10 Adar
11 Adar
- In many communities תחנון is not recited beginning with this date as in earlier times this was a date on which villagers could read the Megillah.
- Yahrzeit of the CHID"A (d. 1804). A prolific author who wrote countless works on a myriad of Torah topics. Intrepid traveler who met many of the Torah giants of his time as he raised funds for the small community in Jerusalem. He visited many of the great European libraries where he found ancient manuscripts which he authenticated and often quoted from.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Avrohom Bornstein better known as the Avnei Nezer (d. 1910). Chassidic rebbe and son-in-law of the Kotzker best known for his responsa and work on the laws of Shabbos.
13 Adar
- Fast of Esther. There is a debate as to what is being commemorated. Some say it is the three day fast that was instituted before Esther went to see the king. Others suggest that the Jews fasted a year later on the day they battled their Amalekite enemies.
- There is a custom to donate half-shekels (or half of the local currency) on this day in memory of the half-shekel that was donated this time of year in Temple times. As the Torah mentions the word תורמה, donation, three times, many have the custom to give three half-shekels.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Moshe Feinstein (d. 1985) who was known as the leading Halachic decisor in the world in post-War era. Nine volumes of his responsa have been published. He also lead Mesivta Tifereth Yerushalaim in NY for 50 years and numerous volumes of his Talmudic insights have been published.
14 Adar
- Purim
- This is one of five dates during the year when there is a prevalent custom to daven early.
- The Torah reading on Purim is the shortest on record being only nine verses long.
- As it is thirty days from Pesach it is the day on which to start studying the laws and ideas of Pesach.
- In 1840 the Jewish community of Rhodes was cleared of a blood libel when the child was found alive.
15 Adar
- Shushan Purim for those who live in cities that were walled since the time of Joshua. Observed in Jerusalem and a few other places.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Chaim Kamiel (d. 2005) Rosh Yeshiva in Ofakim.
16 Adar
- This is the second break within the four special Torah readings in Adar. Only when Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on a Friday are there two breaks. ובי"ו
- Yahrzeit of Rav Pinchas Menachem Alter (d. 1996) Rosh Yeshiva of the Gerrer Yeshiva and briefly Rebbe of Ger.
3 Adar
- Yahrzeit of Rav Mordechai Yaffee, (d. 1612), author of the Levushim. Anearly codification of Halacha, sort of a competition to the Shulchan Aruch, as well as other works. All of them are named after descriptions in the Megilla of the clothing worn by Mordechai.
- Yahrzeit of the Aderes, Rav Eliyahu Dovid Rabinowitz Teomim (d. 1905), Rabbi of Mir and later Yerushalim, father-in-law (twice) of Rav Kook.
4 Adar
- Yahrzeit of Rav Leib Sarah's (d. 1791), student of the Baal Shem Tov and itinerant preacher of his teachings.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Laizer Gordon of Telshe (d. 1910) who passed away while on a fund-raising trip to London.
5 Adar
- Yahrzeit of Rav Moshe Yehoshua Landau (2nd cousin of my mother) who was known as one of the leading Torah scholrs in Yerushalaim (d. 1973)
6 Adar
- In 1486 hundreds of Jews were burned at the stake in Toledo Spain by the Inquisition
7 Adar
- Birthdate and Yahrzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu. In many communities there is a custom for the chevra kadisha (burial society) to have a commemorative meal on this date.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Shlomo Ephraim Lenchitz (d. 1619), best known as author of the Kli Yakar commentary on Chumash.
8 Adar
- Yahrzeit of Rav Eliyahu HaKohen of Izmir (d. 1729) Sefardic author of many works on morality.
9 Adar
- Second of the four special readings, Parshas Zachor, reminding us of the requirement to rid all memory of Amalek.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Chaim Zeitchik (d. 1999), an underappreciated giant of mussar who taught in the United States as well as Israel.
26 Shevat
- Yahrzeit of Rav Dovid HaLevi (d. 1667) author of Torei Zahav one of the major commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch. Son in law of Rav Yoel Sirkis, the Bac"h.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Mordechai Yosef Elazar Leiner of Radzin (d. 1929), son of Rav Gershon Chanoch Henich of Radzin, author of Tifereth Yosef one of the important works of the Ishbitz-Radziner line.
27 Shevat
- Yahrzeit of Rav Yitzchok Yerucham Diskind (d. 1925), head of the Eida HaCharedis of Yerushalim.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel (d. 1927), the Alter of Slabodka who was instrumental in relocating much of the Yeshiva to Israel, first to Chevron and then to Yerushalaim. He was the mentor to numerous Roshei Yeshiva who rebuilt Torah after the Holocaust.
30 Shevat
- This year there will be no 30 Adar (as in a year with only one Adar there are only 29 days). As such, boys who were born 13 years ago on the 30th of Adar I, celebrate their Bar Mitzvah's on this date.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Yeruchem Fishel Perlow (d. 1934) best known for his commentary on the Rav Saadia Gaon's listing of Mitzvos. A student of the Volozhin yeshiva, he refused jobs in the rabbinate and was a successful businessman while spending most of his time studying Torah. After being widowed he moved to Jerusalem where he spent his last years.
1 Adar
- When Adar begins we should increase our happiness
- In Temple times the court would send out emissaries to remind people to send their annual half-shekel to the Temple and to inspect that no one had inadvertently allowed illicit mixtures of crops to grow in the field.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Avrohom Ibn Ezra author of important pshat commentary on Chumash. He spent most of his life in poverty while traveling from country to country in medieval Europe.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Shabsi Kohen (d. 1662), better known as the Shach after his commentary on the Shulchan Aruch.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Immanuel Chai Riki (murdered in 1743) who authored major Kabbalistic works (Mishnas Chasidim) as well as other Torah commentary. He was murdered while travelling, his murderers were never found.
2 Adar
- Yahrzeit of Rav Meir Paprish (d. 1662) author of 39 important early works based on the teachings of the Ariza"l.
- The first use of the Davidka by the Israeli Army in the 1948 War of Independence
- Yahrzeit of Rav Avrohom Kalmanowitz (d. 1964), Rav of Tiktin and later founder of the Mir Yeshiva of New York.
19 Shevat
20 Shevat
- Yahrzeit of Doctor Chaim David Bernhard of Piotrkow (d. 1858). Raised non-observant he was amazed when one of his patients recovered from a terminal illness after visiting the Lelover Rebbe and he returned to Torah observance.
22 Shevat
- Yahrzeit of the Kotzker Rebbe (d. 1851). Known for his sharp with and unwavering devotion to the truth. His students and descendants were among the leaders of the next generations of Polish Chassidus.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Leibele Eiger, student of the aforementioned Kotzker and grandson of Rav Akiva Eiger.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Yehuda Segal of Manchester (d. 1993)
23 Shevat
- Anniversary of the gathering of the tribes to fight against the tribe of Benyamin during the incident known as Pilegesh B'Giva described at the end of the Book of Judges.
24 Shevat
- Yahrzeit of Rav Tzvi Gutmacher (d. 1873). I am most indebted for his commentary of Tractate Kinim named קן מפורשת.
25 Shevat
- On this Shabbos we read from two Sifrei Torah. We first read the regularly scheduled Torah reading which is then followed by Parshas Shekalim, a reminder of the annual half-shekel given at this time of the year when the Temple stood in order to pay for the daily sacrifices.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Yisroel Salanter (d. 1883) founder of the Mussar movement.
- Yahrzeit of Rav Uziel Moshe Rothstein ,(d. 1973) author of Nachlas Moshe, which was very valuable to me as a young Talmudic student.
