Moshiach's Meal

It was the custom of the Baal Shem Tov to partake of three meals on the last day of Passover (this year, Tuesday, April 30th). The third meal, which took place late in the afternoon, was known as the “Festive Meal of Moshiach,” or Moshiach’s Seuda, for on this day, the radiance of Moshiach is openly revealed.

Beginning in the year 5666 (1906), the Rebbe Rashab (the 5th Chabad Rebbe) joined the yeshiva students for the third festive meal on the last day of Passover and directed that each of them be given four cups of wine. The Rebbe has commented that this was intended to become an annual custom.

Moshiach’s Seuda was instituted on the eighth day of Passover, as the number eight is connected to the Redemption (being one more than seven—symbolic of the natural order), and the Haftorah read on that day contains many of the Messianic prophecies.

What is the point of eating an actual, physical meal related to the subject of Moshiach?

This festive meal causes the image and feeling of the future Redemption to penetrate not only all the faculties of a person’s soul, including his capacity for action, but his physical body as well—by means of the physical food that becomes part of his very flesh and blood. Partaking of this festive meal is intended to draw down the radiance of Moshiach into every aspect of one’s daily life throughout the year.

As an anticipatory echo of how the world will appear after the Redemption, this radiance and holiness should permeate all of a person’s activities, including his physical activities, to the point that he is prepared to sacrifice the innermost core of his soul, the yechida within his soul, the element of Moshiach in his soul.

The Rebbe once explained, “The four cups of wine on the Seder night are the cups of Moses, our teacher; the four cups of wine at Seudas Moshiach on the last day of Passover are the cups of our righteous Moshiach.”

Light Shabbat candles on Friday at 7:29 PM (in NYC). The last holiday days of Passover begin Sunday night at 7:32 PM (in NYC). For more information, please visit Passover.org.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!