From the Rav’s Desk: Q&A on RC Kisleiv & More

1. Question: [Monday 2^nd Teves 5782]

Today the 30^th day of Kisleiv, we Baruch Hashem had a baby boy. I am wondering when this boy will celebrate his birthday in future years when there isn’t 30^th day in Kisleiv.

Answer:

In years that there is no 30^th day of Kislev, and hence Rosh Chodesh Teves is only one day, he is to celebrate his birthday on the 1^st of Teves. However, the Rebbe once gave an answer in such a situation for one to celebrate his birthday on both days, the 29^th of the month of Kislev and on Rosh Chodesh Teves.

Explanation: As is known, the months of Cheshvan and Kislev, in contrast to other months of the year, are able to be either Malei or Chaser, either 30 day months or 29 day months, depending on the year. Accordingly, it one who was born on the 30^th of Kislev will have years in which there is no 30^th of Kislev, and the question is thus raised regarding when he should celebrate his birthday in such years. Should he celebrate on the 29^th of Kislev, being that he was born in the month of Kislev, or should we celebrate on the first of Teves, being that he was born on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Teves. Now, while the annual date of one’s birthday is not really a relevant question discussed in halachic literature, being that in Halacha we don’t find the concept of an annual birthday, nonetheless, it is discussed regarding the question of when a child becomes Bar/Bas Mitzvah, and from there we can learn regarding the annual birthday as well.  So Admur and other earlier Achronim discuss this question regarding the month of Cheshvan if the bar mitzvah boy was born on the 30^th of Cheshvan and in his 13^th year there is only 29 days in the month of Cheshvan. They rule that in such a case he is to celebrate his bar mitzvah on the first of Kislev. The reason for this is because just as originally, he was only born after a full 29 days passed from Mar Cheshvan, so too in his 13^th year he must wait for 29 days to pass in the month of Cheshvan to become bar mitzvah, and hence his bar mitzvah is automatically delayed until the first of Kislev. Now while the similar case of one who was born on the 30^th of Kislev is not discussed in the above sources, the Achronim conclude that in truth the same law applies, and hence one who was born on the 30^th of Kislev is to celebrate his bar mitzvah, and consequently celebrate his birthday, on the first of Teves in any year in which there is in the 30^th of Kislev. Despite this ruling, it is recorded that the Rebbe once gave an answer to an individual in the above situation for him to celebrate his birthday on both days, the 29^th of the month of Kislev and on Rosh Chodesh Teves.

Sources: See regarding the 30^th of Cheshvan: Admur 55:13; M”A 55:10; Elya Raba 55:9; Yad Ahron; M”B 55:45; Ketzos Hashulchan 15:6; Derech Hachaim; Kneses Hagedola; Poskim in  Kaf Hachaim 55:60; This same rule applies regarding the 30^th of Kislev: Elya Raba 55:9; P”M 55 A”A 10; Machatzis Hashekel 55:10; Tehila Ledavid 55:8; Kaf Hachaim 55:60; See regarding the Rebbes reply: Heichal Menachem 2:38-9; See regarding the Malei/Chaser months of Cheshvan and Kislev: Rambam Kiddush Hachodesh 8:5-6; Tur 428; Understanding the Jewish calendar chapter 12-13; Our Sefer “The laws & Customs of Rosh Chodesh” Chapter 2 Halacha 5E

The order of months that are Malei/Chaseir and the months of Cheshvan/Kisleiv:^[1]

The month of Teves is always Chaseir and from it begins the cycle of one-month Malei and one month Chaseir until the month of Cheshvan. Starting from the month of Cheshvan this cycle ends, depending on the year. In some years both Cheshvan and Kisleiv are Malei, thus having three consecutive Malei months [Tishrei, Cheshvan, and Kisleiv]. This type of year is called a Shleima/complete year. In this year the lunar year contains 355 days. In other years both Cheshvan and Kisleiv are Chaseir, thus having three consecutive Chaseir months [Cheshvan, Kisleiv, and Teves]. This type of year is called a Chaseira/incomplete year. In this year the lunar year contains 353 days. In other years Cheshvan is Chaseir and Kisleiv is Malei, thus following regular pattern of Chaseir/Malei throughout all 12 months of the year. This type of year is called a Kesidran [proper order] year. In this year the lunar year contains 354 days. In no year is Cheshvan Malei and Kisleiv Chaseir. In total there are ten predetermined fixed months of Chaseir/Malei, five months being always Malei and five months being always Chaseir, with two months remaining interchangeable. [Look at Table]

A leap year:^[2] In a leap year the first Adar is always Malei while the second Adar is always Chaseir. This breaks the cycle of Chaseir/Malei that was started in Teves, as we now have two consecutive months of Malei [Shevat and Adar 1]

