This Friday is the widely unknown festival known as Pesach Sheni, or “Second Passover.” After the Jewish people celebrated their first Passover as a free people, a number of people who were unable to celebrate Passover due to circumstances beyond their control approached Moses.
“What of us?!” they cried. “We too desire to fulfill the commandments associated with Passover,” they passionately pleaded.
After consulting with G-d, Moses relayed that from that day on, the full moon of the second month would be a Second Passover for all who were unable to keep the first holiday.
There is a powerful lesson illustrated here. If you desire something that is true and good, or even just a second chance, beseech sincerely and you may be surprised what can happen. How much more so in our generation wherein we have no Temple or opportunity to fulfill the services associated with the holidays because of our exile.
We must cry, “We too want to bring our offerings to the Temple!”
Happy Pesach Sheni
– Rabbi Liad Braude
