Pesach Sheini: The Torah of The Second Chance and The Torah of The First Oppotunity
Written by Rabbi Simcha
R' Shlomo was always telling us that Pesakh Sheni instills within us the message of the Torah of the Second Chance, i.e. that unless one actively negated doing something the first go-around, G-d allows for a second chance.
I'd like to suggest something perhaps even more beneficial -The Torah of the First Opportunity.
Many times we feel we are sooooo far away, so disconnected. How can we even dare to imagine we can start on a new path - to boldly go where no one has gone before?
Pesakh Sheni, albeit literally pointing us to a second-chance event,actually incorporates both the First Opportunity and the Second Chance. Pesakh Sheni always falls on the 29th day of the Omer, which is Khessed she'b'Hod - the representation of Avraham Avinu and Aharon HaCohein.
Avraham Avinu is the master of the First Opportunity.
After all, 1948 years elapsed from Odom and Chava's appearance till Avraham's birth; yet no one had searched for the Master of the World before Avraham.
R' Shlomo said in the name of Rav Kook that in the generation before Moshiakh is coming there will be an upsurge of people like Avraham Avinu, searching for G-d without having anyone who will have taught them.
However, it happens,even with the best intentions to avail oneself of a first opportunity, that something doesn't always work out as hoped.
This is where Aharon HaCohein comes in - the Master of the Second Chance.
Aharon was very involved with the Golden Calf, albeit against his will and with the best intentions of delaying tactics until Moshe's return.
When the Mishkan was inaugurated, he was still very ashamed of his part in debacle and was too embarrassed to begin the service.Moshe had to encourage him to come closer to the altar and begin the service. (P'Sh'mini -VaYikra 9;7 + RaShI).
And, of course, it was Aharon as the first High Priest, who inaugurated the representation of All of Israel before G-d on Yom Kippur in the Holy of Holies, to ask for a second chance for a renewal of life and the ability to begin anew.
So, on Pesakh Sheni we tap into the quality of Avraham Avinu where G-d gives us the guts to move in new directions in the service of G-d; but we can also avail ourselves of Aharon HaCohein's legacy of fixing the past.
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