The reason Cheshvan and Kisleiv are interchangeable: The reason that the two months of Cheshvan and Kisleiv do not follow the set pattern is because of the Molad. The Molad is not exactly 29.5 days, but is 29 days 12 hours and 44 minutes. Now, if we would make six months of the year Malei and 6 months Chaseir it would cause the Molad to fall 44 minutes later each month. This would eventually cause the Molad to fall many days after Rosh Chodesh and the entire proximity of the Molad to Rosh Chodesh would be lost. Because of this surplus of minutes to the Molad we need to have some years contain 8 Malei months, and some years contain 8 Chaseir months and some years contain an equal amount of Malei and Chaseir months.^[3] Another reason for the interchangeable months of Cheshvon and Kisleiv is to allow the calendar to position Rosh Hashanah on its proper day of the week. In Halacha F-G we will learn that Rosh Hashanah can never fall on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, and cannot fall on the Molad Zakein. If we set the two months of Cheshvan/Kisleiv to always follow the pattern of Kesidron or to always be either both Malei or both Chaseir, then it would cause Rosh Hashanah to fall on one of the undesirable days.^[4]

Determining whether Cheshvan/Kisleiv is Shaleim/Chaseir/Kesidran:^[5] There are various methods that can be used to determine the patterns of the months of Cheshvan and Kisleiv. One method is by determining the number of weekdays between the falling of the previous Rosh Hashanah and the falling of next year’s Rosh Hashanah. If it is a non-leap year and there are four weekday’s in-between the two Rosh Hashanahs then the two months are Malei. If there are three weekdays in-between then the two months are Kesidran, and if there are two weekdays in-between the two months are Chaseir. If it is a leap year and there are four weekdays in-between then the two months are Chaseir. If there are five weekdays in-between then the two months are Kesidran, and if there are six weekdays in-between then the two months are Malei.^[6] Another method of calculation [which is the same form of calculation to determine the next years Rosh Hashanah] is to take the weekday of last Rosh Hashanah and by a non-leap year to add two, three, or four weekdays to that day to determine next year’s Rosh Hashanah. If any of the added days falls on either Sunday, Wednesday or Friday then it eliminates the possibility of the months following that order of days. This will usually leave us with two possibilities remaining for the months of Cheshvon and Kisleiv. One then sees if any of the remaining two possibilities cause Rosh Hashanah to fall on the Molad Zakein, or prior to the Molad, and if it does then that possibility is also eliminated, thus leaving us with only one possibility for the order of the months of that year.^[7]

The list of the Malei and Chaseir months:^[8]

[1] Rambam ibid 8:5-6; Tur 428; Understanding the Jewish calendar chapter 12-13

[2] Rambam ibid; Tur 428

[3] Tur 427

[4] Tur 428

[5] Rambam ibid 8:7

[6] Rambam ibid 8:8; Tur 428

[7] See Tur ibid and Understanding the Jewish calendar chapter 13

[8] Rambam Kiddush Hachodesh 8:5-6

How often is the months of Kisleiv Malei, 30 days?

In the years 5761-5770, there were 6 Chaser and 4 Malei Kisleivs. In the years 5771-5785 there were 8 Chaser and 6 Malei  Kisleivs.

Switching the Baal Korei in middle of the reading:

Initially one person is to read the entire Keriah of all the Aliyos, including Maftir.[1] This applies even if a second Sefer Torah is being read for Maftir.[2] However, in a time of need, one may switch the Baal Korei between Aliyos, such as if he is the set Baal Korei in the Shul and the current reader is not as expertise in the reading.[3]

[1] Shaareiy Efraim 3:6; Ketzos Hashulchan 84 footnote 15

[2] Poskim ibid

[3] Poskim ibid

May an Olah read his own Aliyah?

In the times of the Mishneh and Talmud, the custom was for the person who received the Aliyah to also serve as Baal Korei.[1] However, due to the fact that many Olim did not know how to read properly, the custom became for there to be a set Baal Korei who would read the Aliyah on his behalf.[2] Accordingly, the Olah does not read his Aliyah from the Torah even if he is an expert in the reading, and it is rather read by the set Baal Korei.[3] [Nonetheless, when the Baal Korei receives an Aliyah, he reads his Aliyah just as he reads the remainder of the Parsha.]

[1] See Michaber 141:2; Tzemach Tzedek 35:4

[2] Beis Yosef 141; Tur 141 in name of Rosh; M”B 141:8; Kaf Hachaim 141:15; See Tzemach Tzedek 35:4 that this custom of having a set Baal Korei was innovated in the times of Tosafos. However, during that time, the main custom was simply for the Baal Korei to assist the Olah in his own reading, and thus the Olah would still be the one reading out loud, and the Baal Korei would whisper silently to him. [See Tosafos Bava Basra 15a and Menachos 30a] However, later on the custom became to do the opposite for the Baal Korei to read aloud and for the Olah to read silently. [See Rosh Shabbos 1]

[3] M”B 141:8; Kaf Hachaim ibid