Pesach - the Sequel

Today we celebrated Pesach Sheini by not saying tachanun.  Many have a minhag to eat Matzah as well (I got some at the barbecue I attended -- Thanks Rabbi & Mrs. S.).  The reason there is such a holiday is because back in the desert, Jews who were טמא on פסח, and couldn't bring the קרבן פסח asked למה נגרע? Why should we lose out?  One lesson we can take from their story is in their approach to מצות.  They viewed a mitzva as an opportunity, and the loss of that opportunity something to fight against.  There is great irony in that the chief celebration is omitting Tachanun.

At the same time its important to realize that all they did was ask.  They happened to receive the answer they wanted, so we can't know how they would have reacted had Hashem said no.  Also, it would be Hashem Himself turning them down.  Still, the question of למה נגרע can become a dangerous one depending on where the conversation leads.  At a certain point we have to remember that we don't understand everything.