“When Adar Begins, Our Happiness Increases”-Purim 5775 and the Shemitta Year

Today, the 30th of Shevat, is the first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar. This year, Purim (the 14th of Adar) will fall out on a Thursday. As we all know, Purim is celebrated everywhere on the 14th of Adar besides for walled-cities from the times of Yehoshua bin Nun (such as the holy city of Jerusalem) which celebrate Purim on the 15th of Adar which will fall out on a Friday this year.

When Adar Begins, Our Happiness Increases
The Gemara in Masechet Ta’anit (29a) tells us, “Rabbi Yehuda son of Rav Shmuel ben Shilat taught in the name of Rav: Just as when the month of Av begins happiness is diminished, so too, when Adar begins happiness increases. Rav Papa says, therefore, if a Jew has a court case with a non-Jew pending, he should avoid having it…