Second Passover -tonight-פסח שנ— Pesach Sheni

 פסח שני

There are two passages in the Bible which deal expressly with the “second Passover.” It is first introduced in Numbers 9:1-14, where we read:

“Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the first monthof the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: ‘Let the children of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight [literally, “between the two evenings,” designating the time between sunset and nightfall], you shall keep it at its appointed time. According to all its rites and ceremonies you shall keep it.’ So Moses told the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover. And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, at twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai, according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.

“Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day [compare Numbers 5:2; 19:11-12]; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. And those men said to him, ‘We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the LORD at its appointed time among the children of Israel?’ And Moses said to them, ‘Stand still, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you.’

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying, “If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the LORD’s Passover. On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.

“‘”But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off among the people, because he did not bring the offering of the LORD at its appointed time, that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger dwells among you, and would keep the LORD’s Passover, he must do so according to the rite of the Passover and according to its ceremony; you shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger and the native of the land.”‘”

In the Old and the New Testaments, the Passover was to be observed as a memorial once a year. In our free booklet, “The Meaning of God’s Spring Holy Days“, we state:

“We read in 1 Corinthians 11:26: ‘For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.’ Many have interpreted this Scripture to say, ‘Take it as often as you please.’ But this is not what the Scripture teaches. By reading in context, we learn that Paul was reminding the disciples of the events that happened on the ‘same night in which He (Christ) was betrayed’ (verse 23). Paul stated that on that night, Christ took the bread and the wine, gave it to His disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat…do this in remembrance of Me… This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me’ (verses 24, 25)…

“Christ commanded His converted disciples to partake of the symbols of bread and wine ‘in remembrance’ of ‘the Lord’s death.’ This is clearly a memorial—as the first and last Days of Unleavened Bread are memorials—and memorials of momentous occasions are always observed annually—once a year—on the anniversary of the event they commemorate. It should be noted that God specifically denotes seven ANNUAL Sabbaths or Holy Days to be observed in their appointed times. These annual Holy Days are either memorials of events that have already taken place, or they foreshadow events that will still occur. It is during these annual observances that we are instructed to keep exactly what God has commanded.

“Christ and His disciples were keeping the Passover—an annual celebration of the time when Old Testament Israel was spared from death… the Israelites had to take some of the blood of the Passover lamb and put it on the two door posts and on the lintel of the houses where they ate the lamb (Exodus 12:7–8). God had promised to ‘pass over’ the Israelites when He saw the blood (Exodus 12:13, 23). The entire service was called the ‘LORD’S Passover’ or the ‘Passover sacrifice’ (Exodus 12:11, 27).

“Luke 22:15 tells us that Christ had ‘desired with fervent desire to eat this Passover.’ We read in Matthew 26:17–20 that the disciples had prepared the Passover, and that Christ and His disciples ate it—the Passover lamb—’when evening had come’ (Matthew 26:20; notice also Mark 14:12–18, 22). Christ changed the symbols that night from the flesh and the blood of a lamb, to the bread and the wine of the true ‘Passover Lamb’—Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 5:7)…

“By partaking of the bread and the wine on the Passover night, Christ’s disciples symbolically partake of the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ for the continued forgiveness of their sins, as well as for their physical and spiritual healing, eventually leading to eternal life (John 6:58). So we see that it was the night of Jesus’ last Passover supper that He introduced the new symbols. Note that the Passover symbols were changed, not WHEN, or how often, Passover itself was to be observed.

