With the Molad of Sivan early last Shabbat morning, the first opportunity for Kiddush L’vana (according to Minhag Yerushalayim) is Tuesday night, June 3rd (eve of the 4th of Sivan). There is a very prevalent practice to say K.L. on Motza’ei Shavuot (this year it would be Motza’ei Shabbat). “Strict” Minhag Yerushalayim people do not delay beyond the first op, weather permitting. But it is common for many people to wait for after Shavuot. [Fact is, a lot of people will almost always wait for Motza’ei Shabbat any month.] Motza’ei Shabbat also satisfies those who
a particular to wait for seven full days after the Molad. Since both Sivan and June have 30 days, the first of Tammuz will fall on the first of July. Tammuz has 29 days. July has 31. Put it all together and we have 59 days coming when the days of the month will be the same for the Jewish and secular calendars. The 30 days of Sivan and the 29 days of Tammuz. The first of Av will fall on the 30th of July, ending the 59-day match up. A TT reader asked about the frequency of
such an occurrence and if there could be more than 59 days in a row that
match between the two calendars. As mentioned earlier, when two 30 months (one Jewish month, one secular month) match up, then the following months will also match. There are only four 30-day months in the secular calendar. Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November - remember that? So when Sivan and June match, then Tammuz and July will also. Most recently before this year, this double match up happened in 5744 (19 years ago). Before that, it happened in 5733 (11 years earlier) and 5725 (19 years before 5744). The next time it’s scheduled to happen is 5809 (which is two 19-year jumps and an additional 8 years). Nissan-April (both 30 days) and Iyar- May also combine to the 59-day match up period. Most recent of those was 5755, and before that in 5736 (19 years ealier). The next one is scheduled for 5774 (19 years later) and then 46 years later in 5820. [The range of years referred to here is
too short to determine patterns.] The final possibility for a double match up is Cheshvan-November followed by Kislev-December. This will work only when Cheshvan has 30 days (which it doesn’t always have). In 5739 there was a double match up, but in 5758, Cheshvan had 29 days, so Kislev- December didn’t match up. Next scheduled double is 5788. The Cheshvan-November and Kislev- December match up, though, gives us a period of 60 days of synchronous dates. that’s the most there can be. Another interesting situation occurred in 5755 ('95) when Adar Alef matched February. They matched for 28 days and then March had a 2-day headstart on Adar Bet. Adar Bet has 29 days and March has 31, so Nissan and April matched up for their 30 days. This is followed by Iyar matching the first 29 days of May. That’s three months matched up within a 4-month period. That isn’t scheduled until 5850, 95 years later. (95 is five 19-year cycles.) One more possibility. When Tevet matches up with January, Shvat starts two days before February. If February has 28 days, Shvat’s 30 days even things out so that Adar and March will match up. If February has 29 days, the second match up won’t happen. This double match up with a skipped month is scheduled for 5766. It was mentioned earlier that more than a thousand years ago, Rosh HaShana fell on September 1st. That produced another double match up of Tishrei-September and Cheshvan- October. Over many centuries, there is small but noticeable shift in the calendar that adds other options. [The
Shavuot - Parshat Naso Homepage]
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