Siman 685, Se'if 1 · The concept of the four parshiyos: the Mishnah Berurah's introduction (s.k. 1)

Shulchan Aruch, siman 685: the order of the four parshiyos, containing seven se'ifim.

"When Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on Shabbos, we read parshas Shekalim, which is from 'Ki Sisa' until 'V'asisa kiyor nechoshes,' and the haftarah is 'Vayichros Yehoyada.' We take out three sifrei Torah: in the first we read the weekly parashah, in the second the reading of Rosh Chodesh, and in the third we read the maftir of parshas Shekalim."
(Shulchan Aruch, se'if 1)

(When the Shulchan Aruch says "three books," he means three sifrei Torah.)

The concept of the four parshiyos: the Mishnah Berurah's introduction (s.k. 1)

Although the Shulchan Aruch opens immediately with parshas Shekalim, the heading of the siman is "the order of the four parshiyos," so the Mishnah Berurah first lays out the general subject before getting into the details of the halachos.

"Rosh Chodesh Adar: He will briefly explain the matter of the four parshiyos. Chazal instituted that four parshiyos be read each year, from Rosh Chodesh Adar until Rosh Chodesh Nisan, as a remembrance of four things."
(Mishnah Berurah, s.k. 1)

• Four Shabbosos: Between Rosh Chodesh Adar and Rosh Chodesh Nisan there are four Shabbosos on which we read an additional reading from an additional sefer Torah.
• They do not replace the weekly parashah: Don't make the mistake of thinking that these readings come instead of the weekly parashah, the way a Yom Tov that falls on Shabbos pushes off the regular parashah. The four parshiyos are read in addition to the weekly parashah.
• What "parashah" means here: "Parashah" in this context means a topic that was designated to be read. It need not be one of the weekly sidros, and it need not be of any particular length.
• The cycle of the weekly parshiyos: According to our practice today, the weekly reading is fixed and does not change, except in cases such as a Yom Tov falling on Shabbos. This was not always the practice in Eretz Yisrael.
• Not necessarily consecutive: The Mishnah Berurah lists a "second," "third" and "fourth," but he does not necessarily mean four Shabbosos in a row, since sometimes there is a Shabbos gap between one reading and the next.

The four parshiyos and the reasons for them

1. Parshas Shekalim

"The first is parshas Shekalim, in remembrance of the mitzvah of machatzis hashekel, which they were obligated to give to the Lishkah each year for the korban tamid."
(Mishnah Berurah, s.k. 1)

• The essential reason: A remembrance of the machatzis hashekel collection, from which the communal korbanos were purchased. The details will be spelled out below in s.k. 2.

2. Parshas Zachor

"The second is parshas Zachor, to remember what Amalek did. We read it on the Shabbos before Purim, in order to place it next to the episode of Haman, who was descended from Amalek."
(Mishnah Berurah, s.k. 1)

• Why specifically before Purim: The word "adjacent" could mean either before or after, so the Mishnah Berurah explains that the reason is to have the remembering of wiping out Amalek come before the doing of it.
• The source for this order: It is derived from the verse in Megillas Esther, "and these days are remembered and done": first the remembering, which is the episode of Amalek, and afterwards the doing, which is the episode of Haman, who was descended from Amalek.

3. Parshas Parah

"The third is parshas Parah Adumah, which is on the Shabbos before parshas HaChodesh, because its burning in the midbar took place close to Nisan, so that the house of Yisrael could use the ashes of the chatas immediately after the Mishkan was erected, in order that they be tahor and be able to bring the Pesach at its proper time. Therefore we read this parashah, to daven before Him, may He be blessed, that He should sprinkle purifying waters upon us as well, speedily."
(Mishnah Berurah, s.k. 1)

• A remembrance of what our forefathers did: The burning of the parah took place in the midbar close to Nisan, so that Klal Yisrael would be tahor and able to bring the korban Pesach in its time. Today there is no parah adumah, and the reading is a remembrance of that event and a tefillah for the taharah of the future.
• The status of these readings: Regarding parshas Zachor and parshas Parah there are differing opinions among the poskim as to how stringent the obligation to hear them is; the details will be discussed later in the siman.