“The Passover was kept once a year—’as a memorial.’ On the night when Christ was betrayed, He kept the Passover. The Passover was, at that time, celebrated as a supper—that is why it is called in Scripture ‘the Lord’s supper.’ Christians are today to continue keeping the Passover, but not as a meal—not as ‘the Lord’s Supper.’ They are only to partake of the symbols of bread and wine on the Passover night. They do not eat a full meal during the Passover service… Christians are told that they must ‘discern the Lord’s body’—they must distinguish the symbols of bread and wine from an ordinary meal (1 Corinthians 11:29). 1 Corinthians 11:20, 34 tells us, ‘Therefore when you come together in one place, it is NOT to eat the Lord’s Supper… But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home.’ (As an aside, nowhere does the Bible describe the Passover service as ‘communion,’ when we are to partake of bread and/or wine)… Paul did NOT say in 1 Corinthians 11 that Christians should partake of the ‘Lord’s Supper,’ and that they can do so ‘as often as they please.’ Rather, they are partaking of the New Testament Passover symbols of bread and wine once a year—during the Passover service—in memory of and as a memorial of Christ’s death and sacrifice. Every year, when they do so, they proclaim Christ’s death until He returns.”

The introduction of the second Passover does not change anything in regard to what is stated above. Those who are allowed to observe the second Passover did NOT keep the first Passover. Those who have kept the (first) Passover would not keep it again one month later. That means, the Passover is still being kept only once a year.

As Israel forsook God and His laws, they also forgot to keep the Passover and the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread, which follow the Passover. In due time, King Hezekiah of Judah restored the proper worship temple service in Judah, and in the process, he told the Jews and those from the house of Israel who had not been taken away by the Assyrians to keep the Passover (2 Chronicles 30:1, 6). However, as “they could not keep it at [the] time [of the first Passover], because a sufficient number of priests had not sanctified themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem” (verse 3), the king, his leaders and all the congregation in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month (i.e., to keep the second Passover) (verse 2). Many of the remnant of the house of Israel refused to come to Jerusalem for the second Passover, but some “humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem” (verses 10-11). Some of those who assembled had not “cleansed themselves” “according to the purification of the sanctuary”, even for the second Passover, they “ate the Passover contrary to what was written.” Hezekiah prayed for God’s forgiveness for them, and God healed them (verses 18-20).

God had decreed that the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread were to be kept in the first month, following the (first) Passover. The king and the people proceeded to keep them however in the second month, following the secondPassover (2 Chronicles 30:13, 21-22). And because of the restored feelings of gladness and joy, it was decided to observe the Days of Unleavened Bread for another seven days (verse 23). We read that “since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem” (verse 26).

We note that the first Passover was not observed because there were not sufficient priests who had [ritually] sanctified themselves “because the cleansing of the temple was not finished until the sixteenth day, see 2 Chronicles 29:17 and… because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently; that is, a sufficient number of them were not sanctified, to slay all the passover lambs” (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible); and because the people had not gathered together in Jerusalem which “they could not do, because neither was the matter agreed upon, nor were the people summoned thither, till the proper time was past” (Benson Commentary).

In addition, we read that there were those who ate the second Passover even though they had not cleansed themselves. They were not ceremonially clean, but God forgave them upon the prayer of Hezekiah.

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary explains that the priests slaughtered the Passover lamb for those who were ceremonially unclean (see verse 17), stating: “This was a deviation from the established rules and practices in presenting the offerings of the temple. The reason was, that many present on the occasion having not sanctified themselves, the Levites slaughtered the paschal victims… for everyone that was unclean. At other times the heads of families killed the lambs themselves, the priests receiving the blood from their hands and presenting it on the altar. Multitudes of the Israelites, especially from certain tribes (2Ch 30:18), were in this unsanctified state, and yet they ate the [second] passover—an exceptional feature and one opposed to the law (Nu 9:6); but this exception was allowed [better: it was not held against them] in answer to Hezekiah’s prayer (2Ch 30:18-20).”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible adds the following comments to verse 17: “For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified,…. Or purified from uncleanness, contracted either by idolatry, or through such things which, according to the ceremonial law, made them unclean, and from which they had not now time to cleanse themselves according to the law: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for everyone that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord; this they did for the masters of families, who were ceremonially unclean, who otherwise might have killed their passover lambs themselves, see Exodus 12:6, but now the Levites did it for them, that their passovers might be sanctified and consecrated to the Lord; for, as Philo the Jew says… one day in a year the whole sacrificed, everyone acted as a priest, and brought and slew his own sacrifice, meaning at the passover.”

The Benson Commentary adds this in commenting to verse 18:

“A multitude of the people had not cleansed themselves — Either they did not know, after such a long night of ignorance and superstition, what ceremonies were required, in order to their purification, or they had not time to use them. Yet having an eager and pious desire to commemorate their wonderful deliverance out of the Egyptian bondage, they were permitted, in their uncleanness, to eat the [second] passover, lest they should be discouraged if they were denied it, in this their return to the true religion. But Hezekiah prayed for them — It was his zeal that had called them together in such haste, and he would not that they should fare the worse for being straitened for time in their preparation. He therefore thought himself concerned to be an intercessor for those that ate the [second] passover otherwise than it was written. And he had confidence that God was so gracious that he would not, on account of the omission of some prescribed ceremony, be wroth with men whose hearts were upright before him.”

We need to emphasize that the second Passover is still to be observed today with the new symbols introduced by Jesus, but ONLY by those who did not and could not partake of the first Passover. We note that in Old Testament times, the second Passover was observed exactly in the same way as the first Passover, only that it was kept exactly one month later, but still on the 14th day of the (second) month, “at twilight” (between the two evenings of sunset and nightfall); with unleavened bread and bitter herbs; and with Passover lambs which were not to be kept until morning, and the bones of which were not to be broken. (Of course, blood was not put on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses during the first or the second Passover, as this was strictly done during the very first Passover night. That part of the original ceremony was not carried out during subsequent first and second Passover celebrations.)

We should also note that Numbers 9:10-12 does not say anything about observing Seven Days of Unleavened Bread AFTER the observance of the second Passover. We will discuss in the next installment as to how we are to understand and apply today the events described in 2 Chronicles 30.

In addition, we read that only those could observe the Old Testament Passover (both the first and the second Passover) if they were physically circumcised (compare Exodus 12:48). This fact has important ramifications for the observance of the New Testament Passover as Paul warns against partaking of it in an unworthy manner (1 Corinthians 11:27, 29). In ancient Israel, a foreigner could not partake of the Passover if he was not physically circumcised, and from this, the Church of God has concluded and teaches that a person must be “spiritually” circumcised in order to partake of the Passover.

Note this from our free booklet, “The Meaning of God’s Spring Holy Days,” regarding the Passover:

“The Old Testament demands that no male who was uncircumcised was to participate at the Passover… Even though physical circumcision is no longer a requirement for New Testament Christians, they are circumcised spiritually (Colossians 2:11–12; Romans 2:26–29). This can only occur through the indwelling Holy Spirit, which God gives us after proper baptism. Christ’s disciples had been baptized (even though, in the extraordinary case of the eleven apostles, they had not yet received the Holy Spirit—they would receive it, however, on the Day of Pentecost)…

“No male was allowed, in Old Testament times, to partake of the Passover, unless he was circumcised. True Christians are circumcised spiritually, in the heart, by and through the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, after proper baptism. Therefore, only properly baptized members of the spiritual body of Christ—the Church—who don’t hold grudges against anyone, and who do not have hate toward others in their hearts, are to partake of the annual symbols of bread and wine. In doing so, they reflect on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. This teaching is supported by the fact that Jesus waited until Judas had left them, before He introduced the New Testament symbols of bread and wine…”

As there is, in spiritual application, “neither male nor female” in God’s Church today (Galatians 3:28), the requirement of having a been “spiritually circumcised” by having been properly baptized and having received the gift of the Holy Spirit in order to partake of the Passover symbols applies to both men and women.

We should take note of the fact that the second Passover was for those who could not take the first Passover because, among other reasons, they were ritually unclean or defiled by having touched a corpse. When they became ritually clean, they could take the second Passover. In the next installment, we will discuss if and under what circumstances the spiritual analogy might apply when a person who is spiritually unclean and therefore prevented from taking the first Passover, as he or she would take it unworthily, would be able to take the second Passover after he or she has become spiritually clean. In this context, we will also address the important point that the men who were not able to keep the first Passover due to ritual uncleanness asked Moses why they should be deprived from presenting the offering of the LORD on Passover. Finally, we will explain how eligible participants should observe the second Passover.

Pesach Sheni occurs every year on the fourteenth day of Iyar. This date is exactly one month after the fourteenth of Nisan, the day before Passover when the Paschal lamb was selected for the holiday.

Pesach Sheni literally means “Second Passover” and was instituted in the Law to provide an opportunity for those who were unable to participate in the Passover earlier. Some of the events are the same: the roasted meat, the matzo and bitter herbs, and that leftovers are to be burned. The Hallel is again recited during the offering.

During Pesach Sheni, it is not necessary to remove all leaven from the home. The festival is only one day this time, rather than seven.

Dates for Pesach Sheni

Hebrew Dates:	14 Iyar 5783	14 Iyar 5784	14 Iyar 5785	14 Iyar 5786
Gregorian Dates: (begins sundown, evening before)	May 5, 2023	May 22, 2024	May 12, 2025	May 1, 2026

History

The celebration of a second Passover finds its roots in the teaching of the Scriptures. A year after the exodus from Egypt, God instructed the Israelites to remember the night of the passover of the death angel of any Jewish home that had been sprinkled with the lamb’s blood. They were to celebrate the feast and bring an offering to God in its honor. They were to eat of the roasted lamb, together with matzah and bitter herbs, as they had done the previous year when they left Egypt.

Numbers 9:6-7 recount that certain individuals had become ritually unclean and could not participate in the Passover. Some of the men approached Moses and Aaron and were concerned that they were going to be deprived of the chance to be right with God. They asked what should be done, and in response, God allowed for a “second chance” for the celebration of the Passover a month later.

Customs and Rituals

According to Numbers 9:9-13, a Jew may participate in Pesach Sheni if (s)he is ritually impure due to contact with a dead body or were on fa distant journey. Over the years, the definition of “distant journey” has been interpreted very liberally by the rabbinic tradition. Anyone who had any type of ritual impurity would also be included in the ceremony.

The particulars of the sacrifice and meal would be the same as Passover. The differences would include the shifting from a seven day festival to a one day event. Another difference would be the acceptance of leaven in the household, though it still would be absent from the bread that day. The overriding theme of the day is that God allows second chances for His people.

Funerals, Shiva, and Jewish Mourning During Pesach Sheni

Jewish teaching provides specific guidelines for how the deceased should be properly mourned by the family through defined Periods of Mourning in Judaism.

The Jewish burial has unique and specific requirements; most notably, the burial usually takes place within a couple of days after the death. It is usually a time of stress and busyness for the family, as many decisions and details surrounding the funeral must be considered. A telephone call relaying personal condolences would be welcomed.

After the burial, the first a period of mourning begins. Shiva (meaning “seven”) consists of seven days of mourning during which family members remain in their home.

Since Pesach Sheni is a one day event, those holding a burial and funeral [/learning-center/death-and-mourning/burial/] or participating in the practices, rituals and traditions of Jewish mourning would treat the day as a Sabbath. Therefore, if the burial took place on the Friday morning, the family would mourn until two and a half hours before sunset and then prepare to go to the synagogue for service. He/she is allowed to bathe and change clothing.

The mourner may go to the public service, but is not to lead in any of the events. He/she is allowed to sing praises on the Sabbath. At the conclusion of the service, he/she is to remove his shoes. Once he/she is back home, one should immediately change back into the clothing worn for the shiva mourning period.

Because of the sensitive nature of the time of loss, a Rabbi should be consulted for proper procedures for mourning during Passover. The Rabbi will take into account the circumstances, traditions and Scripture and offer guidance.

Remembering Loved Ones During Pesach Sheni

At the close of the day of Pesach Sheni, there is a prescribed time to commemorate, honor and reflect on deceased loved ones. The Yizkor (also Yiskor) is a special memorial service held four times a year. Passover Yizkor was one of the four services. Yizkor is the Hebrew word for “remembrance.” This dedicated part of the service is considered one of the most recognized times to remember the deceased.

Because Jewish festivals contain moments of remembrance and family, the minor holiday of Pesach Sheni is an appropriate time to honor deceased family members as well. Lasting tributes such as contributions to charities, hospitals or hospices, synagogues or other organizations provide meaningful memorials for departed loved ones.

The tradition of inscribing one’s name in the book of life is a common occurrence in the Jewish faith. Families may visit the cemetery and place a stone at the graveside, plant a tree in Israel or dedicate a name plaque. Other meaningful and appropriate ways to memorialize a loved one include the creation of a Plaque and Memory page online through the National Jewish Memorial Wall (NJMW.org). The inclusion on a memorial or yahrzeit wall is a meaningful way to show honor and respect for the deceased.

God designed Pesach Sheni as a one-day holiday for the people who could not keep the first anniversary of the Passover in Egypt due to being unclean.

Second Passover is proof positive that God hears the cry of our hearts when we are separated from Him and call out to Him for help.

What makes this holiday unique from all the other holidays in the Bible is that God gave it in response to unclean people asking to be included!

“But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean on account of a dead body.  So they came to Moses and Aaron that same day and said to Moses, ‘We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?’”  (Numbers 9:6–7)

On this day of second chances (The Second Passover), the Israelites who celebrated it did not have to clean their houses and keep the feast for seven days as they were required to the month before.

Instead, God gave them a one-day pass to bring their Passover offering to the Temple and eat unleavened bread.

“When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate the Lord’s Passover, but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight.”  (Numbers 9:10–11)

Although we don’t have to clean our houses of chametz (yeast products) to celebrate the Second Passover, we are required to eat matzah when celebrating this holiday.

Finding Mercy

“Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with all its rules and regulations.”  (Numbers 9:2–3)

Second Passover is a wonderful picture of missed opportunity and the merciful nature of God.

Although God had set the time for Passover on the 14th of Nissan, He revealed through this Second Passover that it’s never too late to worship and thank the Lord for His miracles and mercy.

Certainly those who were ritually impure (tameh) or who were too far from Jerusalem — traveling on some distant road — should have missed Passover.

But they refused to accept their exclusion, and God gave them their hearts’ desires to worship Him.

“Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”  (Psalm 37:4)

Being Restored

Like these determined Israelites, we should never think that we must remain on the outside looking in because of something we did that made us unclean.

Yes, we may have missed an important opportunity, but don’t despair.

Perhaps we have also traveled a distant path that has led us far from intimacy with God and fellowship with other Believers.

We must always remember that God can and will bring us back when we call to Him.

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.”  (Isaiah 59:1)

Therefore, let us remember the lessons of Pesach Sheni and refuse to be excluded from the fullness of life simply because of circumstances or the mistakes of our past.

God hears us when we call, and Yeshua (Jesus) promised results if we would ask:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”  (Matthew 7:7–8)

Prophetic Fulfillment of Second Passover

Second Passover has a prophetic aspect, as well.

Perhaps the ultimate second chance to refill a glass nearly empty is God’s end-time gathering of Israel.

“In that day the Lord will reach out His hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of His people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea.” (Isaiah 11:11)

This seems to have been fulfilled with the reestablishment of Israel in 1948.

For almost 2,000 years the Jewish People were disbursed throughout the world, but in the last century, God drew millions of Jewish people back to their Biblical homeland.

And God is not finished!

Every year, thousands of Jewish people from around the world are making aliyah (moving back to their Biblical homeland).

In these end times, as we witness Bible prophecy being fulfilled before our very eyes, we can be assured that God will fulfill everything He has promised, and we can rejoice in the mercy and faithfulness of the God of Israel.

Passover at the Western (Wailing) Wall in Jerusalem

Both Passover and second Passover are about the personal redemption of a man and his family back to his heavenly Father. I find it very interesting that it is the only feast of Yehovah where we have a chance to become as “one born in the land” a second time, if we were unclean or on a journey (away from our family) in the first month.

Numbers Chapter Nine Describes This Second Passover

And Yehovah spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, let Israel’s seed[perversely known as “the children of Israel”] also keep the Passover at His appointed season. In the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, ye shall keep it in His appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.

And Moses spake unto Israel’s seed, that they should keep the Passover. And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that Yehovah commanded Moses, so did Israel’s seed.

And there were men, who were defiled by a dead body, that they could not keep the Passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: and those men said unto him, ‘We are defiled by the dead body: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not bring an offering of Yehovah in its appointed season for Israel’s seed?’

And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what Yehovah will command concerning you. And Yehovah spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto Israel’s seed, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover unto Yehovah. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.

But the man [eesh] who is clean, and is not in a journey, and refuses to keep the Passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of Yehovah in its appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. And if a Stranger [Ger] shall sojourn among you, and will keep the Passover unto Yehovah; according to the ordinance of the Passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger [Ger], and for him that was ‘born in the land‘ [Israel’s seed, the Ezrach]! (Num 9:1-14)

Passover and Second Passover Is Not A Seder Or A Foot-washing

Do we really believe that Yehovah does not change and that His word endures forever; or is it all just our lip service. I fear, for most (at least concerning Passover) it is the latter. even Yeshua, quoting Isaiah, said:

“Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of Elohim[the law-maker and Judge}, you hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups [your Seder, your communion, your foot-washing, your Easter]: and many other such like things you do. And he said unto them, full well you reject the commandment of Elohim, that you may keep your own traditions.” (Mar 7:6-9)

Passover And Second Passover Is Where A Man’s Sin Is Forgiven

I was writing about the man who refuses to keep the Passover a few days ago, making note that that man is to be cut off from among his people(Israel). But while I meditated on the verse as I was falling asleep I was shocked by what I had read. For this portion in Numbers chapter 9 (quoted above) said that man shall bear his own sin because He failed to keep the Passover.

Think about it! That means the man who keeps a Passover according to the ordinances of Yehovah then, will NOT bear his own sin.

And the man who refuses to keep the Passover each year is not allowed to remain as one of  Yehovah’s people (Israel) and that man bears his own sin. That is not going to happen to me! How about you?

Passover is the Time Of Life, the time that the spiritual man is born.

Here is my Sabbath teaching on this subject.

 Second Passover Observation

Numbers 9:6-8

Numbers 9 contains an incident in which the command to be still plays a noteworthy part. On this occasion, Moses uses these words to some of the men of Israel who had a serious question about taking the Passover. God had told the children of Israel that they needed to keep the Passover at its appointed time, on the fourteenth day of Abib/Nisan. The Passover lamb was to be eaten at twilight, and the participants were to observe the ritual according to the instructions that God had given in Exodus 12.

However, while trekking through the wilderness at the beginning of the second year of their journey, certain men had become defiled by contact with a human corpse so that they could not keep the Passover on Abib/Nisan 14. They presented themselves before Moses and Aaron that day and complained: "We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the LORD at its appointed time among the children of Israel?" (Numbers 9:6-7).

This account reads rather plainly, but because of what Moses says in response, we understand that these men were not just excited—they were probably close to terror! We can imagine that they came rushing up to him, greatly agitated, saying, "Moses, why can't we take the Passover, even though we touched the body of a dead man?" In all likelihood, they thought that, by missing the Passover, they were facing the death penalty! As Moses verifies a few verses later, if an otherwise undefiled person "ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the LORD at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin" (Numbers 9:13). Misunderstanding this statute, the men cry, "We are as good as dead!"

Notice Moses' reply to them: "Stand still, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you" (Numbers 9:8). Then God spoke to Moses, giving him the instructions that we now know as those for taking the second Passover. If one is defiled, on a journey, or sick, he may take the Passover one month later, on the fourteenth day of the second month, and satisfy his obligation to God.

For us, the lesson in Numbers 9 is that Moses needed and asked for stillness—both in movement and in speech—so that he and afterward they could hear God's instruction. We cannot hear God speak when we are distracted by other things. Moses knew that to hear God, one has to give Him full attention, which is best done when one is still. The best place, the best time, the best environment to hear what God is trying to tell us is one of peace and quiet.

