Be Polite and Courteous

Rav Shlomo Aviner wrote how he was amazed how the millions of Jews that were עולי רגל, made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem on Pesach, treated one another with love and respect.

They were polite and were careful not to push one another as they made their way to the Beit Hamikdash to offer their various Pesach sacrifices.

The line for the slaughtering of the קרבן פסח was particularly crowded. On one particular Passover during the time of Hillel, an elderly man was crushed by the crowd

The people felt horrible about it and that particular Pesach was referred to as פסח המעוך, “the Pesach of the crushing.” This story was brought in מסכת פסחים on 64a to show that only once did it happen that someone was hurt, and the people felt terrible about it.

Perhaps this lesson in courtesy and politeness needs to be retaught today!