Rosh Chodesh ADAR 2 is tonight, Thursday, March 6th, and is the Month of Purim. Adar 2 is a two-day Rosh Chodesh, and lasts from Thursday night until Moitzei Shabbos. Please remember to add in all your Tefillos, beginning Thursday night in Maariv, Yaale v’Yavo in your Amidah and when you bentch after eating. Many have the custom to mark Rosh Chodesh with a seudah and reduced work activity. The latter custom is prevalent among women.
Special portions are added to the daily prayers: Hallel is recited -- in its "partial" form -- following the Shacharit, also the Yaaleh V’yavo is added to the Amidah and to Benching; the additional Musaf prayer is said (when Rosh Chodesh is Shabbat, as is this month, special additions are made to the Shabbat Musaf). Tachnun and similar prayers are omitted.
This Shabbos, the second day of Rosh Chodesh, is Parshat Shekalim. When the Bais Hamikdash stood in Jerusalem, each Jew contributed an annual half-shekel to the Temple. The 1st of Adar marked the beginning of the collection of the shekalim.
"Parshat Shekalim" is the first of four special readings added during or immediately before the month of Adar (the other three being "Zachor", "Parah" and "Hachodesh").
Important Numbers
