This coming Friday, May 8 falls on 14 Iyar on the Hebrew calendar and is called Pesach Sheini, or a Second Pesach.
You may wonder, what does that mean? We just celebrated Pesach a month ago and most of us never heard of a Second Pesach. So ... Let me explain.
The Torah relates a story of some Jews that came to Moshe, our first prophet, with an urgent request. It happened after the Jewish nation were commanded to celebrate the Passover in the dessert. The command was to recognize the miracle of the great and miraculous exodus from Egypt. In order to celebrate this event a lamb, called the Pascal lamb, the animal worshipped by the Egyptians, was to be sacrificed.
There is no monopoly on the Torah. Its lessons are universal and it is the blueprint for a safe, healthy and prosperous world.
Unfortunately, in addition to those who were tmay met , ritually impure due to contact with a dead body, and could not participate, there were some Jews that were rebellious and refused to participate. They took their new freedom for-granted and disobeyed the commandment. However, after a while they regretted their act and came to Moshe asking for forgiveness. Moshe asked G-d if anything can be done to help these Jews that missed on bringing the pascal lamb. To his happiness he was told that they would have a second chance and that it’s never too late to make up and return!
From that time on we are taught that we can always change, improve and be forgiven. It is never too late!
This is a universal lesson as there is no monopoly on the Torah. Its lessons are universal and it is the blueprint for a safe, healthy and prosperous world.
Looking at our current world events we wonder if we can hope for a better new normal that will make the world a better place.
I believe the answer is yes, but we have to recognize that there is a need to make a change in our life style for the better, recognize God and be good caretakers of the world. We will then be given a second chance.
People change, behaviors change, and societies and countries change. That is the basis of the concept of teshuva which exists from the day of the creation of man. I believe that the world can change for the better.
I pray for the changes to happen worldwide!
Rabbi Eli Hecht is Director and Founder of Chabad of South Bay, Lomita California, former President Rabbinical Council of California, and Vice President of the Rabbinical Alliance of America.