Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 13

1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,   אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2"Sanctify to Me every firstborn, every one that opens the womb among the children of Israel among man and among animals; it is Mine."   בקַדֶּשׁ־לִ֨י כָל־בְּכ֜וֹר פֶּ֤טֶר כָּל־רֶ֨חֶם֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּֽאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה לִ֖י הֽוּא:
every one that opens the womb Heb. פֶּטֶר כָּל-רֶחֶם, which opened the womb first, [פֶּטֶר meaning to open] as “in The beginning of strife is like letting out (פּוֹטֵר) water” (Prov. 17:14); “ יַפְטִירוּ בְשָׂפָה, they will open their lips” (Ps. 22:8). — [from Mechilta, targumim]   פֶּטֶר כָל־רֶחֶם  שֶׁפָּתַח הָרֶחֶם תְּחִלָּה, כְּמוֹ: "פּוֹטֵר מַיִם רֵאשִׁית מָדוֹן" (משלי י"ז), וְכֵן "יַפְטִירוּ בְשָׂפָה" (תהלים כ"ב) – יִפְתְּחוּ שְׂפָתַיִם:
it is Mine For Myself I have acquired them by smiting the firstborn of Egypt. — [from Mechilta]   לִי הֽוּא  לְעַצְמִי קָנִיתִי, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהִכֵּיתִי בְכוֹרֵי מִצְרַיִם:
3Moses said to the people, "Remember this day, when you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, for with a mighty hand, the Lord took you out of here, and [therefore] no leaven shall be eaten.   גוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֜ה אֶל־הָעָ֗ם זָכ֞וֹר אֶת־הַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצָאתֶ֤ם מִמִּצְרַ֨יִם֙ מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֔ים כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֔ד הוֹצִ֧יא יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִזֶּ֑ה וְלֹ֥א יֵֽאָכֵ֖ל חָמֵֽץ:
Remember this day This teaches us that we are to mention the Exodus from Egypt daily. — [from Mechilta]   זָכוֹר אֶת־הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה  לִמֵּד, שֶׁמַּזְכִּירִין יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם בְּכָל יוֹם:
4Today you are going out, in the month of spring.   דהַיּ֖וֹם אַתֶּ֣ם יֹֽצְאִ֑ים בְּחֹ֖דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִֽיב:
in the month of spring Now do we not know in what month they went out? [Early editions read: Now did they not know in what month they went out?] Rather, this is what he [Moses] said to them, “See the lovingkindness that He bestowed upon you, that He took you out in a month in which it is suitable to go out, when there is neither heat nor cold nor rain,” and so it says: “He takes the prisoners out at the most opportune time (בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת) ” (Ps. 68:7), in the month when it is best suited (כָּשֵׁר) to go out. — [from Mechilta]   בְּחֹדֶשׁ הָֽאָבִֽיב  וְכִי לֹא הָיִינוּ יוֹדְעִין בְּאֵיזֶה חֹדֶשׁ? אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר לָהֶם, רְאוּ חֶסֶד שֶׁגְּמַלְכֶם, שֶׁהוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם בְּחֹדֶשׁ שֶׁהוּא כָשֵׁר לָצֵאת, לֹא חַמָּה וְלֹא צִנָּה וְלֹא גְּשָׁמִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, "מוֹצִיא אֲסִירִים בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת" (תהלים ס"ח) – חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁהוּא כָשֵׁר לָצֵאת (מכילתא):
5And it will come to pass that the Lord will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivvites, and the Jebusites, which He swore to your forefathers to give you a land flowing with milk and honey and you shall perform this service in this month.   הוְהָיָ֣ה כִֽי־יְבִֽיאֲךָ֣ יְהֹוָ֡ה אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַ֠כְּנַֽעֲנִ֠י וְהַֽחִתִּ֨י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִ֜י וְהַֽחִוִּ֣י וְהַיְבוּסִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֤ע לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֨יךָ֙ לָ֣תֶת לָ֔ךְ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ וְעָֽבַדְתָּ֛ אֶת־הָֽעֲבֹדָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַזֶּֽה:
