Once in a Blue Moon

The Rema MiPano writes that kiddush levana should not be recited until seven days have passed since the appearance of the new moon. His logic is that it is a hiddur mitzvah to thank Hashem over a bigger visible moon. Further, there are kabbalistic reasons for this practice. The Bach says that the Gemara in Sanhedrin (41b) implies that this is not the halacha. Rav Yehuda says that kiddush levana may be recited until seven days have passed from the new moon. The men of Nehardai say one may recite kiddush levana until sixteen days have passed. There is no reason to assume that they disagree about the start time for kiddush levana. Perforce, according to Rebbe Yehuda, the start time must be before seven days since seven days is the end time. Indeed, Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, explained that the Rambam is of the opinion that there is a special mitzvah to recite kiddush levana at the earliest possible moment. According to the Rambam, one should not wait even three days.

The Shulchan Aruch (426:4) rules that one should wait seven days after the appearance of the new moon before reciting kiddush levana. The Mishna Berura writes that most Acharonim disagree with the Shulchan Aruch and permit kiddush levana to be recited after three days.

Regardless of the start time, there is another issue. Kiddush Levana is such a joyous and holy prayer that the Shulchan Aruch writes it should preferably only be recited on Motzei Shabbos when one is well-groomed and wearing Shabbos clothing. The Rema warns that those who wish to fulfill this halacha should certainly not wait for Motzei Shabbos if it is the eleventh day after the new moon. They risk missing kiddush levana altogether due to possible inclement weather.

A third issue is the appropriateness of reciting kiddush levana during the Aseres Yimei Teshuva. The Rema (426:2) quotes the Maharil that one should not recite kiddush levana during the Nine Days because it is impossible to recite the prayer with the requisite joy. Similarly, one should not recite kiddush levana during the Aseres Yimei Teshuva because one has the awe and dread of the Day of Judgment hanging over him. The Mishna Berura (602:10) notes that many Acharonim disagree. They reason that during the Aseres Yimei Teshuva, when our life hangs in the balance, we should grab every possible mitzvah to try to tilt the scale in our favor. The mitzva of kiddush levana can serve as emergency first-aid and shouldn’t be pushed off. Indeed, the Levush finds this argument so persuasive that he suggests there is only one reason to disagree. The individual knows that his life hangs in the balance. He knows he desperately needs every mitzvah. However, for the sake of Hashem, he pushes off the mitzvah to perform it more beautifully later. This “self-sacrifice” is itself a merit that will hopefully tilt the scale in his favor.

The Gra writes that the proper custom is to not wait until after Yom Kippur to recite kiddush levana. The Dirshu cites that the Chazon Ish, the Steipler, and Rav Shlomo Zalman, zt”l, followed the Gra’s opinion. However, the custom of Rav Elyashiv, zt”l, was to wait until after Yom Kippur, and he says that was the minhag of the yeshivos in Europe.

Likewise, the Gra held that one should not wait until seven days have passed or even wait until Motzei Shabbos to recite kiddush levana. Instead, one should recite kiddush levana at the first possible moment. Practically, this is after three days have passed. The Mishna Berura implies that he prefers that one wait until Motzei Shabbos to recite kiddush levana unless there is fear of missing out on the mitzvah entirely due to weather.

The Dirshu notes that the Chazon Ish, the Steipler, and Rav Shlomo Zalman, zt”l, followed the Gra’s opinion on this as well. They recited kiddush levana all year at the first opportunity and did not wait until Motzei Shabbos.

This picture demonstrates what Rav Dovid Feinstein’s standard practice was. He likewise followed the Gra’s opinion. He did not wait until after Yom Kippur, Motzei Shabbos, or seven days had passed. Instead, he recited kiddush levana at his first opportunity, which was after Tzom Gedalia. Indeed, although it is not clear from the picture, he recited kiddush levana at the earliest opportunity even without a minyan.