The commandment of the second Pesach (Pesach Sheni) on the fourteenth of Iyar: That anyone who was unable to offer the first Pesach-offering on the fourteenth day of Nissan — for example, due to impurity or because he was at a distance — [offer] the second Pesach-offering on the fourteenth day of Iyar; as it is stated (Numbers 9:11), “On the second month on the fourteenth day in the afternoon, you shall offer it.” The Sages taught us further (Pesachim 73a) that it is not specifically ritual impurity or distance, but any case of inadvertence or duress; or even if it was volitional and he did not offer the first one, he may offer the second one.
It is from the roots of the commandment that it is because the commandment of the Pesach-offering is a powerful and clear sign to all of the creation of the world. For at the time [of the exodus], God, blessed be He, performed great miracles and wonders for us and changed the nature of the world in the eyes of many nations. And [so] all the peoples of the earth saw that His providence and power is over the lower (earthly) beings. And then at that time, everyone believed and all who came after them believed that He, blessed be He, created the word ex nihilo at the time that He chose — and that was the well-known time. [As] even though creation ex nihilo is impossible according to the [laws of] nature, so too is splitting the depths of the sea to allow the passage of a great assemblage of people on dry land and returning them to their place, as is sustaining a large and numerous people for forty years on bread that would descend from the sky every day, and all the other signs and wonders that He performed for us at that time, as they all were novel and went against the laws of nature. This is the firm pillar of our faith and our Torah, for people who believe in the eternity of the universe have no Torah and no share in the world to come. This thing is well-known and there is no need to elaborate on well-known matters. Therefore, it was His will, blessed be He, to allow every man of Israel to merit in this important commandment, and that an accident or long-distance not impede him from fulfilling it. Rather, “if trouble will occur to him” and he is prevented in the first month and he did not do it with the earlier ones, he may do it in the second month. And since this is a great fundamental principle in our religion, the obligation even extends to a convert who converted between the first Pesach and the second, and so [too, to] a child who reached maturity between the two Pesachs — that they are obligated to [offer] the Pesach Sheni sacrifice. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Paschal Offering 6:7.)
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, taught in Pesachim 95a in the chapter [entitled] Mi Shehayah Tamei, “What [are the differences] between first and second? On the first all leaven is forbidden to be seen or kept in one’s possession; on the second both leaven and matsah are with him in the house. The second is only observed one day, and there is no holiday or prohibition of labor. The first requires Hallel while eating it; the second does not require Hallel while eating it — though this and that require Hallel during the offering. Both are eaten roasted with matsah and marror,” as it is explicitly stated like that in the verse. “Both supersede the Shabbat, and neither may be left over or have bones broken in them,” as the verse explicitly warns about this too, with “do not leave over” and “they shall not break a bone in it.”
And if you ask, my son, why they are not completely equal, as behold, the verse explicitly states with respect to the Pesach Sheni sacrifice, “according to all the laws of the Pesach sacrifice shall you make it”; you should know that the Sages, may their memory be blessed, already alerted us to this. And they clarified in the chapter [entitled] Mi Shehayah Tamei (Pesachim 95a) that the verse refers only to details that pertain to the body of the Pesach sacrifice, such as eating it with matsah and marror, not leaving any over, and not breaking bones, as we have explained. They taught us this from [the fact] that the verse singled out a few laws here with Pesach Sheni, while if the laws were truly identical it would have been sufficient to simply state, “according to all the laws of the Pesach sacrifice, etc.” And so they said, “Just as the bone is remarkable in that it is part of the body, so too anything, etc.”
