Only moments after I had finished digesting my delicious post-Pesach pizza, my Blackberry buzzed, indicating that I had received an email. I wiped my palms, greasy from the cheesy delight I had just enjoyed, and read the email. My jaw dropped as I read the article my friend had forwarded to me. A “Yid from England” had written to a site frequented by members of the Chabad community, expressing wonder about why observant Jews find it so necessary to make a mad dash for the pizza stores and bakeries the very moment that they are once again permitted to eat Chametz at the conclusion Pesach.
Op-Ed: The Post-Pesach Pizza Rush – A Response
Only moments after I had finished digesting my delicious post-Pesach pizza, my Blackberry buzzed, indicating that I had received an email. I wiped my palms, greasy from the cheesy delight I had just enjoyed, and read the email. My jaw dropped as I read the article my friend had forwarded to me. A “Yid from England” had written to a site frequented by members of the Chabad community, expressing wonder about why observant Jews find it so necessary to make a mad dash for the pizza stores and bakeries the very moment that they are once again permitted to eat Chametz at the conclusion Pesach.
The writer was “perplexed” by the “immersion in the mundane”, and asked why Jews, who for eight days had “elevated themselves” by abstaining from leavened pleasures, were instantaneously plunged into the depths of corporal desires and gratification by eating rushing to pizza stores and bakeries.
Well, Mr. Yid from England, based on my upbringing as a religious Jew and, more specifically, as a chosid of Chabad-Lubavitch, I vehemently and categorically disagree with and strongly condemn your statements on the following grounds:
Firstly, your understanding of Pesach is grossly misguided. As much as the Biblical ban on leavened bread may make it appear as though Pesach is about restraint and self-sacrifice, that is absolutely not the case. Pesach, as enumerated in the Torah, is about one simple thing: The Jewish people left Egypt in a hurry and were, therefore, unable to allow their dough to rise. To commemorate this, Jews are commanded to observe Pesach each year by not eating dough that has risen, and removing all leavened bread from their possession.
In fact, if Pesach was actually about restraint, why then are some of the most highly-regarded delicacies, including chocolate and 16-ounce steaks, allowed while basic staples such as bread and pasta are banned? The reason is simple: Passover is not and never was about refraining from indulging in delicacies, per se, rather it is about not eating or owning leavened bread regardless of whether or not it is in the form of a delicacy, while allowing one to enjoy any food that does not contain leavened dough, whether or not it is a delicacy.
According to your logic, after Pesach is over, one would be better off extending the ban on chometz by enjoying a chocolate bar – which is a true delicacy – that is kosher for Passover, rather than running to a bakery to enjoy a plain slice of rye bread that is not kosher for Passover.
There are many foods that are kosher for Pesach that are more pleasurable and delightful than many of the foods that are forbidden on Pesach. Pesach is not about banning delicacies and allowing bland foods. It is about forbidding the leavened and allowing the unleavened. As a result, since Pesach was never about restraint in the first place, there is nothing spiritually degrading about a Jew eating Chometz immediately after Pesach.
Secondly, it appears that you have forgotten a major Jewish principle, as elaborated upon by the Rambam, in Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Deios, Chapter 3:
“לפיכך ציוו חכמים שלא ימנע אדם עצמו אלא מדברים שמנעה התורה בלבד, ולא יהיה אוסר עצמו בנדרים ובשבועות על דברים המותרים. כך אמרו חכמים, לא דייך מה שאסרה תורה, אלא שאתה אוסר עליך דברים אחרים.”
Our Sages commanded that one should not deprive oneself of anything, except from things which the Torah has forbidden. Is not what the Torah has forbidden enough that you have to forbid for yourself other things?!. According to this rule, those who always restrict themselves are not on the path of good. About these and similar things Shlomo HaMelech said, “Don’t be excessively righteous…”
While the Torah contains many issurim, it also forbids one from extending an issur more than necessary. For example:
While one is required to fast on Yom Kippur, it is forbidden – and not more righteous – for one to fast any longer than is actually necessary. One must eat prior to after Yom Kippur.
While one is required to sit Shivah for seven days following the passing of a close relative, it is forbidden – and not more righteous – to sit in mourning any longer than the required seven days. A mourner is required to rise up and step outside after the seven days have concluded.
