Misva #300: Observing the Seventh Day of Pesach as a Sacred Occasion

The Torah in Parashat Emor (Vayikra 23:8) commands observing the 21 st of Nissan – the seventh day of Pesach – as a “Mikra Kodesh” (“sacred occasion”), which the Sages understood as referring to a day of abstention from Melacha (constructive work). Just as the Torah commands us to refrain from Melacha on the first day of Pesach, it likewise requires that we abstain on the seventh day, and observe it as a Yom Tob. As the Sefer Ha’hinuch discussed in reference to the first day of Pesach, the Torah commands us to refrain from Melacha on Yom Tob so that we can focus our attention on the meaning and significance of this day. As we are not preoccupied with our workday responsibilities, our minds are free to contemplate the miracles which were performed for us on the Yom Tob. In the case of the seventh day of Pesach, this is the splitting of the sea, which took place on this day, nearly a week after the Exodus from Egypt. Additionally, G-d assigned certain days as Yom Tob, when work is forbidden, to give us opportunities to learn Torah. Freed from weekday pressures and obligations, we have the ability to spend time engrossed in Torah study. The seventh day of Pesach is considered part of the holiday of Pesach, and therefore, we do not recite the Beracha of “She’hehiyanu” on the night of this Yom Tob, as we do on the first night of Pesach. Likewise, in the Amida prayer, we recite “Hag Ha’masot Ha’zeh,” just as we do throughout the rest of Pesach. The seventh day of Pesach differs in this regard from Shemini Aseret, which gives the appearance of the eighth day of Sukkot, but in truth constitutes an independent Yom Tob. For this reason, we recite “She’hehiyanu” on the night of Shemini Aseret, and we recite in the Amida prayer “Shemini Hag Aseret Ha’zeh” instead of “Hag Ha’Sukkot Ha’zeh.” Whereas Shemini Aseret is a separate holiday that follows Sukkot, the seventh day of Pesach is the final day of Pesach, and not a separate Yom Tob.