Pesach Sheini: Second Chances
(The following has been adapted from a shiur given by Rav Yisroel Brog)
In this week's parsha we read about Pesach Sheini. It was the second year after Yetzias Mitzrayim and Hakodosh Boruch Hu commanded the Bnei Yisroel to bring the first Korbon Pesach in the Midbar. This was a surprise to Klal Yisroel. They had thought that the Korbon Pesach was only to be brought that first time in Mitzrayim, and then not again until they entered Eretz Yisroel. They were jubilant at the opportunity.
The Torah relates (Bamidbar 9:4-5) that there were a small group of people who were left out of this mitzvah: “There were men who were tomei [impure through contact with a human corpse] and could not make the Pesach-offering on that day; so, they approached Moshe and Aharon on that day. Those men said to him [Moshe], ‘We are tomei through a human corpse; why should we be diminished by not offering Hashem’s offering in its appointed time among Bnei Yisroel?’” In response, Hashem taught the laws of Pesach Sheini, a second chance to bring the Korban Pesach.
This is mind blowing. An entirely new parsha in the Torah just because some people felt bad they couldn't do the mitzvah. It wasn't their fault. They weren't to blame. But they felt bad that they were left out. Was that such a tremendous thing that an entirely new parsha had to be written?
Let's imagine the scene in Yerusholayim at the time of the Beis HaMikdosh in the month of Nissan. It was probably like Succos is today. The marketplaces were jammed packed with thousands of lambs: kosher lambs, bedieved lambs. But down the road on side alleyways were a few choice stores with Brisker lambs! Real special lambs, perfect without any blemishes. And just like today where they jack up the price for a Brisker esrog, or a Brisker lulav, those lambs weren't cheap. They cost a pretty penny.
And here's someone who, nebech, had come into contact with a dead body. Maybe he worked with the Chevra Kaddishe; maybe his mother just passed away. And he's thinking, he can't bring the Korbon Pesach this year. Now it's true Chazal teach, “ones rachamana patrei” / “one who is prevented from performing a mitzvah is exempt”, but deep down he's thinking, “Boruch Hashem, OK, this year I'm exempt. I don't have to go running around to all the stores hunting that perfect lamb. I don't have to shell out all that money this year.”
There was a guy who one year couldn't get an esrog. He was suddenly inundated with one accident after the other and he just couldn't get out to get an esrog. He said to the rabbi, “You know, I'm really relieved that this year I don't have to go through the ganz tumult, the baale gan of chasing esrogim. Going to that seller, then another seller, hunting that perfect esrog. This year I'll do without it. I will borrow someone's set; I'll stand next to the rabbi and bentch on his.” He felt relieved.
You can imagine what Yerusholayim looked like during Pesach. The entire country flooded into that city. The crowds, the shoving, the pushing. And go find some lodgings. You had to eat the korban inside the city walls. They probably charged and arm and a leg for a little 2 x 4. You had to cram yourself into that small excuse of lodgings with your wife and all your kids. What's this person who's tomei thinking? Nebech I can't do the mitzvah? Or did he have that deep feeling of relief, this year I'm exempt? I don't have to go through all that baale gan!?
So, we find that at that first Korban Pesach in the Midbar, this group of people came to Moshe Rabbeinu and they lodged an official complaint. They came to Moshe Rabbeinu and said, “Why should we lose out? Why are we worse than any other Jew.”
What are you complaining about? We just told you that you can't. It isn't your fault, but that's the way it is. A tomei meis can't bring the Korban Pesach. What's the problem? It's not that they're worse than anybody else. It was an accident and they're potur, they're absolved; absolutely excused.
So, what's pshat?
You should know that this was a test from Hashem. Because Hashem had never told Moshe about the possibility of Pesach Sheini. According to what He told Moshe, there was one chance, and one chance only. But Hakodosh Boruch Hu wanted to teach an amazing lesson to the Am Yisroel, and that's why He left it out. Hashem knew that there were a few good people and these few people were going to complain. They weren’t going to take it sitting down. Hashem wanted to teach the importance of feeling bad about not being able to do a mitzvah.