Also relevant to this commandment is that which they also said (Pesachim 93a) that the impure person that is delayed to Pesach Sheni is one who is impure in a severe way that impedes him from eating the Pesach sacrifice, such as someone who experienced a flow, or a menstruant, or a new mother, or one who had intercourse with a menstruant or someone who became impure through contact with the dead under circumstances that would require a nazirite to shave, as we explained in the Order of Nasso (Sefer HaChinukh 376). But if he became impure from the other impurities of the dead body for which the nazirite does not shave, and so [too,] if he touched a carcass or a crawling animal (sherets), or something like it — even on the fourteenth — behold, he will immerse [in the mikveh] and they slaughter [the Pesach sacrifice] after he immerses; and in the evening when the sun has set for him, he eats his Pesach sacrifice. Also relevant to this commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said there in the chapter [entitled] Mi Shehayah Tamei (Pesachim 93b) that a “far distance” with regard to the established law [means anything] that is fifteen mil outside of the walls of Jerusalem, but less than that is not called a far distance. And the rest of its details are in Tractate Pesachim. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Paschal Offering 5.)
This commandment is practiced at the time of the [Temple] — by males in the category of obligation, and by females in the category of the optional. As so did they, may their memory be blessed, instruct us (Pesachim 91b) [regarding] women who were delayed to Pesach Sheni because of impurity or because of one of the things that we mentioned, that the offering of the Pesach Sheni sacrifice is optional for them: If they wish [to], they slaughter, if they wish [not to], they do not slaughter. And for this reason we may not slaughter only on their behalf on the Shabbat. And a man who transgresses this and volitionally violated this positive commandment and did not bring the Pesach Sheni sacrifice, after he was under duress and was unable to offer the first Pesach sacrifice, is liable for excision. This is the opinion of Rabbi [Yehudah HaNasi] in the Mishnah (Pesachim 93a). But Rabbi Natan, Rabbi Chaninah and Rabbi Akiva exempt him from excision, as he was not volitional in the first case. And we need not say that if he deliberately [did not partake of a sacrifice] the first time, and he also violated the second, whether willfully or not, that he incurs excision according to all, as he deliberately failed to offer the sacrifice of God in its proper time. And this is one of two positive commandments for which the punishment is excision, as we explained in the Order of Bo el Pharaoh (Sefer HaChinukh 5).
מִצְוַת פֶּסַח שֵׁנִי בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בְּאִיָּר – שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה פֶּסַח שֵׁנִי בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בְּאִיָּר, כָּל מִי שֶׁלֹּא יָכֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת פֶּסַח רִאשׁוֹן בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן, כְּגוֹן מֵחֲמַת טֻמְאָה אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בְּדֶרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ט יא) בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם יַעֲשׂוּ אֹתוֹ. וְעוֹד הוֹרוּנוּ חֲכָמִים זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פסחים עג, א) דְּלָאו דַּוְקָא טֻמְאָה וְרִחוּק הַדֶּרֶךְ לְבַד, אֶלָּא כָּל שֶׁשָּׁגַג, אוֹ נֶאֱנַס, אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ הֵזִיד וְלֹא הִקְרִיב בָּרִאשׁוֹן מַקְרִיב בַּשֵּׁנִי.
