VEADAR

(Veʹa·dar).

This is the name given to the thirteenth or intercalary month of the Jewish calendar. “Veadar” means simply “additional Adar.” The name does not appear in the Bible; however, references are made to a second Adar in the Jewish Mishnah of the first centuries of our Common Era. In order to harmonize the year of lunar months with the true solar year, this month was added after the month Adar during certain years.

The Bible is silent as to whether this was the original method employed by the nation of Israel or the Hebrews before them. That some adjustment was made to maintain the annual cycle of the seasons in the same relative position to the respective lunar months is evident from the seasonal character of the names of the four lunar months the names of which appear prior to the Babylonian exile. (See ABIB, BUL, ETHANIM and ZIV.) Such an adjustment became a necessity from the time of the exodus from Egypt, since the sacred festivals decreed by God coincided with particular seasons of the year and were stipulated to be observed during specific months. (Ex. 12:1-14; 23:15, 16; Lev. 23:4-43) Nevertheless, there is no basis for any definite conclusion as to the method used to accomplish this adjustment, although the available evidence would appear to indicate the periodic use of a thirteenth month, such as is herein described, rather than by the regular annual addition or intercalation of eleven days to equal the solar year.—See CALENDAR.

In postexilic times the decision as to whether the year would end with the month Adar or a thirteenth month would be added was evidently made by the priests and, in later times, by the Sanhedrin. It was not until the year 359 C.E. that Hillel II established a fixed or standardized calendar based on a nineteen-year cycle, wherein the month Veadar was added on the 3d, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th and 19th year of each cycle. This calendar continues in use by the Jews today, although it is used primarily to determine the times of their religious celebrations.