This year is a special event in the Jewish calendar, it is a leap year in the Hebrew calendar as well as the Gregorian calendar. The Jewish leap year occurs in 7 of the 19 years in the calendar cycle, or about once every 3 years. In the Jewish leap years we add in an extra month called Adar II. In non-leap years we only have one month of Adar. The leap years ensure that the Jewish holidays fall in their appropriate or respective seasons.
Adar II has been known to be a month of joy, primarily because the month always includes Purim but also because it brings in Spring for the northern hemisphere. According to the Talmud, ‘When Adar enters, joy increases.’
Another way the leap year has been conceptualized is to consider that we have the ability to alter our world and our experience when regularity challenges us. If the norm creates a disruption, we have the ability to make changes for the better. This can be related to the Purim story, to a leap year, or life in general.
What are you going to do with your extra day (or extra month!) this leap year? We look forward to celebrating Purim together in a few weeks and bringing in the Spring season together in community.
