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Birkat Halevana: Difference between revisions
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Upon seeing the moon at the beginning of the month one says a blessing called Birkat HaLevana (for the details and text see below). What's the significance of this Bracha? The Gemara Sanhedrin 42a says that saying Birkat HaLavana is like greeting the Shechina. | Upon seeing the moon at the beginning of the month one says a blessing called Birkat HaLevana (for the details and text see below). What's the significance of this Bracha? The Gemara Sanhedrin 42a says that saying Birkat HaLavana is like greeting the Shechina. Beiur Halacha 426:2 explains that by seeing the moon fulfill its mission consistently we recognize Hashem’s might and control over nature. He adds that to emphasize that we only pray to Hashem and the moon is just a tool by which we can recognize Hashem’s strength we say Aleinu afterwards. (See note for more about the significance of this Bracha.) <ref> Why did Chazal choose to make this Bracha on the moon specifically? Aruch HaShulchan 426:2 explains that since the moon is the closest to Earth we are able to recognize Hashem’s control over nature easily. Also, the moon is compared to Bnei Yisrael; just as the moon doesn’t have any of its own light, so too Bnei Yisrael are only sustained through Hashem and his Torah; just as the moon gets smaller and bigger, so too Bnei Yisrael are always renewed. </ref> | ||
==Basics== | ==Basics== | ||
# One is obligated to make the bracha of [[Kiddish]] HaChodesh which begins Baruch Atta Hashem...Asher BeMaamaro Bara Shechakim. <ref> S"A 426:1 </ref> | # One is obligated to make the bracha of [[Kiddish]] HaChodesh which begins Baruch Atta Hashem...Asher BeMaamaro Bara Shechakim. <ref> S"A 426:1 </ref> | ||
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# During the month of Tishrei, [[Kiddish]] Levana isn't said prior to [[Yom Kippur]]. Rather it should be said the right after [[Yom Kippur]].<ref> Rama 426:2 </ref> | # During the month of Tishrei, [[Kiddish]] Levana isn't said prior to [[Yom Kippur]]. Rather it should be said the right after [[Yom Kippur]].<ref> Rama 426:2 </ref> | ||
# During the month of Av, most have the minhag not to say [[Kiddush Levana]] prior to [[Tisha BeAv]]. Additionally, it shouldn't be said right after [[Tisha BeAv]], but in the next few days. <ref> Rama 426:2 and 551:8, Mishna Brurah 426:10. Halichot Shlomo ([[Tefillah]] ch. 15, n. 22) records Rav Shlomo Zalman's minhag to recite [[Kiddush Levana]] after 3 full days even during the months of Tishrei and Av. See Aruch Hashulchan 551:22 and Maaseh Rav 159. </ref> | # During the month of Av, most have the minhag not to say [[Kiddush Levana]] prior to [[Tisha BeAv]]. Additionally, it shouldn't be said right after [[Tisha BeAv]], but in the next few days. <ref> Rama 426:2 and 551:8, Mishna Brurah 426:10. Halichot Shlomo ([[Tefillah]] ch. 15, n. 22) records Rav Shlomo Zalman's minhag to recite [[Kiddush Levana]] after 3 full days even during the months of Tishrei and Av. See Aruch Hashulchan 551:22 and Maaseh Rav 159. </ref> | ||
# One may say Birkat HaLevana until 15 days after the molad, however, on the 16th day one should say it without [[Shem UMalchut]]. Some say that one may only say it until 14¾ days after the molad. <Ref> S"A 426:3 rules like the opinion of Nehardai in Gemara Sanhedrin 41b who say that one has 15 complete days. However, the Rama 426:3 writes that one may only say it up to half of 29 days, 12 hours, and 793 chalakim. | # One may say Birkat HaLevana until 15 days after the molad, however, on the 16th day one should say it without [[Shem UMalchut]]. Some say that one may only say it until 14¾ days after the molad. <Ref> S"A 426:3 rules like the opinion of Nehardai in Gemara Sanhedrin 41b who say that one has 15 complete days. However, the Rama 426:3 writes that one may only say it up to half of 29 days, 12 hours, and 793 chalakim. Beiur Halacha D”H VeLo writes that if one is in such a situation where half of 29 days, 12 hours, 793 chalakim passed and 15 days have not, there is what to rely on to say the Bracha. Beiur Halacha adds that if it’s the 16th day one should say it without [[Shem UMalchut]]. Sh”t Yabia Omer 6:38 agrees with the Beiur Halacha that on the 16th day one should say it without [[Shem UMalchut]]. </ref> A chart of the time of the upcoming molads is printed here (see note for calculation)<ref>Rambam ([[Kiddush]] HaChodesh 6:3) writes that from one Molad (the astronomical time when the new moon can be seen) to another is 29 days, 12 hours, and 793 chelakim (and there's 1080 chelakim in an hour). The Rambam 6:8 also writes that the time with which to begin to calculate the Molads from the beginning of creation is the 2nd day, 5 hours, and 204 chelakim. To calculate the Molad of [[Rosh Chodesh]] Tishrei 5773, first let us calculate the number of months which passed from creation and then add the appropriate time for each month. Although there are 12 months in a regular year because there are 7 leap years in a 19 year cycle, there is an average of 12.3684 lunar months a year. By Tishrei 5773, 5772 complete years have passed, meaning that 71390 complete months have passed since creation. The chelakim for the molad of Tishrei 5773 should be 1034 (i.e. 204 + (71390 * 793) modulo 1080) which is equal to 57 minutes and 8 chelakim. Making similar calculations leads to conclude that the Molad for Tishrei 5773 is 1am (i.e. 5+12*71390+(204+71930*793-1034)/1080) mod 24 starting from 6pm) Sunday (i.e. 2+1*71390+(909103-37879)/24 mod 7). The other months can then be calculated from that starting point by either adding or subtracting the interval for each month (1 day, 12 hours, 793 chelakim. To confirm these calculations, one can check the [http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/216238/jewish/Molad-Times.htm Chabad.org page of Molad times].</ref>: | ||
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|[[Chodesh Elul]] | |[[Chodesh Elul]] | ||