The commandment of the second Pesach (Pesach Sheni) on the fourteenth of Iyar: That anyone who was unable to offer the first Pesach-offering on the fourteenth day of Nissan — for example, due to impurity or because he was at a distance — [offer] the second Pesach-offering on the fourteenth day of Iyar; as it is stated (Numbers 9:11), “On the second month on the fourteenth day in the afternoon, you shall offer it.” The Sages taught us further (Pesachim 73a) that it is not specifically ritual impurity or distance, but any case of inadvertence or duress; or even if it was volitional and he did not offer the first one, he may offer the second one.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה לְפִי שֶׁמִּצְוַת הַפֶּסַח הוּא אוֹת חָזָק וּבָרוּר לְכָל רוֹאֵי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בְּחִדּוּשׁ הָעוֹלָם. כִּי אָז בָּעֵת הַהִיא עָשָׂה עִמָּנוּ הָאֵל בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִסִּים וְנִפְלָאוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת וְשִׁנָּה טֶבַע הָעוֹלָם לְעֵינֵי עַמִּים רַבִּים, וְרָאוּ כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ וִיכָלְתּוֹ בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וְאָז בָּעֵת הַהִיא הֶאֱמִינוּ הַכֹּל וְיַאֲמִינוּ כָּל הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם לְעוֹלָם בֶּאֱמֶת שֶׁהוּא בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּרָא הָעוֹלָם יֵשׁ מֵאַיִן בְּעֵת שֶׁרָצָה, וְהִיא הָעֵת הַיְּדוּעָה, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבְּרִיאַת הַיֵּשׁ מִן הָאַיִן הוּא דָּבָר נִמְנָע מִדֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, כִּי כְּמוֹ כֵן נִמְנָע לִבְקֹעַ מְצוּלוֹת יָם עַד עֲבֹר בְּתוֹכוֹ עַם כָּבֵד בַּיַּבָּשָׁה וְיָשׁוּבוּ לִמְקוֹמָן, וּלְהַחֲיוֹת עַם גָּדוֹל וְרַב אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה מִלֶּחֶם הַיּוֹרֵד מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹם יוֹם, וְיֶתֶר הָאֹתוֹת וְהַמּוֹפְתִים שֶׁעָשָׂה לָנוּ בָּעֵת הַהִיא שֶׁכֻּלָּן נִתְחַדְּשׁוּ בְּהֵפֶךְ הַטְּבָעִים וְעִנְיַן חִדּוּשׁ הָעוֹלָם, הוּא הָעַמּוּד הֶחָזָק בֶּאֱמוּנָתֵנוּ וּבְתוֹרָתֵנוּ, כִּי לְמַאֲמִינֵי הַקַּדְמוּת אֵין לָהֶם תּוֹרָה וְחֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל, יָדוּעַ הַדָּבָר, אֵין לְהַאֲרִיךְ בַּמְּפֻרְסָם. עַל כֵּן הָיָה מֵרְצוֹנוֹ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְזַכּוֹת בְּמִצְוָה זוֹ הַנִּכְבֶּדֶת כָּל אִישׁ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַל יְעַכְּבֵהוּ אֹנֶס וְרִחוּק מָקוֹם מֵעֲשׂוֹתָהּ, כִּי אִם יִקְרֵהוּ עָוֹן שֶׁנֶּאֱנַס בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן וְלֹא זָכָה בָּהּ עִם הַקּוֹדְמִים יַעֲשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי. וּלְפִי שֶׁהוּא יְסוֹד גָּדוֹל בַּדָּת, הִגִּיעַ הַחִיּוּב גַּם כֵּן אַף עַל הַגֵּר שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּר בֵּין פֶּסַח רִאשׁוֹן לַשֵּׁנִי, וְכֵן קָטָן שֶׁהִגְדִּיל בֵּין שְׁנֵי הַפְּסָחִים שֶׁחַיָּבִים לַעֲשׂוֹת פֶּסַח שֵׁנִי. (רמב"ם קרבן פסח ו ז).
It is from the roots of the commandment that it is because the commandment of the Pesach-offering is a powerful and clear sign to all of the creation of the world. For at the time [of the exodus], God, blessed be He, performed great miracles and wonders for us and changed the nature of the world in the eyes of many nations. And [so] all the peoples of the earth saw that His providence and power is over the lower (earthly) beings. And then at that time, everyone believed and all who came after them believed that He, blessed be He, created the word ex nihilo at the time that He chose — and that was the well-known time. [As] even though creation ex nihilo is impossible according to the [laws of] nature, so too is splitting the depths of the sea to allow the passage of a great assemblage of people on dry land and returning them to their place, as is sustaining a large and numerous people for forty years on bread that would descend from the sky every day, and all the other signs and wonders that He performed for us at that time, as they all were novel and went against the laws of nature. This is the firm pillar of our faith and our Torah, for people who believe in the eternity of the universe have no Torah and no share in the world to come. This thing is well-known and there is no need to elaborate on well-known matters. Therefore, it was His will, blessed be He, to allow every man of Israel to merit in this important commandment, and that an accident or long-distance not impede him from fulfilling it. Rather, “if trouble will occur to him” and he is prevented in the first month and he did not do it with the earlier ones, he may do it in the second month. And since this is a great fundamental principle in our religion, the obligation even extends to a convert who converted between the first Pesach and the second, and so [too, to] a child who reached maturity between the two Pesachs — that they are obligated to [offer] the Pesach Sheni sacrifice. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Paschal Offering 6:7.)
