Today began the month of Adar, the last of the months of the Jewish calendar (but not the last month of the year), because the Torah counts the months starting from Nisan – the month of the Exodus from Egypt, and the change of the calendar year takes place on the 1st of the month of Tishrei, on the anniversary of the creation of the first man.
The Rosh Chodesh (new month) of Adar is celebrated for two days, since the month of Shvat that precedes it always lasts 30 days. Adar is the only month that doubles in a leap year, when another month, the second Adar, is added. Nevertheless, it is always the same month – both the first and second Adar are the same twelfth month of the year (the new month of the second, additional Adar also lasts two days, since in this case the first Adar consists of 30 days).
However, in a normal, non-leap year (such as we have now), the month of Adar is incomplete – it consists of 29 days. (The Adar immediately preceding the month of Nisan always consists of 29 days, but if there are two Adars in a year, the first one will be thirty days and the second one twenty-nine).
Adar is considered to be the most prosperous, fortunate and auspicious month, when even apparent misfortunes and troubles turn to good and turn to good fortune. In Adar, everything turns around, the Lubavitcher Rebbe emphasized, and it turns around for the better.
This was most clearly manifested in the time of Mordechai and Esther and the miraculous victory of the Jewish people over the villains led by Haman. However, it should be remembered that not only the days of Purim are recognized as successful, but the whole month is called “multiplying merrymaking”.
The Sages relate this to the zodiacal constellation of Adar, Pisces (in Hebrew, dagim). Thus, it is pointed out: “like fish that are strong, agile, and feel good in the water – the world in which they live, Israel is strong and feels good in the world of Torah, whose waters rise in this month.” Thus, the Torah brings them good fortune. No enemy can harm the people of Israel unless the desire for Torah weakens in them, as it did during the first war with Amalek or in the story of Mordechai and Esther, when the constellation that protects Israel set and the threat of annihilation loomed over them. For as soon as Israel strengthens its bond with Torah, G-d immediately destroys the designs of its enemies and the constellation that protects Israel rises high in the sky.
This is what the Baraita teaches us (Brachot, 61): “Once the foreign (Roman) authorities, hostile to Israel, forbade the Jews to study Torah. Papos ben Yehuda was traveling through Eretz Yisrael at the time and found Rabbi Akiva gathering large groups of students everywhere and teaching Torah publicly. He addressed him: “Akiva! Are you not afraid of the Roman authorities?” The man replied, “I will tell you a parable that will explain to you our situation. Once a fox was walking along the bank of a river. When she saw fish gathering in one place or another, she asked:
– What are you running away from?
The fish responded:
– We are fleeing from the nets that people set up.
Then the vixen said:
– Perhaps you wish to move to dry land, under my protection, and make the same alliance with me that your fathers made with mine?
To this the fishes said:
– You’re not what they say you are. They say that the fox is smarter than all other animals, but you are just stupid! If we are so frightened in our own environment, will we not be worse off in an environment which itself promises us doom?
So it is with us. Now we sit and study the Torah, of which it is said, ‘It is your life and your longevity,’ and we are in such a sad position. How much worse it will be if we give it up!”.
The source of Israel’s strength and joy is in the rising waters of Torah. The month of Adar, created for joy, brings it only on the waves of Torah. The days of Adar are simply more suitable than any other days of the year for accepting the burden of Torah willingly, with love and joy!”
The month of Adar is filled with very interesting events in Jewish history, which you can read about on specialized websites.
