Pesach Sheni & Rabbinic Burn Out: Rabbi Maury Grebenau

Pesach Sheni & Rabbinic Burn Out
Rabbi Maury Grebenau

Our Parsha contains an uplifting story of a group of Jews who are not satisfied with
missing an opportunity to do a Mitzva. They come to Moshe and ask that they be allowed to
have a way to fulfill the Korban Pesach despite their ineligibility. They are Tamei (ritually
impure) on the 14th of Nissan when the sacrifice is brought and they are given a make up day,
one month later. Rabbeiu Bachya points out that this incident and the solution given to them was
very novel1 and not at all something which could be anticipated. What exactly was the situation
and what are we to learn from this novel solution?
The Gemara (Sukkah 25a) has a number of possibilities as to who this group was. What
was their story? Why were they Tamei? One of the common ways to become Tamei is through
contact with a dead body. The Gemara presents three options which all relate to this option: a)
they were fulfilling Yosefs request to take his bones out of Egypt to Israel b) It was the
Kohanim who pulled the bodies of Aharons two sons out of the Mishkan after they were killed
c) They had found a dead body without any relatives and so they were required to bury the
body2.
The Netziv (Haemek Davar) explains that the Gemara is bothered by the fact that even if
they became Tamei what was the reason they didnt just make sure to become pure before they
needed to bring this Korban? He explain that according to the first two options they mistakenly
believed that since they had become Tamei involved in a mitzvah this would not disqualify them
from bringing the Pesach and they did not need to become pure3. The final opinion takes a
different approach and says that it was a body they just found and so really there was not time to
become pure before the 14th of Nissan.
The Meshech Chochma takes this point even further. He says that according to the
opinion that they were transporting the bones of Yosef they were making an even greater claim.
It cant be that our ability to remember Yetziat Mitzrayim could be compromised by the bones of
the very Tzaddik that brought about our leaving Egypt. The Meshech Chochma seems to be
saying that, in part, it was the merit of Yosef and the fact that he was promised that his bones
would be taken out of Egypt which resulted in our exodus.
Rashi (9:7) comments that the reason this parsha was only taught once the individuals
asked about it is the concept of megalgelin zechus al yedei zakai, we give more merit to the
meritorious. With the idea of the Netziv this takes on even more meaning. These were
individuals who had engaged in a Mitzva, perhaps one which was directly connected with
1
He contrasts it with Bnos Tzlafchad where Moshe also does not immediately know the answer and confers with
Hashem. In that instance we find that Chazal tell us that Moshe was being punished through not knowing the answer
off the bat but here we find no mention of this. He explains that here there was no expectation for Moshe to know
the answer due to the fact that the answer was not logical.
2
The Ibn Ezra (Bamidbar 9:6) has a more peshat related explanation that with the size of the Jewish people certainly
there were deaths each day and so this was family members of some who had died. This would also work with the
Netzivs approach.
3
The Seforno takes a similar approach and says that their claim was that since they became Tamei for a Mitzva how
could this lead to a sin of them missing the korban? See also The Ohr HaChayim (Bamidbar 9:7).
Pesach. What initially seems like a lack of opportunity for them to be engaged further in mitzvot,
ends up being an incredible opportunity. They are the ones to have the merit to have this mitzvah
taught because of their question. Instead of losing out in performing the mitzvah of the korban
Pesach, they are involved in introducing the related mitzvah of Pesach Sheni.
The Meshech Chochma explains further that Pesach is always seen as symbolic of
Hashems direct hand in the lives of humanity (hashgacha pratit). We move from being slaves of
men to being under Hashems direct care4. He says that this concept is central to the korban
Pesach and is reflected in many of its details. It is brought in the Spring when nature seems to be
at its height since this is the time to remind us that all is in Hashems hands. Unlike many other
korbanot, there is not a portion given to the Kohen, to drive home the point that we are all able to
be on a high level of hashgacha pratit and we can all partake of this korban equally.
In this light, Pesach Sheni becomes a yearning for the experience of being close to
Hashem. A second chance for those who through involved themselves with the needs of the
community and were thus unprepared to be able to take advantage of an opportunity for their
own miztvot. This can frequently be a problem for rabbis and lay leaders leading congregations
and schools because of the many demands placed upon them. At many rabbinic conferences
there are sessions on insulating from the burn out which sometimes seems to be part of the
profession.
This reminds me of the story of a rabbi who got up on Rosh HaShanah to let his
congregation know that he did not have a drasha prepared. He had gotten a frantic call from a
congregant in a dire circumstance early in the morning and had gotten home only minutes before
the start of the holiday after doing what he could to assist the family. It is sometimes those most
involved in supporting the community that do not always have time to prepare themselves for
their own spiritual opportunities. Those in the field off counseling and helping others are
frequently most at risk for burning out themselves. Pesach Sheni gives form to the yearning
which is not always realized for being prepared and experiencing closeness with our Creator. It
highlights the need to set aside time for ourselves as well even if we are engaged in encouraging
others and leading ourselves. May we be blessed with opportunities to strengthen ourselves and
others in our relationship with Hashem.
This idea appears in the Gemara in halachic context as well in the idea that we are slaves to Hashem and no longer
to people. See Bava Kamma 116b and Bava Metzia 10a, for example.

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Rabbi Maury Grebenau

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