Today is Rosh Chodesh Kislev. In the mussaf of Rosh Chodesh we say the following
:רָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים לְעַמְּךָ נָתָתָּ. זְמַן כַּפָּרָה לְכָל תּולְדותָם. בִּהְיותָם מַקְרִיבִים לְפָנֶיךָ זִבְחֵי רָצון. וּשעִירֵי חַטָּאת לְכַפֵּר בַּעֲדָם. זִכָּרון לְכֻלָּם יִהְיוּ. וּתְשׁוּעַת נַפְשָׁם מִיַּד שונֵא.
You have given Your people New Moons, a time of atonement for all their offspring, when they would bring before You offerings for favor and goats of sin-offering to atone on their behalf. They would serve as a remembrance for them all as a salvation for their soul from the hands of those who hate them.
The Meforshim1 explain that the words שונֵא, hater is referring to our yetzer hara.
Rav Moshe Shapiro2 explains that we bring a kapara for the fact that the moon was made smaller. When the moon became smaller, darkness and night were introduced to the world. This is a time of hiddenness and confusion. This is also the time that ra, evil, was created. The korban is to atone for the existence of …
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