By COLlive reporter
The 14th of Iyar is “Pesach Sheni,” the alternative day prescribed for bringing the Korban Pesach for those who weren’t able to do so before Pesach on the 14th of Nissan.
The Torah tells that “There were, however, certain persons who had become ritually impure through contact with a dead body, and could not, therefore, prepare the Passover offering on that day.”
They approached Moshe and Aaron and they said: “Why should we be deprived, and not be able to present G-d’s offering in its time, amongst the children of Israel?”
In response to their plea, G-d established the 14th of Iyar as a “second Passover” for anyone who was unable to bring the offering on its appointed time in the previous month.
The day thus represents the “second chance” achieved by teshuvah, the power of repentance and “return.” In the words of the Frierdiker Rebbe, “The Second Passover means that it’s never a ‘lost case.’”
It is customary to eat matzah on this day. Lubavitchers do so at two different times.
In Igros Kodesh, the Rebbe writes that the Minhag Beis Chayenu (in the household of the Frierdiker Rebbe), the minhag is to eat by day. (Igros Kodesh, Volume 2, page 352.)
On the other hand, in several Farbrengens, the Rebbe mentioned many times the minhag to eat at night, following Pesach Sheni – the eve of the 15th of Iyar.
Therefore, we eat Matzo during the day meal, and (also later) at night, with the certainty that IY”H tonight we will celebrate Pesach Sheni in Bais Hamikdosh Hashlishi.
VIDEO:
Hear the Rebbe point out two powerful lessons we can apply to our lives, learned from this special day.
What is the reason for, and how do we celebrate Pesach Sheni?
מנהגנו – מיוסד על מנהג בית חיינו [מוהריי”צ] שליט”א – לאכול מצה בסעודת יום י”ד באייר (אגרות-קודש אדמו”ר זי”ע, ב, עמ’ שנב. ועוד מביא שם מס’ דרכי-חיים-ושלום הנעתק להלן) [ב] כמה פעמים אמר כ”ק אדמו”ר זי”ע, שהמנהג הפשוט הוא לאכול מצה בליל ט”ו באייר, זכר לאכילת הפסח (והזכר לשחיטת הפסח והקרבתו ביום י”ד, הוא בלימוד ההלכות ואמירת תפילות) (ראה שיחות פסח-שני בשנים תש”מ ותשמ”ג. ואילו בשיחת ש”פ שמיני תש”מ, אות כח, נאמר: יש שאינם אוכלים מצה כלל בפסח-שני, ואלו הנוהגים לאכול – יש שאוכלים בליל פסח-שני, אחרים ביומו או בין-הערביים. והמהדרים ביותר – אוכלים בכל שלוש הפעמים, וכן ביום שלפני… Read more »