Positive Commandment 159 (Digest)
Resting on the First Day of Passover
"And on the first day, there shall be a holy convocation"—Exodus 12:16.
We sanctify the fifteenth of Nissan, the first day of Passover, by resting on that day—defined as abstaining from any creative work, with the exception of work needed for food purposes.
The 159th mitzvah is that we are commanded to refrain from doing melachah on the first day of Pesach.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He), "The first day [of Pesach] shall be a sacred holiday."
Keep in mind the following introduction: in every case where the Torah says, "sacred holiday" [mikra kodesh], our Sages explain that the intention is, "one must sanctify it" [kadsheihu]. This means that one may not do any melachah unless it involves preparation of food, as explained in Scripture.
We have already explained the statement of our Sages, "The term Shabbason indicates a positive commandment," i.e., for every day which is called Shabbason, it is as if it is written, "rest," or "you shall rest," all being commands to cease melachah. [A similar phrase,] Shabbsos Hashem, is used to refer to all the "special times," i.e., the Yomim-Tovim.
In many places in the Talmud it is said, "Yom-Tov is both a positive and a negative commandment." This means that refraining from melachah on every Yom-Tov is a positive commandment, and doing a prohibited melachah on Yom-Tov is a prohibition. Therefore, anyone who performs a melachah on Yom-Tov transgresses both a positive and a negative commandment.
The details of refraining from these types of melachah are explained in Tractate Yom-Tov [i.e., Beitzah].
Negative Commandment 323 (Digest)
Working on the First Day of Passover
"No manner of work shall be done"—Exodus 12:16.
It is forbidden to engage in creative work — with the exception of work needed for food purposes — on the fifteenth of Nissan, the First Day of Passover.
The 323rd prohibition is that we are forbidden to perform melachah on the first day of Pesach.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement, "No melachah may be done on these days" [i.e., the first and the seventh days of Pesach].
Positive Commandment 160 (Digest)
Resting on the Seventh Day of Passover
"And on the seventh day [of Passover] there shall be a holy convocation"—Exodus 12:16.
We are commanded to rest on the 21st of Nissan, the Seventh Day of Passover, by abstaining from any creative work, with the exception of work needed for food purposes.
The 160th mitzvah is that we are commanded to refrain from doing melachah on the seventh day of Pesach.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement, "The seventh day [of Pesach] shall be a sacred holiday."
Negative Commandment 324 (Digest)
Working on the Seventh Day of Passover
"No manner of work shall be done"—Exodus 12:16.
It is forbidden to engage in creative work — with the exception of work needed for food purposes — on the 21st of Nissan, the Seventh Day of Passover.
The 324th prohibition is that we are forbidden to perform melachah on the seventh day of Pesach.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement, "No melachah may be done on these days," i.e., the first and the seventh days [of Pesach].
The text on this page contains sacred literature. Please do not deface or discard.
