Chani Lifshitz, the Chabad emissary in Kathmandu, Nepal, spoke on Friday about Pesach Sheini (the Second Passover) and her decision to refuse an offer to light a torch on Israel's Independence Day.
According to Lifshitz, Pesach Sheini teaches us "the secret of the second chance," when even if a person missed the highlight of the year - the Passover sacrifice and the chance to visit the Holy Temple on the holiday - there is always an opportunity to make it up, and nothing is ever lost.
Lifshitz also stressed that those who missed their first chance are not alone. "Nothing is ever lost...even if things look black right now."
"You're not alone, there are a lot of other people like you who didn't manage.
"Never stop dreaming, or thinking positively. And when you've encouraged yourself with this thought, go to others as well and tell them, 'You have strength, you have power.'"
Noting that her birthday falls the day after Pesach Sheini, Lifshitz said that part of her job as an emissary is to remind people that they also have another chance. "There's no such thing as a Jew who is alone, there's no such thing as a person who is alone."
"In the past two weeks, I feel like I have much more power to give blessings, because I was shamed some, and I suffered some heartache, and they say that a person should hear themselves being shamed but keep silent. And I kept silent, even though I really wanted to speak up. I don't regret that silence for a second.
"In the past two weeks, I really feel that when I bless people, I'm blessing them from a different place - suddenly I feel like my blessings are coming from a different place in my soul.
"I want to bless every single one of you from my whole heart. And thank you, because we love having you. So I bless you that G-d will give you abundance, blessing, and that each of you should receive what you want this year - children, a livelihood, health, happiness, marriage, love - what's most important is to never forget that we are never lost. Even when it seems that we're at the lowest depths, it's never hopeless."