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בִּפְסָחִים פֶּרֶק מִי שֶׁהָיָה טָמֵא (פסחים צה, א) מָה בֵּין רִאשׁוֹן לְשֵׁנִי? הָרִאשׁוֹן חָמֵץ אָסוּר בְּבַל יֵרָאֶה וּבְבַל יִמָּצֵא. וְהַשֵּׁנִי חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה עִמּוֹ בַּבַּיִת, וְהַשֵּׁנִי אֵינוֹ נוֹהֵג אֶלָּא יוֹם אֶחָד, וְאֵין שָׁם יוֹם טוֹב וְאִסּוּר מְלָאכָה, וְהָרִאשׁוֹן טָעוּן הַלֵּל בַּאֲכִילָתוֹ וְהַשֵּׁנִי אֵין טָעוּן הַלֵּל בַּאֲכִילָתוֹ, זֶה וָזֶה טְעוּנִין הַלֵּל בַּעֲשִׂיָּתוֹ, וּשְׁנֵיהֶם נֶאֱכָלִין צָלִי עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרוֹרִים, שֶׁבְּפֵרוּשׁ נֶאֱמַר בַּכָּתוּב כֵּן. וּשְׁנֵיהֶם דּוֹחִין אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת וּבִשְׁנֵיהֶם אֵין מוֹתִירִין וְלֹא שׁוֹבְרִין עֶצֶם, שֶׁבְּפֵרוּשׁ הִזְהִיר הַכָּתוּב גַּם בָּזֶה, בְּלֹא תוֹתִירוּ וְעֶצֶם לֹא יִשְׁבְּרוּ בוֹ.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, taught in Pesachim 95a in the chapter [entitled] Mi Shehayah Tamei, “What [are the differences] between first and second? On the first all leaven is forbidden to be seen or kept in one’s possession; on the second both leaven and matsah are with him in the house. The second is only observed one day, and there is no holiday or prohibition of labor. The first requires Hallel while eating it; the second does not require Hallel while eating it — though this and that require Hallel during the offering. Both are eaten roasted with matsah and marror,” as it is explicitly stated like that in the verse. “Both supersede the Shabbat, and neither may be left over or have bones broken in them,” as the verse explicitly warns about this too, with “do not leave over” and “they shall not break a bone in it.”
וְאִם תִּשְׁאַל בְּנִי וְלָמָּה לֹא יִשְׁווּ שְׁנֵיהֶם בְּכָל דָּבָר, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּפֵרוּשׁ נֶאֱמַר כָּאן בְּפֶסַח שֵׁנִי, כְּכָל חֻקַּת הַפֶּסַח יַעֲשׂוּ אֹתוֹ, דַּע, כִּי כְּבָר עוֹרְרוּ אוֹתָנוּ חֲכָמִים זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בָּזֶה וּבֵאֲרוּ בְּפֶרֶק מִי שֶׁהָיָה טָמֵא (שם), שֶׁבְּמִצְוֹת שֶׁבְּגוּפוֹ שֶׁל פֶּסַח הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, כְּגוֹן לְאָכְלוֹ עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרוֹרִים, וְשֶׁלֹּא לְהַשְׁאִיר מִמֶּנּוּ, וְשֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁבֹּר בּוֹ עֶצֶם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ. וְלָמַדְנוּ לוֹמַר כֵּן, מֵאֲשֶׁר פֵּרֵשׁ הַכָּתוּב כָּאן בְּפֶסַח שֵׁנִי קְצָת מִדִּינָיו, וְאִלּוּ הָיָה שָׁוֶה לְגַמְרֵי עִם הָרִאשׁוֹן יֹאמַר כְּכָל חֻקַּת הַפֶּסַח וְגוֹ' וְדַיּוֹ. וְכֵן אָמְרוּ שָׁם מָה עֶצֶם מְיֻחָד שֶׁבְּגוּפוֹ, אַף כָּל וכו'.
