LETTERS OF THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE
This coming Wednesday is Pesach Sheni, the "Second Passover." It is customary on Pesach Sheni to eat some matza in commemoration of the day.
In the times of the Holy Temple, all those who were unable to offer the Passover sacrifice at the proper time, on the 14th of Nissan, were permitted to bring it in the second biblical month, on the 14th of Iyar.
This special sacrifice was initiated during the second year of the Jewish people's wandering in the Sinai desert, a year after the first Passover had been celebrated in the wilderness.
Some Jews due to ritual impurity, had not been permitted to offer the Passover sacrifice. They approached Moses and Aaron and protested, "Why are we kept back, that we may not offer the offering of G-d in the appointed season among the children of Israel?"
They complained that unavoidable circumstances had prevented them from offering the sacrifice. They did not want to be denied the great reward of performing the mitzva.
Our ancestors' request was sincere and valid, and so, permission to bring the Passover sacrifice one month later was granted to anyone, throughout the generations, who was ritually impure, in a distant place, was prevented by some unavoidable circumstance, failed unintentionally or even intentionally.
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, points out that there are many essential lessons we can learn from Pesach Sheni, primarily, that it is never too late to correct a past failing.
For us today, the most appropriate lesson is that what the Jews sincerely requested, they received!
In the spirit of Pesach Sheni, each of us today, must earnestly request, demand and beg G-d to end all our suffering, especially in the land of Israel, and most importantly, for the final and ultimate Redemption which will permanently put an end to all suffering. If we do so in earnest, G-d will surely hear our pleas and answer them as in the days of old.
