 Parshat Sh'mot A weekly feature of Torah Tidbits to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby better fulfilling the mitzva of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem... If we had a Sanhedrin today, a committee of its members would calculate (by computer) whether the Moon would be visible on the night following the 29th of the month. If yes, then the committee awaits witnesses to testify that they saw the new Moon. If not, then they (obviously) don't wait for witnesses. Even if the Moon will be visible on the night in question, the ease of seeing it will vary from month to month. This will mostly depend upon how long since the Molad (alignment of Earth-Moon-Sun) is the beginning of the evening following the 29th. The longer the Moon will be visible before it sets, the higher up in the sky it will first be visible, the more prominent its crescent (these three factors co-relate), and the better the weather conditions for viewing, the more people will see it. Conversely, there will be "evenings of first visibility" when the Moon will be visible for a very short period of time, very low on the horizon, and with only a hairline of light. On such evenings, the appearance of reliable witnesses is not a definite expectation. All this is in the way of introducing The Israeli New Moon Society, founded by Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz of Yeshivat Birkat Moshe in Maale Adumim. Membership in the Society includes Rabbanim, scholars, and scientists, as well as lay people. Basically, the Society is "practicing" for the time of the next Sanhedrin, and is collecting data which they hope will be valuable to making the process of sighting and testifying about the first visibility of the Moon each month. Towards this goal, the Society has prepared two forms for Viewing the Lunar Crescent - a simple, one-pager and a more complex form for advanced students in this area. People interested in participating in this project should contact Phil at the Israel Center - 538-4206, or Dr. Roy Hoffman at 5353551 or 050-930358. The upcoming evening in question is Monday, January 18th when the Moon might be visible. The computer programs indicate a very small window of visibility, and it therefore presents an excellent opportunity for data collection. [The Sh'mot Homepage] |