HALACHA OF THE WEEK: Pesach 3: The Minhag of Gebrokts and Eating Gebrobkts on the Eighth Day of Pesach
Although some refrain from eating gebrokts the entire eight days of Pesach, there is a widely accepted minhag to be lenient on Acharon shel Pesach (the "last" or eighth day of Pesach). In fact, among Lubavitch Chassidim, on the eighth day of Pesach, the custom is to dip matzah into each dish served at the meals [Sefer HaSichos 5702, p. 105]!
On the surface, this seems odd. If a person doesn't eat gebrokts left on or in the matzah some flour might become chametz, why be lenient on the eighth day when chametz is still forbidden. Several reasons have been suggested.
Rav Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov asserted that the issue of gebrokts is merely a halachic stringency. Since the eighth day of Pesach is rabbinic (sfeka d'yoma), if a person was stringent about gebrokts on the eighth day, it would suggest that these are not stringencies but rather, a genuine concern of chametz. This would imply that those who eat gebrokts the entire week are eating chametz! Therefore, the stringencies are relaxed on the last day (Sefer Derech Pikudecha, Lo Ta'ase 12).
According to the Chafetz Chaim, because some eat gebrokts on Pesach and others don't, it precludes people from getting together on Pesach. Therefore, we try to bring everyone together on the eighth day, setting aside the custom of not eating gebrokts [Dugmat M'Darchei Avi page 30:8].
But what about this year, when the eighth day is Shabbat, can a person who doesn't eat gebrokts prepare foods such as kneidlach on Friday to be eaten on Shabbat?
The Minchat Yitzchak [7:33, and Nitei Gavriel Pesach vol. 3 19:9], the Chazon Ish [49:15-16] and others permit it as long as an eruv tavshilin was prepared before Yom Tov. However, the Chazon Ish added that if one did not eat gebrokts not as a stringency, but because of a genuine concern of chametz, then preparing it on the seventh day is prohibited.
It was reported by the late Lubavitcher Rebbe's personal secretary, Rabbi Leibel Groner, that one year when the eighth day of Pesach fell on Shabbat, as it does this year, the Rebbe was not happy that kneidlach were not prepared before Shabbat to be served on eighth day. [Otzer Minhagei Chabad, ibid.]. This story is especially significant since it was the first Lubavitcher Rebbe, whose rulings are the source of the widespread observance of not eating gebrokts on Pesach.
For even more halachic information, visit www.congkins.org/pesachlaws
DVAR TORAH
The seventh day of Pesach is the anniversary of the splitting of the sea - and in honor of this extraordinary miracle, we read the "Shirat haYam." In the pesukim leading up to that event, we read how the Jews felt trapped, and Moshe responded by praying to G-d to save them. Said G-d ‘ma titzak aili? Why are you crying to me?' 'Daber el bnai Yisrael v'yisahu – Speak to the Israelites, let them travel, do something.'
Towards the end of the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, Moshe remembered G-d's response at the sea. Therefore, when his sister was afflicted with leprosy, he offered the shortest prayer on record. He said: ‘Kel na, refah na la’. G-d, please, heal her, please.
As Rashi explains, at that moment, Moshe recalled the events of the sea. He realized that while prayer was in order, he needed to be at his sister's bedside and assist her - to become a partner of God's. And that's precisely what happened; Miriam recovered.
We learn from this a vital and relevant lesson for ourselves and our times. Our Rabbis sum it up in our Talmud as "Ein somchim al haneis – never rely on miracles." When it comes, for example, to guaranteeing our future, the well-being of our families and society, or earning a living, we can't just leave it up to the Almighty. We need to have a strategy, a plan; we need to be doing something.
G-d calls out to us, saying, "Don't leave it all up to me - move forward! I will help those who help themselves."
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