Tonight we are bringing in the grand finale to the week of eating matzahs and discussing liberation. The day is called “acharon shel Pesach” or Shevii shel Pesach.”
Our liberation from Egypt was not complete with leaving Egypt, as we commemorate in the seder, but when Pharoah’s army was finally defeated at the Sea of Reeds (often erroneously translated as “The Red Sea.”) Everyone who has seen the Cecile B. De Mille film starring the late Charleston Heston remembers what happened as the Egyptians pursued the Jews; the sea split in half when Moses raised up his hands, and the Jews crossed to the other side through the dry path in the middle of the sea. When the Egyptians tried to “piggyback” on our miracle, the waters receded and drowned them.
There is a Midrash that says Pharoah actually survived this catastrophe and became king of Nineveh. When Jonah the prophet came to Nineveh years later to warn the people to repent or be destroyed, Pharoah told his subjects about the miracles he witnessed in Egypt and urged everyone repent. Therefore, Nineveh was saved and it is safe to say Pharoah learned his lesson.
At the end of the holiday, we have a mock seder with matzah and four cups of wine (no other foods are required, but many people also eat a meal). This was instituted by the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the mystic branch of Judaism known as Chassidism, and it is intended to reflect our redemption in the future, when the Jewish Messiah will come and liberate the world.
I really enjoy these Moshiach seudas or “Moshiach meals.” I usually go to one in my area especially for women, and we sit and sing and tell Chassidic stories. Of course, children are running around everywhere enjoying the festivities and taking sips of grape juice. It is like the seder without the pressure and really finishes off the holiday quite nicely. After the Moshiach seuda, we wait an hour or so for the chametz (leavening) to be repurchased before we eat bread again. To be honest, I love matzah so much, I hardly miss bread, but the Moshiach seuda reminds us we can have a taste of liberation throughout the entire year.