Pesach Sheini Teshuva

Pesach Sheni ("the Second Pesach") is celebrated on the 14th of Iyar, a month after the eve of Pesach. The Torah relates that in the first year after the Exodus, when the Jewish people were preparing to bring the Pesach

sacrifice: There were [certain] men who were impure because [they had come in contact with a] human corpse and they could not bring the Pesach offering on that day. They came before Moshe... and said, "We are unclean... [but] why should we be held back from bringing the offering of G-d in its time?..."

And Moshe said to them, "Stand and hear what G-d will command concerning you."

G-d said..., "If any man be impure... or on a distant way [on the day of the Pesach offering]..., he shall sacrifice the Pesach offering to G-d, in the second month, on the fourteenth day at dusk...."

Anyone who did not bring a Pesach offering, whether because of impurity or even because he had willfully transgressed G-d's will, was thus given the opportunity to compensate for his shortcoming by bringing an offering on Pesach Sheni.

"It's Never Too Late!"

The Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe explained that, "Pesach Sheni teaches us that 'Nothing is ever lost: it's never too late!' Our conduct can always be rectified. Even someone who is impure, who was far away and even desired to be so, can still correct himself." There is no justification for despair. Every individual, no matter what his situation, always has the potential to make a leap forward (the literal translation of the Hebrew word Pesach) in his service of G-d.

Given the significance of Pesach Sheni, one might ask: Why was it instituted a full month after Pesach, in the month of Iyar? Wouldn't it have been better to atone for our deficiencies at the earliest opportunity, in Nissan?

We can answer this question by comparing the spiritual characteristics of Nissan and Iyar. Nissan is the month of revelation, the month during which G-d revealed His greatness and redeemed the Jewish people despite their inadequacies. Iyar, by contrast, is the month of individual endeavor, a quality that is exemplified by the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer. The theme of Iyar, self-refinement initiated by the individual himself, is in keeping with the nature of Pesach Sheni, the festival in which an individual who was not motivated by Pesach is given an additional opportunity to elevate himself.

Pesach and Chametz Together

The different stages of divine service represented by Pesach Rishon (the first Pesach) and Pesach Sheni are reflected in one of the halachic differences between them. On Pesach Rishon, all traces of chametz must be obliterated; on Pesach Sheni, although we eat matzah, one may have chametz in one's possession.

On Pesach Rishon, hoisted aloft by the Divinely-initiated revelations of the month of Nissan, we strive to reach new heights of spiritual freedom by stepping beyond the limits of our own personalities. This necessitates leaving behind our chametz, i.e., our egotism. Then comes the month of Iyar, with its demand for individual spiritual homework. On Pesach Sheni, accordingly, we concentrate on rectifying and upgrading our current levels of conduct. And since in this kind of avodah we have to deal with all the current components of our natures, the possession of chametz on Pesach Sheni is permitted.

The Desire Within Our Hearts

In light of this, we can explain why the mitzvah of Pesach Sheni came about in response to the sincere request of individuals who were impure. One of the goals of Judaism is to draw holiness - downward, so to speak - into the world. A more important goal, however, is to elevate the world and the worldly aspects of man, to transform all aspects of our being, and bring to the surface the essential G-dliness within us.

The institution of Pesach Sheni was prompted by the heartfelt desires of those who, despite their impurity, protested, "Why should we be prevented from bringing the offering of G-d?" The mitzvah was given, not as a commandment from above, but as an expression of man's inner need to establish a bond with G-d.

This need exists in potential in every Jewish heart. Man's plea for "one more chance" reflects the mode of divine service called teshuvah (repentance; lit., "return"). For everyone, even a person who is "on a distant path" possesses a Divine potential which always seeks to realize itself.