Friday, December 18, 2009

קדוש לבנה Advisory

The מולד for this month was at 12:59am Thursday morning, ירושלים time. That translates to 5:59pm EST. If we were to subtract the 21 minutes from the conversion to Standard Time, that would make the מולד at 5:38pm. Many shuls on the Eastern Time Zone might very well be leaving shul at exactly that time on מוצאי שבת. Although I have previously advocated adjusting for the 21 minutes, my "Rabbinic Advisory board" has advised against it for concerns regarding the Equation of Time which at present, I don't quite understand.

1 comment:

Ari S. said...

Shouldn't the equation of time issue be consistent for any given location on earth for any day? Therefore, any variance it would create would be equal in both Eretz Yisrael and the States. If so, since they are seven hours ahead in terms of timezone, and that they are twenty-one + minutes off from local time, shouldn't these minutes still be subtracted?

I noticed that the time mentioned in the Baltimore Eruv List takes off these extra 21 minutes. It is my understanding that this has been reviewed by Rav Heineman Shlita. I am familiar with your Rabbinal Advisory Committee, and was wondering if the two have consulted about this matter, do you know? In addition, I have noticed that Rav Shternbuch Shlita also contends to subtract these extra minutes (Moadim U'Zmanim vol.1 ch. 19 footnote at end).

Considering how this equation of time issue should, theoretically, affect end times of kiddush levana, why has no one ever discussed it before? Would the Rabbinical Advisory Committee also be machmir in such situations?