“Order of the Year”

The year is divided into twelve months. But Torah tells us that there are special years which have an additional month – changing the entire year into a Jewish “Leap Year.”

When a soldier is given a certain order and he is given more time to complete it than for his usual orders, that shows how important the new order must be. In our case, our “Commanderin- Chief,” G-d Himself, states that this year has a special order, and therefore He has allotted an entire extra month so that the order can be carried out in full.

What is the special order of the year? During a Leap Year G-d commands us to go beyond the regular twelve months and to add another month so that we will have 30 days more of learning Torah and fulfilling the commandments. Obviously, when a Jewish child is given these extra 30 days, he utilizes the extra time as a soldier does, and he influences his friends to do the same.