WORD OF THE MONTH

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. Many shuls/people said KL last Motza"Sh, which was the first & best op according to the GR"A (Minhag Yerushalayim). Those who hold the 7-day minimum will have a great shot (weather-permitting) this Motza'ei Shabbat Parshat Bo. It is especially appropriate since K.L. is one of the commemorations of Kiddush HaChodesh, as commanded in Parshat BO. If the weather does not cooperate (or has better things to do, e.g. rain) then the latest night for K.L. is Wednesday night, Feb.7. Every so often someone asks about K.L. and women. There might not be another mitzva that has such a wide range of P'SAK, from forbidden, to not necessary, to answering AMEN, to optional saying it, to requirement for women as well as men. Halacha, Kabbala, Minhag all contribute to the range of opinions.