The 9th plague to strike the Egyptians for their refusal to release the Children of Israel from slavery -- a thick darkness that blanketed the land so that "no man saw his fellow, and no man could move from his place" (Exodus 10:23) -- commenced on the 1st of Adar, six weeks before the Exodus.
Link: More on The Plague of Darkness
The highly regarded Biblical commentator, Rabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra (1089?-1164CE), passed away on Adar 1, 4924.
Link: Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra
Adar 1 is also the yahrtzeit (anniversary of the passing) of the great Halachist Rabbi Shabtai Hakohen Katz (1621-1663?), author of the Siftei Cohen commentary on Rabbi Yosef Caro's Code of Jewish Law. He is known as "Shach" -- an acronym of the name of his work, which serves to this day as a primary source of Halachah (Jewish law).
Link: The Shach
On this date, in the year following the Holy Temple’s destruction, G‑d tells Ezekiel to take up a lamentation for Pharaoh, king of Egypt, foretelling his downfall in the hands of the Babylonians.
Read the prophecy here: Ezekiel ch. 32
Today is the second of the two Rosh Chodesh ("Head of the Month") days for the month of "Adar II" (when a month has 30 days, both the last day of the month and the first day of the following month serve as the following month's Rosh Chodesh).
Special portions are added to the daily prayers: Hallel (Psalms 113-118) is recited -- in its "partial" form -- following the Shacharit morning prayer, and the Yaaleh V'yavo prayer is added to the Amidah and to Grace After Meals; the additional Musaf prayer is said (when Rosh Chodesh is Shabbat, special additions are made to the Shabbat Musaf). Tachnun (confession of sins) and similar prayers are omitted.
Many have the custom to mark Rosh Chodesh with a festive meal and reduced work activity. The latter custom is prevalent amongst women, who have a special affinity with Rosh Chodesh -- the month being the feminine aspect of the Jewish Calendar.
Links: The 29th Day; The Lunar Files
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
To live a G‑dly life, to keep all the mitzvahs with awe, with love, and with joy—this is not something distant from you. It is who you truly are.
Because within you is a soul, a G‑d point, a divine living being that cannot allow itself to be torn away from G‑d, that only desires to be always at one with Him.
For this thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it. (Deut. 30:14)
The Alter Rebbe taught:
Here’s what you must do:
Fix a time each day to study the words of inner Torah and ponder who G‑d is, who you really are, and what the relationship is between your soul and Him.
And then call out to Him in prayer that He will open your heart.
Then, at those moments when you are tugged away from your true desires, you will only need to remind yourself, “No, this is not me. The real me doesn’t want to be separated from my G‑d even for a moment. Why should I be a fool and listen to a voice that is not me?”
The struggle—the struggle is precious. It is not up to you to win the struggle. Cherish the struggle.
But to be who you truly are in the things you do, the words you speak, and the thoughts you choose to dwell upon—this is very close to your heart.
It is who you truly are.