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...

Last opportunity (for all opinions, sort of) for Kiddush L’vana this month is 14 days 18 hours and 22 minutes after the Molad. Specifically, that makes the deadline this Shabbat morning at 10:15, which means that the last opportunity for K.L. is Friday night, April 26. Technically, K.L. should not be said on Leil Shabbat, but if one has not said it yet and the last opportunity is a Friday night, it may be said.

This Friday is PESACH SHENI. Some have the custom of eating matza that was saved from Pesach on either Thursday night (the logic of which eludes me) or on Friday night, which would be the night that the Pesach Sheni korban would be eaten, with matza and maror.

Aside from eating matza and not saying Tachanun, there isn’t much else to Pesach Sheni — except the reminder that G-d gives second chances, and that in this specific case, it was the enthusiasm of people to be part of a mitzva that is “credited” with the commands of Pesach Sheni, That’s no small thing.

If we had a Beit HaMikdash today, and if people would bring Korban Pesach (Sheni) on Friday, 14 Iyar, then they would have to make sure to finish with the korban on HaR HaBayit earlier than other years, so that there would be enough time to roast it before Shabbat. Like the first Pesach, Pesach Sheni is brought on Shabbat, but cannot be roasted on Shabbat.