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Why did men who were ritually impure and couldn't bring the Korban Pesach (פסח) demand 'Lamah nigara - why should we lose out?' The shiur shows that Pesach uniquely defines Jewish identity - like brit milah, skipping it brings kares because it's about being 'in' or 'out' of the covenant. Their passionate refusal to accept exclusion from this identity-defining mitzvah (מצוה) merited the creation of Pesach Sheni.
This shiur examines the mitzvah (מצוה) of Pesach (פסח) Sheni (the Second Pesach) from Parshas Beha'aloscha, focusing on the remarkable story of men who were ritually impure and therefore unable to bring the Korban Pesach. The Korban Pesach, brought on Erev Pesach and eaten with matzah and maror, commemorates the night Hashem (ה׳) passed over Jewish homes in Egypt after they placed the blood of the Paschal sacrifice on their doorposts. Rabbi Yeshaya Greenberg ZT"L explains that in the second year after the Exodus, certain men were tamei (ritually impure) from contact with the dead and thus halachically disqualified from bringing this sacrifice. Rather than accepting their fate, these men approached Moshe with a passionate plea: 'Lamah nigara?' - Why should we lose out? Why should we be excluded from bringing Hashem's offering at its proper time? Moshe, uncertain of the answer, told them to wait while he consulted Hashem. Remarkably, Hashem responded by creating an entirely new mitzvah - Pesach Sheni, allowing those who were tamei or far away to bring the Korban Pesach one month later, on the 14th of Iyar. Rashi (רש"י) notes that this Torah (תורה) section was specifically withheld from Moshe until this moment, so that these meritorious men could be the catalyst for its revelation. The shiur explores why the Korban Pesach is unique among mitzvos. Unlike most positive commandments which carry no punishment for omission, intentionally refraining from the Korban Pesach carries the severe penalty of kares (spiritual excision). Only one other positive mitzvah - brit milah - carries this same punishment. These two mitzvos are intrinsically connected: both involve blood (dam milah and dam Pesach were mixed and placed on the doorposts in Egypt), an uncircumcised person cannot eat the Korban Pesach, and both represent the fundamental decision of whether one is 'in' or 'out' of the covenant with Hashem. The Korban Pesach was the first avodah (service) given to the Jewish people, requiring them to take Egyptian gods, sacrifice them publicly, and declare their allegiance to Hashem. It wasn't just a mitzvah but a declaration of Jewish identity - are you part of Klal Yisrael or not? This is why the evil son in the Haggadah specifically excludes himself from the Korban Pesach, and why omitting it results in being 'cut off' from the people. The men who demanded inclusion understood that this wasn't merely about missing a mitzvah - it was about their very identity as Jews. They couldn't accept being excluded from the annual reaffirmation of their covenant with Hashem, even through no fault of their own. Rabbi Yeshaya Greenberg ZT"L draws a parallel to the daughters of Zelophehad, who similarly refused to accept exclusion from receiving a portion in Eretz Yisrael, leading to another Torah section being revealed through their merit. The shiur concludes with a powerful lesson about our attitude toward mitzvos. Rather than accepting limitations with resignation ('if I can't, I can't'), we should cultivate the passionate desire of these men who declared they couldn't bear to be left out. Even when we don't see solutions, we should maintain the attitude of 'How can I not be part of this?' This wanting and demanding to serve Hashem, even when the path seems blocked, demonstrates the proper relationship between a Jew and their spiritual obligations.
Parshas Beha'aloscha 9:6-14
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