4. Parshas HaChodesh

"The fourth is parshas HaChodesh, on the Shabbos adjacent to Rosh Chodesh Nisan, in order to sanctify the month of Nisan, as it is written, 'This month shall be for you the first of months.' But this is not the essential sanctification, for the essential sanctification is at the time the moon is sighted, when beis din sanctifies it. This reading is only mid'rabbanan, a remembrance of the matter."
(Mishnah Berurah, s.k. 1)

• The purpose of the reading: To sanctify the month of Nisan, based on the verse "This month shall be for you the first of months."
• It is not the sanctification itself: The reading nowadays is not an act of kiddush hachodesh; it is a rabbinic enactment and merely a remembrance of the matter.

Sanctifying the months nowadays: the Rambam's approach

• A mitzvah from the Torah: Kiddush hachodesh is a Torah mitzvah, as Chazal expounded on the verse "This month shall be for you the first of months": "like this one, see and sanctify," and Rashi brings this in its place. It is not enough that the moon has renewed itself; two witnesses must come and testify that they saw the new moon, beis din examines them, accepts their testimony, declares Rosh Chodesh, and messengers are sent to inform all of Klal Yisrael. Even though everyone can see the moon, that alone is not sufficient.
• Who does the sanctifying: The sanctification is done by the Sanhedrin, meaning by judges with semichah, and not by just any beis din. Not every member of the Sanhedrin need be present; a smaller panel suffices, as long as they have semichah.
• The difficulty: The calculations upon which the calendar is based were known from ancient times, and nevertheless witnesses were brought to beis din. If so, how is Rosh Chodesh established today, when there is no Sanhedrin and no witnesses? The calculation by itself establishes nothing, since someone who is not a member of the Sanhedrin has no authority to declare Rosh Chodesh.
• The Rambam's answer: Hillel the Last, who lived around the year 380 of the common era, publicized the calendar calculations (including the rules of leap years), but that is not the main point. The essential point according to the Rambam is that the Sanhedrin at that time sanctified all the future months in advance.
• What we do today: According to the Rambam, all we are doing today is revealing the calculation, that is, revealing what the Sanhedrin already sanctified in advance. Had they not done so, no person would have the power to establish that a given day is Rosh Chodesh.
• The powers of the Sanhedrin: The Sanhedrin are judges who received semichah, and only they have the power to judge capital cases, cases of malkos and cases of fines, as well as other matters that cannot be done without them. There is a Sanhedrin of twenty-one and one of twenty-three, and for certain matters a smaller panel suffices.

Adar Rishon and Adar Sheni

• Which Adar is the extra one: In a leap year there are two months of Adar. The rule is that "the Adar adjacent to Nisan is always chaser," meaning that Adar Sheni has twenty-nine days.
• The proof from the general rule: The order of the months is generally one full and one short: Tishrei full, Cheshvan short, Kislev full, Teves short, Shevat full, Adar short, Nisan full, Iyar short, and so on (Cheshvan and Kislev have their own special rules). Since the Adar before Nisan is short in a regular year, and in a leap year Adar Sheni is also short, this shows that Adar Sheni is the original Adar, and Adar Rishon, which has thirty days, is the added month.
• What gets pushed off to Adar Sheni: All the matters of the month are pushed off to Adar Sheni: Purim, Taanis Esther which is connected to Purim, and the four parshiyos. Other questions, such as bar mitzvah and a yahrzeit, are a separate matter and are not our subject here.

Working out the Shabbosos in practice

• When parshas Shekalim is read: Parshas Shekalim is read on the Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh Adar, and in a leap year that means Rosh Chodesh Adar Sheni. On the calendar it therefore comes out on a Shabbos at the end of Adar Rishon, but it belongs to Adar Sheni in every respect.
• When Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on Shabbos: If Rosh Chodesh Adar itself falls on Shabbos, we read parshas Shekalim on that very Shabbos, and as the Shulchan Aruch says, we take out three sifrei Torah: the weekly parashah, the Rosh Chodesh reading, and the maftir of parshas Shekalim.
• This year's calendar: This year Purim falls on Motzaei Shabbos, and the halachos of the reading and the megillah in such a case will be explained in their place.