And if you ask, my son, why they are not completely equal, as behold, the verse explicitly states with respect to the Pesach Sheni sacrifice, “according to all the laws of the Pesach sacrifice shall you make it”; you should know that the Sages, may their memory be blessed, already alerted us to this. And they clarified in the chapter [entitled] Mi Shehayah Tamei (Pesachim 95a) that the verse refers only to details that pertain to the body of the Pesach sacrifice, such as eating it with matsah and marror, not leaving any over, and not breaking bones, as we have explained. They taught us this from [the fact] that the verse singled out a few laws here with Pesach Sheni, while if the laws were truly identical it would have been sufficient to simply state, “according to all the laws of the Pesach sacrifice, etc.” And so they said, “Just as the bone is remarkable in that it is part of the body, so too anything, etc.”
וְכֵן מֵעִנְיַן הַמִּצְוָה מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שם צג א) גַּם כֵּן, שֶׁהַטָּמֵא שֶׁנִּדְחֶה לְפֶסַח שֵׁנִי, הוּא מִי שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְּטֻמְאָה חֲמוּרָה הַמְּעַכַּבְתּוֹ מִלֶּאֱכֹל הַפֶּסַח, כְּגוֹן זָבִים וְזָבוֹת, נִדּוֹת וְיוֹלְדוֹת וּבוֹעֲלֵי נִדּוֹת, וְכֵן טְמֵא מֵת שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְּטֻמְאָה מִן הַמֵּת שֶׁהַנָּזִיר מְגַלֵּחַ עָלֶיהָ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ בְּסֵדֶר נָשֹׂא (מצוה שעו). אֲבָל אִם הָיָה טָמֵא בִּשְׁאָר טֻמְאוֹת מִן הַמֵּת שֶׁאֵין הַנָּזִיר מְגַלֵּחַ עָלֶיהָ, וְכֵן אִם נָגַע בִּנְבֵלָה וּבַשֶּׁרֶץ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן, וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּיוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר הֲרֵי זֶה טוֹבֵל, וְשׁוֹחֲטִין עָלָיו אַחַר טְבִילָה, וְלָעֶרֶב כְּשֶׁיַּעֲרִיב שִׁמְשׁוֹ אוֹכֵל פִּסְחוֹ. וְכֵן מֵעִנְיַן הַמִּצְוָה מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שָׁם בְּפֶרֶק מִי שֶׁהָיָה טָמֵא (שם ב), עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַהֲלָכָה הַמְּקֻיֶּמֶת שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה תִּקָּרֵא כָּל שֶׁהוּא רָחוֹק מֵחוֹמוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר מִילִין, אֲבָל פָּחוֹת מִכֵּן אֵין נִקְרָא דֶּרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ, בְּמַסֶּכֶת פְּסָחִים [ה' קרבן פסח פ"ה].
