Re: Kiddush Levarah, Esther and Mordecai, etc.

[Jonathan Delatizky <delatizk...>]

On Mon, 12 Apr 1999, robert wiener wrote:

> Jewish Worship by Abraham Millgram (JPS 1971) describes Kiddush
> Levanah in his section on The Consecration of the Moon (p.266-268).
> Without going into details,
> 
  [ section deleted]
> 
> As to contemporary observance: "Only few congregations still gather
> outside their synagogues to consecrate the moon.  Most modern prayer
> books do not even include the prayers for this service."
> 
> Perhaps with the resurgence of the observance of new moon traditions
> as a result of the encouragement of women, this tradition is being
> revived.  Has anyone been to one?
> 
> Bob

As a teenager attending an orthodox synagogue in suburban Johannesburg,
South Africa, kiddush levanah used to be a ceremony observed with some
regularity.  In particular, we used to perform it after the end of the Yom
Kippur Neilah (and subsequent Maariv) services, which was the correct time
for the month of Tishrei.  We went outside, looked up at the moon, and
repeated the relevant prayers.  If I remember correctly, these were not in
the standard siddur, so the practice could'nt have been too common, even
then, even in the orthodox community.

There was no dancing - in fact, given that it was the end of Yom Kippur and
we would not yet have broken our fast, no one was anxious to prolong the
ceremony.  Retaining a minyan for the ceremony was - for the same reason -
not always easy!  I don't recall any specific melodies that were used - it's
a long time ago, and if there were any, they were not especially memorable.
To me, at least.  Now I might find them more so, but what did I know at 16?
I do remember having liked the ceremony itself and the content of the
prayers.  

The conservative congregation I now attend does not observe it at any time
of the year.

Is anyone aware of specific niggunim or even explicit compositions for this
ceremony? 

Jonathan Delatizky
[work] BBN Technologies
[shul] Congregation Mishkan Tefila, Chestnut Hill, MA

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