into the land of the Canaanites, etc. Although [Scripture] enumerated [here] only five nations, it means all seven [of the nations], for they are all included in the [term] Canaanites, [even though] there was one of the families of Canaan that had only the name Canaanite. — [from Mechilta; Tanchuma, Bo 12]   אֶל־אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי וגו'  וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא מָנָה אֶלָּא חֲמִשָּׁה עֲמָמִין, כָּל ז' גּוֹיִם בְּמַשְׁמָע, שֶׁכֻּלָּן בִּכְלַל כְּנַעֲנִי הֵם וְאַחַת מִמִּשְׁפְּחוֹת כְּנַעַן הָיְתָה שֶׁלֹּא נִקְרָא לָהּ שֵׁם אֶלָּא כְּנַעֲנִי:
swore to your forefathers, etc. Concerning Abraham, it says: “On that day, the Lord formed a covenant with Abram, [saying, ‘To your seed I have given this land’]” (Gen. 15:18); and concerning Isaac it says: “Sojourn in this land […for to you and to your seed I will give all these lands, and I will set up the oath that I swore to Abraham your father]” (Gen. 26:3); concerning Jacob it says: “the land upon which you are lying [to you I will give it and to your seed]” (Gen. 28:13). — [from Mechilta]   נִשְׁבַּע לַֽאֲבֹתֶיךָ  בְּאַבְרָהָם הוּא אוֹמֵר "בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כָּרַת ה' אֶת אַבְרָם וְגוֹ'" (בראשית ט"ו), וּבְיִצְחָק הוּא אוֹמֵר "גּוּר בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת" (שם כ"ו), וּבְיַעֲקֹב הוּא אוֹמֵר "הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שׁוֹכֵב עָלֶיהָ" (שם כ"ח):
flowing with milk and honey Milk flows from the goats’ [udders], and honey flows from the dates and the figs. — [from Kethuboth 111b]   זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ  חָלָב זָב מִן הָעִזִּים, וְהַדְּבַשׁ זָב מִן הַתְּמָרִים וּמִן הַתְּאֵנִים:
this service [that] of the Passover sacrifice (Mechilta, Pes. 96a, Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai). Now was it not already stated above (12:25): “And it shall come to pass when you enter the land [that you should keep this service], etc.” Now why did [Scripture] repeat it? Because of the thing that was newly introduced in it. In the former chapter (12:26), it says: “And it will come to pass if your children say to you, ‘What is this service to you?’” [There,] Scripture refers to a wicked son, who excludes himself from the community [by saying “to you”], and here (verse 8), “And you shall tell your son,” refers to a son who does not know to ask. Scripture teaches you that you yourself should initiate the discourse for him (Mechilta 14) with words of the Aggadah, which draw his interest [lit., draw the heart]. — [from Mechilta 18:14]   אֶת־הָֽעֲבֹדָה הַזֹּאת  שֶׁל פֶּסַח; וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר לְמַעְלָה "וְהָיָה כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ'", וְלָמָּה חָזַר וּשְׁנָאָהּ? בִּשְׁבִיל דָּבָר שֶׁנִּתְחַדֵּשׁ בָּהּ, בְּפָרָשָׁה רִאשׁוֹנָה נֶאֱמַר "וְהָיָה כִּי יֹאמְרוּ אֲלֵיכֶם בְּנֵיכֶם מָה הָעֲבֹדָה הַזֹּאת לָכֶם" — בְּבֵן רָשָׁע הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר שֶׁהוֹצִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הַכְּלָל, וְכָאן "וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ" — בְּבֵן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאֹל, וְהַכָּתוּב מְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁתִּפְתַּח לוֹ אַתָּה בְּדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה הַמּוֹשְׁכִין אֶת הַלֵּב (מכילתא):
6For seven days you shall eat unleavened cakes, and on the seventh day, there is a festival for the Lord.   ושִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים תֹּאכַ֣ל מַצֹּ֑ת וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י חַ֖ג לַיהֹוָֽה:
7Unleavened cakes shall be eaten during the seven days, and no leaven shall be seen of yours [in your possession], and no leavening shall be seen of yours throughout all of your borders.   זמַצּוֹת֙ יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת שִׁבְעַ֣ת הַיָּמִ֑ים וְלֹא־יֵֽרָאֶ֨ה לְךָ֜ חָמֵ֗ץ וְלֹא־יֵֽרָאֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ שְׂאֹ֖ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻלֶֽךָ:
