Pesach Sheini - Pesach Sheni - The Second Passover - Minor 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 traditional or first Passover in order to sacrifice their paschal lamb on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan or Nisan. According to the biblical Book of Numbers (Numbers, Chapter 9), a number of Hebrews approached Moses and told him that they had not observed Passover on its proper date, beginning in the evening on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan or Nisan, because they had been ritually impure. As a result, they could not sacrifice the paschal lamb in the evening on the 14th day of Nissan or Nisan. Moses then consulted with G-d, who, in turn, provided the Second Passover. In this provision, a person who could not attend the Passover celebration to sacrifice the paschal lamb because they lived too far away from the Temple in Jerusalem or because they were ritually impure or ill, could celebrate a "Second Passover" or "Minor Passover" called "Pesach Sheini" or "Pesach Sheni" in Hebrew, which was to take place exactly one month after the start of the first Passover, in the evening on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Iyyar or Iyar (Numbers 9:1-14, Numbers 9:9-25). Therefore, those who were not able to sacrifice the paschal lamb for reasons of ritual impurity or from being too distant from the Temple in Jerusalem on the traditional date for the start of Passover - the 14th day of Nissan or Nisan in the evening - could sacrifice a paschal lamb on Pesach Sheini or the Second Passover which began on the 14th day of Iyar in the evening. However, only one instance of observing Pesach Sheini is recorded in the Hebrew Bible, that by King Hezekiah*, ruler of the Kingdom of Judah, after consulting with the "princes of the congregation in Israel" (2 Chronicles 30:2). The result of this consultation is mentioned in the biblical book called the Second Book of Chronicles. After he consulted with the "princes of the congregation of Israel", King Hezekiah discovered that the "priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem" (II Chronicles 30:3). From post-Temple times onward (after 70 C.E.), 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 beginning in the evening on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar 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. 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, when they eat the three pieces of matzah.
* 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 historical analysis one follows.
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