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February 2026

Sh'vat 5786 / Adar 5786

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About the Hebrew Calendar

The Hebrew calendar (הלוח העברי) is the traditional calendar of the Jewish people, used to determine the dates of Jewish holidays, Torah readings, and daily religious observances. It is a lunisolar calendar, meaning its months follow the lunar cycle while leap years keep it aligned with the solar seasons.

Each Hebrew month begins with the new moon (Rosh Chodesh), and the year consists of either 12 or 13 months. In a leap year, an additional month — Adar II — is added before Nisan to ensure that Passover always falls in the spring.

The Hebrew year is traditionally counted from the creation of the world. The current Hebrew year is 5786. Major holidays like Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, and Shavuot all follow the Hebrew calendar.

Each week, a different Torah portion (Parsha) is read in synagogues worldwide, completing the entire Five Books of Moses in one year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is today's Hebrew date?

Today's Hebrew date is 5 Adar 5786. The Hebrew calendar date changes at sunset, so the date listed here reflects the daytime date. After sunset, the next Hebrew day begins.

How does the Hebrew calendar differ from the Gregorian calendar?

The Gregorian calendar is purely solar (365/366 days per year), while the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar. Hebrew months follow the moon's 29.5-day cycle, and a 13th month is added in leap years (7 times in every 19-year cycle) to stay aligned with the seasons. Days begin at sunset rather than midnight.

What is the Daf Yomi?

Daf Yomi ("daily page") is a program of studying one page of the Babylonian Talmud each day. The cycle takes approximately 7.5 years to complete all 2,711 pages. Jews around the world study the same page each day, creating a global learning community.

What are Hebrew leap years?

A Hebrew leap year occurs 7 times in every 19-year cycle (years 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17, and 19). In a leap year, an extra month called Adar II is added to the calendar. This ensures that Passover always falls in the spring, as commanded in the Torah.