Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

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The First and Second Paschal Offerings

During the first month of Nissan of the second year* of the Israelites' travels in the dessert, G-d instructed Moshe regarding the Paschal sacrifice.

*Side note: This section occurred before the events detailed in the beginning of the book of Bamidbar (which took place during the second month of Iyar). This is an example of how the Chumash does not follow chronological order. Rashi explains that the reason the book of Bamidbar did not start with this section is because it is unflattering to the Israelites, being as it highlights that they only made one Paschal sacrifice during their full 40 years in the desert.

G-d instructs Moshe that this Paschal sacrifice must be offered on the 14th day of Nissan in accordance with all of the laws pertaining to it.

Moshe reiterated this to the Israelites (he first told them about all of the festivals in Vayikra 23:44) and so they offered this sacrifice on the afternoon of the 14th of Nissan.

There were some men who were impure due to their having been in contact with a human corpse* and thus unable to make the sacrifice. Such men approached Moshe and Aaron in the house of study where they were both sitting and asked why they should be left out of offering this sacrifice. They wanted to know if it would be allowed to have someone else who was pure offer a sacrifice on their behalf so long as the person whom it was being sacrificed for became pure by the time it had to be eaten.

*Side note: According to the Sifrei, there are three opinions as to how these people became impure:

* They carried Yosef's coffin to be buried in the Land of Israel

* These people were Mishael and Ezafan who were involved with burying Nadav and Avihu

* These were people who were involved with burying someone who had no relatives to bury him.

Moshe told them to stay where they were and that he would wait to hear G-d's response. He had full confidence that G-d would answer him as whenever he wished it, G-d would speak to him. Rashi calls a person who has such confidence in G-d answering him is "fortunate".

In fact, this whole forthcoming section regarding Pesach Sheni could have been said originally by Moshe together with the rest of the Torah without being prompted by these impure people. Having it come about as a result of their asking about it was to signify their merit in illustrating that they were worthy enough to have it brought about as a result of their request.

G-d did indeed answer Moshe, telling him that if any person becomes impure through coming into contact with a corpse they are to offer the Pascal sacrifice on the 14th of Iyar (i.e one month later) and eat it together with matzos and bitter herbs (however he does not have to rid his home of chametz the way one would during the original offering on the 14th of Nisasn).

It should be made in accordance with all of the laws of the regular Paschal offering including that there should be nothing left over from it in the morning.

However if a person was pure at the time the Paschal offering was originally meant to be offered and still did not offer it, he is to be excommunicated.

When someone converts to Judaism, they are obligated to bring the Paschal offering at the next appropriate time following their conversion.