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Does the first week of Nissan have a minimum number of days? Or does it range from 1-7? If it does have a minimum (greater than 1 ..obviously), why?

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Why the downvote? – LuxuryMode Jan 1 at 0:42
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It's hard (for me, at least) to tell exactly what this question is asking. Do you mean to ask if Rosh Chodesh Nissan will necessarily fall before a certain day of the week? You might clarify, as well as write why you think this might be so. At any rate, welcome to Mi Yodeya, and thanks very much for bringing your question here! I hope you stick around and continue to contribute to the community. – yoel Jan 1 at 0:46
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(I didn't downvote, though - I think I understand what you're asking, but I do think you need to be more clear with what and why) – yoel Jan 1 at 0:46
I gave you an upvote to counter the down. Your question was pretty clear to me. – Ariel Jan 1 at 0:47
@yoel thanks for the welcome! I'm not quite asking if Rosh Chodesh Nissan will necessarily fall before a certain day of the week, though I suppose the question could be framed that way. I'm just asking if RC Nissan * necessarily* has to be before Shabbat, or Yom Shishi, or Yom Revii, etc. – LuxuryMode Jan 1 at 1:04

1 Answer

up vote 7 down vote accepted

The Shulchan Aruch (OC 428:2) informs us that under the current fixed calendar, Rosh Chodesh Nissan will only fall on either Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. So there can be weeks of 7, 5, 3, or 1 day respectively.

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Which leads to the question - is there any significance that the numbers are all odd? (Kabbalistic significance?) – Epicentre Jan 1 at 6:34
@Epicentre I don't think it leads there. If Rosh Chodesh Nissan were to fall on Monday or Wednesday, then Yom Kippur would fall on Friday or Sunday respectively and there would be two days in a row where you can't cook. If Rosh Chodesh Nissan fell on Friday then Hoshana Rabba would fall on Shabbat and we'd miss taking the Arava for the whole year. – Double AA♦ Jan 1 at 6:36
@ Double AA - The reasons why the days fall out that way are well known. Also the ATBA"SH for Pesach days and moadim that incorporated Yom Ha'Atzmaut in the order of things. However, odd and even are Kabbalistically significant - no? – Epicentre Jan 1 at 6:42
@Epicentre Not being much of a Kabbalist, I can honestly say I don't know if they are or not. – Double AA♦ Jan 1 at 6:55

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