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I live in Eretz Yisrael and tonight I was invited to what many chassidim refer to as a "seudas predeh" (or as I somewhat loosely -- or perhaps wrongly "translated" in the title as a "Goodbye Party".)

This often happens here in Israel when a young family move back to America or wherever they might be from.

This person is obviously not leaving the world (chas v'shalom), but leaving what has been his home for years and a kehillah where he has davened.

Where does this minhag come from? What is the point of it? What is the significance?

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    Are you sure this isn't just a nice way to say goodbye? What makes you think there is any religious significance to it?
    – Double AA ♦
    Jul 29, 2015 at 17:35
  • @DoubleAA It definitely is and I'm sure this is isn't the first thing for chassidim to "make up". However I'm trying to find if there is any 'earlier' makor for it. Similar to that of when a Chasson leaves his town to get married in a different town there is a minhag among chassidim to make a seudah. Could also just be an idea of "תופסים סיבה לעשות מסיבה"
    – Yehoshua
    Jul 29, 2015 at 17:39
  • The Talmud writes (when listing reasons why Tu B'Av is considered an unusually happy day) that one reason was because in the Temple, this was the last day of the year they collected wood. The fact that this was the end of an 'objective' (even if they didn't collect enough wood), was enough to warrant a celebration. I've heard this compared to the end of school/Zman in Yeshiva in that 'completing' a stage in life is in itself a reason for celebration.
    – Salmononius2
    Jul 29, 2015 at 18:10
  • My lack of upvoting is due to your comment "I'm sure this is isn't the first thing for chassidim to "make up"." I resent your contention and feel it is out of line.
    – Gershon Gold
    Jul 29, 2015 at 20:11
  • There is also a common "minhag" in yeshivos to have a "סעודת פרידה" when someone leaves the yeshiva. I'm not sure where that comes from, either.
    – MTL
    Jul 29, 2015 at 20:53

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A source I have heard for a Seudas Preida is from Elisha. This is mentioned in Melachim-1 19:21 - see Radak that he made a Seuda when he was leaving.

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    Where did you "hear" this from?
    – Yehoshua
    Jul 29, 2015 at 23:03
  • @Yehoshua: At a Seudas Preida that was held for me when I left New York
    – Gershon Gold
    Jul 30, 2015 at 13:01

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