Parashat Vayigash 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... Kiddush L'vana - The first opportunity for K.L. this month was Motza'ei Shabbat Mikeitz, according to the 3-day opinion. The date was the eve of the 3rd of Tevet, and in my shul (I'm sure it happened in other shuls as well) many people almost sneered at the relatively few who were saying K.L., claiming that we were tooearly. "It's AFTER 3 days of the month", they claimed, "not the eve of the third". In fact, the beginning and end of K.L. does not depend on the day of the month, but rather on the amount of time after the Molad (specifically, the announced Molad - not the actual, astronomical Molad). Earliest opportunity is 3 days (72 hours) after the Molad, not 3 days into the month. Deadline is 14 days, 18 hours, 22 minutes after the Molad. These times ROUGHLY correspond to the 3rd or 4th of the month and the 14th or 15th of the month, respectively. But only roughly. This month, the Molad was WED morning; Rosh Chodesh was THU and FRI. Sometimes the Molad is on Rosh Chodesh. This Motza'ei Shabbat (Vayigash) will be a popular night for K.L. weather-permitting. [The Vayigash Homepage]
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