The first sanctification of the moon took place in Egypt.
            Moses and Aharon consecrated the month of Nissan,
            according to G-D's command. Moses taught the elders of
            Israel that three worthy men, judges of the great
            Tribunal, where to consecrate the new month on the day
            of the new moon.

            When the jewish people had a great Sanhedrin
           (Tribunal), whoever saw the new moon joined another
           person who also saw it, and together they appeared
           before the Tribunal, where each declared: "I saw the new
           moon".

           When the witnesses arrived in Jerusalem they went to a great courtyard, called Bet Ya'azek. All the witnesses who had seen the
new moon gathered and were interrogated to verify the
truth of their statements.

          The pair of witnesses who came first was interrogated
          first. If the statements of the two witnesses were found to
          be correct, the head of the Tribunal declared: The
          new moon is consecrated!, and all the people present
          repeated after him: Consecrated, consecrated.

 
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