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HaRav Yishai Natan –
In this week’s parashah, Bereshit, the Torah says that Hashem created: ״את שני המאורות הגדולים״
Hazal explain that originally the sun and moon were created the same size. The moon complained, ״אפשר לשני מלכים שישתמשו בכתר אחד?״ — “Can two kings share one crown?” Hashem then told the moon, ״לכי ומעטי את עצמך״ — “Go and make yourself smaller” (Hullin 60b).
Since Parashat Bereshit teaches us about the creation, diminishing and cycles of the moon, it is an appropriate time to discuss the halachot of Birkat HaLevanah.
Greeting the Shechinah
Hazal established a special berachah when the moon renews itself because its monthly cycle is a particularly clear display of Hashem’s control over creation. The wording of the berachah itself focuses on how Hashem created the heavens and gave the moon a fixed cycle that does not change from its task.
But there is another layer that makes the moon unique. The Gemara Sanhedrin (42a) says that one who recites Birkat HaLevanah at the proper time is considered “as if he is greeting the Shechinah.” The moon disappears and then renews itself, and Hazal connect that renewal to Klal Yisrael, who are also destined to be renewed: ״שהן עתידין להתחדש כמותה״.
So the berachah is not simply thanking Hashem for moonlight. It recognizes the precision of creation and uses the moon’s renewal as a monthly symbol of the renewal of Klal Yisrael.
The Hida writes in Moreh Be’Etzba (6:183, 187) that a person should say Birkat HaLevanah with proper kavanah, since he is greeting the Shechinah, and should say each word slowly and clearly rather than rushing. The Ben Ish Hai (Year 2, Vayikra 22) similarly emphasizes saying it with happiness and concentration.
1. When Does the Time Begin?
Maran writes in Shulhan Aruch (O.H. 426:4):
״אין מברכין עליה עד שיעברו שבעת ימים עליה״
For Sephardim, the general practice is to wait seven complete 24-hour days from the molad, not simply until the seventh date of the Jewish month (Hida in Moreh Be’Etzba (6:182), Ben Ish Hai, Year 2, Vayikra 23), Kaf HaHaim (426:61), Rav Mordechai Eliyahu in Ma’amar Mordechai ch. 27).
Hacham Ovadia Yosef also rules that the normal Sephardic practice is to wait seven complete days, but allows exceptions in pressing circumstances. If only a few hours remain until seven complete days on Motza’eh Shabbat, especially during the rainy season when there is concern that the moon may not be visible later, he permits relying on the more lenient opinions. (Yabia Omer 6, O.H. 38; Yehaveh Da’at 2:24.)
The Mishnah Berurah (426:20) writes that according to most Aharonim, one may say Birkat HaLevanah after three complete days from the molad. Many Ashkenazim therefore begin after three days, while some Ashkenazi communities following kabbalistic practice wait seven days.
2. How Late Can It Be Said?
Maran writes in Shulhan Aruch (426:3): ״עד אימתי מברכין עליה? עד ט״ז מיום המולד ולא ט״ז בכלל״
The Rama writes: ״ואין לקדש החודש אלא עד חצי כ״ט י״ב תשצ״ג מן המולד״
According to the Rama, the final time is halfway through the average lunar month, approximately 14 days, 18 hours and 22 minutes after the molad. About 5.5 hour before Maran’s time. For example, if the molad was 4 hours into the night, according to Maran, one would still be able to say the beracha 5 hours into the night of the 15th of the month, but not according to the Rama.
The Kaf HaHaim (426:53) rules stringently that after this halfway point one should no longer recite the berachah with Shem U’Malchut, because of safek berachot lehakel (Also Rav Po’alim 2:38, Ohr Letzion 3:4:6).
Hacham Ovadia, however, permits relying on Maran’s later opinion and does not accept the Rama’s midpoint calculation as the Sephardic deadline.
3. It Must Be Night
The Rama writes that Birkat HaLevanah is said at night, when the moonlight can be seen and benefited from. Ohr Letzion (3:4:4) writes this means that one can see a shadow on the ground created by the moon’s light. If one cannot determine this, he should wait till tzet hakochavim. The Kaf HaHaim brings a Hida that it doesn’t have to be actual benefit, rather it’s enough that the moon is lighted up enough that one can see the moonlight shining when looking at it. Hacham Ovadia permits saying it after sunset in a pressing case near the end of the month, once the moon is bright enough to benefit from, if there is concern that the mitzvah may otherwise be lost.
