 Parshat Vayikra 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... Rosh Chodesh Nissan was Thursday, March 18th. The Molad of Nissan was on WED (Mar 17) 11h 20m 3p (which is 10:59am, Israel time). The actual Molad will be Wednesday night at 20:47. Even if the Molad had actually occurred on Wednesday morning, the Moon could not have been visible on Wednesday evening. Certainly, with theMolad actually occurring after the Moon set on Wednesday, if we had a Sanhedrin, Thursday could not have been Rosh Chodesh. The Moon might have been visible on Thursday evening, from about 6:10pm for about 10 minutes. If we had a Sanhedrin and witnesses would have seen the lunar crescent during that 10 minute window, thenFriday would have been proclaimed Rosh Chodesh. If not, then Shabbat. Does that mean we were wrong for marking Rosh Chodesh on Thursday? NO! We were exactly right because without a Sanhedrin, the calculation said Thursday. And Thursday it was. First opportunity for Kiddush L'vana (Vilna Gaon's 3-day atfter the Molad rule) will be Motza'ei Shabbat Vayikra. Other opinions start Wednesday night or next Motza'ei Shabbat. [The Vayikra Homepage] |