One of the issues dealt with in our Parshah is that of Pesach Sheni or the second Pesach. This enables people who were unclean at the time of Pesach to have another chance to offer the sacrifice a month later. At the end of this section the Torah mandates that the convert should keep Pesach exactly like every other Jew. Rashi explains this addition as a clarification, as one might think that a convert should bring the Pesach offering immediately on converting. The Torah therefore instructs us that the convert brings on Pesach along with everyone else. These verses thus pose various questions. Why is Pesach the only mitzvah that you get a second chance? You can’t blow the shofar or sit in a succah a month later. Why should you think a convert would bring the offering immediately on converting and why does the Torah instruct us concerning converts when talking about the second Pesach? The answer to these questions lies in the fact that the penalty for deliberately not bringing the Pesach offering is excision. This is one of only two positive commands where there is a penalty for non-observance. The other is circumcision. The reason for this is clear. Both are not merely normal positive mitzvot but symbols of identity. Just as someone who is not circumcised ‘cuts himself off’ from the Jewish people, so too, someone who doesn't bring the offering symbolising national identity: the Pesach. For this reason those impure demand of Moses that they should not be excluded from the community by being unable to bring the Pesach at the right time. For this reason G-d enables them to have a second chance a month later. That is why there is a prima face case that a convert should bring the offering immediately, just as he must be circumcised as part of his conversion. Just as those impure brought the Pesach later, why shouldn’t the convert? The Torah however thinks otherwise. Unlike circumcision that is a individual symbol of identification with the Jewish people the Pesach offering is a collective endeavour, and can only be offered by the community at times designated by the Torah. Thus the convert must wait till he can offer the Pesach with everyone else. This teaches us an important lesson. Judaism is not only about the individual’s relationship with G-d but the community’s. While we can perform many mitzvot individually, others can only performed in a congregation. Many important prayers and the Torah reading, for example can only be said with a minyan. Being truly Jewish means being part of a community.

ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS

Sidra Statistics

Parshat Behalotcha

·               has 136 verses;

·               is the 3rd  in Numbers,  36th  in the Torah

·               3rd longest in Numbers,  10th  longest  in the Torah  

·                has 3 pos + 2 neg =  5 mitzvot.