Passover 27

The Torah, rather mysteriously, commands the Seventh Day of Passover to be observed as "Full Holiday", roughly the same as Shabbat, with the exception of food preparation and carrying outside where there is no eruv. By Rabbinic Law, one day holidays are observed for two days in the diaspora, so that Passover becomes an eight day holiday, where the first two and last two are full holiday. According to tradition, the Seventh Day is the day of the splitting of the sea. This can also be deduced from the verses, though not stated specifically. No special observances are mandated for these last two days, but several have arisen over the centuries, Some stay awake on the eve of the Seventh Day, anticipating the splitting of the sea which occurred near dawn. In some Hasidic communities, water is poured onto the floor, and people dance through the water, reenacting the miracle. (Dancing is actually forbidden on Shabbat and Holidays, but most Ashkenazim are lenient about this for reasons beyond the scope of this post). In many communities, joyous songs about the splitting of the sea are part of the morning service. Followers of  Elijah of Vilna, and ironically, Hasidim, each have an additional festive meal on this day, albeit for very different reasons. For the followers of Elijah of Vilna, they are observing the opinion of their teacher, that each time we eat matzah during Passover we fulfill a Biblical commandment. (According to most others, matzah is only Biblical, at the Seder). Since the Seventh is the last Biblical day of Passover, they eat an additional meal to savor the mitzvah of matzah one last time, and look forward to observing it again the following year. For (most) Hasidim, there is a special celebratory meal in honor of the legendary rescue of the Baal Shem Tov. There are as many versions of the story as there are Hasidic groups . The Baal Shem Tov, according to legend, embarked on a treacherous journey to the Holy Land, in order to meet Rabbi Hayyim Ben Attar (whom he considered greater than himself), so that together, they would bring Mashiach. In most versions of the story, he was traveling with his daughter Adel, whom he considered the greatest of his disciples. A great storm arose, threatening to sink the ship. It was revealed to the Baal Shem Tov that he had a choice. Either Adel must be thrown into the sea, or else the Baal Shem Tov's precious manuscripts must be destroyed. Adel took upon herself to die. At the last moment, she told her father that if she dies, he will get to the Holy Land, and the manuscripts will be saved. But if she lives, through her he will have a descendant who will accomplish all of this on a much higher plane, and write far greater books. The Baal Shem Tov agreed to the latter choice. Breslover Hasidim point out that Adel's daughter was Feiga, and Feiga's son was none other than Rabbi Nachman, who in fact took the perilous journey to the Holy Land in 1798. In any case, the Baal Shem Tov's voyage was interrupted by pirates, who almost killed him, but he was saved by a miracle. He came safely back to Istanbul on the Seventh Day of Passover, celebrated by Hasidim ever since. The story has now been shown to be legend (Rabbi Hayyim Ben Attar had passed away several years earlier, and there is evidence that the Baal Shem Tov never undertook such a journey), but the themes of longing for Redemption, as well as leaving some goals for our offspring, are themes that still touch us. In my next post, I will discuss the Eighth Day; which in many communities is seen as the most joyous day of all.