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...

The molad of Cheshvan was after 11:00pm on Tuesday, Nov. 1st. First opportunity for Kiddush L'vana is 3 full days after the molad (one opinion). That makes it Friday night well after the moon sets. (And we don't say KL on Friday night unless it is the last opportunity for the month.) Therefore, Motza'ei Shabbat Parshat No'ach will IY"H be our first op for KL. Unless one follows the other opinion: 7 days after the molad. Their first op will be Tue. Nov 8th, after 11:21pm. Some 7-day people hold that you can say KL at the beginning of the 7th night after the molad. Some hold that during the rainy season, you can take an earlier op if it presents itself. Others are firm 7-full- days people.

We start saying V'TEIN TAL U'MATAR on Tue. night, Nov. 8 - eve of 7 Cheshvan.

Because 5766 is a P3R year-type (P'shuta, i.e. 12 months; 3 = RH on Tuesday; Regular, meaning Cheshvan 29 days and Kislev 30), Rosh Chodeshs form an easy to remember pattern: RH Tue, Cheshvan Wed/Thu, Kislev Fri, Tevet Shabbat/Sun, Shvat Mon, Adar Tue /Wed, Nissan Thu, Iyar Fri/Shabbat, Sivan Sun, Tammuz Mon/Tue, Av Wed, Elul Thu/Fri, RH 5767 Shabbat (and Sunday). Months in a Regular year alternate 30 and 29 days each.

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