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... 

MI'SH'NICHNAS ADAR MARBIM B'SIMCHA
Last opportunity for Kiddush L’vana this month is this Motza’ei Shabbat, T’tzaveh, February 15th. Remember that the Molad for Adar Alef was Motza’ei Shabbat, Feb. 1st, about 10:15pm. We add to that time, 14 days, 18 hours and 22 minutes, which is half way to the next Molad. That brings us to this Sunday at 4:36pm. That time is called the NIGUD, opposition, when the Moon and the Sun are directly opposite each other, with the Earth between them. This is the time of the month that the Moon is full. After the NIGUD, the Moon’s brightness begins to diminish, and K.L. is no longer allowed (nor appropriate). With the NIGUD late Sunday afternoon, the last op for K.L. is Motza”Sh. (Actual full moon is 1:51am on Monday. So K.L. on Sunday night would still be before the Moon reaches its fullness. Nonetheless, the deadline for K.L. is based on the average calculations which creates a Halachic reality that fixes the timing.

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