Although in Eretz Yisrael we always start the recital of the request for rain ‘V’sein Tal U’Mattar Livracha’ on 7 Marcheshvan, nonetheless in Chutz La’aretz this addition to our Shemoneh Esrei only starts 60 days after the start of halachic autumn – ‘Tekufas Tishrei.’ According to the Gregorian calendar, from 1900 until the year 2100, this occurs on the night preceding December 5th (except in the December preceding a solar leap year, when it is the night preceding December 6th) when at Maariv we start saying ‘V’sein Tal U’Mattar Livracha.’
Either way, the corresponding date in our Luach (which generally falls out in the middle or end of Kislev), this year occurs quite early, on 4 Kislev. According to calendar expert R’ Yosef Yehuda Weber, the last time this occurred this early in our Luach was 20 years ago in 5766 / 2005. The next time it will be this early will be in another 19 years in 5804 /2043. Although this ‘calendar quirk’ does not have halachic import, it is quite unusual.
Our fascinating journey detailing the many remarkable facets of our rare year will IY”H be continued...