The reason for parshas Shekalim and the mitzvah of machatzis hashekel (Mishnah Berurah, s.k. 2)

"The verse says, 'This is the olah of each month in its month, for the months of the year.' The words 'for the months of the year' are superfluous; rather, the Torah is saying: there is one month in which you must begin anew, bringing the olos of the temidim and musafim from a new terumah. And we learn in the Gemara through a gezeirah shavah that this is the month of Nisan. And since in Nisan one must offer from the new terumah, we therefore announce about the shekalim in advance, in the Adar adjacent to it."
(Mishnah Berurah, s.k. 2)

• The superfluous wording: It would have been enough to write "This is the olah of each month in its month." The addition of "for the months of the year" teaches that there is one month from which the bringing of the korbanos begins anew from a new terumah.
• Communal korbanos: Some korbanos depend on the individual, such as a chatas, a nedavah, a todah and shelamim. Alongside them there are the fixed korbanos of the tzibbur: the korban tamid every day, the musaf of Shabbos and the musafim of the festivals, which must always be brought.
• The source of the funding: Since these are korbanos of the tzibbur, they come from the communal fund, and therefore a public collection must be made from which the korbanos are purchased. That is the machatzis hashekel collection.
• A new terumah every year: One large collection that would last for many years is not enough, nor is the donation of a single wealthy benefactor. Each year a new collection must be made, and the korbanos of that year are brought from the new terumah. That is the meaning of "for the months of the year."
• Leftover money: Extra money that is donated does not go to waste; it goes to bedek habayis, to the repairs and needs of the Mikdash. And someone who gives a donation is asked for what purpose he is giving: for korbanos or for bedek habayis. When he gives for korbanos he must know that the terumah serves for one year only.
• When the korbanos year begins: The korbanos year begins from Nisan, as the Gemara derives through a gezeirah shavah, and therefore the money has to be collected beforehand.
• A month's head start: They allowed a month, and so on the first of Adar the announcement about the shekalim is made, with messengers going out to proclaim that the machatzis hashekel collection for the korbanos of the new year has begun. The collection was made in every city, the money was sent to Yerushalayim, and there were boxes there to receive it.

(It is told that in excavations a chest was found with the name of a city written on it from which the shekalim were sent; the details are not clear here.)

In passing · Leap years, the solar year and the lunar year

• Why we add a month: We make the year a leap year in order to keep Pesach away from the winter, so that it always falls in the springtime, as it says, "Guard the month of the spring and make the Pesach to Hashem your God."
• The basic problem: The Jewish year depends on two cycles. The months depend on the moon, and are twenty-nine or thirty days; the word "chodesh" comes from renewal, since the moon renews itself while the sun does not. The seasons of the year, however, summer, winter, autumn and spring, depend on the sun alone. Dividing the solar year into months is an arbitrary division, since the sun has no concept of a month.
• The gap between the two reckonings: A solar year is about three hundred sixty-five and a quarter days, and a lunar year about three hundred fifty-four days (and sometimes three hundred fifty-three or three hundred fifty-five, depending on the lengths of the months). Among the Muslims, who do not add a month, Ramadan moves through all the seasons of the year, because their month has no connection to the sun.
• The result of the calculation: Since the lunar year is shorter than the solar year, roughly every three years a full month's difference accumulates, and that month is Adar Rishon, which comes to balance the moon against the sun so that Pesach always remains in the springtime.

Birkas HaChodesh and its various texts

• Birkas HaChodesh as a remembrance: Some of the Acharonim held that standing and announcing Rosh Chodesh at Birkas HaChodesh is also a remembrance of the sanctification of the month by beis din, since the announcement of Rosh Chodesh resembles the way beis din would publicize it. Not all the poskim agree with this reasoning.
• An announcement, not a sanctification: This declaration is not an act of kiddush hachodesh, only an announcement, for we do not say "today is Rosh Chodesh" but rather that Rosh Chodesh will be on such and such a day. Its whole purpose is to serve as a remembrance of the need for an authority to make known when Rosh Chodesh is.
• "HaChodesh hazeh" or "HaChodesh haba": There are different versions, and there is reason to say "the coming month" since the month has not yet arrived. Similarly there are different versions regarding "chayim aruchim" and the like. Every version has support in both directions, and each person should follow the practice of his fathers.

The term "samuch" and receiving semichah

• A distinction in terminology: "Semichah" is the act, and "samuch" is the description of the person who received it. A talmid chacham who was given semichah is called a chacham samuch.
• Why the title matters: The essential qualification for kiddush hachodesh and for the other powers of the Sanhedrin depends on the judges having semichah, not on there being a full panel of seventy-one or of twenty-three.
• Accepting testimony for kiddush hachodesh: Kiddush hachodesh has its own special rules for accepting testimony, and there were even cases of false witnesses who tried to mislead beis din in this matter.