Here is an example of molad misinformation for the uninitiated.
First point
Molad Sivan 5786 is listed on the Chabad site mentioned as being on Shabbat May 16 2026 at 6:02 PM and 15 chalakim. However since it occurs after 6 PM the molad date is really Sunday and therefore if the month had been Tishri, Rosh Hashanah would have been delayed to Monday because of Lo ADU Rosh.
Second point
Sunset on May 16 2026 in Jerusalem will be at 7:30 PM. So while according to the molad calendar the molad was on Sunday according to the sunset calendar the molad was on Shabbat.
Third point
Solar noon May 16 will be at 12:38 PM daylight saving time in Jerusalem. So 6 hours after solar noon the molad day will begin at 6:38 PM day and the 6:02 PM Molad time will actually be at 6:40 PM on every Israel synagogue clock.
Fourth point
The above molad is an arithmetical determination. The exact molad Siban will be Motzei Shabbat at 11.02 PM
The molad announcement in luach ezras torah comes first in pedantic Yiddish but without the secular date and then in shortened English style but with the secular date.
The secular date addition is problematic since the molad change of date is not midnight nor sunset but rather 6 hours after true noon in Jerusalem. And therefore the 3:23 am Marcheshvan (Heshvan in the Yiddish version) molad was not at 3:23 am on the shul clock in Jerusalem but at 15 hours and 23 minutes after true noon Friday in Jerusalem.
In the luach Eretz Yisrael used in many shuls in Israel the above molad is written Molad Cheshvan Shabbat evening 3 hours 23 minutes. Also on the same page is the 24 hour version without minutes ie Shabbat 9 hours 414 parts since the molad Shabbat day began 6 hours after Friday true noon at 0 hours.
In the luach ezras torah the molad is placed at the end of the first week of Cheshvan instead of the last week of Tishri when it will be announced.
Thank you very much. Also for the undocumented molad=1.
Synagogues don't use the syntax
Molad Cheshvan: Tue, 44 minutes and 7 chalakim after 9:00am but rather molad Cheshvan will be Tuesday during the day (or night) at 9:44 and 7 chalakim. Day being 6am to 6pm.
Could you add molad=2 to show the above molad Cheshvan as Tuesday 15h 799p?.
Thanks. I was looking at a couple of different versions of the Ezras Torah luach today, and I see they list following two different ways of announcing (see below, highlighting mine).
I checked the Miles Cohen Luach (used by the conservative movement) and I didn't find molad announcements at first glance.
I think we can improve how Molad times are rendered. Picking a compact form like "Wednesday, 7:18am and 7 chalakim" might be preferred over the long form announced in synagogue.
I need Hebcal for historical dates and molads which obviously cannot be displayed on the calendar feed.
On the Hebrew Gregorian date page it would be nice to have in the settings: display molad as 12 hr dd hh mm ss pp that starts as 6 pm or 24 hr dd hh pp that starts at 0.
Ideas
Here is an example of molad misinformation for the uninitiated.
First point
Molad Sivan 5786 is listed on the Chabad site mentioned as being on Shabbat May 16 2026 at 6:02 PM and 15 chalakim. However since it occurs after 6 PM the molad date is really Sunday and therefore if the month had been Tishri, Rosh Hashanah would have been delayed to Monday because of Lo ADU Rosh.
Second point
Sunset on May 16 2026 in Jerusalem will be at 7:30 PM. So while according to the molad calendar the molad was on Sunday according to the sunset calendar the molad was on Shabbat.
Third point
Solar noon May 16 will be at 12:38 PM daylight saving time in Jerusalem. So 6 hours after solar noon the molad day will begin at 6:38 PM day and the 6:02 PM Molad time will actually be at 6:40 PM on every Israel synagogue clock.
Fourth point
The above molad is an arithmetical determination. The exact molad Siban will be Motzei Shabbat at 11.02 PM
The molad announcement in luach ezras torah comes first in pedantic Yiddish but without the secular date and then in shortened English style but with the secular date.
The secular date addition is problematic since the molad change of date is not midnight nor sunset but rather 6 hours after true noon in Jerusalem. And therefore the 3:23 am Marcheshvan (Heshvan in the Yiddish version) molad was not at 3:23 am on the shul clock in Jerusalem but at 15 hours and 23 minutes after true noon Friday in Jerusalem.
