Sixes & sevens – Bo
There are two Scriptural rules about eating unleavened bread.
In the sidra this week it says we should eat matzah for seven days (Ex.12:15), whilst in D’varim 16:8 it says six days.
Before addressing the contradiction we must explain that these numbers apply to Eretz Yisra’el; in the Diaspora the festival has an extra day.
The six-seven dichotomy is explained by Rashi on the basis of the Talmudic rule that everyone must eat matzah on the first evening (Ex. 12:18) but on the remaining days there is no matzah-obligation (though chametz must not be eaten).
