We begin now to study the laws of Kiddush Hachodesh – Sanctifying the month – in ancient Israel the judges would make astronomical calculations when the moon should appear, then wait for witnesses who would testify that they saw the moon – one could ask a simple question: a. if they had calculations, why wait? b. why couldn’t they just look up? – this teaches us that in Judaism how we do things is not up to us (for when man takes control of their own lives – which is the problem with the ideal of western civilization – he becomes a savage; as we see how civility is turning after obama into savagery (at least in words)