In the Torah’s view, when something is forbidden, it is forbidden; but when it is no longer forbidden, not only is it allowed, but it is required. This is true to the extent that Shlomo HaMelech, the Chachomim of the Gemara and the Rambam admonish those who try to be ‘holier than thou’ by extending prohibitions more than is absolutely necessary.
That said, there is nothing noble about delaying the enjoyment of Chometz after Pesach. For the duration of Pesach, chometz is completely forbidden, but when Pesach is over, chometz is no longer forbidden. It is then allowed, and such allowance should be demonstrated by actively pursuing the enjoyment of chometz, just as the conclusion of the Yom Kippur fast is symbolized by the enjoyment of food and the conclusion of shivah is marked by the mourner’s rising up and walking outside.
Thirdly, as the author himself alluded, Judaism is about sacrifice, self-control and restraint. As much as we enjoy a slice of three-topping pizza, when G-d tells us that it is forbidden on Pesach, we put our desires aside and refrain from enjoying such delicacies. Throughout the duration of Pesach we exercise self-control by refraining from having our morning pastry and our falafel for lunch. Instead, we eat matza, eggs and potatoes in various forms.
Hashem receives joy when He watches his precious nation endure sacrifices such as these by observing the issur of eating chometz. But eight days is a long time, and towards the end it can begin to appear as though we have adapted and are now actually comfortable with and enjoying this new alternative lifestyle and eating habit, and that there is no longer any major self-control and restraint.
But when Pesach ends and Jews all over the world make a break for the nearest pizza shop or bakery, or go so far as to bid on the privilege to enjoy the very first post-Pesach pizza pie, Hashem is reminded, so to speak, that we Jews have not forgotten the joys of eating chometz, and that our observance of Pesach involved sacrifice up until the very last second, as evidenced by our extreme eagerness to go back to eating chometz.
It is that very rush to eat the most delectable of chometz foods that demonstrates how much we have held back from throughout the entire Pesach, and that at no time was Pesach comfortable and not challenging.
Lastly, and in addition to the above, Motzei Pesach is a great opportunity for Jewish merchants, such as pizza stores, restaurants and bakeries, to recoup some of the substantial financial losses they endured by having to close their doors for 8 to 10 consecutive days. I am saddened and pained by the author’s sheer insensitivity to the mesiras nefesh endured by these merchants who have earned no income for over a week while they continued to pay rent and, in some cases, employee salaries while they were closed. This financial loss comes at a time that these very same merchants are paying the high costs of Pesach. If they can have one busy night to help minimize their losses, why begrudge them this opportunity?
funny
I don’t understand what u are talking about I looked everywere for a article about pizza!!!
I checked shmais too. Couldn’t find it
gh
I think both the “yid from london” and the ‘chabad chossid” have to find things to do with themselves
Engage your brain before writing
Are you for real?! Comparing that embarrassing ‘pizza-rush-crush’ to important and serious mitzvos?? If you really believe what you are writing, why not just go out and buy a bag of chips instead of such a shameless manifestation of ‘fressism’!
Why’d you write this article – got too much time on your hands? C’mon, get a life, buddy!
Moishie
WELL SAID!! Another slice please with extra cheese!
Yitzchak
A clash of civilization – US vs. UK.
mashpia
see chapter 6 and 7 of the tanya. you know that book?
crown heights
TO EVERY COMMENTATOR ON THIS SITE AND THE OTHER SITE AND ESPECIALLY TO SOMEONE WHO MADE AN OPEN -ED -RESPONSE:
CHILL OUT CHILL OUT DONT GET BURNED OUT. I did not even read your whole article for who cares.
whats everyone making a big deal about his comments or opinion. His is sure entitled to it.
I am sure that the good jew from England did not want or call for such a veroucious and negative comments condeming him.
OK guys, enjoy your pizza and stop bringing in proofs how your point of view is correct.
