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 Kislev on Shabbat Parshat Chayei Sara, November 10th, '01

ROSH CHODESH KISLEV Y'H'YEH B'YOM HA'SHISHI HABA ALEINU V'AL KOL YISRA'EL L'TOVA

The Molad is on Thursday (Nov 15th) 23h 34m 0p
In Rambam notation: SHISHI • 5h • 612 chalakim 
Clock time (can be adjusted for location) THURS NOV. 15, 11:13pm
Astronomical Molad - THURS NOV.15, 08:42:04
Notice that the actual Molad of Kislev is on THU morning, 14½ hours before the announced Molad. The difference is because the Earth's orbit around the Sun is not a perfect circle with the Sun at its center, but rather an elipse with the Sun at oneof its foci. (blame Kepler)