It may be said throughout the entire night, even after hatzot (Ben Ish Hai, Kaf HaHaim (426:15–17).
4. Clouds
If the moon is covered by a thick cloud so that it cannot properly be seen or benefited from, the berachah cannot be said.
If only part of the moon is covered by a thick cloud, one may make the beracha (Leket Yosher p. 70, talmid of the Terumat Hadeshen testified he saw his rebbe make a beracha).
The question is a thin cloud through which the moon can still clearly be seen. The Ben Ish Hai write that one should not make a beracha. The Kaf HaHaim (426:18) brings the opinion of the Radbaz, who permits the berachah through a thin cloud when the moonlight is still visible, but also brings the stricter rulings of the Hida and Ben Ish Hai. Hacham Ovadia explains that this stringency is a middat hasidut. If there is real concern that waiting may cause someone to lose Birkat HaLevanah, he may recite it while the moon remains clearly visible through a thin cloud. (Hazon Ovadia — Hanukkah, pp. 322–323.) The Mishnah Berurah (426:3) permits the berachah through a thin cloud when the moon remains visible and its light can be enjoyed.
5. What If a Cloud Is Coming?
The Kaf HaHaim (426:18) writes that if it appears that the moon will become covered before one can finish the berachah, one should not begin. If he began while the moon was properly visible and it then became covered, he may finish (Mishnah Berurah 426:3, Rav Poelim 3:8, Hazon Ovadia Hanukah p. 322). However, Ohr Letzion(3:4:3) writes that one may say the beracha as long as it is seen in the begning of the beracha.
6. Looking at the Moon
When saying the pasuk: ״כי אראה שמיך מעשה אצבעותיך ירח וכוכבים אשר כוננתה״ – one should look at the moon. Once he begins the actual berachah, he should no longer look at it (Ben Ish Hai, Vayikra 23, Kaf HaHaim 426:34). The Mishnah Berurah (426:13) brings opinions that one should look at the moon during the whole seder. And the Sefer Haredim says to stop looking at it after the berachah. He then brings the opinion of the Shelah above.
7. Standing and the Position of the Feet
The Gemara says: ״הלכך נימרינהו מעומד״ – Birkat HaLevanah should therefore be said standing. The Ben Ish Hai (23) adds that one should stand with his feet together, similar to the way we stand during the Amidah.
An elderly or ill person who has difficulty standing may say the berachah sitting.
8. Outside Under the Open Sky
The Rama (426:4) says that one should not be under a roof. Ideally, Birkat HaLevanah should be said outdoors under the open sky. Since Hazal compare it to greeting the Shechinah, we go outside as one would go out to greet a king.
Someone who is ill or cannot comfortably go outside may say it from a window. He may even look at the moon through the glass, provided it can be seen clearly (Mishnah Berurah 21, Ben Ish Hai, Year 2, Vayikra 24, Kaf HaHaim 426:19).
The Ben Ish Hai writes that he should specifically be under the sky. However, Shut Yaskil Avdi (8:38:3) writes that one may be outside under a tree (or overhang) since he is outside, he has fulfilled going out to greet the king. The issue is only being indoors. It is also recorded (Orhot Rabbenu v. 1 p. 178) that the Hazon Ish would say Birkat HaLevanah on a balcony with a roof because of this reason.
9. Eyeglasses
Someone who needs eyeglasses may wear them while saying Birkat HaLevanah (Ben Ish Hai 24, Kaf HaHaim 426:3). But if he can see enough without glasses, it is better to say it without them on (Mekor Ne’eman 3:568).
10. Is a Minyan Required?
A minyan is not required. The Kaf HaHaim (426:13) writes that an individual may recite Birkat HaLevanah alone. Saying it with others is preferable because: ״ברוב עם הדרת מלך״, and so he may hear kaddish. If ten are unavailable, even saying it with three has an advantage.