Also relevant to this commandment is that which they also said (Pesachim 93a) that the impure person that is delayed to Pesach Sheni is one who is impure in a severe way that impedes him from eating the Pesach sacrifice, such as someone who experienced a flow, or a menstruant, or a new mother, or one who had intercourse with a menstruant or someone who became impure through contact with the dead under circumstances that would require a nazirite to shave, as we explained in the Order of Nasso (Sefer HaChinukh 376). But if he became impure from the other impurities of the dead body for which the nazirite does not shave, and so [too,] if he touched a carcass or a crawling animal (sherets), or something like it — even on the fourteenth — behold, he will immerse [in the mikveh] and they slaughter [the Pesach sacrifice] after he immerses; and in the evening when the sun has set for him, he eats his Pesach sacrifice. Also relevant to this commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said there in the chapter [entitled] Mi Shehayah Tamei (Pesachim 93b) that a “far distance” with regard to the established law [means anything] that is fifteen mil outside of the walls of Jerusalem, but less than that is not called a far distance. And the rest of its details are in Tractate Pesachim. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Paschal Offering 5.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת, בִּזְכָרִים בְּתוֹרַת חִיּוּב, וּבִנְקֵבוֹת בְּתוֹרַת רְשׁוּת, שֶׁכֵּן הוֹרוּנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם צא, ב), שֶׁנָּשִׁים שֶׁנִּדְחוּ לְפֶסַח שֵׁנִי מִפְּנֵי טֻמְאָה אוֹ מִפְּנֵי אֶחָד מֵהַדְּבָרִים שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ, שֶׁעֲשִׂיַּת הַפֶּסַח שֵׁנִי לָהֶן רְשׁוּת, רָצוּ שׁוֹחֲטִין, רָצוּ אֵין שׁוֹחֲטִין, וּמִן הַטַּעַם הַזֶּה אֵין שׁוֹחֲטִין עֲלֵיהֶן בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָן בַּשַּׁבָּת. וְהָאִישׁ הָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְהֵזִיד וּבִטֵּל עֲשֵׂה זוֹ וְלֹא הִקְרִיב פֶּסַח שֵׁנִי כְּשֶׁנֶּאֱנַס וְלֹא יָכֹל לְהַקְרִיב פֶּסַח רִאשׁוֹן חַיָּב כָּרֵת, זוֹהִי דַּעַת רַבִּי בַּמִּשְׁנָה (שם צג, א), אֲבָל רַבִּי נָתָן וְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא פּוֹטְרִין אוֹתוֹ מִן הַכָּרֵת, מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא הֵזִיד בָּרִאשׁוֹן. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם הֵזִיד וּבִטֵּל הָרִאשׁוֹן, וּבִטֵּל גַּם הַשֵּׁנִי בֵּין בְּזָדוֹן בֵּין בִּשְׁגָגָה שֶׁחַיָּב כָּרֵת לְדִבְרֵי הַכֹּל, מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהֵזִיד וְלֹא הִקְרִיב קָרְבַּן ה' בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ. וְזֹאת הִיא אַחַת מִשְּׁתֵּי מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁמִּתְחַיְּבִין עָלֶיהָ כָּרֵת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ בְּסֵדֶר בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה (מצוה ה).
This commandment is practiced at the time of the [Temple] — by males in the category of obligation, and by females in the category of the optional. As so did they, may their memory be blessed, instruct us (Pesachim 91b) [regarding] women who were delayed to Pesach Sheni because of impurity or because of one of the things that we mentioned, that the offering of the Pesach Sheni sacrifice is optional for them: If they wish [to], they slaughter, if they wish [not to], they do not slaughter. And for this reason we may not slaughter only on their behalf on the Shabbat. And a man who transgresses this and volitionally violated this positive commandment and did not bring the Pesach Sheni sacrifice, after he was under duress and was unable to offer the first Pesach sacrifice, is liable for excision. This is the opinion of Rabbi [Yehudah HaNasi] in the Mishnah (Pesachim 93a). But Rabbi Natan, Rabbi Chaninah and Rabbi Akiva exempt him from excision, as he was not volitional in the first case. And we need not say that if he deliberately [did not partake of a sacrifice] the first time, and he also violated the second, whether willfully or not, that he incurs excision according to all, as he deliberately failed to offer the sacrifice of God in its proper time. And this is one of two positive commandments for which the punishment is excision, as we explained in the Order of Bo el Pharaoh (Sefer HaChinukh 5).