According to the Torah, the first day of matzah (the 15th of Nisan, beginning with the seder night) is a day of rest, and the seventh day (the 21st of Nisan) is a day of rest (colloquially called a Yom Tov). On these days, no creative productive work may be performed, just like a weekly Shabbos – with one exception: food preparation for the day, and all activities necessary for it, is permitted.

"And on the first day is a summons to holiness, and on the seventh day, a summons to holiness shall there be for you; all productive work may not be done on them, but that which may be eaten by every person, that by itself alone may be done for you." (Exodus 12:16)

From the Torah, then, the days of Nisan 15 (Thursday, April 6 this year) and Nisan 21 (Wednesday, April 12 this year) are mandated days of rest.

The rabbis also instituted a second day of Yom Tov after the first and seventh days, for Jews living in the diaspora. Thus, Orthodox Jews living outside the land of Israel will keep the first and second days of Matzah as rest days (the 15th and 16th of Nisan – April 6-7 this year), and the seventh and eighth days as rest days (the 21st and 22nd of Nisan – April 12-13 this year).

There is a song which is sung in many communities as Shabbos approaches, called Yedid Nefesh.  It does not directly reference the coming holy day; instead, it is nothing less than a love poem spoken directly to G-d.  "Beloved of my soul, Father of mercies, draw Your servant toward Your will."  G-d is addressed throughout as "beloved", "darling", "dear one" and "lover".

On the Shabbos which falls during the Pesach-week, the Song of Songs is customarily read.  Rather than focusing on the seemingly sensual tone of the book and its significance within married life, our sages expound the entire book in its metaphorical sense, as an allegory detailing the passionate and sometimes tempestuous relationship between G-d and His bride, Israel.  It too contains such declarations as "Draw me; we will run after You." (Song 1:4)

Speaking of the time of spring and the Pesach season (and according to our sages, specifically referring to the events of the Exodus from Egypt), the Song reads:

"My beloved spoke, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!  For, lo! the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of birdsong is come, and the voice of the dove is heard in our land;  The fig tree ripens her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give forth a fragrance.  Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away." (Song 2:10-13)

The prophet Jeremiah paints the image of the Exodus in similar 'honeymoon' terms:

"Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said Hashem: – I remember about you the steadfast devotion of your youth, the love of your bridal days, how you walked after Me into the wilderness, into a land that was not sown." (Jeremiah 2:2)

And in Ezekiel, in a parable in which Israel is depicted as an abandoned infant child rescued and raised to womanhood by G-d:

"And I passed by you and saw you, and behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my robe's corner over you and covered your nakedness: and I swore an oath unto you, and I entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord Hashem, and you became Mine." (Ezekiel 16:8)

Love underlies the whole account of the Exodus story:

“Not because ye were more in number than any people did Hashem set His affection upon you and choose you; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because Hashem loved you, and because He wished to keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, has Hashem brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of slaves, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 7:7-8)

Yet Pesach is not just about a passive release from slavery. It is about the beginning of a relationship – and a relationship requires two. The chassidic masters say that if G-d reaches down from Above and intervenes in history and performs mighty miracles, it can change the world, but it won’t necessarily change the human heart. If people choose not to believe, then even a man rising from the dead would not convince them (see Luke 16:31). On the other hand, if people reach out toward G-d, we can be sure that their overture will undoubtedly be met with an answer from Heaven. “Hashem is near unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18) We are instructed, "Draw near to G-d, and He will draw near to you." (Jacob [James] 4:8)

So who takes the initiative in this love story?  Does it begin with Israel's love for G-d, or G-d's love for Israel? Ultimately, Song of Songs 1:4 tells us who takes the initial step: G-d draws us, and then we run after Him. He stirs up our hearts to seek His face, and then He answers. If we are calling to Him, it is because He was calling to us.

Or as it was written elsewhere,
"We love him, because he first loved us." (1st Yochanan [John] 4:19)

Yes, our response is essential. He offers to us the gift of a relationship with Him, but He leaves it to us to accept or reject it. He holds out in His hand salvation for the whole world, but only those who receive it from His hand will possess it. He writes the check, but we have to trust Him enough to cash it, so to speak, or we derive no benefit from it.

But above and beyond it all, the ability to choose is itself a gift. It is due to His kindness that we have been given a mind and heart to understand and make a choice. “The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Hashem made even both of them.” (Proverbs 20:12)

He has taken the initiative. It is ours to respond, and to make the choice that will truly bring this relationship into being:

“I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live: To love Hashem your G-d, to hearken to His voice, and to cleave unto Him: for He is your life, and the length of your days…” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

Chag Sameyach.