The seventh of Adar was the day on which Moshe Rabbeinu was born, and also the day on which he died exactly 120 years later. Tzadikim were often given the ability to completely live out their years. It is written that Moshe passed away through the “Kiss of Hashem.”
When the Jewish people left Egypt, all the Jews were busy gathering the riches from the Egyptians. All except for Moshe, who was occupied with searching for the hidden coffin of Yosef HaTzadik in order to transport it to the Land of Israel for burial. Moshe sacrificed the opportunity for great wealth in order to ensure that Yosef would receive the burial he deserved. The Gemara tells us that, as a reward for this mitzvah, Moshe was honored by ultimately being buried by Hashem Himself.
The yahrzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu is celebrated annually on the seventh of Adar. It is customary to light a candle in his merit. In addition, it is a custom to fast on this day and say the tikkun. Just as the death of a tzadik provides atonement, so does fasting with repentance. One can also increase charity on this day in exchange for the fast.
Many people visit the k’varim of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochi, the Arizal, Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, and Rebbe Nachman of Breslov on this day, since it is believed that Moshe Rabbeinu was reincarnated as parts of their souls. On a leap year, Moshe’s birthday and yahrzeit are commemorated on the seventh of Adar I. However, the spiritual aspect behind the auspicious day applies to both 7 Adar I and 7 Adar II.
Haman thought that because Moshe died on the 7 Adar, it is a month that the Jews don’t have “luck,” and therefore it was fitting for it to be chosen as a month to destroy the Jewish people. What he didn’t know was that the 7 Adar was also the day that Moshe was born.
List of People Who Need a r’fuah sh’leimah (a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Mordechai ben Masha Yehudis
Ohad ben Esther
Nisan ben Shoshanah
Eitan Avraham ben Efrat
Alon ben Idit
Yosef Chaim ben Chanah Devorah
Nasan Nota ben Rachel
Refael Eliezer ben Simchah
Heleni Orna bas Chen Chanah
Gilana Chavivah bas Sophie Sarah
Esther Hadassah bas Devorah
Mitali Naomi bas Gilah Farcha
Chanah bas Miriam Perel
Sarka bas Sarah
Tziporah bas Fibi
Malkah Neshamah bas Avivah Dinah
Sheindel bas Yachat Chayah
Israeli Soldiers (Please recite Psalms 25, 26, 46, 83, 142.)
Yehoshua ben Aliza Esther
Menachem ben Aliza Esther
Gavriel Efraim ben Chanah Yafah
Netanel Akiva ben Chanah Yafah
Yonatan Ezra ben Chanah Yafah
Chaim Aba Menachem ben Naomi Beila
Daniel Moshe ben Devorah
Chaim Mordechai ben Sarah Ita
Gavriel Yehudah ben Yaakov
Shmuel ben Aharon
Moshe ben Shoshanah Esther
Yehoshua ben Tzvi
Dvir Moshe ben Dinah
Oriel ben Dinah
Dor ben Zehavah
Daniel ben Rachel
Shalev David ben Revital Renanah
Daniel ben Orli
Tal ben Ilana Ilanit
Mordechai Daniel ben Leah Rachel
Yotam ben Efrat Michal
Michael ben Naomi Sarah
Moshe Eliyahu ben Dinah Yehudis
Yosef ben Shlomis
Yosef ben Sarit
Yosef Daniel ben Anat
Yosef Chaim ben Hadassah
Ron ben Ahuvah
Yosef Yechiel Ben-Tzion ben Rivkah Beila
Binyamin Yehudah ben Leah
To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and complete the Google form.
