Halocho #930 - 5772 is a regular year; when is 30th Marcheshvan?

Some years the Jewish calendar have 12 months, the rest (7 out of 19) are leap-years with 13 months.

This year - 5772 - has 12 months; as opposed to last year where the 11th month - Shevat - was followed by Adar-I and then Adar-II. This year we only have a single Adar.

Jewish months alternate between being 29 and 30 days long.

However, the months of Marcheshvan and Kislev sometimes both have 30 days (a full year), sometimes both have 29 days (a missing year) and sometimes follow the regular order with Marcheshvan having 29 days and Kislev 30.

As a result, Chanukah (which starts on 25 Kislev and lasts 8 days) sometimes ends on 2 Tevet and sometimes on 3 Tevet.

This year - 5772 - is a "regular year" with Marcheshvan having 29 days and Kislev having 30 days.

As a result, events that happened during a full year on the 30th of Marcheshvan don't have a "date". The custom for Yahrzeits to commemorate somebody who passed away on 30 Marcheshvan is as follows:

- If, on the first anniversary there was no 30th Marcheshvan then the Yahrzeit is on the 29th Marcheshvan whenever there's no 30 Marcheshvan. However, Kaddish should also be said on the morroow (1 Kislev) if possible.

- If, on the first anniversary there was a 30th Marcheshvan then the Yahrzeit is on 1 Kislev whenever there is no 30 Marcheshvan.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 221:4

- Danny
Tuesday, 25 Marcheshvan 5772