8And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, "Because of this, the Lord did [this] for me when I went out of Egypt."   חוְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּֽעֲב֣וּר זֶ֗ה עָשָׂ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לִ֔י בְּצֵאתִ֖י מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
Because of this In order that I fulfill His commandments, such as these [commandments of] the Passover sacrifice, matzah, and bitter herbs. — [from Jonathan, Passover Haggadah]   בַּֽעֲבוּר זֶה  בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאֲקַיֵּם מִצְווֹתָיו, כְּגוֹן פֶּסַח מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר הַלָּלוּ:
the Lord did [this] for me [Scripture] alluded to a reply to the wicked son, to say, “the Lord did [this] for me,” but not for you. Had you been there, you would not have been worthy of being redeemed. — [from Mechilta]   עָשָׂה ה' לִי  רָמַז תְּשׁוּבָה לְבֵן רָשָׁע, לוֹמַר עָשָׂה ה' לִי, וְלֹא לְךָ, שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיִיתָ שָׁם לֹא הָיִיתָ כְדַאי לִגָּאֵל (מכילתא):
9And it shall be to you as a sign upon your hand and as a remembrance between your eyes, in order that the law of the Lord shall be in your mouth, for with a mighty hand the Lord took you out of Egypt.   טוְהָיָה֩ לְךָ֨ לְא֜וֹת עַל־יָֽדְךָ֗ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן֙ בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֔יךָ לְמַ֗עַן תִּֽהְיֶ֛ה תּוֹרַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּפִ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
And it shall be to you as a sign The Exodus from Egypt shall be to you as a sign. — [from Jonathan]   וְהָיָה לְךָ לְאוֹת  יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם תִּהְיֶה לְךָ לאות:
upon your hand and as a remembrance between your eyes This means that you shall write these passages [verses 1:10 and 11:16] and bind them on the head and on the arm.   עַל־יָֽדְךָ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ  שֶׁתִּכְתֹּב הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַלָּלוּ וְתִקְשְׁרֵם בָּרֹאשׁ וּבַזְּרוֹעַ:
upon your hand On the left hand. Therefore, in the second section, (Verse 16) יָדְכָה is written with the full spelling, to explain thereby [that it means] the hand (יָד) that is weaker (כֵּהָה). — [from Men. 37b]   עַל־יָֽדְךָ  עַל יַד שְׂמֹאל, לְפִיכָךְ יָדְכָה מָלֵא בְּפָרָשָׁה שְׁנִיָּה, לִדְרֹשׁ בָּהּ יָד שֶׁהִיא כֵהָה (מנחות ל"ו):
10And you shall keep this statute at its appointed time, from year to year.   יוְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֛ אֶת־הַֽחֻקָּ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לְמֽוֹעֲדָ֑הּ מִיָּמִ֖ים יָמִֽימָה:
from year to year Heb. מִיָמִים יָמִימָה, from year to year. — [from Onkelos].   מִיָּמִים יָמִֽימָה  מִשָּׁנָה לְשָׁנָה (שם):
11And it will come to pass when the Lord will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and to your forefathers, and He has given it to you,   יאוְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־יְבִֽאֲךָ֤ יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֔י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר נִשְׁבַּ֥ע לְךָ֖ וְלַֽאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ וּנְתָנָ֖הּ לָֽךְ:
And it will come to pass when… will bring you Some of our Sages learned from here that the firstborn that were born in the desert were not sanctified. The one who rules that they were sanctified explains this “entry” as saying: If you fulfill it [this commandment] in the desert, you will merit to fulfill it there [in the Holy Land]. — [from Bechoroth 4b]   וְהָיָה כִּֽי־יְבִֽאֲךָ  יֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁלָּמְדוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁלֹּא קָדְשׁוּ בְּכוֹרוֹת הַנּוֹלָדִים בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְהָאוֹמֵר קָדְשׁוּ, מְפָרֵשׁ בִּיאָה זוֹ אִם תְּקַיְּמוּהוּ בַמִּדְבָּר תִּזְכּוּ לִכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ וּתְקַיְּמוּהוּ שָׁם):
as He swore to you Now where did He swear to you? “And I will bring you to the land, concerning which I raised, etc.” (Exod. 6:8). — [from Mechilta]   נִשְׁבַּע לְךָ  וְהֵיכָן נִשְׁבַּע לְךָ? "וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתִי וְגוֹ'" (שמות ו'):
