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 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 tikun. Just as the death of a tzadik provides atonement, so does fasting with repentance. One can also increase the giving of charity on this day in exchange for the fast.
Many people visit the k’varim of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, 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 the Seventh of Adar I and the Seventh of Adar II.
Haman thought that because Moshe died on the Seventh of Adar, it is a month that the Jews don’t have “luck” and therefore fitting for it to be chosen as a month to destroy the Jewish people. What he didn’t know was that the Seventh of 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.
Yossi Azriel ben Chayah Michal
Aviel ben Ktziyah Batyah
Eliyahu ben Sophia
Mordechai ben Rachel Anba
Nissim ben Devorah
Ezra ben Farida
Yossi ben Vardit
Yaakov ben Mazal
Nissan ben Yael
Yehoshua ben Miriam
Eliyahu ben Miriam
Aharon Mordechai ben Sharon
Moshe ben Rachel
Gavriel ben Imo-Shalom
Marik ben Tamara
Yitzchak ben Chanom Chanah
Yosef ben Leah
Shlomo ben Miriam
Shalom Baruch ben Malkah Freida
Ilay Eliezer ben Rivah Rivkah
Misha Moshe ben Tamara
Meir Yaakov ben Esther
Shlomo Hartzel ben Eka
Chaim Zanvil ben Sarah Dinah
Reuven HaKohen ben Golda
Tovah Yocheved bas Esther Bukas
Ruchamah Perel Malkah Leah bas Chanah Serel
Esther Hadasah bas Devorah
Alizah bas Miriam
Shoshanah Shurah bas Zina
Luna bas Rachel
Malkah bas Miriam
Malkah bas Reicha Shifrah
Adele bas Adi
Evon bas Sally
Karen bas Rachel
Chavah bas Sarah
Brachah Chanah bas Sarah
Tovah Chanah bas Sarah Devorah
Rachel bas Edith
Chanah Elianah bas Naomi
Gittel bas Malkah
Mira Gitta bas Beila Mariasha
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.