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... Kiddush L'vana this month began this past Monday for 3-day people, recommended for winter months especially, unless you are fully committed to the 7-day opinion, whose first op is Thu. night after 10:13pm. If you haven't said KL before this Shabbat (Bo), then Motza'ei Shabbat is your next best opportunity. This week's sedra, of course, is THE sedra for the Word of the Month feature of Torah Tidbits, because we read of the command to make the Jewish Calendar. We can honor this mitzva by knowing and using the Jewish date when we sign checks, write letters (does anyone do that anymore?). Do you know this one? 30 days hath Tishrei, Shvat, Nissan, Sivan, and Av, usually Kislev, sometimes Cheshvan, and the first of two Adars. There are authorities who objected to using numbers for the secular calendar's months. Calling January month #1 seems to disregard the Torah's statement in this week's sedra that "THIS month (Nissan) is the first of the year's months". If it is actually forbidden to number the secular calendar's months, then of course, we shouldn't do it. But even if it isn't ASUR, there is something to the objection raised to the practice. The Jewish Calendar is too precious to us to be "insulted". Shabbat is Kodesh (holy) because G-d made it so - He commanded us to observe and keep Shabbat, to acknowledge its sanctity as it enters and exits, but He made it sacred. Sounds reason- able that G-d can sanctify whatever and "when- ever" He chooses. But He gave us the ability - and commands us to use that ability - to sanctify TIME. It's called Rosh Chodesh and Yom Tov. We, the Jewish People sanctify the special days of the Jewish Calendar. If we don't, G-d forbid, then they aren't holy. But we did - and will do it again, hopefully soon. [The Parshat Bo Homepage]
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