and He has given it to you It should seem to you as if He gave it to you today, and it should not seem to you as an inheritance from your forefathers. — [from Mechilta]   וּנְתָנָהּ לְךָ  תְּהֵא בְעֵינֶיךָ כְּאִלּוּ נִתְּנָה לְךָ בּוֹ בַּיּוֹם, וְאַל תְּהִי בְעֵינֶיךָ כִּירֻשַּׁת אָבוֹת:
12that you shall give over to the Lord whatever opens the womb, and every miscarriage that opens the womb of an animal which will be yours, the males belong to the Lord.   יבוְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ֥ כָל־פֶּֽטֶר־רֶ֖חֶם לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וְכָל־פֶּ֣טֶר | שֶׁ֣גֶר בְּהֵמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ הַזְּכָרִ֖ים לַיהֹוָֽה:
That you shall give over Heb. וְהַעִבַרְךְתָּ is only an expression of separation, and so [Scripture] states: “and you shall give over (וְהַעֲבַרְתֶּם) his inheritance to his daughter” (Num. 27:8). — [from Mechilta]   וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ  אֵין וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן הַפְרָשָׁה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ אֶת נַחֲלָתוֹ לְבִתּוֹ" (במדבר כ"ז) (מכילתא):
and every miscarriage Heb. שֶׁגֶר, an aborted fetus, which its mother ejected (ֹשֶֹשָגַּרְתּוֹ) and sent out before its time. The text teaches you that it is holy in regards to freeing the one that follows it. A fetus that is not aborted is also called שֶׁגֶר, like “the offspring (שְׁגַר) of your cattle” (Deut. 7:13), but this [verse] came only to teach [us] about the aborted fetus, because [Scripture] already stated: “whatever opens the womb.” If you say that the firstborn of an unclean animal is meant, [Scripture] came and explained elsewhere “of your cattle and of your flocks” (Deut. 15:19). In another way we can explain: “you shall give over to the Lord whatever opens the womb,” that the text speaks of the firstborn of man. — [from Mechilta]   שֶׁגֶר בְּהֵמָה  נֵפֶל שֶׁשִּׁגְּרַתּוּ אִמּוֹ וְשִׁלְּחַתּוּ בְּלֹא עִתּוֹ; וְלִמֶּדְךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁהוּא קָדוֹשׁ בִּבְכוֹרָה לִפְטֹר אֶת הַבָּא אַחֲרָיו וְאַף שֶׁאֵין נֵפֶל קָרוּי שֶׁגֶר, כְּמוֹ "שְׁגַר אֲלָפֶיךָ" (דברים ז'), אֲבָל זֶה לֹא בָא אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד עַל הַנֵּפֶל שֶׁהֲרֵי כְבָר כָּתַב כָּל פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם. וְאִם תֹּאמַר אַף בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה בְּמַשְׁמָע, בָּא וּפֵרֵשׁ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר "בִּבְקָרְךָ וּבְצֹאנְךָ" (דברים ט"ו). לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ, "וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ כָל פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם" — בִּבְכוֹר אָדָם הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:
13And every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, and if you do not redeem [it], you shall decapitate it, and every firstborn of man among your sons, you shall redeem.   יגוְכָל־פֶּ֤טֶר חֲמֹר֙ תִּפְדֶּ֣ה בְשֶׂ֔ה וְאִם־לֹ֥א תִפְדֶּ֖ה וַֽעֲרַפְתּ֑וֹ וְכֹ֨ל בְּכ֥וֹר אָדָ֛ם בְּבָנֶ֖יךָ תִּפְדֶּֽה:
firstborn donkey But not the firstborn of other unclean animals (Mechilta). This is a biblical edict [decreed that the firstling donkey be redeemed] because the firstborn of the Egyptians were likened to donkeys. Moreover, because they [the donkeys] assisted the Israelites in their departure from Egypt, (for there was not a single Israelite who did not take donkeys from Egypt) laden with the silver and gold of the Egyptians. — [from Bech. 5b]   פֶּטֶר חמור  וְלֹא פֶּטֶר שְׁאָר בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה; וּגְזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב הִיא לְפִי שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ בְּכוֹרֵי מִצְרַיִם לַחֲמוֹרִים; וְעוֹד, שֶׁסִּיְּעוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּיצִיאָתָן, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹּא נָטַל הַרְבֵּה חֲמוֹרִים מִמִּצְרַיִם טְעוּנִים מִכַּסְפָּם וּמִזְּהָבָם שֶׁל מִצְרִים:
