The Korbon Pesach, Passover offering, is a thing of the past.
It can’t be done in
our time.
It’s not relevant for us, we don’t have the Beit HaMikdash today.
And anyway,
we don’t do korbonos anymore.
But just a minute.
Not relevant today?
Let’s look at the Torah itself.
“You shall
observe this matter as a decree for yourself and for your children forever.”
In fact, korbon Pesach and bris milah (circumcision), are the only positive
commandments whose non-compliance carries the serious spiritual penalty of
kares - they are equal - and what Jew today would not circumcise his son?
G-d forbid!
Ok but what about impurity?
How could we bring a korbon Pesach if we’re all tamei today?
What about the kohanim?
How do we even know who’s a real kohen today?
And don’t we need to know the exact location of the mizbeach on Har Habayit,
the place where the altar is supposed to stand?
Well did you know that great gedolim, such as Rabbi Akiva Eiger and the
Chasam Sofer, were mamash concerned about renewing the korbon Pesach
and carried on a lengthy correspondence on the subject, and in their responsa,
they found solutions to all these halachic issues…
They concluded that: the mitzva of bringing the korbon pesach is equally
binding when the Jewish people are in a state of tumah, as when they are
tahor, based on the principle of tuma hutra b’tzibor - that bringing the offering
is permitted when the entire congregation is impure.
Concerning how to know who is a “real” kohen today, the Chasam Sofer
concluded - based on the concept of chazakah - that Kohanim in our time are
kosher for the avoda in the Beit HaMikdash and can bring the korbon Pesach today.
Now, lest you say - but we need the presence of a Kohen Gadol adorned with
the tzitz on his forehead!
Well, among other famed authorities, the Maharatz Chayes
established that in the absence of a kohen gadol, it is sufficient for a
kohen hedyot, an ordinary kohen, to offer the korbon Pesach while dressed in
his priestly garments.
In Jerusalem, kosher priestly garments have already
been prepared and are ready for use.
With regards to not having a Bet Hamikdash today, the Maharatz Chayes cites
the Rambam and states that even if the Temple is not rebuilt, an altar can be
built, in accordance with historical precedents
And in his seminal work Drishat Tzion, Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Kalisher outlines a plan
for measuring and establishing the exact location of the mizbeach on the
Temple Mount.
[Pause]
Today, under the present circumstances, all this could actually be done.
Throughout the generations, as the Torah testifies, the korban Pesach has
always signaled a new beginning for the nation.
So it was in the time of
Yehoshua, of Chezkiyahu, of Yoshiahu, and of Ezra.
In each instance the Pesach offering heralded national rejuvenation and
spiritual renewal.
The Korbon Pesach, synonymous with Redemption itself, is the most powerful
expression of Jewish identity and Israel’s mission to fearlessly slaughter
idolatry.
It represents the nation’s true faith in G-d, and like the brit mila, it
conveys their eternal covenant; thus it can be seen as the national circumcision
of the Jewish people.
The Pesach offering is a commandment binding on every generation.
Check the
sources below for yourself.
Let’s get serious about fulfilling our eternal obligation and
be honest when our children ask us, ‘Why is this night different from
all other nights?’
It's the korban Pesach.