The last days of Pesach

The end of Pesach – Why does Pesach last for 7 days (or 8 in the Diaspora)?

As we have previously discussed, the first ‘Pesach’ festival which the Jews observed in Egypt had two parts to it: 1. Chag (festival) HaPesach and 2. Chag HaMatzot, as described in Shemot (Exodus) chapter 12.

In the next chapter of Shemot (chapter 13), the Torah gives us details of how Pesach is to be celebrated in future years as a combination of both Chag HaPesach and Chag HaMatzot. This is therefore what we celebrate for Pesach. This combination is also reflected in the use of ‘Chag HaMatzot’ as the designation for Pesach in the Amida / Shemona Esray prayers for Pesach and in Birkat Hamazon (Grace after meals).

Pesach celebrates the Exodus but why though should it last for 7 days (or 8 in the Diaspora) rather than just marking the day when we actually left Egypt? We will look briefly at 4 of the many answers to this question.

One answer may be that the splitting of the Yam Suf (Sea of Reeds) happened on the 7th day after the Jews left Egypt, the 7th day of Pesach. However, this assertion does not appear in the Torah itself, rather being located in the Midrash (Rabbinic teachings ‘between the lines’ of the Torah).

Chizkuni (Rabbi Chezkia ben Manoach, 13th century France), in his commentary to Shemot 12:15, (explaining why the Torah states ‘you shall eat Matzot for 7 days’), suggests that the 7 days of Chag HaMatzot correspond to the 7 days which each of the 10 plagues lasted.

Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra, another of the great medieval exegets, offers a different suggestion. A close reading of the verses from Shemot 12:31-12:42 shows that the Jewish people ate Matzot during the days between the Exodus from Egypt and the splitting of the sea (see verse 39 in particular). The people took their left over dough when Pharaoh expelled them from Egypt and they used this dough to cook Matzot, perhaps because it was the food they were used to eating as slaves. They ate Matzot until the splitting and other miracles at the sea demonstrated the finality of the Exodus and the definite end of their slavery. R’Ibn Ezra’s point is backed up by pesukim (verses) in Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16 which further describe the obligation to eat Matzot.

Rambam (Maimonides aka Rabbi Moses ben Maimon), discusses this question in his Moreh Nevuchim (Guide to the Perplexed), 3:43 and offers another perspective. He writes that if the festival of Pesach, commemoration of the Exodus, eating of Matza (and the prohibition of Chametz) would only last for one day, then we may not fully appreciate their significance as this would not be a significant alteration to our schedule. (Consider this point in light of the length of the festival of Shavout / Pentecost).

To gain the appropriate appreciation of the festival of Pesach and its messages each year, we therefore celebrate Pesach for a more significant period of time, i.e 7 or 8 days.

What then about Chol Hamo’aid (the middle days of Pesach, the ‘sandwich’ in between Yom Tov at the start and the end of Pesach)? All being well, we’ll examine this another time.

Shemita Update 16 April 2008

Here is a link to the latest Shemita update from the London Beth Din.

If you are buying celery to use as Karpas as the Seder, check that you do not buy celery affected by the Shemita update.

(I'm planning on using celery as it is easy to wash and prepare than parsley, let alone the taste...!)

A Framework for the Mitzvot of Pesach

Pesach and Chodesh Nisan (Month of Nisan (Mitzvot)

A combined list of general Yom Tov and Pesach Mitzvot from the Torah, which apply today, according to the counts of the Sefer Hachinuch (book about the Mitzvot) and Rambam (the great Medieval scholar, Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, aka Rambam). Those mitzvot which are specifically for the Seder are in bold:

1.Getting rid of Chamaitz.
2.Eating the minimum amount of (shemura) Matza at the Seder night at night .
3.That Chamaitz should not be found in your possession on Pesach.
4.To get rid of chamaitz on 14 Nisan (Rambam) and neither to eat nor benefit from Chamaitz after the end of the 6th hour of that day. (see footnote 3)
5.Not to eat anything on Pesach that contains Chamaitz.
6.Not to eat Chamaitz on Pesach
7.Sipur Yetziat Mitzrayim – ‘Recounting’ (?) the Exodus from Egypt.
8.Not to perform Melacha[1] on the first (and second) day of Pesach.
9.Resting on the Seventh (and eight) day of Pesach.
10.Not to perform Melacha on the seventh (and eighth day) of Pesach.
11.Not to eat Chamaitz on Erev Pesach after chatzot.
12.To say whole Hallel on the first day of Pesach.
13.Lismoach, to ‘rejoice’ on Pesach.

