Mitzvah —
98
To rest on the seventh day of Passover
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וּבַיּ֤וֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ מִקְרָא־קֹ֔דֶשׁ וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִקְרָא־קֹ֖דֶשׁ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם כׇּל־מְלָאכָה֙ לֹא־יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה בָהֶ֔ם אַ֚ךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵאָכֵ֣ל לְכׇל־נֶ֔פֶשׁ ה֥וּא לְבַדּ֖וֹ יֵעָשֶׂ֥ה לָכֶֽם׃ - פָּרָשַׁת בֹּא
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Exodus 12:16 - "And on the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; no work may be performed on them, but what is eaten by any soul that alone may be performed for you."
This Mitzvah's Summary
מִצְוָה עֲשֵׂה - Positive Commandment
מִצְוָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה - Negative Commandment
Holidays – חֲגִים
We are commanded to rest on the 21st of Nissan, the Seventh Day of Passover, by abstaining from any creative work, with the exception of work needed for food purposes.
This mitzvah commands that the seventh day of Passover be treated as a sacred day of rest, like the first day of the festival. It commemorates the splitting of the Red Sea and Israel’s complete deliverance from Egypt. On this day, Jews refrain from ordinary work, focusing instead on the miracles of redemption and praising Hashem for His salvation. Food-related labor is permitted to honor the joy of the festival.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Yom Tov 6:1): Rules that the seventh day of Pesach has equal sanctity to the first, requiring rest from labor.
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 324): The root is to honor Hashem’s miracles in bringing us from slavery to freedom, with the climax at the Red Sea.
- Talmud (Megillah 31a): Identifies the Torah reading for this day as the Shirat HaYam (Song at the Sea), emphasizing its theme of redemption.
Commentaries
(Source: Chabad.org)
