Towards the last day of Passover: Happy Yom Tov!

And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. But you shall present a food offering to the Lord for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work.” Vayikra / Leviticus 23:5-8

The seventh day of Passover is a day of rest and according to tradition this is the day God parted the Yam Suf (Sea of Reeds, Red Sea) when Pharaoh chased Israel with murderous intent. There is also a custom from Hasidic Judaism of having a Messiah feast on this day, or as it is called in Hebrew a Seudat Mashiach.

The seudat mashiach anticipates the Messianic banquet when Mashiach is fully revealed. The custom recalls redemption from Egypt, and future redemption and regathering of Israel.

But what is the Sudat HaMashiach and where it comes from? The Seudat Mashiach or “Messiah’s Feast” is a final meal of Passover that is focused on the Messiah and his role as bringing the final redemption.

The celebration of the Seudat Mashiach began with the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the modern Hasidic movement in Judaism. I you are unfamiliar with this custom, it is like the Passover seder, with this seder focusing on the redemption to be brought by King Messiah.

As the description of the Seudat Mashiach from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Schneerson says:

“The last day of Pesach is the conclusion of that which began on the first night of Pesach. The first night of Pesach is our festival commemorating our redemption from Egypt by the Holy One, Blessed be He. It was the first redemption, carried out through Moshe Rabbeinu, who was the first redeemer; it was the beginning. The last day of Pesach is our festival commemorating the final redemption, when the Holy One, Blessed be He, will redeem us from the last exile through our righteous Moshiach, who is the final redeemer. The first day of Pesach is Moshe Rabbeinu’s festival; the last day of Pesach is Moshiach’s festival.”   (Cited in Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXII, p. 34.)

Remember, Pesach is a time of redemption, and the coming of the Messiah is the ultimate redemption.

Bring the whole family for the traditional feast of 4 cups of wine and matzah in anticipation of the future redemption at the hand of our Rabbi and King, Messiah, may we be able to celebrate the Seudat Mashiach soon with our Messiah in Jerusalem…

The entire theme of the meal focuses on the coming of Messiah and the final redemption. The meal is festive in spirit. Everyone wishes one another “Lechayim! (to life!)” while discussing their insights into Messiah and their dreams and hopes for the Messianic Era. The meal concludes with fervent singing and dancing in joyous elation over the promise of the Messianic redemption.

Beth HaDerech invites you to participate in this year’s Seudat Mashiach, with songs, matzah, wine and inspiring thoughts. Pesach is the festival which celebrates freedom. The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of “Mashiach’s meal” on the last day of Passover to demonstrate the connection between the celebration of our freedom from the Egyptian exile to our imminent redemption from this current exile. At a Seudat Mashiach, we gather with friends, family and community to share in our hope and yearning for the future redemption of the Jewish people. When: Night 7:00 pm

Join us as we conclude Passover with Seudat Moshiach, the traditional Feast of Mashiach. This Tuesday 26th of April, 2011.