[Avodah] Announcing the Molad

[Zev Sero via Avodah]

On 05/18/2015 04:31 PM, Micha Berger wrote:
>
> How do you know this? The Rambam (Qiddush Levana 6:1) appears to say
> it's the average of the first time the moon could be seen "kedei leida im
> yeira'eh hayarei'ach of lo yeira'eh.... bemahalakhtam ha'emtza'i,
> who haniqra 'molad'".

On the contrary, that Rambam says *explicitly* that the molad is the exact
moment of the conjunction, which is *not* when it can be seen.   Read it again
and you will surely see this.


> As for why we announce the molad... The Yerei'im gives the answer
> Zev did.The MA quotes the Yerei'im and says that mevorkhim hachodesh
> is lezeikher the real qiddush hachodesh by Sanhedrin. Which is why
> we stand. RMF (IM OC 1:142) says this is in imitation of the qehillah
> who would stand when answering "Mequdash! Mequdash!"

Neither the Yere'im nor the MA even mention the announcement of the molad,
let alone give any reason for it.  All the Yere'im says is that the announcement
of Rosh Chodesh in shul is not at all related to kidush hachodesh, but is
merely so people should know when Rosh Chodesh will be.  The MA adds that
although this is true, the custom is to stand for it, as a zecher to kidush
hachodesh, which was done standing.  R Akiva Eger asks how this could be so,
since we know that a beis din must sit, not stand.  RMF answers thatkiddush
hachodesh was done  notby the BD, but by the  audience, after hearing the
BD's psak, and they were surely standing, and this is what the MA means.


-- 
Zev Sero               I have a right to stand on my own defence, if you
zev at sero.name          intend to commit felony...if a robber meets me in
                        the street and commands me to surrender my purse,
                        I have a right to kill him without asking questions
                                               -- John Adams