The day represents the “second chance” achieved by teshuvah, the power of repentance and “return.” In the words of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch, “The Second Passover means that it’s never a ‘lost case.’”

The Haftarah for the second day of Passover (II Kings 23:1-9, 21-25) was chosen because of its account of the great Passover celebrated after King Josiah’s reformation. In the 18th year of his reign (621 BCE), during the course of repairs to the Temple, a scroll of the Torah (possibly the Book of Deuteronomy) was discovered. King Josiah was so stirred by its message that he proceeded to vigorously cleanse the Temple of all idolatry. Part of the account of his reform prefaces the description of his celebration of Passover in the Haftarah, and thus its selection as the Haftarah of the second day of Passover.

Shabbat Haftarah

The Haftarah is taken from the Book of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:1-14). The prophet finds himself in a valley of dry bones and, under the vivifying effect of God’s spirit, the bones knit together and become covered with flesh. Ezekiel understands this vision to mean that the people of Israel, having been exiled to Babylon, will again be reborn as a nation.

Both the fact that Passover, recalling past deliverances, looks forward to future redemption and an old tradition that the resurrection of the dead will take place during Passover determined the choice of this passage as the Haftarah for the Intermediate Sabbath of Passover.

Seventh Day

Torah Reading

The Torah reading (Exodus 13:17-15:26) describes Israel’s experiences following the exodus. Pharaoh mobilizes the Egyptian army and begins his pursuit of the fleeing Israelites. When Moses and the children of Israel reach the Red Sea, Moses raises his rod, the waters split apart, and the Israelites are miraculously saved. When the Egyptians reach the water, they become bogged down, sink to the bottom, and drown. Moses and the children of Israel sing a magnificent song of thanksgiving.

Haftarah Reading

The Haftarah (Second Samuel 22) connects to the theme of thanksgiving in the Torah reading. In the Haftarah, King David composes his own song of thanksgiving to God for all of his victories and deliverances from the enemy. The Haftarah concludes with this sentence, which is also included at the conclusion of the grace after meals, “A tower of salvation of His king, who shows mercy to His anointed, to David and to his heirs forever” (Second Samuel 22:51).

Eighth Day

Torah Reading

The Torah reading for the eighth day of Passover (Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17) deals with a variety of laws, including those related to tithes, the year of release, the release of slaves, and a comprehensive description of the three pilgrimage festivals.

Haftarah Reading

The Haftarah, from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 10:32-12:6), begins with a prediction that Assyria will be defeated. This prophecy comes true. The Haftarah continues with Isaiah’s message of hope that the Israelites will again be gathered together from lands of exile and return to Israel.

The Haftarah also contains the famous great vision of the Messianic Era when peace and harmony will reign supreme among all people. Because the Haftarah contains several allusions to the redemption fromEgypt, it was especially chosen to be chanted on the last day of Passover.

The Song of Songs

It is customary to read the biblical book Song of Songs on Passover. Ashkenazi Jews read it on the intermediate of Passover (or, if there is no intermediate Shabbat, the final day of the holiday), while Sephardic Jews usually read it on the final day of the holiday. Italian Jews read it on the first a second days as part of the evening (Maariv) service. [This paragraph has been edited by MJL to include non-Ashkenazi traditions.]

Rabbinic tradition interprets the book as a love song, where the “beloved” is taken to mean God and “the bride” to mean the congregation of Israel. This tradition made the Song of Songs especially appropriate to Passover, because it marked, as it were, the beginning of the courtship of Israel and God before, metaphorically speaking, they became finally wedded at Mount Sinai by Israel’s acceptance of the Torah.

Learn more about why we read Song of Songs on Passover.

Another reason given for the reading of this book on Passover is that it is a song of the spring. To the poet and the singer, spring is synonymous with hope and happiness. A people’s hope lies in its freedom and its attachment to the law of God. This, too, is the lesson of Passover, for which the people of Israel have fought since they left Egyptian servitude, and this is the eternal message it wishes to convey to the whole of the human race.