The month of Adar is a very special month. It says about Nissan that it is the head of the months, the first month of the year if we start to count from Nissan. If Nissan is the first month then Adar is the last month. What is special about being the last month. The last of anything is always the manifestation of it, therefore, in Adar we have the manifestation of the previous eleven months. It is said, “everything goes after the end”.

The two main events in the month of Adar, are Purim and the Yarzheit of Moshe Rabeinu.

The word for Yarzheit in Hebrew is Hilulah, which means a day of joy. On the Yarzheit we must be happy as this is the best day to connect to the soul of the deceased because it comes back to the physical world to visit. If the person was a Tzaddik, during the year it is very difficult to connect to that soul because it is on such a high level that it is very far away from the physical level. On the seventh of Adar we can connect to Moshe Rabeinu.

There is a story about a father who used to gather his kids around the table on the Yarzheit of a big Tzadik and ask each kid what present they were going to send to the Tzadik. Some said they would learn in his honor, some said that they would do other Mitzvot like visiting the sick etc. This is a very beautiful way to honor a Tzadik or parent, by sending them presents. Do some extra Mitzvah in their honor and I guarantee that they will come and help you. For Jews, Moshe Rabeinu was the person who took us out of Egypt, so on his Yarzheit we connect to that energy of freedom. Also Moshe was the most humble person. Let’s learn from him and try to let go of our egos.

To understand the Hebrew month of Adar, we have to look at the two letters connected to this month (from Sefer Yitzirah). The letter, Kuf, is the letter that created the month of Adar-Pisces. We know that the Hebrew letters are the building blocks of creation and the Kuf is the only letter in the alphabet that goes below the line. What does this mean to us?  This month is the only month of the year where we can go head to head with the evil inclination/yetzer hara. All other months we have to fight the yetzer hara with gorilla tactics. We attack and then run and hide. With the power of the Kuf which goes into his domain, we confront him head on and have the power to overcome our yetzer hara this month. The other letter connected to this month is Gimmel, which is the letter that controls the planet Jupiter, which is the planet of miracles. Jupiter controls two months, Adar-Pisces and Kislev-Sagittarius. No wonder that Purim and Chanukah took place in these two months.

The whole point of Purim is the war against Amalek (Haman). The battle with Amalek is more of an inner battle than a physical battle and is all about getting rid of doubt which is the root of all man’s problems. (‘Doubt’ in Hebrew is Safek which has a numerology of 240 which is the same as Amalek).

This is a never ending quest. Don’t let your guard down. Fear, panic, anxiety etc. are the biggest weapons of Amalek. Fight this battle with all your might because it is the main battle in life. The opposite is complete bitachon and emunah in Hashem.

In the Megillah, 9:1, the words “Venahafoch hu (it was totally reversed) are used)”. This is pivotal point in the Purim story and a big secret. The whole verse is: “On that day the enemies of the Jews hoped to have control over them, venahafoch hu (it was totally reversed), that the Jews themselves had control over their rivals”. Things were turned from one extreme to the other, 180 degrees. Not only were they saved from the deadly decree, rather it was an absolute and total turnaround from the bleakest predicament to the pinnacle of joy. Their enemies were totally destroyed and wiped out. This is the power of Purim and this month.

Megillah 9:22: “From sorrow to gladness, and from mourning to a festival”. This is the reason for the great and tremendous simcha on this sacred holiday of Purim. What appeared to be the greatest threat and the worst dilemma, itself became the greatest salvation and gift. Thus we celebrate a double simcha on this unique holiday of Purim. Both the salvation and the victory over our enemies.

• Purim resources

This is the power of Purim and this month, to completely destroy Amalek (Haman) doubt.

Also we don’t realize but there is a very big connection between Purim and Pessach. Purim in a way is paving the road for us to Pessach, freedom. Many people don’t realize that the parties of Esther, the fasting of the Jews and the hanging of Haman took place on Pessach. It was only eleven months later that the battle of Purim took place on the 13th Adar.

People born in the month of Adar are very easy going and sharing. This can be their Tikkun in that they are so easy going many times they allow people to take advantage of them. They always have to push themselves to take action.

The name of Hashem connected to this month is all upside down and this month should be a month of judgement, however, Hashem out of kindness turned this month around to one of mercy with endless joy and happiness. We have to increase our joy in this month. Bnei Yisrael is ruled with Divine mercy in this month and their mazal thrives in this month. There is a great flow of Shefa from the upper worlds. In this month the main work is to strengthen our love for our fellow Jews and to be in unity. That was what Haman was trying to destroy, the unity between the Jews. Chazal inform us that by Achashveirosh removing his signet ring and giving it to Haman(3:10), it accomplished more than the forty eight neviim (prophets) and the seven neviot. The prophecies of the prophets and prophetesses did not cause Klal Yisrael to mend their ways, yet the “removing of the ring” brought them back to the proper path, Megillah 14a.

The essential foundation of emunah and unity that we learn from Purim is a lesson for us to integrate this into our consciousness for the entire year.

Chodesh Tov.

May this article be an Ilui Neshamah for Chaim ben Moshe Aaron.

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