Pesach Sheini (Sheni) - The Second (Minor) Passover
What is Pesach Sheini or Pesach Sheni or the Second Passover ?
Pesach Sheini (also: "Pesach Sheni") means "Second Passover" in Hebrew, and refers to the provision in the biblical Book of Numbers which provides a flexible alternative for people who could not attend the divinely appointed date for keeping the Passover, that is, for sacrificing the special lamb known as the Passover at dusk (in this case, the darkest stage of twilight just before the sky is completely dark, indicating nightfall) on the 14th day of the first Hebrew month of Nissan or Nisan.
Pesach Sheini or Pesach Sheni or the Second Passover has its origin in the Torah. According to the biblical Book of Bamidbar or Numbers (Bamidbar or Numbers, Chapter 9), in the first month of the second year after the Hebrews came forth out of the land of Egypt, a number of Hebrews approached Moses and Aaron and told them that they had not sacrificed the special lamb known as the Passover at its divinely appointed time and date, that is, at dusk on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan or Nisan, because they had become ritually impure or "unclean by the dead body of a man". By being unclean or ritually impure at that time, the laws of the Passover sacrifice rendered them unfit for sacrificing the Passover at dusk on the 14th day of Nissan or Nisan. Moses then consulted with G-d, who, in turn, provided a second chance for the ritually unclean Hebrews to perform the sacrifice of the special lamb known as the Passover according to the laws of the Passover sacrifice or Korban Pesach in Hebrew. This second chance became known as Pesach Sheini or Pesach Sheni, meaning the Second Passover in Hebrew, and would take place exactly one month after the traditionally appointed time and date for performing the sacrifice of the Passover, that is, at dusk on the 14th day of the second Hebrew month of Iyar or Iyyar. G-d also stated that in addition to those who were ritually unclean, those who were "in a journey afar off" or "on a distant road" at the traditionally appointed time and date for performing the sacrifice of the Passover would also qualify for performing the sacrifice of the Passover on Pesach Sheini or Pesach Sheni, the Second Passover. A "journey afar off" or "on a distant road" meant that if there were Hebrews who were located at a distance that rendered it impossible for them to arrive at the Temple in Jerusalem in time for performing the sacrifice of the Passover at the traditionally appointed time and date, that is, at dusk on the 14th day of Nissan or Nisan, then they, along with the ritually unclean Hebrews, would also be able to perform the sacrifice of the Passover exactly one month later at dusk on the 14th day of the second Hebrew month of Iyar or Iyyar. However, the great 11th century C.E. biblical and Talmudic commentator Rashi stated that since there is a dot on the letter "hey" for the Hebrew word for "distant", then this means that the road is not actually distant, but that the person was outside the threshold of the Temple courtyard in Jerusalem for the entire period of the sacrificial slaughtering.
In G-ds' provision for a Second Passover or Pesach Sheini or Pesach Sheni, the sacrifice known as the Passover, as is done with the sacrifice of the Passover at the traditionally appointed time, is eaten together with matzo and bitter herbs. In addition, all other laws for the Passover that are followed at the traditionally appointed time for performing the sacrifice of the Passover are followed for the sacrifice of the Passover on Pesach Sheini or Pesach Sheni, the Second Passover, which is also known as the "Minor Passover".
Pesach Sheni or Pesach Sheini Celebrations in the Tanakh or Tanach (Hebrew Bible)
Despite this provision for a Pesach Sheini or Pesach Sheni or a Second Passover, only one instance of observing Pesach Sheni or Pesach Sheini is recorded in the Hebrew Bible, that by King Hezekiah*, ruler of the Kingdom of Judah. In the biblical book called the Second Book of Chronicles, in Chapter 30, King Hezekiah wrote letters to the people in both Judean kingdoms - the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah - as well as to Ephraim and Manasseh, urging them to come to the Temple in Jerusalem at dusk on the 14th day of Iyar or Iyyar to perform the sacrifice of the Passover after consulting with "his princes as well as with the entire congregation in Jerusalem" (Divrei Hayamim 2 or 2 Chronicles 30:2). After he consulted with "his princes as well as with the entire congregation in Jerusalem", King Hezekiah discovered that at the properly appointed time to perform the sacrifice of the Passover, that is, at dusk on the 14th day of Nissan or Nisan, "the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, (and) neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem" (Divrei Hayamim 2 or 2 Chronicles 30:3).
Pesach Sheni or Pesach Sheini Celebrations in Post-Temple Times
From post-Temple times onward (after 68 C.E. or 70 C.E., depending on which scholarly opinion one follows), the only trace of having observed the Second Passover or Pesach Sheini from biblical times has been the omission of supplicatory prayers, called "Tahanun". "Tahanun" means "supplication" in Hebrew, and refers to penitential prayers. Penitential prayers are prayers that are characterized by asking forgiveness from G-d for sins or transgressions committed, which was connected to one of the reasons for needing to observe a Second Passover in biblical times, that of being ritually impure on the traditional date for Passover, the 14th of the Hebrew month of Nissan or Nisan. The omission of Tahanun prayers or penitential prayers from the observance of Pesach Sheini at dusk on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar or Iyyar was invoked to prevent the worshipper from feeling even more remorse for the transgressions committed (being ritually impure on the traditional date for Passover, for instance), or in the case of Pesach Sheini being a joyous festival - meaning celebrating the Second Passover - Tahunan prayers were omitted to prevent lessening the joy of celebrating the Second Passover or Pesach Sheini or Pesach Sheni. In addition to omitting Tahanun prayers as being evidence of having observed Pesach Sheini in biblical times, in some communities Pesach Sheini is marked by the eating of a piece of matzah. Furthermore, some Orthodox Jews will put aside three pieces of matzah on Pesach or Passover and save them for Pesach Sheini or Pesach Sheni, when they eat the three pieces of matzah.
Pesach Sheini or Pesach Sheni or the Second Passover, as mentioned, is also sometimes referred to as the Minor Passover or to some Christians, the Minor Jewish Passover.
Pesach Sheni or Pesach Sheini - Meaning And Significance
The second chance symbolized by Pesach Sheni or Pesach Sheini means that although one was unable to succeed in a first attempt - in the case of the Hebrews who were geographically too distant or outside the area of the courtyard of the Temple in Jerusalem where they were supposed to perform the sacrifice of the Passover at its appointed time and date - there is hope through faith in G-d that one will be given a second chance to succeed. In the case of the ritually unclean Hebrews by contact with a dead man, the awareness and association of the physical ending in death followed by a suddenly enhanced desire to return to G-d ("teshuvah" in Hebrew) by moving toward a reinforcement of life within oneself through the enacting of G-ds' commandments or mitzvot in Hebrew means that through enhanced thinking, feeling and behaving in accordance with Jewish laws and values, complete with faith in G-d through intellectually and verbally demonstrating one's holy intentions, one is eventually rewarded by G-d at a future date. Pesach Sheni or Pesach Sheini is therefore an example to people in every generation that anything is possible through one's faith in G-d and G-ds' laws.
* King Hezekiah ruled the Kingdom of Judah in the region of Judea from either 715 B.C.E to 686 B.C.E., 716 B.C.E. to 687 B.C.E., or from 715 B.C.E. to 687 B.C.E., depending on which scholarly historical analysis one follows.
