The Molad of Tishrei is the only monthly molad that is NOT announced in shul. Yet it is the most important of the 12 or 13 moladot of the year. Each month’s molad is used to determine the starting and ending dates and times for Kiddush L’vana. But only the molad of Tishrei has an additional, very important, use. It is used - during this temporary lull between Sanhedrins - to determine when Rosh HaShana occurs. And two successive moladot of Tishrei, when they determine two successive Roshei HaShana, are responsible for the details of the whole calendar. The moladot of Tishrei (and some calculations) are the stand-ins for the witnesses who will testify in the time of the Sanhedrin as to the first visibility of the lunar crescent, and for the Nasi who will pro- claim Rosh Chodesh based on that testimony. <more on this next week, IY”H> [The
Parshat Ki-Tavo Homepage]
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