You know how many people can't come to Shacharis because their stomachs are not working right. They accept it very happily. Unless there's a big bris in shul that day. I mean a BIG bris, with all sorts of serving stations, different types of fish and smoked salmon, cheeses, fried eggs, scrambled eggs; better than the Waldorf Astoria. And this poor guy is bemoaning his fate that he missed davening that morning. He couldn't come to the bris because his stomach was out of sorts. But I never heard him complain any other time. How come?
We have to understand that HaKodosh Boruch Hu compensates anyone who has sincere regrets that he can't do a mitzvah.
When Moshe Rabbeinu heard their complaint, he said to them, “Oh, you really feel bad? You have sincere regrets that you can't do this mitzvah? Let me go speak to the Ribbono Shel Olam and hear what He has to say.” So, he went and Hashem answered him and told him “There was one parsha that I left out.” Hashem then instructed him about an entire parsha regarding the laws of Pesach Sheini. I'm going to give you another chance.
This is a tremendous lesson. Even when it's not your fault, and you are completely absolved from any misdeed. But you feel a deep regret that you can't do that mitzvah. Then Hashem will find a way to compensate you. This is a tremendous far-reaching lesson. Rav Brog related something that had recently happened to him. It was Friday afternoon right before licht bentchen [candle lighting] and he got a phone call, “Rebbe they just rushed my grandmother to the hospital and it’s not looking good. They put her on a ventilator. It looks like this is it. Rebbe let's do something, I want to do something!” “What did you have in mind?” “I want to support the Kollel Chatzos (a special kollel in Eretz Yisroel of avreichim who learn from midnight until dawn).” “Kollel Chatzos? When do you want to do the Kollel Chatzos? Right now in Eretz Yisroel (where this Kollel is located) it's the middle of Friday night, which is the only night they don't have the Kollel. Motzei Shabbos I can't contact them either, it's still Shabbos here when it's nighttime there.” “Rebbi, I would do anything, please find for me some eitza.” “Yeah. Do you really want to do it? OK. Take upon yourself right now to support them, take upon yourself that you are going to give tzedakah to the lomdei Torah who learn all night, and that should be a zechus for you grandmother. I'll call them on Sunday.”
He did it. He transferred the money right away. Done! He wanted to do it, so it was like he actually did it. When a person wants to do something it's like he did it. Hashem counts that. A few days later he sent a message to Rav Brog, “Rebbe you're not going to believe this. They just took my grandmother off the ventilator, she's on her way up.”
If you feel bad because you want to do a mitzvah, and you can't do it, so you do as much as you can, and you feel bad you can't do it fully. Then Hakodosh Boruch Hu will give you reward as if you did the mitzvah in its entirety.
The Gemara (Kesubos 103b) relates that on the day that Rebbi (Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi) was about to pass away a tremendous crowd gathered outside his house. You can imagine the emotional sounds of Tehillim being recited. The Gadol Hador is sick and dying! Everyone was praying with all their might. They were crying. “Please don't take him from us!” “They didn't want their Rebbe to leave them. But Heaven decided that it was time, and he left this world. Everybody was grief stricken. Then a Bas Kol (Heavenly voice) came out and announced that “anyone who was present at the passing of Rebbe is destined for Olam Haba.” That meant that when their time came, they had a straight ticket, no detours, free pass, to get into Gan Eden.
There was one laundry man who always came to Rebbi's shiurim. He never missed a day in his life. He was a truly dedicated talmid. That day something came up and he couldn't come; he missed out. When he heard about the Bas Kol he went crazy. He missed it! He never missed a day in his life, and punct today he missed! He was grief stricken and went insane from losing the opportunity. He went up to the roof and jumped. Then a second Bas Kol came out and said “even that laundry man is destined for life in the Next World.”
This is a tremendous demonstration of what it means to feel bad about something you couldn't do.
During the time period when Rav Chaim Soloveitchik lived, a very large number of children were going off the derech. I once heard that he was asked that you quite often saw a very strange phenomenon: the children of very simple people came out very good. Very simple unlearned men had children who were very ehrlich. How is that possible? The parents were totally unlearned. Most children of such parents weren't ehrlich in his days. So, Rav Chaim answered, “You want to know why? Because they were not at fault that they weren't learned. They couldn't learn, no fault of their own. But if they could have, they would have.” They weren't able to learn, but they regretted it. And the fact that they regretted it, made it as if they were the biggest talmidei chachomim. So, they had outstanding ehrlicher kinder. (R’ Eliezer Parkoff)
