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...

We bench Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan on Shabbat B'reishit, October 13th, '01

ROSH CHODESH MARCHESHVAN Y'H'YEH B'YOM R'VI'I U'V'YOM CHAMISHI HABA ALEINU V'AL KOL YISRA'EL L'TOVA
The Molad is on Wednesday (Oct. 17th) 10h 49m 17p
In Rambam notation: R'vi'i • 16h • 899 chalakim 
Clock time (can be adjusted for location and Summer Time) WED Oct.17, 10:29am
Astronomical Molad - TUE Oct.16, 21:24:38

This year's (5762) months neatly alternate between 30 and 29 days (Tishrei 30, Cheshvan 29, etc.) and Rosh Chodesh alternates between 2 days and one day (Cheshvan - 2 days, Kislev - 1 day, etc.)

In the hard-copy of Torah Tidbits for Shabbat B'reishit, we usually have a pull-out page for Rosh Chodesh Benching. In this electronic version, we are including two pieces of that Pull-Out page for your interest.

Picture this... Time of the Sanhedrin (past AND future). Astronomers have reported to the Sanhedrin Committee for Kiddush HaChodesh that the Lunar Crescent MIGHT be visible on the evening following the 29th of the month. The Committee waits for witnesses to testify that they saw the L'VANA B'CHIDUSHA, the Moon's "rebirth". During the night, witnesses do indeed arrive and give their testimony. And the judges question them and find their testimony to be acceptable. The word spreads around Yerushalayim and by 5:00am, the courtyard of the headquarters of Sanhedrin is packed with thousands of Jews who want to be present when the Head of the Sanhedrin proclaims the day HOLY. (News crews and TV cameras are in place to broadcast the proceedings to Jewish communities all over Israel and the world.) Sunrise is not until 6:30am (let's say), but the winter chill and gloom has not diminished the crowd's enthusiasm one bit.

Finally, the NASI's proclamation of M'KUDASH is answered by a thunderous M'KUDASH, M'KUDASH, and another Jewish month has begun.

In commemoration of the above - and in hopeful anticipation of its restoration, our Sages instituted the BLESSING OF THE MONTH which includes the announcements of the Molad and the days of Rosh Chodesh.

This, in the presence of the multitudes who fill our shuls on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh.

The GABBAI (or someone else) announces the Molad at this point. Our Tradition is to use JERUSALEM SOLAR TIME which does not get adjusted for location or for daylight savings time. The table on the other side of this page gives suggested wording for the Molad announcement (which can be used by all Jewish communities. The "regular" notation and that of the Rambam do not change. Clock time for the average and astronomical Molads are adjusted for Summer Time, and should be adjusted for location. For example, the Molad of Elul will be on Thursday, August 8th, 18 hours, 10 minutes and 9 chalakim. For announcement purposes, this is so all over the world. The corresponding clock time, however, is 5:49pm, which is adjusted to 6:49pm for Israel Summer Time. This should be adjusted for Oswego, New York as 11:49am. Etc. The actual Molad of Elul 5762 is 10:16pm, which is 3:16pm Eastern Daylight Time, 2:16pm in Detroit, 12:16pm in SF, etc.)

This year, 5762, is coded PEI-GIMMEL-KAF. The PEI stands for P'SHUTA, a 12-month year. One can determine the status of a year as P'SHUTA (12 months) or M'UBERET (13 months) by dividing the year by 19. 5762/19 = 303 and a remainder of 5. This means that 303 19-year cycles (known as a MACHZOR KATAN, the lesser or lunar cycle, as opposed to the MACHZOR GADOL, greater or solar cycle of 28 years) have passed since Creation, and that we are in the 5th year of the 304th cycle. Within the 19 year cycle, years 3,6,8,11,14,17,19 are 13-month years (2 Adars) and the others are 12-month years.

After determining whether the year is PEI or MEM, we next determine the day of which Rosh HaShana falls. This is done by calculating the Molad of Tishrei (we'll leave that for a different article). The Molad of Tishrei 5762 was MON (Sep17) 5m and 16 p after 10 at night. This means the Molad was on Tuesday's night, and Rosh HaShana is fixed on that same day, Tuesday (and Wednesday), Sep 18 & 19.

That's the meaning of the GIMMEL. Tuesday.

Next, the Rosh HaShana of the coming year needs to be found. The Molad of Tishrei 5763 will be SHA (Sep7) 54m and 10 p after 6 in the morning. Rosh HaShana will be on that same day (no "pushing"). Rosh HaShana 5763 will be IY"H on SHA/SUN, September 7th & 8th.

Now, knowing that 5762 has 12 months, we know that it can have 353 or 354 or 355 days. Those are the only options. But knowing that Rosh HaShana of 5762 was Tuesday and that of 5763 will be Shabbat, we can see (if you know how to look) that the year must have 354 days. The only way that can happen is if Cheshvan and Kislev both have their "regular" number of days (the other months do not vary). When that happens, we say that the year is K'SEDER, in order (as opposed to short or full). The KAF in the year's code stands for K'SEDER (or K'SIDRAN).