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.
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.
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.
