When Adar Enters: Understanding the Month of Joy

The month of Adar holds a unique place in the Hebrew calendar. It is associated with joy, hidden miracles, and spiritual strength, and it carries layers of meaning drawn from history, halacha, and tradition. Here are ten essential facts that help illuminate what makes Adar so distinctive:

1. Adar is the sixth month in the Hebrew calendar year that begins in Tishrei, and the final month in the calendar cycle that begins in Nisan.

2. The month of Adar is always a short month, containing 29 days.

3. There are several explanations for the name Adar. In Babylonian Aramaic, the word idar means a threshing floor, possibly reflecting the time of year when people began repairing and preparing threshing floors ahead of the spring harvest. A similar word in Ugaritic, udar, means strength.

4. Adar is the only month in the Hebrew calendar that can appear twice. In a leap year, the calendar includes Adar I and Adar II.

5. Even in a leap year, all holidays associated with Adar are observed in the second Adar rather than the first. This ensures that the miracles of Purim remain close in time to the miracles of the Exodus from Egypt, which are commemorated in Nisan.

6. The zodiac sign of Adar is Pisces, represented by fish. It is the only zodiac sign that appears in the plural, hinting to the possibility of Adar occurring twice in a single year.

7. Why fish? Rashi explains that in Adar the sign of Pisces rises, and with it the fortune of Israel. The Jewish people are compared to fish, which live in water, just as Israel lives through the Torah, which is also compared to water.

8. Several significant dates fall in Adar: the 7th of Adar marks both the birth and passing of Moshe Rabbeinu; the 13th of Adar is Ta’anit Esther; and the 14th and 15th of Adar are Purim and Shushan Purim.

9. During the time of the Beit HaMikdash, the first day of Adar was designated as the time when Israel was reminded to donate the machatzit ha shekel. These funds were used for communal offerings and for the upkeep of the Temple.

10. The Mishnah famously states, “When Adar enters, we increase in joy.” Rashi explains that this is because of the many miracles performed for Israel during this month. This idea also carries practical implications. Chazal advise that a Jew who has a legal case with a non Jew should try to schedule it during Adar, when fortune is believed to be more favorable.

What Adar invites us to remember

Adar is a month that blends hidden depth with outward joy. Through its calendar structure, its historical moments, and its spiritual symbolism, it reminds us that strength and redemption often unfold quietly, beneath the surface. As Adar arrives, it invites us to recognize those subtle miracles and to consciously increase joy in anticipation of what is yet to come.