The day after any festival is called Isru Hag, based on the verse: “Bind the festival offering [isru hag] with cords, and thence to the horns of the altar” (Psalms 118:27). This is homiletically interpreted to mean: Attach the days of the festival to the secular weekdays that follow it. This day has a slightly festive nature, and some enhance the meals eaten on this day in its honor.

On the night of the conclusion of Passover and on Isru Hag, Jews from North Africa hold a celebration called “Mimouna.”

Several possible explanations have been offered for this custom. One is that throughout the festival many people were hesitant to eat in the homes of others, due to the severity of the Passover laws. Now they wish to demonstrate that this was certainly not done out of miserliness or lack of consideration, and so immediately after the festival they invite each other to come and eat in their homes. Another explanation is that “Mimouna” is derived from emuna, “faith,” as according to the Talmud (Rosh HaShana 10b), the month of Nisan is a time especially suitable for the messianic redemption. The Mimouna event thus expresses this belief that the redemption will soon arrive.