Today is the 29th Day of the Omer.
Today is Pesach Sheni, the Second Passover, celebrated one month following the initial Passover celebration. In the Book of Numbers, the Israelites discover, as they prepare to celebrate their first Passover following the Exodus from Egypt, that several people could not partake in the Passover offering, due to ritual impurity stemming from contact with corpses. They approach Moses and Aaron, who introduce Pesach Sheni—a second opportunity to partake in the Passover offering—for anyone who is ritually impure or on a distant journey.
The creation of Pesach Sheni illustrates the malleability of tradition to fit the needs of those who observe it. Even before the first Passover celebration, the laws of Passover had to be amended to fit the realities of our forebears’ lives! This dynamic example begs us to consider: When must we amend existing rituals to ensure we do not exclude those who wish to participate and gain meaning from them? How might we do so?
— Rabbi Josh Knobel