בס“ד Adar 1 5776/2016 SPECIAL DAYS IN ADAR 1 Volume 26, Issue 12 When Adar comes in, we increase in joy”. [Taanis 29a] Many of these dates took place either in Adar 1 or Adar 2, or in a year which had one Adar. Shevat 30/February 9/Tuesday First Day Rosh Chodesh Adar I Adar 1/February 10/Wednesday 2nd Day Rosh Chodesh Adar I Beginning of the plague of darkness. and them included, wrote their works with Shnas Hakhel Shnas Yahrtzeit of R. Avraham Ibn Ezra, commen- Ruach HaKodesh.” [HaYom Yom, Shevat 6]. – tator on Chumash, 4924 (1164). “And similarly it says in Shearis Yisroel (of R. Yisroel Dov of Vilednik), Drush LiSukos, in Tosfos Yom Tov Purim: Rabbi Yom Tov Lip- the name of the Baal Shem Tov.” [Likutei Si- mann Heller, author of Tosfos Yom Tov on chos, Vol. 12, p. 70, Note 5] the Mishnah, established the day of his in- stallation as Rav of Cracow in 5403 [1643] Damascus blood libel, 5600 [1840]. as his private Purim. Adar 3/February 12/ Friday Yahrtzeit of R. Shabsai HaKohen Katz, (the Second Beis HaMikdash completed, in 3412 “Shach”) author of Sifsei Kohen, on Shul- [349 BCE], (Ezra 6:16). chan Aruch, 5422 [1662]. [The Eastern wall had on it the image “...The Alter Rebbe said all the authors of of Shushan, the capital of the Persian Empire, Sefarim until the “Taz” and the “Shach”, This year is a Jewish Leap Year and thus, there are two months of Adar. The last Leap Year the Rebbe gave over a Sicha to us was in 5752 (1992). It is proper that we print some of the Sichahs the Rebbe said in Adar 1 5752. From the week of Rosh Chodesh Adar 1 until 27 Adar 1, 5752 the Rebbe spoke seventeen times and every time he spoke (during the week) he gave out dollars in addition to Sunday dollar distribution. By learning the Rebbe’s Torah we connect with the Rebbe. This strengthens our Emunah and our connection with the Rebbe and hastens the coming of Moshiach. “As Adar enters, we increase in joy,” (Our The positive nature of the month is further Sages mention this concept in contrast to the emphasized in the present year when all as- Month of Av of which it is said, “As Av en- pects of Adar are given a twofold expression. ters, we minimize our joy.” This emphasizes Chabad Chodesh Adar 1 5776 the dynamics of transformation, that just as darkness can be transformed into light, bit- (Continued on page 6) terness is transformed to sweetness.) which ruled Eretz Yisrael in the first years of the Sec- month of his birth." (Megilah 13b) ond Beis HaMikdash [Midos 2:4] In many communities, today is the annual holiday Purim of Amzslav, 5604 [1844]. Many communities and dinner of the Chevrah Kadisha Burial Socie- celebrated their own private Purims (with reading ties (sometimes preceded by a fast and Selichos) their own Megilahs) when saved by HaShem from because HaShem Himself buried Moshe Rabenu, evil decrees. Many of them were in Adar. freeing the Chevrah Kadisha that day. (The Cha- bad custom is Kislev 15, based on the Minhag of Yahrtzeit of R. Mordechai Yaffe, author of Sefer Lithuania.) Halevushim, 5372 [1612]. The custom of the Chabad Rebbeim is not to say Adar 4/February 13/ Shabbos Tachnun on Adar 7. [Sefer Haminhagim]. R. Meir (MaHaRaM) of Roten-burg’s body was re- leased for burial in 5067 [1307] fourteen years after See Magen Avrohom in the Shulchan Aruch his death in the fortress of Ensisheim. He was buried Chaim, Ch. 580, footnote 8. Which speaks about in the old Jewish cemetery of Worms. Next to him the Yartzeit of Moshe Rabeinu, which takes place was buried R. Alexander Susskind Wimpfen, who in Adar Alef, and there is an opinion that the year gave away his entire fortune to ransom the body. of his Histalkus was a Leap Year. Both graves miraculously escaped Nazi ravaging of the cemetery. All copies of the Talmud in France, seized on Shabbos, 5000 [1240]. Adar 6/February 15/ Monday Moshe Rabeinu completed his review of the Torah, Yahrtzeit of R. Shlomoh Efraim, of Luntshits, au- 2488 [1273 BCE]. (Seder Olam Rabah). thor of Kli Yakar, 5379 [1619]. Birthday of R. Menachem Mendel, son of the Rebbe First auto-de-fe of the Spanish Inquisition, Seville, MaHaRaSh, 5627 [1867]. He was born in the year 5241 [1481]. (The last auto-de-fe was on Adar after the Tzemach Tzedek’s passing, and named for 24, 5559 [1799].) him. Yahrtzeit of R. Yitzchak Eizik of Kalev, founder of Yahrtzeit of R. Shmaryahu Gurary, oldest son-in-law Chasidic line in Hungary, 5581 [1821]. of the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, brother-in-law of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Executive Director of Adar 9/February 18/Thursday Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim, 6 Adar 1 5749 [1989]. First controversy of Beis Hilel and Beis Shamai, (Megilas Taanis). Adar 7/February 16/ Tuesday Birthday of Moshe Rabeinu, in 2368 [1393 BCE] Yahrtzeit of R. Yosef Yoel Halprin of Stepan, stu- (Sotah 12b) and his Yartzeit in 2488 [1273 BCE] dent of the Baal Shem Tov. (Kidushin 38a). Adar 10/February 19/ Friday According to one opinion, in Talmud Sotah - 12B, Purim of Povidl (Bohemia), 5491 [1731]. Moshe was born on the 7th Adar 1 in a leap year. Once a Babylonian idol-worship day, (Avodah On the day of his passing, he said “Shiras Haazinu” Zarah 11b); in 5751 [1991] the allied forces at- to Bnei Yisrael, (Ibn Ezra, Devarim 32:48), gave them tacked Iraq [Babylon] on this day. his final blessing, and wrote thirteen Sifrei Torah, one for each Shevet and one for the Mishkan. Adar 11/February 20/Shabbos Yahrtzeit of R. Mordechai Posner, brother of the Alter Rebbe, 5583 [1823]. He was the Rav of The Mon stopped falling that day, (Kidushin 38a) Ursha and a great Gaon; he helped the Alter Reb- be establish the Chadorim, the study groups of “...When Haman drew lots to determine the date to the Alter Rebbe’s disciples in Liozna, and helped destroy the Jews he was happy when he drew Adar, prepare the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch for month of Moshe's death, not realizing it was also the publication. VOLUME 26, ISSUE 12 Page 2 Yahrtzeit of R. Chayim Yosef David Azulai, (the Adar 14/February 23/ Tuesday “ChiDA”), 5566 [1806]. A Halachist and Kabba- Purim Katan list, historian and bibliographer, he was close On this day no Tachnun is recited, we do not fast, with the students of the Baal Shem Tov and the and we eat better than usual meals. Mezeritcher Magid who came to Eretz Yisrael, and cites their teachings and practices in his Bris of Moshe Rabeinu. many Sefarim. Yahrtzeit of R. Zeev Volf of Zhitomer, student of the Yahrtzeit of R. Avraham Bornstein of Sochaczov, Mezritcher Magid, author of Or Hameir, 5560 author of Avnei Nezer, 5670 [1910]. [1800]. “...The Tzemach Tzedek cites him in Or HaTorah, Yahrtzeit of R. Yosef Rozin, the Gaon of Ragatch- and explains and comments on his words” [Sichah, ov, author of Tzofnas Paneach, 5696 [1936]. He Shabbos Chazon, 5734] gave Semichah to the Lubavitcher Rebbe. “We have heard that he once visited the Alter [Introduction to HaYom Yom]. Rebbe.” [Beis Rebbe]. Law of Return altered by the Israeli Knesseth who The Rebbe always noted that we should study the deleted (conversions) “according to Halacha.” Ma’amar “V’Kibel Hayehudim” from the Friediker That Purim the Rebbe, publicly began his effort to Rebbe, which was said on Purim Katan 1927. The amend the law to include the word “Halacha”. last edited Ma’amar from the Rebbe is “Atoh Tet- The Rebbe demanded in numerous letters and zaveh,” based on the Friediker Rebbe’s Ma’amar of Farbrengens the importance of this amendment Purim Katan. These should be studied on Purim and the chaos this law would fuel, 11 Adar 1 (Katan). and on Shushan Purim (Katan). 5730 (1970). Those who hear and read the Rebbe speak out Adar 15/February 24/Wednesday on this issue, feel how important this issue is to Shushan Purim Katan the Rebbe, and how it threatens the very survival of the Jewish people. On this day no Tachnun is recited. Adar 12/February 21/ Sunday Agrippa I began construction of a gate for the wall Dedication of Beis HaMikdash built by Herod, of Yerushalayim, 3802 [42], once a holiday (Megilas 3750 [11 BCE]. Taanis). Adar 13/February 22/Monday Adar 16/February 25/ Thursday Erev Purim Katan. The Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe received American citizenship at 770, by special legislation of Congress, No Tachnun is recited at Mincha 5709 [1949]. He said a Sichah and signed the docu- Yom Nikanor: Yehudah HaMacabi defeated the ments. Syrian general Nicanor, [161 BCE] (Megilas Taanis). Adar 18/February 27/ Shabbos Yahrtzeit of R. Alexander Zyskind of Horodna, au- Yahrtzeit of R. Yehudah Hachassid, author of Sef- thor of Yesod Vishoresh Ha-avodah, 5554. er Chassidim, 4977 [1217]. “...The Tzemach Tzedek told his sons the Alter “...It’s known of the Rokeach, and R. Yehudah Rebbe met one time with the Rav Hatzadik, author of Hachassid and their circle, that they were men of Yesod Veshoresh Ha-avodah” [Beis Rebbe]. very great miracles.” [Sefer Hachakirah, Eidus “...He wanted to come to the Mezritcher Magid, HaShem, of the Tzemach Tzedek]. but he told him that he didn’t need this, as he’d al- “...Of him it was said that if he were in the ready attained the way of Chassidus.