Eighth Day of Pesach: Why Am I Still Eating Matzah?

Guess what? It's still Passover. The last "goat song" at the end of the 2nd Seder was sung on Saturday evening, and yet, one week later, the 

holiday continues. Friday night and Saturday, THIS week, constitute the final day of Pesach, so the end is in sight. Every year, I find it challenging to remain motivated through the end of the chag. There's so much excitement and build-up for the first two Seders and that initial bite of matzah; but how do we stay energized for days 6, 7, and 8? And why was the holiday this lengthy in the first place??

The Torah tells us to celebrate for seven days, and when the Jewish community moved out of Israel, two thousand years ago, Diaspora Jews added an eighth day. So the Torah 

tells us THAT we keep Passover for a week, but it doesn't really help us determine WHY we do. I could talk about Temple sacrifices or the length of time it took to travel to Jerusalem, but that's ancient news... literally! Here are three, more contemporary thoughts on possible reasons for an extended holiday. First of all, if you're gonna switch over your dishes, clean out your fridge, cover your countertops (if that's your thing), and go through that whole pomp and circumstance; is it all worth it for a ONE-day holiday??? Even two doesn't entirely justify all that futzing and fussing...  

Second, I think the lengthy holiday reminds us that we are Jewish... ALL the time. If it were just a festive meal, or even two, then we might feel connected to our religion and our people only at the Seder table. We certainly feel Jewish there! But packing up leftovers and eating them at 

work, obligating ourselves to these Passover restrictions in our everyday lives, THOSE things reminds us that we're Jewish 24/7! But for the record, I don't think we need to think about Judaism every second of every day. I remember an Orthodox friend of mine, when we were kids, who would look for Jewish adages in EVERY movie we went to see in the theater. It drove me crazy! Sometimes I just want to watch a James Bond movie, ok? I don't need to think about what Rabbi Akiva or Maimonides would have said about it... We can be Jewish in synagogue and in our homes on Shabbat. And yet, sometimes it's nice, like on Pesach, when Judaism peaks its head into our workspace and our school lunchrooms.

And finally, I think an eight-day holiday is just enough time to create a reset. It's long enough to start a routine, so that when you then switch your home BACK, everything seems kind of new again! Eight days allows us to create a little distance from our regular lives, and then look at ourselves, our homes, and our existence with a slightly refreshed perspective. Pesach, therefore, isn't just 

valuable in and of itself, it also affords us the opportunity to appreciate the rest of our lives anew. Leavened products seem so luxurious again (if only for a fleeting second...). The convenience of all our kitchen equipment and the plethora of food options in the grocery store feel almost overwhelming! When the holiday eventually does end, hold on to that moment for a bit longer, and really acknowledge it. That feeling of appreciation is so precious, and sadly, so rare. Pesach allows us to feel grateful for everything we have in our lives, and to see it with new eyes, at least once a year. I don't know if that will be enough motivation to keep you excited for more matzah on day eight, but hey, I gave it a shot! :-) And don't worry, the holiday will "pass over" soon enough...

Chag Sameach!

Photos in this blog post:
1. CC image courtesy of O'Dea on Wikimedia Commons
2. CC image courtesy of Uwe a on Wikimedia Commons
3. CC image courtesy of BocaDorada on Wikimedia Commons
4. CC image courtesy of Ralf Roletschek on Wikimedia Commons