List of Pesach, Seder and chodesh Nisan (month of Nisan) Mitzvot which are Rabbinically mandated[2] as a framework to fulfil the Torah mitzvot:
a. Ma’ot Chitin – Pesach charity
b. Beracha on fruit trees in blossom
c. Bedikat Chamaitz (searching for chamatiz), Biyur Chamaitz (getting rid of chamaitz), Bitul Chamaitz (disavowal of chamaitz). Mechirat Chamaitz (sale of chamaitz) if this is necessary in your circumstances.
d. Not to eat Matza on Erev Pesach (some have the custom not to eat Matza for a month before Pesach) to have a ‘taste’ for the Matza shel Mitzva at the Seder.
e. Not to eat Chamaitz on Erev Pesach after the start of the 5th hour of the day.[3]
f. Preparing for the Seder.
g. Four cups of wine ‘al haseder’ (in the designated order), including Kiddush.
h. Conducting the Seder after nightfall (may be understood as a Torah mitzva).
i. Hasaiba (recling), mandatory only for men.
j. Eating Maror.
k. Reciting Hallel
Other Mitzvot Related to Pesach and Chodesh Nisan (the month of Nisan):
Ta’anit Bechorim.
Chol Ham’oaid.
Sefirat HaOmer.

[1] Creative labour forbidden on Shabbat and Yom Tov (some specific Melachot (pl.) are ok on YT).
[2] Jewish law has a 3 tier structure – 1. Torah law (including the Oral Torah) 2. Rabbinic law (the Torah gives Rabbinic authorities a mandate to legislate to protect and maintain Torah law) 3. Custom (minhag) which is often using in the application of Rabbinic law, since in many circumstances the Rabbis gave a broad scope to their laws allowing for divergent applications within the framework of their laws. In a similar vein to clashes of legal principle in English law, the Rabbis in this case work on how to decide between conflicting principles of law.

[3] For such purposes, the Jewish clock runs according to the hours of sunlight each day as calculated from sunrise to sunset. See www.myzmanim.com for more on this topic.

Pesach Notes for People who cannot stay up for the Seder.

Some Notes on Making a Seder for people who cannot stay up for the Seder and for making a Seder for young children – London, 2008/5768

The General situation
When does the Seder start?
On both Seder evenings, the Seder starts after nightfall[1]. Nightfall for these purposes is the time of ‘tze’ait hacochavim’[2]. This year in London (2008/5768), the earliest time to start the Seder is at 8.56pm.

How does this impact on Seder preparations?
This year, Erev Pesach (Pesach eve) is on Shabbat 19 April. As Shabbat is a day dedicated to Shabbat only, no Pesach preparations take place on Shabbat. Pesach preparations are finished on Friday, other than really final preparations such as laying the table (if this is not possible before Shabbat) or taking out food once Shabbat has ended. Shabbat ends at 8.56pm.

At this time, say the phrase ‘Baruch Hamavdil bein Kodesh leKodesh’ (a mini form of Havdala) and then you can move into Seder mode, including warming up food for the Seder meal within the parameters for warming food on Yom Tov.

Eating Matza is the only Torah based eating mitzva of the year (believe it or not given all the jokes about Jews and food!).

Therefore, we should get Pesach and the Seder right, sticking to this structure.
------
The notes that follow apply only for people whose health will not allow them to participate in the proper structure of the Seder, or for young children who are unable to stay up for the Seder. They also pertain to those looking after people in ill health or young children.

People in poor health who cannot stay up for the Seder or have difficulty in eating Matza etc.

Shabbat 19 April and Sunday 20 April 2008

7.35pm[3]
Wash hands ‘Urchatz’; Eat a small amount of celery/parsley ‘Karpas’; Break the middle Matza and hide the larger half for Afikoman ‘Yachatz’.
Eat dinner whilst going through the ‘Magid’ section of the Hagadah, eg sing Dayainu!! Stop at the section beginning ‘Rabban Gamliel used to say’, which is close to the end of ‘Magid’.

