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Comments on Why do we dwell in booths every day during Sukkot, but we don't have to eat matzah every day during Pesach?
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Why do we dwell in booths every day during Sukkot, but we don't have to eat matzah every day during Pesach?
In the instructions for festivals, Vayikra 23:6 says, of Pesach:
You shall eat unleavened bread for seven days.
Devarim 16:3 is similar, and Devarim 16:8 starts: "After eating unleavened bread six days", which sure sounds like it's been a daily occurrence.
I have been taught that we are only required to eat matzah at the seder -- that this command phrased as a positive is otherwise understood to be "don't eat leavened bread all week".
Vayikra 23:42 says, of Sukkot:
You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths
Devarim 16, where it talks about Sukkot, doesn't repeat this part.
I have been taught that, weather and safety permitting, we are required to dwell (eat and sleep) in our sukkot all seven days, not just the first day.
What's the difference? Why does "dwell in booths" mean every day but "eat unleavened bread" doesn't? Why aren't we required to eat some matzah every day during Pesach?
(I've wondered about this before, but it jumped out at me again during the Sukkot torah reading and I remembered to come back and ask the question.)
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