5784/2024
This Shabbat we enter the month of Adar Rishon. The reason
we have two Adars this year is so that we can observe Pesach in
the spring and so that it won’t be celebrated in the winter, as
the Passuk says that Pesach must be celebrated in the spring.
This is called a leap year or a Shanah Me’uberet. There is a big
question that many people ask: Does בשמחה מרבין אדר משנכנס
apply during Adar Rishon, as Purim takes place in Adar Sheni?
Many Acharonim debate this matter. Rav Yaakov Emden writes
that the obligation of increasing in joy begins in the second
Adar because that is the month in which the miracle of Purim
happened. He quotes Rashi, who says that we increase in
happiness because of the events of Purim and Pesach. The
Chatam Sofer says the opposite. He says that we already
increase in happiness in the first Adar because the Purim story
happened on a leap year and the Jews increased their energy in
Avodat Hashem in both months. He says their Avodat Hashem
allowed the miracle of Purim to happen.
Today, most people are extra happy in both Adar Rishon and
Adar Sheni since Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l ,holds that we
follow the Chatam Sofer’s opinion. The Lubavitcher Rebbe said
that the month of Adar is the month of good Mazal for the
Jewish people and that during a leap year that Mazal is
doubled. May we use the double Adar’s Mazal to eliminate our
enemies, free all the hostages, and bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu.