Sunday, May 27, 2007

Second chances

The week after Shavuos is a time for second chances. This is the week of תשלומים, when people who could not bring their korbanos on Shavuos could make it up. Right after Shavuos we read parshas נשא which details how the נשיאים brought their korbanos when the mishkan was dedicated. Chazal comment that when the mishkan was being built they held back and said we will donate what ever is left over, it turned out that the Jewish people gave so much that there was no need for anything from the נשיאים. They felt cheated that they had not contributed. In Parshas נשא they get their second chance, when it comes to the dedication they made sure to go first. Next week's parsha echoes this theme as well. A group of people who were טמא and could not bring the korban Pesach come to Moshe Rabenu and complain to him. From their complaint comes the mitzva of Pesach sheni.

The common theme is that a person always has another chance as long as he is alive to correct his mistakes and set things right.

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