In the luach Eretz Yisrael used in many shuls in Israel the above molad is written Molad Cheshvan Shabbat evening 3 hours 23 minutes. Also on the same page is the 24 hour version without minutes ie Shabbat 9 hours 414 parts since the molad Shabbat day began 6 hours after Friday true noon at 0 hours.
In the luach ezras torah the molad is placed at the end of the first week of Cheshvan instead of the last week of Tishri when it will be announced.
Thanks, this is helpful.
It looks like Chabad.org also publishes in the shortened English style:
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/216238/jewish/Molad-Times.htm
Thank you very much. Also for the undocumented molad=1.
Synagogues don't use the syntax
Molad Cheshvan: Tue, 44 minutes and 7 chalakim after 9:00am but rather molad Cheshvan will be Tuesday during the day (or night) at 9:44 and 7 chalakim. Day being 6am to 6pm.
Could you add molad=2 to show the above molad Cheshvan as Tuesday 15h 799p?.
thanks again
Thanks. I was looking at a couple of different versions of the Ezras Torah luach today, and I see they list following two different ways of announcing (see below, highlighting mine).
I checked the Miles Cohen Luach (used by the conservative movement) and I didn't find molad announcements at first glance.
I think we can improve how Molad times are rendered. Picking a compact form like "Wednesday, 7:18am and 7 chalakim" might be preferred over the long form announced in synagogue.
From Ezras Torah luach 5781:
Thus, the
traditional way of announcing the Molad
for MarCheshvan would be to announce:
"The Molad for MarCheshvan will be
Shabbos morning, twenty three minutes
after 3." (The times of Molad is in Israel,
see page 70).
"The Molad for MarCheshvan will be
Shabbos morning, twenty three minutes
after 3."
And from 5780:
THE TIMES OF
מולדות THE NEW MOON
The Molads are announced by the
Gabbai at the time of the Blessing of the
New Month, which takes place on the
Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh (with the
exception of the month of Tishrei whose
Molad is not announced). The time for
the Molad of each month is traditionally
expressed in the days, minutes, and
Chalokim after the hour. (A Cheilek, the
smallest traditional measurement of
the time, is 1/1080 of an hour, or 1/18
of a minute, which amounts to a little
more than three seconds.) Thus, the
traditional way of announcing the
Molad for MarCheshvan would be to
announce: “The Molad for MarCheshvan
will be Monday, Oct. 28, 6:34 PM and
6 Chalokim.” (The times of Molad is in
Israel, see page 67).
TISHREI: – Sunday, Sep. 29, 5:50 AM
and 5 Chalokim.
MARCHESHVAN: – Monday, Oct. 28
6:34 PM and 6 Chalokim.
KISLEV: – Wednesday, Nov. 27, 7:18
AM and 7 Chalokim.
TEVES: – Thursday, Dec. 26, 8:02 PM
and 8 Chalokim.
SHEVAT: – Saturday, Jan. 25, 8:46 AM
and 9 Chalokim.
ADAR: – Sunday, Feb. 23, 9:30 PM
and 10 Chalokim.
NISAN: – Tuesday, March 24, 10:14
AM and 11 Chalokim.
IYAR: – Wednesday, April 22, 10:58
PM and 12 Chalokim.
SIVAN: – Friday, May 22, 11:42 AM
and 13 Chalokim.
TAMUZ: – Sunday, June 21, 12:26 AM
and 14 Chalokim.
AV: – Monday, July 20, 1:10 PM. and
15 Chalokim.
ELUL: – Wednesday, August 19, 1:54
AM and 16 Chalokim.
We have added Molad times to the Hebrew Date converter. They appear on the Shabbat prior to Rosh Chodesh.
Thanks for the suggestion about adding molad times to the Hebrew date converter.
If you'd like to see historical molad, you can use the undocumented molad=1 URL parameter on the Custom Calendar page like this:
https://www.hebcal.com/hebcal?v=1&year=5783&yt=H&molad=1&maj=off&min=off&nx=off&mod=off&mf=off&ss=off
I need Hebcal for historical dates and molads which obviously cannot be displayed on the calendar feed.
On the Hebrew Gregorian date page it would be nice to have in the settings: display molad as 12 hr dd hh mm ss pp that starts as 6 pm or 24 hr dd hh pp that starts at 0.
Molad times are displayed in the "memo" field of our Shabbat Mevarchim calendar feed
https://www.hebcal.com/ical/#heading-mevarchim
Molad days and times on Hebcal.com are always listed with respect to the time in Jerusalem
Does this help?