I for once would rather stay home then spend hours crushed in the pizza rush.
no further comment and take a hike everyone and worry about more important things.
tzugekumene bochur
did you say you were brought up chabad?according to my basic understanding of chassidus the reason we eat matzah is not because of some story that happened thousands of years ago but rather it is to instill in us bittul.as a matter of fact the whole torah and mitzvos is to be mavatel the nefesh habahamis in other words our desires (perek lamed beis).
thus said i dont understand the RUSH to get pizza.of coarse you should eat chametz just like on acharon shel pesach you SHOULD eat gebrochts but running after pizza is by all means against the idea of pesach and yiddishkeit in general.
how much more so acoording to chabad chassidus which demands avodah,iskafya,etc.
a tzatzker a yunger mahn
OK, so to sum up…
A.- It is a mitzvah (d’oraisa or d’rabannan?) to eat PIZZA on motzei Pesach.
B.- It is also connected (how, exactly?!) with the highest level of tzedaka – by ensuring that the propreitor has parnossa after Pesach.
C.- It is connected with (boy! these are really tough ones) eating after Yom Kipper, Tharas Hamishpocha and a few things I can’t remember.
SIMPLY AMAZING!!!!!!
WHO KNEW?!
DI G’IOINES SHPRUT’ZT FUN KUP!?
By the way, please share with us less enlightened folk – a documented true account of how ALL the holy Rabbeiyim would – IMMEDIATELY at the conclusion of Yom Tov, RUN (not walk) to the nearest Pizza store and order a slice or two?!
why pick on pizza?
well thought out response!! I’ll bet the Yid from England couldn’t wait to dig into his weetabix and have a marmite on toast!!
vos pshat
Also I think chabad institues, “Hiskafiya”. but in truth that is not a command, it an optinal thing that you can choose to do.
so i geuss your right!
Me
The chassid, R. Mordechai Horodoker, related: The first aphorism we heard from the Alter Rebbe when we arrived in Lyozna was: What is forbidden is forbidden, and what is permitted is unnecessary. For some three or four years we labored with this until we integrated this manner (of service) into the various aspects of our lives. Only then did we enter into yechidus, to ask for a path in avoda.
pizza hungry
so it sounds like its a mitzvah to eat pizza right after pesach
not bad
Its just food
Ok. point taken.
dont you think youve gone a bit overboard?
Not everthing that is kosher is a must.
Enjoy your pizza. But its only pizza.
chill out.
Be Happy
i dont see any good reason why you have to write here about a site that not even the entire family of the owners are his readers .
face it that site could not get along with its photo people and thats the only reason they have no pictures from jews enjoying the pizza after pesach. so whats the best story to tell ?
bash the jews .
the torah said kol mum ra i once heard a way to lern that verse. kol mum, every person who is not happy is ra, he cant see another jew happy.
ghj
Actually, we eat Pizza after Pesach for the same reason we eat Gebrokhs on Achron Shel Pesach. It shows how much we are already feeling Moshiach!!!
Although I disagreed with Mr. Yid from England, I have to say, like Mr. Yid, the anonymous author of this article is taking himself to seriously.
??????
wow u bring the rambam in as if to give u the right to do any pleasure u want. did u not learn in chassidus about holding one self back from material things even just for a couple of minutes? and u bring the rambam as if to say that its a sin not to eat any food u want right when you want it!!!! p.s. we eat matza for a number of reasons not just bc they had not time for the dough to rise. hashem commanded them to eat matzah the day before they left egypt for acompletely diffrent reason….
NJ Bochur
There is one other aspect of Pesach which may have slipped your mind (which was understandably greasy);
Chabad Chassidus – which you claim to have grown up with – describes Chametz as crass, coarse, and something we can all do without.
That something is the overblown feelings of our own ego, which tells us that if we don’t gratify the salivating impulses of our palletes, we will not survive for one other day.
ENJOY!
oh man! fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine enjoy your pizza!
i mean c’mon does such a small act of life deserve such a heated article?
YUM
that picture makes me hungry!
come on
oh come on.. do u own a pizza shop or something? its not THAT big of a deal
CHI-s Biggest Fans Down South
Dear writer,
Excellent job on this op-ed – both in your analysis and in your execution.
For grins: I ran out with the kids post-pesach to buy their most-craved delicacy – bars of chocolate (that happen to be OUp, how ironic.) Since our family’s custom is to not eat processed foods on pesach, that was what we all wanted!
in love with food
Huh? The author is writing that being “holier than thou” is not our way of life…but neither is getting so passionate about our food!!!!!!(especially writing a whole article about it-eat and enjoy your pizza, but who needs to hear how REALLY truly in love you are with your food…the example you bring down to show how we do not withhold ourselves longer than needed in Judaism just proves that you are in the midst of a love affair with your pizza etc…where is your dignity??!!!!)
p.s. “kadesh atzmecha bimutar lach” is a very chabad concept and way of life…which may mean no pizza/ice cream at all especially if the individual loves his pizza as much as you do.
p.p.s. this article was just weird, I’m wondering why crownheights.info posted it…
SBP
Just to quote yoel khan “vest uf-herin esen pizza un ice cream, ves-tu far-shetin”.
It seem to me, from what you write, that the 8 days without your pizza was just torcher and tuns of scarifies, and that’s exactly what he is trying say, that its not suppose to be that way. But that’s the way it looks by the rush in the pizza shop.
But you probably just wont get that because you cant get your head out of your pizza or your blackberry
GREAT!
couldn’t have been said better! excellent reply!
PIZZA!
LOL
well if hes English i can understand b/c the pizza there is Gross at least in usa its good! i enjoyed my post pesach pizza!
Yonason
It seems that the writer of this op-ed rushed through the article and took pffense by it. Nobody claims that the ban on Chametz be extended, the issue is about what became a “must” and kind of custom in some households to “rush” out and get on line to get Pizza.
BTW – worthwhile to mention the Sefardi Minhag to have a “mimouna” Seudah on motzoei Yom Tov, which is a very old Minhag Kadosh of these communities, but is not at all the idea of the ‘pizza rush’ but the return to “mundane’ and regular ‘routine’ avodah.
makom she-ain machnisim bo chometz
Chasidus is teaching us.
makom she’ain machnisim bo chometz eino tzorich bedika.
in a place that YOU did not bring in any chometz YOU dont have to check.
if you dont want pizza dont eat it but in your friend, that Yid who like to have pizza YOU did not invested anything.
so why are you checking his hiskafia .
are YOU perfect ? oh yes you are perfect but YOU are masig gvul. on first day of sfiras haomer that is not a yom tov you doing the job of the samech mem and this is hasogas gvul.
i would tell the farkvetcher yid from england who did identify himself by the name brown and then took his name off
go work on YOURSELF in the mokom SHEMACHNISSIM BO CHOMETZ in the place that YOU bring in YOUR chometz in your nefesh habamis .
and realy try to say something good about jews in the days of Sefiras haomer.
Londoner
OK, all you English bashers! It so happens that Americans seem to ONLY eat pizza, pizza morning, noon and night. We English are much more refined, we make ourselves PROPER meals. I had a cereal after Pesach,!! OUR cereals are a darn sight better than YOURS….ask any English person in CH. BTW Stamford Hill was packed out in the pizza shops.
self control
vos men tor nisht, tor men nisht.un vos men meg, darf men nisht. perhaps passover in and of itself is not about restraint, but iskafia is a fundamental part of chassidus.
in summary
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ariyeh Leib Segall
The same people that rush to the pizza shop on Motzai Yom Tov…
might want to try some real soul food….
That which comes in the form of Moshiach’s Seudah…
The benefits last in to the next lifetime….!!!
Der Mashpiya
you are 100% right. however, saying that chabad (or the rambam) doesnt beleive in extending issurim (is to a certain extent right, but it) isnt entirely right as we see (and somr rishonim say its a mitzva deoraisa) that “kedoshim tiyihu” teaches to refrain from ta’avos v’tanugim, so the “yid from england” has a slightpoint, the inyan of eskafya does exist.
mmmmmmmm
that pizza looks sooo good!!!!! i wish i culd have some of it!!!!!!!
good
yum
CSC
Frankly I love the achdus of people scrambling for chometz right before & after Pesach. (I myself usually wait till the next day to get a bagel again.)
I heard the Brisker Rav used to make a formal seudah before & after to clearly delineate the specialness of the holiday. So let’s do a Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev & praise the yidden for their enthusiasm!
To londoner
ok, so maybe in the u.s. pizza is a PROPER meal. and what was that you said about the pizza shops by u being full? that even english ppl go out to eat pizza after pesach – and btw, i had a bagel the next day ;)
Elki
Come on guys. Pizza!!? Who cares? Enjoy your fun that’s allowed, don’t eat pizza all year if you think it’s too physical a pleasure.
Pilpulim and chassidish mekoros on pizza after Pesach?
Get a life or…a slice of pizza.
B’Tayavon!
A POSHITER YID
Pizza is a “PROSTER” food. It does not have the same chashivus as other chometz foods. (it cannot be considered as OLEH AL SHULCHAN MELOCHIM) Even b’zman hazeh.
There are no known pictures of kings or queens eating pizza publically. {even privately}
You wanna eat it fine. You wanna make a whole big to do over how you eat it, and the way it gratifies your taste buds – fine. But don’t turn it into AH NEIYER (LUBAVITCHER) MINHOG because it’s not and never was.
Why did we never see the Rebbe rush to have chometz right after pesach?! If it’s such an important thing, why did he never give out mashke by kos shel brocha motzei pesach?! It was already after yom tov, and you are able to use chometz?! What would have been the problem with giving out mashke!?
NISHT A POSHITER YID
To A POSHITER YID:
Pizza is oleh al shulchan melochim bizman hazeh. It’s known that certain heads of states eat it (both publicly and privately).
http://tinyurl.com/ccbwz4
a drop out but hangin in there looks fro
response to a poshiter yid and many others.
while sitting by my computer reading the artical and then the comments i wonder what its really all about
i dont think its about pesach, chomets, 8-10 days, restrain, or what not,
really it doesnt matter, but definitly one thing is clear,
i say sholom aleichem
you say aleichem sholom,
i say pesach
you say chometz
a yid zoks farkert, yeah listen guys on yom tov we dont wear teffilin wow 8-9 days without it some of us its like yay its easier others its like the yom tov itself acomplishes what we miss from teffilin, there was a chosid from the alte rebbe that woke up early isru chag to ley teffilin, he missed it he yurned it and most of all he was emes, honest with him self,
as for chometz after pesach well one thing the tzemach tzedek made havdala dafka on beer not on wine chometz dafka right after pesach, yeah its ok for me its a bowl of cereal for others its a chocolate bar, bagel and yeah live and let live for a lot of folks its a pizza,
dont judge others your indulgents of a simple bagel or chocolate may be more taivos then yankels pizza,
think about it, may we merit to bring the inspieration of pesach into the foods and daily lives of the whole year.
ahavas yisroel rises above and beyond any mitzvah from the torah
undestanding compation and acceptance of others will do you much more then you think
achdus is the key with or without pizza
enjoy and for always we love you ppl
to droping out
since when does achdus mean live and let live?on the contrary ,true achdus leads to umekarvan letorah.achdus is the most thrown around,out of context term around.
ezating chametz was not the topic of discussion.the fact that i eat crackers and lahavdil the tzemach tzedek made havdola on bear is not relavant.we were discussing the mishugas of people running to wait in line for hours for pizza. besides for the fact that it doesnt make sense,its against all standards off yidishkeit.especially coming from pesach
an observer
I read through ALL the comments – and nobody yet raised this – so I will;
The issue is NOT Pizza, the issue is NOT chometz.
The REAL issue is that a yid should never feel “deprived” or “restricted” when doing a mitzvah. If you feel that Pesach resricts and deprives you, that by eating ONLY “fish & flaish” you get “sick”, this is where the problem is!
When a yid is keeping shabbos, putting on teffilin, keeping yom tov, etc. etc. He/she should feel that we are indeed Hashem’s chosen people – and these are the wonderful mitzvos we have as presents from our everloving merciful father. This premise is the same as not looking at a clock to see when shabbos is over – because then we can be “free”!? Oh, and one more thing…being an OIS VORF is not an option for a frumer yid.
response to the poshut nisht ah yid
Since when is a “head-of-state” considered a “melech”?
The government of the USA is a democracy not a monarchy!?
There are NO kings and queens of each state in the union.
The “president” is NOT halachically a “king” in any way whatsoever. Just because some moron bows to him and makes a brocha does not make him a “melech”.
DALOI AMARATZES
So, according to you, der shvartzer behama is considered a MELECH!? (Who died and made him King?!)
Also, you consider what he eats as “OLEH AL SHULCHAN MELOCHIM”?! WOW!!!!!!! You are not only NISHT POSHUT AH YID, you are NISHT POSHUT NOHRMAL!
BTW – The “proof” you are citing was before he was “CORONATED” LOL!? {He must have been a Prince then!}