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Who knows three hundred forty two?

שנים וארבעים ושלוש מאות - מי יודע?‏

The traditional Passover song "Echad - mi yodeya" implies a possible presupposition that there is a Jewish significance to be found for each natural number. Accordingly, there is an ongoing series on Mi Yodeya that is attempting to unearth significant Judaism facts about each number, in sequence.

What significant Judaism facts are there about the number 342? The more significant within Judaism and the more intrinsically dependent on the value 342, the stronger the answer. Please include sources for your information wherever possible, as with all other answers on this site.

Please don't cause anything with the name or scent of lazy gematria to blow through as an answer.

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    It's (1+2+3+⋯+17+18)×2=18×19, if that helps anyone.
    – msh210
    Dec 19, 2016 at 8:59

2 Answers 2

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342 is the least number of days of a year (= the number of days in a year, when the year is as short as possible, viz 353 days) that we do not say birchas hachodesh (prayer for a new month, said on the Shabas before rosh chodesh). It is, in fact, said eleven times a year (twelve in a leap year), once before each month but Tishre.

Hat-tip.

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    Shkoiach for the clever math. I'm curious if you will be repeating this answer for the next two numbers, with small modifications?
    – DanF
    Dec 19, 2016 at 16:53
  • @DanF by all means do so. In fact, you can modify judaism.stackexchange.com/a/78203 for a 354-day year and answer this question.
    – msh210
    Dec 19, 2016 at 20:31
  • Honors should go to you. I don't like even partial plagiarism, unless I'm doing a college paper. Then, it's called "research".
    – DanF
    Dec 19, 2016 at 20:38
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342 are the commandments not covered by Sefer Hamitzvos Hakatzar, by R' Yisroel Meir Kagan. This book excludes commandments that are only relevant in the Land of Israel and/or while the Temple is extant and in operation.

Complement: 271

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