Chizkiyahu Adds a Leap Month

Chizkiyahu wanted K’lal Yisrael to finally bring the Korban Pesach after all the years that the Beit Hamikdash was closed. However, there was a significant problem: Chazal decreed that idols have the same status as a dead body. Therefore, most of K’lal Yisrael, who had previously worshipped idols, were considered tamei due to contact with the idols. Chizkiyahu realized they would not be able to purify themselves in time to offer the Korban Pesach. As a solution, Chizkiyahu added a leap month, Adar Sheini, to the calendar. This gave everyone an extra month to purify themselves before Pesach in Nissan. (This account is recorded in Sanhedrin 12b.)

The Gemara notes that Chizkiyahu asked Hashem for forgiveness regarding this extra month. Some say it was because it was inappropriate to add an extra month for this reason alone. There is a well-known concept that the laws of tumah are waived for the tzibbur (community). Even if all of K’lal Yisrael were tamei, they could still bring the Korban Pesach. Chizkiyahu might have believed that such a waiver should only be relied upon if no other options existed, and in this case, he viewed adding an extra month as a valid option. However, he later recognized his error and sought forgiveness from Hashem.