Dear Friend,

Just last week I was talking to a man who was utterly distraught. He told me that he had completely wasted his life. He had no job, no family, no education. He had dropped out of school at a young age, failed to pursue employment opportunities and never considered marriage.

When I told him to think about going back to school, and suggested that it was not too late to start a career and a family, he looked at me dejectedly, and said: “Are you kidding? I’m way too old.”

He is all of 28.

Those of us who are a bit older than that can relate to my young friend’s despair, while at the same time being aware of its absurdity.

This coming Sunday we mark Pesach Sheni (“Second Passover”), a relatively obscure day on the Jewish calendar whose symbolic importance cannot be overemphasized. A group of people had missed Passover. Due to their insistence, G‑d commanded that a mini-Passover be declared one month after the first.

There are many fascinating articles and videos about Pesach Sheni on Chabad.org, but the key lesson behind them all is a simple one whose truth can change your life: Today, and every day, G‑d is giving us all a second chance. Let’s grab it.

Yaakov Ort,
on behalf of the Chabad Editorial Team