Overview:

Numbers 9:6-14

(Revised JPS, 2023. Sefaria)

וַיְהִ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָי֤וּ טְמֵאִים֙ לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֔ם וְלֹא־יָכְל֥וּ לַעֲשֹׂת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַֽיִּקְרְב֞וּ לִפְנֵ֥י מֹשֶׁ֛ה וְלִפְנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹ֖ן בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃

The Second Passover

6 But there were men who had become ritually defiled because of contact with a corpse. Therefore, they could not offer up the Passover sacrifice on that day. So they approached Moses and Aaron together, in the tent that served as their house of study, on that day. 

וַ֠יֹּאמְר֠וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָהֵ֙מָּה֙ אֵלָ֔יו אֲנַ֥חְנוּ טְמֵאִ֖ים לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה נִגָּרַ֗ע לְבִלְתִּ֨י הַקְרִ֜יב אֶת־קׇרְבַּ֤ן יְהֹוָה֙ בְּמֹ֣עֲד֔וֹ בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

7 Those men said to Moses, “We are ritually defiled due to contact with a corpse. But last year, the Passover animal was not eaten as a sacrifice; everyone just slaughtered the animal, put the blood on the doorposts, and ate the meat. Why should it be any different this year? Perhaps it is to be slaughtered as a sacrifice only when it assumes its full legal force, when we enter the Land of Israel. This year, it is an exceptional case, and who is to say that the laws that will apply later on also apply now? Why, then, should we be excluded from slaughtering and eating the Passover animal now?” Moses replied, “True, last year, the Passover animal was not slaughtered as a sacrifice. But God said that this year it is to be treated as a sacrifice, and as you know, only ritually undefiled people may offer up sacrifices.” To this, they argued, “If it is to be treated as a sacrifice, then there are two aspects of every sacrifice: offering it up and eating it. We understand that we must not eat sacrificial meat. But why should we be excluded from participating in the other aspect – offering up GOD’s sacrifice in its appointed time, along with the rest of the Israelites? Let us slaughter our animals outside the Tabernacle. The blood can then be dashed inside by ritually undefiled priests on our behalf, and other, ritually undefiled people can eat the flesh in our stead.” 

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֖ם מֹשֶׁ֑ה עִמְד֣וּ וְאֶשְׁמְעָ֔ה מַה־יְצַוֶּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לָכֶֽם׃ {פ}

 

8 Moses said to them, “Wait, and I will hear what GOD instructs me concerning you.” 

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

9 The following laws were part of the original laws of the Passover offering, but because God foresaw that these righteous individuals would yearn to perform this commandment, He did not give these laws until they asked about it, in order that it be ascribed to their merit. Thus, GOD spoke to Moses in response to their query, saying: 

דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ אִ֣ישׁ כִּי־יִהְיֶֽה־טָמֵ֣א ׀ לָנֶ֡פֶשׁ אוֹ֩ בְדֶ֨רֶךְ רְחֹקָ֜הׄ לָכֶ֗ם א֚וֹ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעָ֥שָׂה פֶ֖סַח לַיהֹוָֽה׃

10 “Speak to the Israelites saying, ‘The ritually defiled men did not reason correctly. Offering up and eating the Passover sacrifice are intrinsically connected, and whoever is disqualified from eating it may not offer it up, either. However, there is an alternative way that they can fulfill this commandment: Any person who becomes defiled from contact with a corpse, or is outside the courtyard of the Tabernacle during the time the sacrifice may be offered up – even if he is only the slightest bit distant from it and nonetheless refrains from entering it in order to offer up the sacrifice – or who inadvertently has leavened bread in his possession, whether this person is among you or among your posterity, he may still make a Passover sacrifice for GOD. 

בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֜י בְּאַרְבָּעָ֨ה עָשָׂ֥ר י֛וֹם בֵּ֥ין הָעַרְבַּ֖יִם יַעֲשׂ֣וּ אֹת֑וֹ עַל־מַצּ֥וֹת וּמְרֹרִ֖ים יֹאכְלֻֽהוּ׃

11 But he must offer it up in the afternoon of the 14th day of the second month, Iyar, rather than in the first month, Nisan. The other laws of the Passover offering, however, do apply: he must eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 

לֹֽא־יַשְׁאִ֤ירוּ מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ עַד־בֹּ֔קֶר וְעֶ֖צֶם לֹ֣א יִשְׁבְּרוּ־ב֑וֹ כְּכׇל־חֻקַּ֥ת הַפֶּ֖סַח יַעֲשׂ֥וּ אֹתֽוֹ׃

12 He must not leave any of it over until morning, and he must not break any of its bones. He must offer it up in accordance with all the rules connected with the regular Passover sacrifice. Nonetheless, he does not have to remove leavened bread from his house, and the day is not considered a festival for him per se, in that work is permitted.

וְהָאִישׁ֩ אֲשֶׁר־ה֨וּא טָה֜וֹר וּבְדֶ֣רֶךְ לֹא־הָיָ֗ה וְחָדַל֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת הַפֶּ֔סַח וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵֽעַמֶּ֑יהָ כִּ֣י ׀ קׇרְבַּ֣ן יְהֹוָ֗ה לֹ֤א הִקְרִיב֙ בְּמֹ֣עֲד֔וֹ חֶטְא֥וֹ יִשָּׂ֖א הָאִ֥ישׁ הַהֽוּא׃

13 But if a man who is ritually undefiled and is not on a journey neglects to offer up the Passover sacrifice, his soul will be cut off from his people – he will die prematurely and childless – for he did not bring GOD’s offering in its appointed time; that person will bear his sin. 

וְכִֽי־יָג֨וּר אִתְּכֶ֜ם גֵּ֗ר וְעָ֤שָֽׂה פֶ֙סַח֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה כְּחֻקַּ֥ת הַפֶּ֛סַח וּכְמִשְׁפָּט֖וֹ כֵּ֣ן יַעֲשֶׂ֑ה חֻקָּ֤ה אַחַת֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם וְלַגֵּ֖ר וּלְאֶזְרַ֥ח הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {ס}        

14 Although provision is made to offer up the Passover sacrifice late if the proper time for doing so was missed, there are circumstances in which this provision does not apply. If a convert joins your ranks and dwells with you, and thus he becomes obligated to offer up the Passover sacrifice to GOD, he does not offer it up immediately upon his conversion. Rather, he must offer it up according to the rules of the regular Passover sacrifice and its ordinances, i.e., on 14 Nisan, just as born Israelites do. Thus, one rule will apply to all of you, to the convert and to the native-born citizen.’”