Today, the 14th of Iyar is a miniature holiday called Pesach Sheni – 'The Second Passover'. This is one of the most important dates in the Hebrew calendar, and for a good reason. During the time of the Temple this day was another opportunity to bring the Pesach sacrifice for those people who couldn't bring it on the first Passover .
Since we don't have a temple what do we do on “Pesach Sheni' today to celebrate?
In our time we celebrate 'Pesach Sheni' two main ways:
1. Eating matza – It is good to have a meal and eat matza, but the other laws pertaining to Passover like eating chametz don't apply on 'Pesach Sheni'.
2. We do not say Tachanun – we usually mark this day as a day of rejoicing, and do not mention Tachanun during prayer because Tachanun is somewhat sad and as a holiday we're supposed to be happy.
So why do we celebrate Pesach Sheni?
When the Children of Israel marked the first anniversary since leaving Egypt on the 14th of Nissan, they brought the Passover sacrifice. But G-d commanded that only those who were cleansed from the impurity of touching someone dead could bring the sacrifice. There were people who were not pure and they were unable to bring the Passover sacrifice so they complained about this command to Moses. In their pain, they cried out to Moshe and said, “Why should we lose out from bringing the Lord's offering among the children of Israel?”
Moshe took heed to their complaint and personal pain, and asked G-d what could be done for them. G-d's answer was that those who were impure and couldn't bring the Passover sacrifice properly on the first Passover can become pure and thirty days after Passover on the 14th of Iyar they can bring the Passover sacrifice.
What lesson does Pesach Sheni teach us?
In Judaism, even those who have fallen to the lower levels of impurity can always repent and correct their actions because “(G-d) will not reject someone who strayed.” God allows everyone to do Teshuvah, and this is the message of Pesach Sheni.
Since we don't have a temple what do we do on “Pesach Sheni' today to celebrate?
In our time we celebrate 'Pesach Sheni' two main ways:
1. Eating matza – It is good to have a meal and eat matza, but the other laws pertaining to Passover like eating chametz don't apply on 'Pesach Sheni'.
2. We do not say Tachanun – we usually mark this day as a day of rejoicing, and do not mention Tachanun during prayer because Tachanun is somewhat sad and as a holiday we're supposed to be happy.
So why do we celebrate Pesach Sheni?
When the Children of Israel marked the first anniversary since leaving Egypt on the 14th of Nissan, they brought the Passover sacrifice. But G-d commanded that only those who were cleansed from the impurity of touching someone dead could bring the sacrifice. There were people who were not pure and they were unable to bring the Passover sacrifice so they complained about this command to Moses. In their pain, they cried out to Moshe and said, “Why should we lose out from bringing the Lord's offering among the children of Israel?”
Moshe took heed to their complaint and personal pain, and asked G-d what could be done for them. G-d's answer was that those who were impure and couldn't bring the Passover sacrifice properly on the first Passover can become pure and thirty days after Passover on the 14th of Iyar they can bring the Passover sacrifice.
What lesson does Pesach Sheni teach us?
In Judaism, even those who have fallen to the lower levels of impurity can always repent and correct their actions because “(G-d) will not reject someone who strayed.” God allows everyone to do Teshuvah, and this is the message of Pesach Sheni.
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