Doing it Anyway

ויהי אנשים אשר היו טמאים לנפש אדם... למה נגרע לבלתי הקריב את קרבן ה' (ט' ו'-ז')

And there were people that were tamei… Why should we lose out on offering the sacrifice of Hashem?

The Torah relates the story of people who were tamei. they approached Moshe and asked, "Why should we lose out on the opportunity to bring the Korban Pesach?" Rashi adds Moshe's response: that one who is impure cannot bring a sacrifice. They countered that even so, the kohanim that were tahor should bring it and others who are tahor can eat it.

Their suggestion is astounding! A Korban Pesach offered for one who is tamei is invalid, and even if Rashi means that it should be brought for the temeim and tahorim (which according to some opinions is valid), they would still not fulfill their obligation!

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zt”l points out that can teach us an important lesson. Although they would not fulfill their obligation, they had such a love for mitzvos that they wanted to partake in the mitzvah anyway! Similarly, we find that Moshe set up the three cities of refuge in Trans-Jordan even though it did not go into effect until the three in Eretz Yisroel were set aside. Although Moshe was not affecting anything, due to his love he tried to partake in the mitzvah as much as possible. R’ Moshe Feinstein even uses this concept on a halachic level, ruling that one who can't eat kzais of maror should still eat a little bit, and that a sick person who can’t sit in a Sukkah should still build one!

May Hashem help us develop a true love for mitzvos! Good Shabbos!