By Shmuel Miskin, Matzav.com
Now that the dust has settled following another wonderful Yom Tov of Pesach, I’d like to share my thoughts on what has become a common post-Pesach practice in many areas. I know that my words will likely be greeted with nods of the head from those above the age of 50 and waves of the hand or looks of annoyance from those younger, but so be it.
The issue? The post-Pesach pizza frenzy. I just don’t get it. The second Yom Tov is over, lines are out the door at local pizzerias in communities nationwide. Are we so desperate for a slice of this Italian delicacy? Do our tummies so desperately need a slice of pizza because we are absolutely starving after subsisting on a chometz-free diet for eight-and-a-half days?
I am not coming purely from a hashkafah standpoint. Surely the readers here can share their own hashkafic viewpoints on the post-Pesach pizza craze. Taavas achilah, overcoming one’s urges, etc.
I am asking from a practical standpoint: What’s the rush? What will happen if we wait until the next day to down our first slice of post-Pesach pizza?
Then there’s my favorite pet peeve: I meet a fellow in a local supermarket where arrangements are made so that one does not need to rely on a hetter mechirah after Pesach. He stocks up on enough noodles until the summer, he buys countless items so that he does not have to rely on the hetter mechirah of other stores….but a half hour later he’s buying pizza from the local pizza store! (Lest you argue that this does not constitute relying on a hetter mechirah, I verified that in that particular store, they make their dough before Yom Tov and sell the actual dough. I should note that there are indeed stores which specifically do not sell the dough, but make their dough after Yom Tov, in which case there is no issue of relying on hetter mechirah.)
I know that families generally work hard over cleaning up after Yom Tov and a nice fresh slice of pizza is a welcome sight and a gastronomical delight. I am not here to count calories or become the food hashkafah police. But it seems to have reached a level of obsession, where, on Pesach itself, during the last Yom Tov seudos, people are already making arrangements so that they can get to the pizza store in the fastest and most strategic way to ensure that they have their coveted pizza as soon as humanly possible. This obsession has gone overboard.
I happen to know an individual – a regular, normal person – who shared with me that one of the things he has been mekabel on himself – to practice overcoming his natural urges – is to refrain from eating pizza on Motzoei Pesach. This gentleman, who is a regular, normal guy, related that throughout the year, he is rarely able to demonstrate strength of character or an ability to overcome his yeitzer. One time a year, he said, when everyone is running to the pizza store, he accepted upon himself bedavka not to go and buy pizza. He wants to demonstrate to himself that he can be above the frenzy and the tumult.
I’ve shared some thoughts. I’d like to read yours. Maybe I am just old fashioned or overly critical. But, like I said, in my eyes, the tomato sauce and cheese can wait another day.
I’d like to also add, by the way, that the stores did a terrible job providing pizza for those who do eat pizza on Motzoei Pesach. The lines were forever, the wait was hours-long, and the pizza was horrible. Bad job all around.
{Shmuel Miskin-Matzav.com Newscenter}