Seʾudah

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Seʾudah (Heb., ‘meal’). A Jewish festive meal. According to the Talmud, there are two sorts of festive meals. Seʾudah shel reshut has nothing to do with religion, and scholars are discouraged from participating (B.Pes. 49a); seʾudah shel mitzvah, on the other hand, is a meal held in conjunction with religious rejoicing, as at a circumcision, a wedding, the Sabbath, the Passover seder, etc. It is a religious duty to share in and to enjoy such feasts.