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...

All months have a fixed number of days - either 29 or 30. Except Cheshvan and Kislev, whose number of days vary. In a "normal" year, Cheshvan has 29 days and Kislev has 30. In a "full" year, both have 30. In a "diminished" year both have 29 days. 5765 is a 13-month diminished year with 383 days

ROSH CHODESH KISLEV YIH-YEH MACHAR B'YOM RISHON HABA ALEINU V'AL KOL YISRA'EL L'TOVA
By the time we bench Rosh Chodesh, the Molad will have occurred, specifically on FRI 14h 44m 1p (which is 2:23pm Israel Time). Therefore, the announcement of the molad uses the less common HAYA, past tense.

HAMOLAD HAYA ETMOL, YOM SHISHI, ARBA'IM V'ARBA DAKOT V'CHELEK ECHAD ACHAREI SHTAYIM BATZAHARAYIM
First opportunity for Kiddush L'vana (Minhag Yerushalayim) is Monday night, Nov. 15, eve of 3 Kislev.

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