I posted this as a comment over on MoChassid. Thought I’d share it here, too.
I don’t mean to compare going to a 5-Star resort in the Carribean with going to Yerushalayim, but “going away for Pesach” is actually the most basic and fundamental rule of the holiday.
Back when we had a Bait Hamikdash, everyone “went away for Pesach” by being oleh regel.
And if one family isn’t big enough to eat an entire korban pesach, we should join families together -
וְאִם-יִמְעַט הַבַּיִת, מִהְיוֹת מִשֶּׂה–וְלָקַח הוּא וּשְׁכֵנוֹ הַקָּרֹב אֶל-בֵּיתוֹ, בְּמִכְסַת נְפָשֹׁת: אִישׁ לְפִי אָכְלוֹ, תָּכֹסּוּ עַל-הַשֶּׂה.
- the Torah endorses communal sedarim!
Growing up in a family that stayed home for Pesach every year, and shared our sedarim with the same family every year (one by them, one by us), I completely and totally understand [MoC's] feelings, and agree with them. Preparing the house, converting the kitchen, making the seder - these are all great activities for families, no question.
Even now, going away on ocassion (depending on where my parents or my in-laws are going, without any specific consistency) feels strange.
But Pesach, originally, is a communal holiday with the intention of travelling and convening in big groups.
As a side note, I will be away for Pesach starting tomorrow. Don’t expect much, if anything, by way of bloggin until the end of April.
Hmmmm – while Pesach was a communal holiday, it was a communal neighborhood holiday – meant for your family and people who live in the tent next door – certainly not you getting up and spending it in Cabo with some people from Teaneck and a sephardi couple from Great Neck.
Not ripping on you – at this point it certainly feels as though more people go away than stay home- much like Yeshiva break week.
By: Elster on April 16, 2008
at 12:11 pm
while Pesach was a communal holiday, it was a communal neighborhood holiday – meant for your family and people who live in the tent next door
I don’t know. Being Oleh Regel meant going to Yerushalayim with everyone else in the country. If that meant your lodging was with a sephardi couple from Tiveria and a young family from Ashquelon, then that’s what it was. Everyone went to one place.
By: Noyam on April 16, 2008
at 1:05 pm
I was talking pre-entering the land. You are correct that during the time of the B’H, that may have been the case. However, we have been without a B’H for much longer than with. Sadly.
By: Elster on April 16, 2008
at 4:49 pm
Being Oleh Regel was a religious/spiritual high not to be compared with Miami Beach etc. in a hotel.
With that being said, going away is nice for the family but does nothing to enhance the yom-tov part of the trip. If anything the yom-tov becomes secondary to the vacation (from my experience). I go away regularly for Pesach and enjoy it immensly but it’s a nice vacation not a spiritual yom-tov.
By: Rob on April 17, 2008
at 9:53 am