Adar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Adar (disambiguation).

Adar (Hebrew: אֲדָר, Standard Adar Tiberian ʾĂḏār ; from Akkadian adaru) is the sixth month of the civil year and the twelfth month of the religious year on the Hebrew calendar. It is a winter month of 29 days. In leap years, it is preceded by a 30-day intercalary month named Adar Aleph (Aleph being the first letter of the Jewish alphabet), Adar Rishon (First Adar) or Adar I and it is then itself called Adar Bet (Bet being the second letter of the Hebrew Alphabet), Adar Sheni (Second Adar) or Adar II. Occasionally instead of Adar I and Adar II, "Adar" and "Ve'Adar" are used (Ve means 'and' thus: And Adar). Adar I and II occur during February–March on the Gregorian calendar.

Based on a line in the Mishnah declaring that Purim must be celebrated in Adar II in a leap year (Megillah 1:4), Adar I is considered the "extra" month. As a result, someone born in Adar during a non leap year would celebrate his birthday in Adar II during a leap year. However, someone born during either Adar in a leap year will celebrate his birthday during Adar in a non-leap year, except that someone born on 30 Adar I will celebrate his birthday on 1 Nisan in a non-leap year because Adar in a non-leap year has only 29 days.

[edit] Holidays in Adar

Fast of Esther (תענית אסתר‎) – 13 Adar (II) (or 11 Adar when the 13th falls on Shabbat, e.g. in 2007)
Purim (פורים‎) – 14 or 15 Adar (II)
- Purim Katan (פורים קטן‎) – 14 or 15 Adar I