Re: Kidush L'vanaa

[Joel Bresler <jbresler...>]

Dear Moshe and others,

I appreciate everyone weighing in with their thoughts! It appears there is
a real tradition, and elements of what's in the CD booklet may be accurate.
The problem I'm having with the notes is that they are a tangle of accurate
information intermixed with information that may have some basis but is not
identified as a minority, non-normative opinion (Esther as Mordechai's
wife) intermixed with demonstrably untrue information. 

But again, I've appreciated everyone's help! What a great list.

B'shalom,

Joel


At 02:33 PM 4/12/99 , you wrote:
>Over  the  last  few  days,  we've  seen  some  interesting  postings  on
>this  topic,  and,  sadly,  many  sidurim  no  longer  give  it  any  space.
>
>[But  that's  not  too  surprising,  because  so  many  other  items  have
>also  been  eliminated  from  some  of  those  editions.  It's  a  bit  like
>omitting  a  word  from  a  dictionary  just  because  we  don't  understand
>its  meaning!]
>
>Just  as  Jonathan  Delatizky  tells  us  of  his  teenage  experience  in
>Johannesburg,  South  Africa,  so  do  I,  too,  recall  this  fascinating
>ceremonial  blessing  a  little  further  south  -  in  Cape  Town,  South
>Africa.
>
>At  the  appropriate  time,  just  after  Shabat  Havdala,  there  was  a
>"hand - bang"  on  the  ba'al  t'fila's  podium  followed  by  the
>announcement  "kidush  l'vonne".  All  congregants  rapidly  trooped
>outside  with  their  sidurim.  As  it  was  dark,  it  was  impossible  to
>see  the  text;  yet,  quite  amazingly,  they  managed  to  deal  with  the
>entire  procedure  at  the  same  "lightening"  speed  applied  to  their
>other  regular  davening!  But  then  these  were  people  mainly  "foon
>der  haym",  which  was  mainly  Lithuania.  The  shul  was  in  the  suburb
>of  Vredehoek,  and  was  known  as  the  Bess  Medrash  (Bayt  haMidrash).
>
>We  bless  our  God,  who  "renews  the  months"  -  sounds  a  lot  better
>in  Hebrew:  "M'khadesh  Khodashim"  (an  excellent  alliteration).  There
>are  also  a  few  extracts  from  the  Psalms  (T'hillim)  including  a
>whole  "bunch"  of  beautifully poetic  "hallelu"s  [chapters  148  & 150],
>and  the  melodic  chapter  121.
>
>It  is  obligatory  to  consecrate  the  moon  every  month,  and  it  is
>mandatory  (a  mitzva)  to  do  so  at  the  end  of  Shabat  -  when  we're
>(still)  happy  and  dressed  in  our  best.  It  is  also  a  mitzva  to
>perform/enjoy  this  consecration  in  a  "crowd".
>
>It  should  be  done  in  the  open  air,  and  the  moon  must  be
>visible.  [As  in  most  places winter  skies  are  often  cloudy  for  many
>days  at  a  time,  the  Kidush  L'vanaa  is  (statistically)  performed
>more  often  in  the  summer  and  spring  than  in  the  winter  and
>autumn  (fall)  months.
>
>The  consecration  should  not  be  held  until  at  least  3  days  from
>the  beginning  of  the  new  month  (Rosh  Chodesh),  and  not  later  than
>half  way  through  the  lunar  month.  There  are  always  a  number  of
>exceptions,  which  include  (amongst  others):
>    not  before  Tish'aa  b'Av  (9th  of  Av)
>    not  on  Erev  Shabat
>    not  on  a  Festival  night
>    (yes)  after  Yom  Kipur  (if  not  already  performed  at  the
>conclusion  of  Shabat  Shuva).
>
>Thanks  to  all  who  whoa raised  this  topic,  which  I  have  not  even
>heard  mentioned  for  many  years.
>
>Moshe  Hochenberg
>



Joel Bresler
250 E. Emerson Rd.
Lexington, MA 02420 USA

Home:           781-862-2432
Home Office:    781-862-4104
FAX:            781-862-0498
Cell:           781-622-0309

***PLEASE NOTE NEW EMAIL***

Email:          jbresler (at) ma(dot)ultranet(dot)com

---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+