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So, with the latest month’s Kiddush Levana recitation having being said (hopefully), I was curious about several minhagim and/or idiosyncrasies that people have regarding this important mitzvah.
Is there a science behind, and do you have (a) particular person (people), that you say the “Shalom Aleichem” to? Do you say it to the VIPs or to the simple people? Do you say it to the OTD kids to try and inspire them? Do you say “Tovim Meoros” at the end?
Halachically:
Must you have 3 other people saying Kiddush Levana with you? Or just 3 people to answer you back “Shalom Aleichem”? Must they be 3 people who haven’t yet said Kiddush Levana yet?
Is a minyan preferable?
Can you ask a child under bar mitzvah?
Can you ask a woman? I’m assuming this is a mitzvas asay shehazman grama, but is it a reshus?
This is far fetched, but must you ask of a Jew? What about a goy? 🙂
Do you need to say “Aleichem Shalom” along with the “friend” that answered you back?
Personal Stories
Did anyone ever refuse to answer your “Shalom Aleichem”? If so, how did you react?
“Is there a science behind, and do you have (a) particular person (people), that you say the “Shalom Aleichem” to?”
No science, to whoever the three closest available people are.
“Is a minyan preferable?”
Yes.
“Can you ask a woman?”
No.
“must you ask of a Jew?”
Yes.
“Do you need to say “Aleichem Shalom” along with the “friend” that answered you back?”
Our minhag is to do that.
“Did anyone ever refuse to answer your “Shalom Aleichem”?” “
Yes. He was in middle of the bracha.
If so, how did you react?”
I asked someone else. Another time I waited for him to finish the bracha.
“”Can you ask a woman?”
No.”
Are you sure? What’s the makor? Saying shalom aleichem has to do either with making use of the light, or greeting the shechina, or wishing the downfall of our enemies. None of these reasons would preclude saying it to a woman. (Now, why there would be a woman and no men around, I don’t know.)
A woman might be around because you asked her to be around just in case.
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