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Apparently, among those who don't eat gebrochts during Pesach, the custom is to specifically eat it on the 8th day. From http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/265990/jewish/Gebrokts-Wetted-Matzah.htm:

On the eighth day of Passover, which exists only outside the Land of Israel, the gebrokts stringency doesn’t apply, and all feast on matzah balls and matzah brei, and dip their matzah into soups and salads. In fact, many have the custom to try to eat their matzah with as many liquids and wet foods as possible.3

The simple reason for this is that the celebration of the eighth day is of rabbinic origin.

So what? I've learned, and Wikipedia agrees, that the second day of Yom Tov is just as strict as the first.

If the reason for the custom is that we are concerned that the matza isn't fully kneaded and can become chametz upon contact with water, why are we not concerned on the eighth day?

I am interested more in answers based in halacha than chassidic ideas.

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  • http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/855409/rabbi-yona-reiss/understanding-an-unfriendly-minhag-not-eating-out-on-pesach/ – Double AA Apr 28 '16 at 16:06
  • Related: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/6980/128 – yydl May 01 '16 at 05:36
  • it's common practice found in the gemera that people act a certain way just to demonstrate the halacha is like so and so even when they might have disagreed – Laser123 May 25 '17 at 07:09

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Does chabad eat gebrochts? I point out that because this is a rabbinic prohibition and a minhag of stringency, the last day of Pesach is used to show that it is not a full prohibition of Chametz. There is also a spiritual meaning to this. It appears that the eating the gebruchts in Chutz La'aretz is the significant point because the last day of Pesach is Yom Tov Sheni shel galyus. On the other hand, since the last (seventh) day in Eretz Yisrael is aYom Tov from the torah, then the leniency does not apply. Since I am only quoting chabad and do not have this minhag, then I cannot go any further than I have quoted.

I have sen that some people have eaten gebrochts on the last day in order to show that it is a minhag, however, since those cited were in chutz la'aretz at the time, I cannot say what they would have done inside Eretz Yisael.

The Vilna Gaon held that gebrochts is a minhag shtus and would dip matza in water to show that. However, any connection with the last day of Pesach is cited in error.

The simple reason for this is that the celebration of the eighth day is of rabbinic origin.

But there is also a spiritual reason given for eating gebrokts on the eighth day:

The last day of Passover is connected with the future redemption (see Remembering the Future), a time when no evil will befall us. We reflect this reality by going out of our way to eat gebrokts on this day, without fear that the matzah may become chametz.

Talk by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory, Acharon Shel Pesach 5744.

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  • "The simple reason for this is that the celebration of the eighth day is of rabbinic origin." This is definitively not a sufficient reason. If the reason is to show that it's only a Chumra, then why don't Israelis eat it on the 7th day? I don't understand this answer – Double AA Apr 28 '16 at 15:15
  • @DoubleAA It appears that the eating the gebruchts in Chutz is the significant point because the last day of Pesach is Yom Tov Sheni shel galyus. On the other hand, since the last (seventh) day in Eretz Yisrael is aYom Tov from the torah, then the leniency does not apply. Since I am only quoting chabad and do not have this minhag, then I cannot go any further than I have quoted. – sabbahillel Apr 28 '16 at 15:44
  • What's the difference between if it's Yom Tov Sheni or not? We're not talking about burying a dead person. We even say hundreds of 'meaningless' blessings to ensure no difference between them one, lest someone denigrates the second day. That doesn't seem relevant accd to traditional Judaism at all. – Double AA Apr 28 '16 at 15:45
  • @DoubleAA That is probably one reason why the Vilna Gaon stated that it was a minhag shtus. However, the question was asked why people who do this eat on the eighth day of Pesach and only in chutz la'aretz. This appears to be their rationalization. Since I eat gebrochts, I can only cite what they say (whether it is right or wrong). – sabbahillel Apr 28 '16 at 15:59
  • I think the Vilna Gaon just thought the whole thing was Shtus. He wasn't commenting just about the 8th day thing. – Double AA Apr 28 '16 at 16:03
  • @DoubleAA That is correct. I just meant that the eighth day minhag may have been one of reasons why he said that the entire minhag of gebruchts was shtus. – sabbahillel Apr 28 '16 at 16:22
  • That would be incredibly surprising. If he felt it was a worthwhile Chumra he would have just kept it on the 8th day too. The question of Zilzul 8th Day is unrelated to the question of if there is any reason to worry for unbaked flour. – Double AA Apr 28 '16 at 16:24
  • @DoubleAA I am trying to say that he held it was a minhag shtus all during Pesach and the behavior of people (with regard to the eighth day) may have been part of the shtus. However, that has nothing to do with the reasoning of people who do keep it (which is the original question). – sabbahillel Apr 28 '16 at 16:30