This year, I had the great zechus of publishing my sefer, Days of Redemption, Days of Revelation, with ArtScroll. In it (pages 204-213), one of the things I discussed is the lesson of Pesach Sheini. The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh, amongst others, asks why those who were defiled by dead bodies felt that they had the right to ask — even demand — “Why should we be diminished?” After all, they themselves had admitted that they were tamei meis.

One of the most prevalent answers is that since they were carrying either the bodies of Yosef Hatzasdik or Nodov and Avihu, they felt that they had been engaged in a mitzvah and so should not be penalized. The meforshim add that the lesson to us all is that it is not sufficient to be potur — exempt — from a mitzvah. It is even worse to feel relieved. Even if it is impossible for us to do a particular mitzvah, we should be saddened, even mortified, that we have not been granted that immense privilege.

I would like to take this opportunity to add a new level to this thought and teaching, which is not in the sefer. Rav Yechezkel Levenstein (Maamar “Vechayei Olam,” 5720) relates a story told by the students of the Vilna Gaon when he was about to pass away. He began to cry, whereupon his talmidim attempted to console him by recounting his great accomplishments. This was not helpful. He thanked them but also explained that in this world, one can spend a relatively small amount of money and gain the eternal value, for instance, of the mitzvah of tzitzis. He lamented that he was about to lose this immense gift. Rav Chatzkel noted that there is no more powerful exemption from mitzvos than death, yet the Gaon was distressed that he would no longer be able to do mitzvos. Those who were in effect the chevra kadisha for such holy souls were indeed excused from a mitzvah and would never be punished for its absence on their heavenly ledger, but they hadn’t accomplished it either. The lesson of Pesach Sheini is never to be complacent about release or immunity. It is true that Rachmana patrei, the Torah releases us from an obligation when it is impossible (Bava Kamma 28b), but the mitzvah has still not been replaced.

Pesach Sheini and the preparation we should make for the opportunities it brings us should inspire us to yearn and deeply wish for every chance to do a mitzvah. When I speak to young people who boruch Hashem still have parents, I remind them of their great fortune. If your parent asks you to help with something, don’t just yes. Jump at the privilege. Unfortunately, as we all know, this, too, often passes when we suddenly mourn not just for them but for the lost opportunity. A well-known story tells of the man who asked Rav Chaim Soloveitchik if he must visit his father who requested the long-sought time to be together. The son was a bit of a scholar and noted that the halacha is that a son need not spend money on this mitzvah, but his father hadn’t offered to sponsor the trip. Rav Chaim’s terse response was, “Go by foot.” Being acquitted isn’t the same as innocence.

Indeed, the Maharal (Gur Aryeh, Bamidbar 9:1) concludes even more sharply that “Exemption only means that there is no punishment, but neither has the mitzvah been done.”

The tzaddikim who asked for the opportunity to bring a Korban Pesach, although they were fully exempt and were in fact performing a great mitzvah, were correct in being concerned that at that point they did not have the mitzvah of Korban Pesach on their merit list at all. Thus, Klal Yisroel had a new mitzvah for eternity and could point with genuine pride that they had accomplished both.

The Rambam (Peirush HaMishnayos, Avos 4:2) points to the Gemara (Makkos 10a) that Moshe Rabbeinu ran to do a mitzvah that he could have avoided and it might have prolonged his life and postponed his death. Yet, a mitzvah that can be performed must be done, sometimes despite the direst consequences.

We quoted Rav Gedaliah Schorr (Ohr Gedalyohu, Moadim, page 75) that this concept explains a seemingly odd phrase at the end of Megillas Esther. After all the triumphs of Mordechai and Esther, the Megillah alludes to the fact that Mordechai was no longer universally respected. Rashi (10:3), quoting the Gemara (Megillah 16b), explains that some members of the Sanhedrin felt that since Mordechai was no longer exclusively preoccupied with Torah — he had become the new viceroy to the king — he was no longer on the lofty pinnacle he was at before. Now, it is clear that Mordechai had to do what he was doing for Klal Yisroel, but the fact that he was in this position also said something negative about him. The implication seemed to be that, for some of his colleagues, had he been on a higher spiritual level, he wouldn’t have had to engage in bittul Torah.

Some of the new sources for this discussion are as follows: Rav Dovid Cohen (Birkas Yaavetz 2:294; Maaseh Avos Siman Labonim 4:158) takes the position that Mordechai’s colleagues in the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah held that for someone on Mordechai’s level, he should have followed the path that Rav Shimon Bar Yochai took later. The great Tanna held that the leaders of the generation are forbidden from becoming involved in any matters except for Torah, regardless of consequences. Of course, we understand that Mordechai was not of that opinion, but this teaches us the profound lesson that anything that takes us away from Torah or mitzvos must be evaluated with the utmost discretion before agreeing to “leave the Gemara.”

This is even more amazing in light of the Medrash (Lekach Tov on this posuk) that Mordechai didn’t take a penny from the house of Haman, which he had acquired. He donated it all to Klal Yisroel as a whole (see also Targum Sheini), yet this was not sufficient for some of Mordechai’s friends.

Interestingly, a number of meforshim (e.g. Ibn Ezra; Rav Chaim Kanievsky in Taama Dikra) defend Mordechai by the statement that people who serve the public can never please everyone. Even more, Rav Yechezkel, the rebbe of Kuzmir (Maamar Yechezkel, Noach, page 6) and Rav Tzadok Hakohein of Lublin (Machsheves Tzaddik, page 140) explain that the fact that Mordechai had some detractors is the greatest proof that he was a tzaddik, since he didn’t seek popularity at all. On the other hand, Rav Asher Weiss (Minchas Asher, Parshas Ki Seitzei, page 376) holds that the complaint of some members of the Sanhedrin was that in the battle with Amaleik, it is totally counterproductive to engage in any bittul Torah at all, although in other wars we would be allowed to decrease learning to save lives.

Rav Shlomo Brevda (Sefer Kimu Vekiblu, page 148) is at first surprised that the Megillah would end on the apparently negative note of Mordechai’s lack of total popularity. However, he concludes that this, too, is an important lesson. Klal Yisroel follows the majority, and therefore, even if a minority of the Sanhedrin was not completely satisfied with Mordechai, it is just fine in Jewish thought and history (see, also, Chasam Sofer, Drasha for the 7th of Adar). Rav Dovid Goldberg, rosh yeshiva of Telz Cleveland (Shiras Dovid, Megillas Esther, page 145), explains that Mordechai’s lack of full popularity is in direct opposition to Achashveirosh, who tried to act as a deity who is acceptable to all. Mordechai knew that this level of acclaim is only possible with Hashem Himself and he therefore would never seek universal acceptance.

With all this said, we can only imagine how serious it could be if we have the ability to do a mitzvah or a favor for someone, or make a kiddush Hashem, but we avoid doing so because of the trouble, money or time spent. Pesach Sheini ultimately teaches us that while we should never, ever, seek universal acclaim for anything we do, we should always try to do the right thing. In the case of those carrying the aron of various tzaddikim, they made the right call of seizing the moment to perform a mitzvah. The proof is that not only did Hashem endorse their complaint, but He made it into an eternal halacha and mitzvah.

Yes, Pesach Sheini is symbolic of the tightrope we often walk when making important decisions. But if we keep in mind the rule of making Hashem happy with us and hoping for most of Klal Yisroel as well, we will not go wrong and we will be well rewarded for our emunah, bitachon and mesirus nefesh.