Question...

[fiberaddict]

WHAT, exactly, is meant by "New Moon"? The reason I ask....the Karaites say it's when the first sliver is seen. All the astronomical sites I checked (one of them is here) say no, it's when there is NO moon. My Feast books say it's NO moon....

So, who's right? I have a post rattling around, but I kinda need to nail this down first....

Comments

[hugh-mannity.livejournal.com]

They're both right.

From an astronomical point of view, the new moon (i.e. when it starts to wax again) happens during the dark phase.

From a religious perspective, the new moon happens when it first becomes visible. This is a practical application, because without accurate clocks and calculations, you can't tell when the astronomical new moon happens. But you know it when you see it.

[ali snowdale (from livejournal.com)]

I just thought of something...seriously I considered the Karite view because someone we know (and adore) was super convinced that they were right and everyone else was...well whatever. and I thought it made sense because how can people witness something they can't see? I mean they have to see *something*..right?
Well maybe no...it just occured to me that the new day begins when the sun disappears. Not when the sun first creeps over the horizon. So maybe there is some merit to that idea.
If there were three days of heavy rain - does that mean the month begins three days late? Does that mean the previous month was three days longer? Ack..now we are all goofed up.

[fiberaddict.livejournal.com]

See - that's why SG says we will go by the ASTRONIMCAL view; because the New Moon happens whether we *see* it or not. Ash, heavy clouds, rain - doesn't matter, the moon does it's thing no matter what *we* see.

So.....IF it was No Moon = New Moon, then Sukkot started last night. (I think...1 calendar says the Full Moon (which would be 14 days after the New Moon, if you say the moon month = 28 days) was last night, but the barn calendar says no, the Full Moon is tonight. So.....we're still messed up!)