Jewish Month of Adar

“When Adar enters, joy increases” the Talmud1 tells us. Most months on the Hebrew calendar contain special days, but Adar (which coincides with February-March on the secular calendar) is itself a holiday. The spirit of Purim permeates the entire month, making it a time of unparalleled rejoicing and good mazal (fortune) for the Jewish people.

The joy reaches its climax on the 14th of the month, as we celebrate Mordechai and Esther's triumph over the wicked Haman. Upon close inspection, the “miracle of Purim” appears somewhat unmiraculous. No sea was split, no oil burned for eight days and nights--rather, it seems, the Jews were saved through a series of fortuitous coincidences.

The salvation may have come through political maneuvering and other natural means, but G‑d's hand was behind it all, our sages explain. In celebration of this “hidden miracle,” children (and the young-at-heart) disguise themselves as characters from the Purim story in honor of the holiday.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the sages selected Adar to be the “double month” during a shanah meuberet, a leap year. The additional Adar added every three years aligns the lunar months with the solar year, ensuring that the holidays fall in the proper seasons.

Learn more about the month of Adar in the links below: