1

Yesterday was the Shabbos on which the first month of Adar was blessed. There are several aspects of this matter which require explanation: In the blessing of the month, it was referred to as Adar Rishon, "the first Adar." In a simple sense, it is called "first," because chronologically, it precedes the second month of Adar that is added because this is a leap year. Nevertheless, this name also implies that this month possesses a certain primacy in regard to its content.[316]

This name, however, raises a question: As mentioned continually over the last several months, Mashiach's coming is imminent and when Mashiach comes, the months will be sanctified based on the testimony of witnesses.[317] As such, there is the possibility that the order of the calendar as arranged at present will be changed and that this year will not be a leap year. This is the core of the question at hand:

If Mashiach comes in the present month, will the fact that it has already been announced -- and that announcement was made with the power of the Torah -- that this is "the first Adar" necessitate that the following month be considered the second Adar? Or is it possible that the court will review the situation and determine that the following month should be Nissan.

There are arguments supporting both of these possibilities. May we merit the fulfillment of the prophecy, "I will return your judges as in the former days," with the coming of the Redemption and then we will be able to hear the decision on this matter from the Sanhedrin itself.[318]

2

The imminence of the Redemption is emphasized even more by the uniqueness of the present days, beginning from the 25th (äï) of Shvat, a date connected with the Priestly Blessing which begins, "In this manner äï, bless the children of Israel." The Priestly Blessings includes all blessings including the blessing of the Redemption.

From the 25th of the month, we proceed to the 26th of the month, a date which is numerically equivalent to the Name ä-à-ä-ë. ä-à-ä-ë is the source which brings into being all existence.[319] The significance of this concept is intensified in the present year, for the 26th of Shvat falls on Friday, the day of the week on which Adam, the first man, was created. Adam was the essence of the entire creation, and all other created beings were brought into existence for his sake.[320] Accordingly, on the sixth day of the week, added strength is granted to the existence of the creation at large.[321]

May this sequence bring us to the time when we merit the recitation of the Priestly Blessing in the Beis HaMikdash. This will represent the ultimate expression of this blessing when the Name ä-à-ä-ë will be pronounced. And this will begin by each person bringing himself to a state of Redemption.[322] Similarly, this will be hastened by tzedakah. Through these efforts, we can merit that the true and ultimate Redemption will be realized.

The above should be publicized. Every Jew should know that the 25th of the month is connected with the bestowal of all forms of blessing to the Jews. This is followed by the 26th of the month which is equivalent to the name ä-à-ä-ë and thus recalls the verse, "I have placed ä-à-ä-ë before me at all times."[323]

And this leads to Shabbos, the 27th of the month. 27 is the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew word èå which means "pure." This refers to the pure olive oil used to kindle the Menorah in the Sanctuary.

Herein, there is a connection to Shabbos, for it is preferable to use olive oil for the Shabbos candles as well. The kindling of the Shabbos candles is performed by Jewish women. This reflects a connection to the Redemption which will come through the merit of the righteous women of the generation.[324]

And we will proceed from the month of Shvat[325] to Rosh Chodesh Adar. And even before then, may we merit the true and ultimate Redemption, led by Mashiach.

   

Notes:

316. (Back to text) Although the holiday of Purim and its mitzvos, e.g., mishloach manos, are observed in the second Adar, there is still an advantage in certain contexts to the first Adar.

317. (Back to text) Indeed, this is possible even before Mashiach's coming. Just as the sanctification of the moon on the basis of the testimony of witnesses continued for several generations after the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, so too, it is possible for this practice to be reinstituted before Mashiach's coming.

     The practice is dependent on the existence of a court of judges possessing semichah, the ordination granted to Sages from Moshe's time until the Mishnaic period (and for several generations afterwards). As the Rambam writes in Hilchos Sanhedrin, this process of ordination can be renewed before the Redemption. Should this happen and a court composed of such judges be convened, they would be able to begin sanctifying the months based on the testimony of witnesses even before Mashiach's coming.

318. (Back to text) As mentioned by the Rambam, directly after Mashiach's coming, the Sanhedrin will be convened in Tiberias and from there, they will move to Jerusalem.

319. (Back to text) Although this concept is true at all times, for the creation is renewed every moment, there is an added emphasis on it on the 26th of the month.

320. (Back to text) Nevertheless, the other created beings were brought into existence first. The first creations involved inanimate objects, then plant life, and then animal life. These two orders, that of priority (in which man is first) and that of chronology (in which man is last) are both relevant in our service of G-d.

321. (Back to text) This is particularly true after the giving of the Torah which marked the nullification of the decree preventing the spiritual realms from descending to the material plane and the material beings from being elevated to spirituality. The commemoration of the creation of man reflects a renewal of spiritual influence as reflected in the name adam, which relates to the phrase adameh l'Elyon ("I resemble the One Above"). And for man's sake, all the other creations are also renewed.

     We see a parallel to this on Rosh HaShanah, the anniversary of the creation of man. On that day, we recall the creation of all existence, for the renewal of man's creation introduces added strength to all being.

322. (Back to text) As the Alter Rebbe explains, this is achieved through the service of prayer and can be realized in each of the three daily prayer services.

323. (Back to text) Significantly, the Ramah mentions this verse at the beginning of his gloss to the Shulchan Aruch. Our Rabbis associate the Ramah with the Redemption as reflected in the verse, "And the children of Israel were leaving with an upraised hand" (yad ramah in Hebrew).

324. (Back to text) The AriZal explains that the generation of the ultimate Redemption will be a reincarnation of the generation of the exodus from Egypt. Hence, the future Redemption will reflect the pattern of that archetypal redemption as reflected in the verse, "As in the days of your exodus from Egypt, I will show you wonders."

325. (Back to text) As reflected in the holiday of Tu BeShvat, the month of Shvat is associated with the seven species of produce for which Eretz Yisrael is praised. Herein, there is an allusion to the blessings of wealth to be granted to the Jewish people. For in addition to the two species of grain which reflect the staples of existence, there are five species of fruit. Fruit is associated with pleasure and thus with wealth.