Adar

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For other uses, see Adar (disambiguation).

Adar (Hebrew: אֲדָר, Standard Adar Tiberian ʾĂḏār ; from Akkadian adaru) is the sixth month of the religious year and the twelfth month of the civil 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 Jewish 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.

Since the "extra" month is Adar I, 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.

This leads to a famous Jewish riddle: how can twins born minutes apart have a Bar Mitzvah 28 days apart? Answer: The first child was born just before sunset on 30 Adar, the last day of Adar I, while his twin was born just after sunset on the first of Adar II. In a non-leap year the second twin will have his birthday on 1 Adar, and the first twin 29 days later on 1 Nisan (since there is no 30 Adar in a non leap year). Thus their Bar Mitzvahs, which are held on the Saturday after the boy's 13th birthday, will take place 28 days apart (or even 35 days apart if 1 Adar is a Friday; if the birthday is a Saturday, the Bar Mitzvah takes place a week later, so the older twin will have his Bar Mitzvah on 8 Nisan, 35 days after that of his younger brother on 2 Adar).