(Hakhel/ Repost)
Wednesday, April 24th is Pesach Sheni. HaRav Yaakov Tzvi Emden, Z’TL (“the Yaavetz”) writes in his Siddur that:
“It was revealed to me from Heaven why Pesach Sheni was established on the 14th day of Iyar. After all, it would not require more than two weeks for anyone who was impure or too far away on Pesach itself to come to Yerushalayim and bring the Pesach Sheni. So, why wait a month from the 14th of Nissan to the 14th of Iyar–the Pesach Sheni could have already been brought by Rosh Chodesh Iyar?!”
The reason given to HaRav Emden from Heaven was that Bnei Yisroel had sufficient Matzos to last from the time of our Exodus from Mitzraim for 30 days–until the night of the 15th of Iyar! In other words, the Exodus, and all of the Kedusha that came along with it, actually lasted for a full month after the night of Makkas Bechoros and our gathering to leave the next morning. The holiness that extended from Yetzias Mitzraim, then, extended until today’s special day!
The Torah teaches (Bamidbar 9:10) that the actual Korban Pesach Sheni is brought when a person cannot bring the Korban Pesach in its proper time–either because, for example, he was rendered impure, or because he was too far away from the Courtyard of the Bais HaMikdash at the time the original Pesach offering was to be brought. The Luach Dovor B’Ito writes that a great lesson of Pesach Sheni is that it teaches us that it is never too late, and it is always possible, to “Remove your Tumah”–shed your impurity, and to come closer to Hashem after “Having been too far away”. Accordingly, Pesach Sheni is a time of reflection and Teshuva. We should take some time out to properly utilize the opportunity of the day.
One final point on Pesach Sheni: there is a difference in custom as to if and when one eats Matzah today. According to one opinion, one should not eat Matzah, for it may appear as if he is attempting to fulfill the Mitzvah of Matzah in an improper time, which is a violation of the Torah’s prohibition against adding onto the 613 Mitzvos. Others have the custom to eat Matzah sometime during the day on the 14th, to remember that the Korbon Pesach Sheni was brought today. A third opinion is to eat the Matzah tonight, i.e., the night of the 15th of Iyar, for this would be the night that the Korban Pesach Sheni was eaten together with Matzah and Marror. Every person should follow his custom, or his Rav’s guidance, in this area.
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