word hajj. The word derives from a root meaning circle and thus refers either to the circular (or cyclical) nature of the year, or to the personal itinerary of the traveler as he sets out on his journey to the Temple, offers his sacrifice, and returns home.

Within biblical literature, each festival will be referred to as the chag of Passover, the chag of Pentecost, etc. When the text refers simply to chag, it is known that the reference is to Tabernacles, or Sukkot in Hebrew.

The word is also used in the biblical literature to refer to the sacrifice offered uniquely on such festivals, and by extension to any sacrifice offered at the Temple. Given that some of our primary nouns in this verse can each carry more than one legitimate interpretation, it is no surprise that there would be a number of ways to translate it.

One should note that this study has reviewed the verse in question without looking at the broader context of the chapter. Looking at the larger context may yet yield even other approaches to understanding this verse.

Abe Weschler is a New York native who is a linguist who presently resides on the Golan Heights. A graduate of Brooklyn College (BA, Psychology) and Yeshivat HaMivtar (Orthodox Ordination), he has served in the past as a congregational rabbi, and later as a chaplain with the US Air Force. Abe now spends his time teaching Biblical Hebrew, as well as working on several writing projects.