For the source text click/tap here: Megillah 22
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The Gemora cites a braisa: This is the general rule: Any day where prolonging the tefillah would cause a loss of work, such as a public fast day or Tisha b’Av (where work is halachically permitted); we call three people to the Torah, but a day where prolonging the tefillah would not cause a loss of work, such as Rosh Chodesh (women have the custom of refraining to work) and Chol Hamoed; we call four people to the Torah. Rashi in Megillah (22b) states that the women abstained from performing work on Rosh Chodesh.
Tosfos (in Rosh Hashanah) states that there is a prohibition against working on Rosh Chodesh. Turei Even writes that in the times that the Beis Hamikdosh was in existence, there was a prohibition of refraining from work which applied to the men as well. This was due to the korban mussaf which was offered for all of Klal Yisroel on that day. A person is forbidden from doing work on a day that he brings a korban.
We explore the ramifications of women and Rosh Chodesh that have survived the talmudic era.