It is now Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat! A gitten choidesh everyone! The Zohar HaKodosh teaches us that on Rosh Chodesh all the gates to Shomayim are open, and the Arizal teaches we receive an extra nefesh just like Shabbos as well. In the Zohar HaKodosh Parshas Chayei Soroh it states there are two times when the aspects of the nefesh, ruach, and neshomo gain a special connection and go to Gan Eden to inhale the sweet smelling winds there: Rosh Chodesh and Shabbos. This means that Rosh Chodesh is somewhat similar to Shabbos. The Rambam himself paskens that we should make a proper seudah on Rosh Chodesh just like Shabbos, involving meat and wine, which is brought as halacha l’maaseh in the Shulchan Aruch.
The Mogen Avrohom brings in his commentary on Shulchan Aruch that there is a Midrash which states that Rosh Chodesh was a complete Yom Tov until the Cheit HaEigel (Sin of the Golden Calf). Though this great descent occurred spiritually, there is still an aspect of Yom Tov to Rosh Chodesh. This is why the Likkutei Maharich brings l’halacha that we should have special garments for Rosh Chodesh, as well as the inyan of holding back a little from certain melochos (not cutting fingernails or hair), and why we must make a seudah with meat and wine. Just washing on some breakfast sandwiches with a bit of tuna and a coffee is not fulfilling the obligation, we all must eat in a distinctly different manner from a normal weekday.
In the z’chus of our tefillos and making proper seudos Rosh Chodesh we should all merit to see yeshuos niflo’os (wondrous salvations), to perform the Yichud D’Nukva as described in Pri Etz Chaim, and as such draw down the influences from Hashem we all need to bring about the Y’mos HaMoshiach swiftly in our days!
Yismach Lev 