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.