May 23, 2024

Last week, when I wrote about the Yoms, I omitted one special day that takes place during this time of the year. As I write this, we are in the waning hours of Pesaḥ Sheni, which takes place each year on the 14th of Iyar. Differing from the Yoms in several respects - it originates in the Torah, rather than in modern times, is not meant to be celebrated by everyone, and has little practical application today - it is admittedly a minor observance, but one worthy of our continued attention.

​First, a bit of background: We read in Chapter 9 of the book of B’midbar of the first “regular” Pesaḥ. Now one year into their journey out of Egypt, it is time for the Israelites to observe their holidays as annual commemorations, rather than as rituals accompanying major historical events. Moses instructs the people to offer the Pesaḥ sacrifice on the anniversary of the first Pesaḥ sacrifice, the 14th of Nisan, reenacting the night of the exodus. 

This time, however, the Israelites are not in the midst of their dramatic escape from Pharaoh, but in the midst of their everyday lives. Not surprisingly, a number of people, through no fault of their own, are not able to be ritually pure at the appointed time and cannot offer the Pesaḥ sacrifice. They approach Moses and Aaron, concerned about being excluded from this important moment in the ritual life of the people. Moses seeks counsel with God, and Pesaḥ Sheni is born: those who are not fit to celebrate on the 14th of Nisan will get a second chance - they will offer the Pesaḥ sacrifice in the traditional way on the 14th of Iyar instead. 

I want to zoom in on the details of the interaction between Moses and the people who are unable to celebrate Pesaḥ due to their ritual purity status. Looking at the people who were excluded - we don’t know who they are. They are unnamed and the only detail we learn is that they are not ritually pure. When they hear of this new ruling that excludes them, they immediately go to Moses and Aaron and speak up. This is unsurprising. 

I often refer to the book of B’midbar as the “Book of Kvetch.” The Israelites spend a great deal of time complaining during this part of the Torah, and this is no exception. The people come to Moses and Aaron to complain about the unfairness of being excluded from celebrating Pesaḥ. As contemporary Jews - and I say this with great love - we also know the very real tendency of our people to complain when a communal decision rubs us the wrong way.  Sometimes we do this well, approaching our leaders with curiosity and patience. Sometimes we do this with indignation and accusation. It’s not clear from the text exactly which approach these particular people took and commentators are similarly divided on the issue. 

A good number of the classical commentaries I looked at as I was studying this section do, however, note that these people were challenging Moses’s authority, either seeking out exceptions to the rules or simply suggesting a solution to their problem. It’s not easy to have your authority as a leader questioned, and Moses’s response here gives us a tremendous model of openhearted leadership. He tells the people to wait for God’s instruction on the matter. 

His words convey (at least) two important messages. By letting the people know that he was seeking God’s advice on the matter, he validated their experience and their complaint. Their concern was worthy of being heard by no one less than God. Their experience mattered and their problem was a real one. And by turning to God for the answer in this situation, Moses showed his humility and his willingness to be wrong, to learn new things. He didn’t have all the answers, but he was going to find them, and was willing to possibly diminish himself in the eyes of his people in order to do so. 

Last week we held our state’s primaries. Leadership and new elections are on our minds and all over the news. The story behind Pesaḥ Sheni gives us the opportunity to consider the qualities we want in our political leaders. Moses’s example here seems like a good place to start. 

Shabbat shalom.