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... That the Yom Kippur Machzor has Kiddush L'vana in it (all the way at the end) points to the fact that SOP (standard operating procedure) is to say KL on Motza'ei Yom Kippur. This is very common throughout the Jewish World. It is thought of as "starting out on the right foot" by doing a mitzva right after a whole day of fasting, davening, and T'shuva. One need not have said havdala and broken his fast to say KL on Motza'ei YK (in contrast to the preferred procedure for Motza'ei Tish'a b'Av, which is to say KL only after breaking the fast). Minhag Yerushalayim (mainly based on the opinions of the GR"A) is to say KL at the first opportunity each and every month. First op this year was Motza'ei Shabbat Shuva. When a mitzva presents itself for fulfillment, don't let it sour. Furthermore, it gives us another mitzva to do during Aseret Y'mei T'shuva. And waiting until the eve of the 11th of the month runs the risk of getting clouded-out on consecutive nights until the deadline. One should follow his custom. If one has no custom or doesn't remember if he does or not, he should ask his Rav for guidance on this issue. [The Parshat Ha'azinu Homepage]
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