Kiddush Levana

Question: “It is possible to recite birkat halevana from indoors if one can see the moon through a window (open or closed) or is it necessary to be outdoors? Are there any dispensations if one is ill..?”

Answer: The Rema in OC 426:4 writes that Kiddush Levana should not be recited under a roof. The Mishna Berura there explains that it is comparable to greeting a king, and one would be expected to go out to the street to do so. However, the Mishna Berura continues that this is merely preferable; if someone is incapable of exiting their house they may recite it inside. In the Shaar HaTziun he adds that while ideally the window should be opened, if this is not feasible it is not necessary.

3 thoughts on “Kiddush Levana

  1. I had a different shaalah about kiddush levana- There is a hurricane coming to the east coast of the US right now. I hadn’t said kiddush levana as of Friday night, and realized that there probably wouldn’t be a levana out from motzei shabbos until after the 15th of the month, due to the enormity of the storm’s area. There was a levana on Friday night- can I say it on friday night? the M”B says you can say on leil shabbos if it is the 15th, but in this case its as if its the 15th, since we know there wont be another chance.
    Rabbi Schachotovitz paskend that I could, and said I should start the berachah with the Gemarah in Sanhedrin that quotes the nusach haberachah so its as if I was saying over the gemarah, leravchah dmilsah.

    Thank for the continuing interesting shaalos.

    • I grew up in Minnesota where such temperatures are not unheard of, so I can certainly sympathize.
      If you cannot tolerate the cold for even a brief time span, you would certainly be included in the Mishna Berura’s dispensation for those incapable of exiting their home. However, if you can stand outside briefly, it would be preferable to at least recite the Beracha outdoors, even if you must say the accompanying passages inside.

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