Someone once told me the difference between professional golfers and regular golfers is that all golfers hit bad shots (maybe some more than others!), but professional golfers have the ability to wipe the shot from their memory so that it doesn’t impede the rest of their round. In case that doesn’t work, there’s always the mulligan!
Though not allowed in professional settings, a mulligan is a do over. You take a bad shot, you get a redo. Since it only happens in informal settings, every golfer has their own set of rules for how many mulligans can be used, when they can be used, and how often your cheating uncle will go over the accepted amount. You know who you are!
In any event, the mulligan is a great way to admit to the difficulty of the game and give people a chance to right their terrible shot. Trust me, I have wielded the mulligan many a time. Golf is hard, so it’s nice to have a built in mechanism to lower the threshold a bit.
Being human is also hard. Being a religiously minded human is especially challenging given the different set of rules and obligations that exist. In Judaism, we just finished a holiday that has a lot of those types of rules so it’s no surprise that the Torah creates a similar style do over system.
In Numbers 9, we read Moses’ instructions to the people regarding the offering of the Passover sacrifice after leaving Egypt:
But there were some householders who were impure by reason of a corpse and could not offer the passover sacrifice on that day. Appearing that same day before Moses and Aaron, those householders said to them, “Impure though we are by reason of a corpse, why must we be debarred from presenting יהוה’s offering at its set time with the rest of the Israelites?”Moses said to them, “Stand by, and let me hear what instructions יהוה gives about you.”And יהוה spoke to Moses, saying:Speak to the Israelite people, saying: When any party—whether you or your posterity—who is defiled by a corpse or is on a long journey would offer a passover sacrifice to יהוה,they shall offer it in the second month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight.
In that first Passover after leaving, there were some people who were impure at the time of the sacrifice. Given the requirement to be in a purified state, they thought it unfair that they were prevented from offering their sacrifice. So they asked Moses, what gives?
Apparently, he didn’t have the answer so he consulted with God and the answer was that they would have a do over, aptly called Pesach Sheni-the 2nd Passover, 30 days later when they could make the offering.
In and of itself, it’s a masterfully inclusive piece of legislation from the Torah that seems ahead of its time. Normally we might think the Torah would say “tough luck, wait until next year.” But instead, in all of its wisdom, the Torah offers up a mechanism through which a person has a second chance.
The commentaries offer a number of powerful interpretations on the meaning behind this that speak to the sometimes unfair nature of life. One that I learned this year that resonated strongly for me came from Tzadok Ha’Kohen of Lublin. He uses the metaphor from a Talmudic conversation that discusses which ways God manifests in the world with humble people. God either elevates the humble to the world on high or God descends down into our world to dwell with the humble here.
It is written in the Zohar that the holiness of Pesach and Pesach Sheni is inherently different. On first Pesach, sanctity rises upward from below and doesn't descend whereas on the 2nd Pesach, it descends from on high and doesn't go back up.
This is because the essence of the Exodus from Egypt came solely from the power of God which came down from on high solely to bring those that had become distanced closer to God's glory. This is like the attribute attested to the piece of the Talmud where together, with me is God speaking. In this case, God brings all the souls that are wayward back closer, like it writes in the Torah "and I bore them on eagles' wings and I brought them to me. This is the manifestation of something rising from below on high.
However, Pesach sheni happens because of actions from below acting on high. A person feels within themselves that they have become distanced from the holiness of klal yisrael. Their heart is broken and through this realization, they merit to the repair through which their root comes to God. This is the attribute of I am with them.
Adding a layer to the Torah’s narrative, Rav Tzadok here imagines a person not impure by way of contact with a dead body but worn down by being broken hearted. They feel distant from God. He notes that different from Passover where God elevates people spiritually to be closer, on Passover Sheni, God comes down to dwell among us, specifically with those that are most distant.
It’s a meaningful reread of the power of the 2nd Passover. Taken in its broadest terms, Pesach Sheni offers a chance to recreate or create depending on your situation some of the magic of Passover. There is something almost anachronistically inclusive about this idea. In this moment, we have the power to lasso God’s presence toward us. The barrier between the mortal and divine realm is briefly opened.
My birthday often falls during Passover. On the Hebrew calendar, it always does. I love Passover. A few years ago, for a number of reasons, I had a rough Passover. It just didn’t hit in the way it normally does and I felt pretty down about it given my love of the holiday.
A few friends suggested I try to use Pesach Sheni as an opportunity to celebrate again. Carve out some space to get back in the Passover mindset. While it didn’t obviously feel the same, that urging helped me heal a wound or two.
That’s the magic of Jewish ritual. It has the power to unearth the unexpected. In this specific case, maybe there was something that happened to you during Passover that left a bad taste in your mouth, or you didn’t have the chance to celebrate in the way you wanted, or maybe you were just down in the dumps. This coming Wednesday is the chance to take your spiritual mulligan on Pesach Sheni. Grab some matzah, sing a Passover song, and lean into your freedom once more.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Weekend!
Interesting! Do overs, new beginnings, whatever we call them, there are always opportunities to try again, and better ourselves. Always better to move forward than to live in regrets. Shabbat Shalom! Hugs and love! ❤️Zeta
Wonderful commentary, Adir. I don't mean to nitpick (but I guess I will). The situation you describe in Numbers 9 is not the same as a mulligan. In a mulligan, the person MADE a bad shot and wishes the do-over. Here the people rightfully ask for a clarification and voice what they believe is an unfair situation (being prevented from the annual Passover ritual because of being temporarily impure). What you describe is something different, wonderful and should be "publicized" more: the flexibility of Judaism. Most young people are turned off by Judaism and other religions because they see it as merely a set of rules that must be observed perfectly ... or else. (of course, some think this is attractive) Even if many come back, it is part of youth to explore. This story shows there can be flexibility and should be brought up in the education of Jewish youth. In my opinion.
Thank you and Shabbat Shalom,
Marc