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... 

With the Molad of Tammuz occurring on Sunday, June 29, at 2:54pm, the Nigud (opposition, full moon - based on average, last op for Kiddush L’vana) is 14 days, 18 hours and 22 minutes later. That translates to Monday morning, July 14th at 9:16am. That means that Motza’ei Shabbat Balak is good for those who haven’t said K.L. yet this month, and Sunday night is the final opportunity.

The 14:18:22 timing is based on the Rama, and should be kept to because after that time one has a SAFEK bracha. Shulchan Aruch says that one can say K.L. for 15 full days after the Molad. And there are other opinions.
The reason there are different opinions is that the moon appears to our eyes to be full for a time after it actually starts to diminish. Is appearance what counts or calculation?

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