– Q. My son’s bar mitzva is on the second Shabbos of the month, Should he wait until then to say Kiddush Levana or if it can be done should he say it after the first Shabbos?

A. The questions involves the priority of two contradicting principles. One would be that one should do a mitzva as soon as possible and “Mitzva Havaa leyadecha al Tachmitzena, (Do not delay an opportunity to do a mitzva as it may spoil). The other is one should wait to comply with the mitzva when it is more important as in our case reciting Kiddush Levana after one is already Bar Mitzva.

Ishei Yisroel quoting Horav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and Horav Chaim Kanievsky ZT”l maintain that it should be done before Bar Mitzva. However Levana Bechidusha mentions that Horav Elishuv Zt’l opinion was to wait if possible. A similar opinion is given by Yabia Omer (3: 27) and Ribavos Ephraim (5: 299) (See Piskei Teshuva 426: 6).

Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that it should be done earlier specially in our latitudes when there may not be a moon present next Shabbos.

Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a.