8.35pm at the earliest
Recite Kiddush and drink the 1st cup as found at the start of the Hagadah (don’t worry, we’re not playing snakes and ladders so you don’t start the whole Seder again!).
Go back to where you left off before making Kiddush and continue with Magid from ‘Rabban Gamliel used to say’. Drink the 2nd cup and eat Matza, Maror, (if you are able to, eat ‘Korech’ as well), Afikoman. Say Birkat Hamazon / Bensching/ Grace after Meals.
Drink the 3rd cup of wine. Sing as much of ‘Hallel’ as you can and drink the 4th cup of wine.

This completes the Seder for people in poor health who cannot make the Seder at its proper time.

What about people whose health does not permit them to follow this schedule?
Start at 7.35pm as above. Matza may be eaten from 7.50pm but without making a beracha/brocha/blessing. The blessing can only be made after 8.35pm.
Stay up as late as you can and follow the instructions above.

How much Matza and grape juice should be drunk by people whose health makes it hard for them to eat and drink?

Matza
For each Matza eating, try to eat an amount of matza measuring 4 x 3 ½ inches.
If this is not possible, try to eat that amount for the first Matza eating and an amount equivalent to at least 5 grams for the other Matza eatings.
If this is not possible, eat one piece of Matza weighing at least 5 grams for the first Matza eating and at least 5 grams of Matza for as many of the subsequent Matza eatings that you can manage.
If you cannot eat Matza as it is, you can dip it into water to soften it.

Maror
If you can, eat either 20 grams of horseradish or Romaine lettuce measuring 10 x 8 inches. If you cannot eat this amount, then eat as much as you can but without saying a beracha/brocha/blessing on the Maror.

The 4 cups
Use grape juice if you prefer it to wine. Each cup should hold at least 86ml (that is less than half of a standard plastic cup so not very much liquid). Drink at least the majority of 86ml. Do not use leftovers from one cup for the next cup, instead pour out a fresh amount.
If you cannot drink grape juice or wine, drink cups of tea of at least 86ml instead, prepared from a ‘Shabbat urn’ which you filled before Shabbat started (as Shabbat this year is Erev Pesach). Unlike on Shabbat, the urn can be topped up on Yom Tov.


General Points

If you are helping somebody whose health compels them to begin the Seder early, you can join in the songs and discussion with them but you should not start the Seder yourself until nightfall as defined above.

If you need to care for a person in poor health at the same time as you participate in the Seder, make sure that minimally you drink the 4 cups in their proper order, say the major parts of ‘Magid’ (i.e. at least Ma Nishtana, Avadim hayinu, the 4 sons, ‘Rabban Gamliel used to say’ until the end of Magid), eat Matza, Maror, Korech and Afikoman. If possible, share the responsibility with another Seder participant.


Young Children who cannot stay up to participate in the Seder

- Make a mini-Seder for the children
- Depending on the age of the children, start as close as you can to nightfall.
-Involving your children, if possible, get a mini-Seder table ready.
-Sing songs and play Seder games with your children, discuss the story of the Exodus from Egypt and let them present any notes about the Seder that they may have prepared at school or at Cheder.
-Select one section of the Hagadah to discuss with your children.
-Give them some Matza and some lettuce for Maror and then follow that with their supper so that you give them as mini-Seder which is as close as possible to the real thing.
-It is important to understand the Magid section of the Hagada in particular and so read and discuss that in English except for the Berachot/Brochas/blessings.

If you have any questions, please email me

Chag Samayach! Have a Happy Festival of Pesach

[1] Since the Jews left Egypt on the night of 15 Nisan, which is the first night of Pesach (see Shemot/Exodus 12:8). Also see Shulchan Aruch OC 472:1. TB Berachot 27b, Pesachim 120b.
[2] Lit. the coming out of the stars. Often referred to as ‘3 stars’.
[3] As noted above, the Seder must begin at night. The earliest definition of ‘night’ in Jewish law is a time called ‘Pelag Hamincha’. This definition is a minority opinion in Jewish law. In a situation such as a person in poor health who cannot make the Seder at the right time, the minority opinion may be relied upon.

Pesach 5768 / 2008 - Preparation and Seder guides

Until I can figure out how to upload them, email me for some of the Shul's Pesach guides for this year!

Information on the Seder material is summarised in tables for ease of reference (I hope!)

• Mitzvot of the Month of Nisan.


• Mitzvot of the Seder.


• General Pesach Preparations, including notes for this year when Erev (eve) of Pesach is on Shabbat.


• Kitchen and house preparations.


• Timetable of Services and detailed information about Erev Pesach on Shabbat and Pesach logistics.