Rabbi Howard Morrison

Do you remember the game show Let's Make a Deal, which has been revived in recent years? The last segment would put two successful contestants in front of three doors, which generally consisted of two nice prizes and one which was a spoof.

When it comes to observing a yahrzeit in Adar, the game show imagery comes to mind. If a death took place in a conventional year with one month of Adar, in which Adar is the yahrzeit observed in a leap year, which has Adar 1 and Adar 2? As you may guess, there are three valid responses:

Adar 1, since we do not delay performing a mitzvah.

Adar 2, since that is the month of Purim and connects Purim and Pesach, as in a conventional year.

Both, Adar 1 and Adar 2, to satisfy all points of view.

Most synagogues today rely on computerized systems for generating and disseminating yahrzeit dates. The system designer decides the ritual practice in a leap year. At Beth Emeth, our computer designer opted to schedule Adar yahrzeits in a leap year in Adar 2 (door number 2 of the three options), a legitimate practice.

Fortunately, our shul's system allows for individual choice. So, if one has a preference for Adar 1 or both, Adar 1 and Adar 2, please inform the office and we will conform to your particular practice.

This conversational topic takes place seven years in every nineteen year cycle, when an extra month is added prior to Nisan, the Pesach month. Why is the intercalation of the calendar necessary? The Torah mandates that Pesach always falls out in Spring. The Jewish leap year structure makes sure that this is the case.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Howard Morrison