Today, the 14th of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar is Pesach Sheini. The literal translation of Pesach Sheini is, The Second Pesach. During the time of the Temple, Pesach Sheini had practical significance. The Torah, in Numbers chapter 9, tells us that one year after the Exodus, while still in the desert, G-d commanded the Jewish people to celebrate the holiday of Pesach - the holiday of their freedom, by offering the Korban Pesach (Pascal sacrifice). However, there were people who were spiritually impure due to coming in contact with a dead body and had to wait seven days until they become clean. Thus, they couldnt bring the sacrifice. The men then came to Moshe and said, Why should we be lacking the mitzvah of the Passover sacrifice? The Torah tells us that Moshe brought their case before G-d. G-d told Moshe, Speak to the children of Israel saying, If a man of you or of your future generations shall be unclean as a result of [contact with] a dead body or will be on a distant journey, they shall make the Pesach offering to the L-rd on the fourteenth day of the second month, toward evening; they shall eat it with matzah and maror (bitter herbs). Thus, the fourteenth of Iyar, (the second month) became the Second Pesach. In the days of the Temple, anyone who was impure or far from the Temple at the time of the Passover holiday and couldnt bring their Passover sacrifice, was given a second chance to perform the mitzvah, one month later on the 14th of Iyar. Today there are no practical applications for Pesach Sheini, except that we do not say the prayer of supplication and make it a point to eat some matzah on this day, to remember the days of the Temple. However, the lesson and significance of this special day is everlasting just as in the days of the Temple. Pesach Sheini teaches us that in spiritual matters and mitzvot we should never say, we missed our chance and its too late. Pesach Sheini is about having another chance! Indeed, G-d always gives us another chance and another chance. But its up to us to take advantage of it. Another lesson is that G-d waited for the Jewish people to come forward and request this second chance. At times, its up to us to make that move to show G-d that we truly want that other chance. The story of Rabbi Akiva is the best example of this. The Talmud tells us that until the age of 40 Rabbi Akiva was an ignorant shepherd. Only at the age of 40, with the encouragement of his wife, did he get his second chance to study Torah. He then studied diligently and forty years later, Rabbi Akiva became the greatest Talmudic sage of his time, leading a Yeshiva with thousands of students! This special day of Pesach Sheini, teaches us this very encouraging and wonderful lesson! Moshiach NOW!!!
Posted on: Wed, 14 May 2014 05:23:25 +0000
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