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... 

Those who say Kiddush L'vana from 3 full days after the Molad, have already said K.L. this month - as early as last Sunday night. Those who follow the opinion of 7 days after the Molad can first say K.L. on Thursday night, June 28th. Many people will say K.L. this Motza'ei Shabbat, either because they follow the opinion that K.L. must be on Motza'ei Shabbat, or for the more practical reason that it is Motza'ei Shabbat that most people remember that there is such a thing as K.L.

Note, howver, that it is not the number of days from Rosh Chodesh that determines the first opportunity (and the deadline, as well) for K.L., it is the Molad. And not the real Molad, either. The announced Molad which is calculated by average time it takes the Moon to go through its cycle of phases.

Although opinions differ as to when to first say K.L., most everyone agrees that the last opportunity to say K.L. is half-way through the period from one Molad to the next. That moment is called the NIGUD and this month we can say K.L. until & including Thu. July 5.