The Kaf HaHaim (426:23) also emphasizes that one should not unnecessarily delay the mitzvah merely to gather a larger group, because: ״זריזין מקדימין למצוות״. This is also the opinion of Rav Ovadia Yosef (Hazon Ovadia Hanukah p. 366)
11. Should We Wait for Motza’ei Shabbat?
Maran writes in Shulhan Aruch (426:2): ״אין מברכין על הירח אלא במוצאי שבת כשהוא מבושם ובגדיו נאים״. Ideally, Birkat HaLevanah should be said on Motza’ei Shabbat when a person is dressed nicely and in a dignified state.
The Kaf HaHaim (426:23) bring many poskim who say that one should be zariz and not delay a mitzvah merely to perform it later in a more ideal way. Therefore, one should say it immediately rather than wait for Motza’eh Shabbat.
12. Women and Children
Women are patur because it is a mitzvat aseh shehazman gerama. For Sephardim it is simple why they don’t do this mitzva since the whole mitzva is a beracha and women are not allowed to make a beracha on mitzvot aseh shazman gerama. However, Ashkenazim do, so why don’t women do this mitzva? The Mishnah Berurah (Magen Avraham) answers because women caused the pegam halevanah.
The Kaf HaHaim (426:1) writes, however, that the Gemara in Sanhendrin infers that women are hayav in this beracha and therefore, a woman should hear the beracha from a man and say amen to be yotzeh misafek. Hazon Ovadia (Hanukah p. 371) writes the same. The Kaf HaHaim adds that if no man is present, they should even say the beracha, just not the rest. Although we do not see either of these customs being done.
Children should be taught to do this mitzva like any other mitzva that there is a hiyuv hunuch to teach them.
13. Saying Shalom Alechem
The Rama brings down to say Shalom Alechem three times each one to his friend. The reason is because we said Tipol Alehem aimah etc. The Arizal writes the reason is because the moon had a claim against the sun that two “kings” can’t rule with the same crown. Therefore, we say Shalom Alechem that there shouldn’t be claims against each other, rather only Shalom. If there arnt three people there, he says three times to the same person.
The Kaf HaHaim (426:46) writes that we have the minhag to say it after Kaddish so it will be close to Oseh Shalom at the end of Kaddish. (This is also a better practice than saying it after the beracha like the Ashkenazim do, since it interups people saying the beracha.)
14. Shabbat
There are many reasons given why one should not say Birkat Halevana on Shabbat.
- The Ben Ish Hai (26) writes that the main reason is because the beracha is supposed to instill happiness in the person reciting it. Since Shabbat has Simcha already, the Simcha of the beracha is not noticeable.
- Another reason is that we curse our enemies in the beracha and one should not curse on Shabbat, even his enemies.
- The Maharil, cited in Shut HaBah HaYeshanot 80, gives a striking reason. Birkat HaLevanah is considered like going out to greet the Shechinah. Since there is a halachic question whether the laws of tehum Shabbat apply even above ten tefahim, it is symbolically inappropriate on Shabbat to “go out” to greet the Shechinah in the heavens.
- The same source in the Bah brings another reason from the Maharil: the text and nature of Birkat HaLevanah resemble a supplication, and we avoid tehinot on Shabbat and Yom Tov.
15. Other
The Kaf HaHaim (426:10) brings the Ruah HaHaim that for bahurim looking to get married, it is a sugulah for them to say Birkat Halevanah with Kavanah and with a minyan.
There’s a story brought down (ibid. 11) that someone was going to be killed in a forest by a goy, and he allowed the Jew to do one mitzva before he kills him. The Jew did Birkat Halevanah and when he jumped three times like our custom, the goy ran off and the Jew never saw him again.
Also, the Kaf HaHaim brings from the Ohr Hadash that one who does this mitzva need not worry that he will die that month. Some say that this is referring only to a strange death.
The Kaf HaHaim (426:48) brings the minhag to shake the corners of a person’s begged at the end in order to chase away the klipot created by the claim of the moon against the sun. Then he should put aside three perutot to Tzedakah.
Saying Alehnu Leshabe’ah is not brought in the Shulhan Aruch, but it is in the Mishnah Berurah (Biur Halachah 2), but some have a minhag to say it. Either because Yehoshua established Alehnu LeShbe’ah and he is compared to the moon. Or because we want to say that we are not bowing down to the moon, and we say in that tefillah that we are not like the other nations who bow down to false entities.