you shall redeem with a lamb He must give the lamb to a kohen. The firstborn donkey is permitted to be used, and the lamb is the ordinary property [i.e., unconsecrated] of the kohen. — [from Bech. 9a, b] [I.e., the lamb has no sanctity and may be used by the kohen.]   תִּפְדֶּה בְשֶׂה  נוֹתֵן שֶׂה לַכֹּהֵן וּפֶטֶר חֲמוֹר מֻתָּר בַּהֲנָאָה וְהַשֶּׂה חֻלִּין בְּיַד כֹּהֵן (בכורות ט'):
you shall decapitate it He decapitates it with a cleaver from behind and kills it (Bech. 13a). He caused the kohen to lose his money [by neglecting to give him the redemption lamb]. Therefore, he must lose his own money [by decapitating his donkey]. — [from Bech. 10b]   וַֽעֲרַפְתּוֹ  עוֹרְפוֹ בְּקוֹפִיץ מֵאֲחוֹרָיו וְהוֹרְגוֹ; הוּא הִפְסִיד מָמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל כֹּהֵן, לְפִיכָךְ יַפְסִיד מָמוֹנוֹ (שם י'):
and every firstborn of man among your sons, you shall redeem His redemption [price] is established elsewhere (Num. 18:16) as five selas.   וְכָל־בְּכוֹר אָדָם בְּבָנֶיךָ תִּפְדֶּה  חָמֵשׁ סְלָעִים פִּדְיוֹנוֹ קָצוּב בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (במדבר י"ח):
14And it will come to pass if your son asks you in the future, saying, "What is this?" you shall say to him, "With a mighty hand did the Lord take us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.   ידוְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־יִשְׁאָֽלְךָ֥ בִנְךָ֛ מָחָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֣ר מַה־זֹּ֑את וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֔יו בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֗ד הֽוֹצִיאָ֧נוּ יְהֹוָ֛ה מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים:
if your son asks you in the future Heb. מָחָר מָחָר sometimes means “now” and מָחָר sometimes means “at a later time,” such as it does here and such as “In time to come מָחָר, your children might say to our children” (Josh. 22:24), which refers to the children of Gad and the children of Reuben. — [from Mechilta]   כִּֽי־יִשְׁאָֽלְךָ בִנְךָ מָחָר  יֵשׁ מָחָר שֶׁהוּא עַכְשָׁיו וְיֵשׁ מָחָר שֶׁהוּא לְאַחַר זְמַן, כְּגוֹן זֶה, וּכְגוֹן "וְלֹא יֹאמְרוּ בְנֵיכֶם מָחָר לְבָנֵינוּ" (יהושע כ"ב), דִּבְנֵי גָד וְדִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן:
“What is this?” This is [the question of] the simple child, [referred to in the Haggadah,] who does not know how to pose his question in depth, and asks a general question: “What is this?” Elsewhere it [Scripture] says: “What are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments, etc.?” (Deut. 6: 20). This is the question of the wise son. The Torah spoke regarding four sons: the wicked one (Exod. 12:26), the one who does not understand to ask (Exod. 13:8), the one who asks [a] general [question], and the one who asks in a wise manner. — [from Yerushalmi, Pes. 10:4]   מַה־זֹּאת  זֶה תִּינוֹק טִפֵּשׁ שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְהַעֲמִיק שְׁאֵלָתוֹ וְסוֹתֵם וְשׁוֹאֵל "מַה זֹּאת?", וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר הוּא אוֹמֵר "מָה הָעֵדֹת וְהַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים וְגוֹ'" (דברים ו'), הֲרֵי זֹאת שְׁאֵלַת בֵּן חָכָם; דִּבְּרָה תוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה בָנִים — רָשָׁע, וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאֹל, וְהַשּׁוֹאֵל דֶּרֶךְ סְתוּמָה, וְהַשּׁוֹאֵל דֶּרֶךְ חָכְמָה (מכילתא):
15And it came to pass when Pharaoh was too stubborn to let us out, the Lord slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I slaughter [for a sacrifice] all males that open the womb, and every firstborn of my sons I will redeem.   טווַיְהִ֗י כִּֽי־הִקְשָׁ֣ה פַרְעֹה֘ לְשַׁלְּחֵ֒נוּ֒ וַיַּֽהֲרֹ֨ג יְהֹוָ֤ה כָּל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מִבְּכֹ֥ר אָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּכ֣וֹר בְּהֵמָ֑ה עַל־כֵּן֩ אֲנִ֨י זֹבֵ֜חַ לַֽיהֹוָ֗ה כָּל־פֶּ֤טֶר רֶ֨חֶם֙ הַזְּכָרִ֔ים וְכָל־בְּכ֥וֹר בָּנַ֖י אֶפְדֶּֽה:
16And it shall be for a sign upon your hand and for ornaments between your eyes, for with a mighty hand did the Lord take us out of Egypt.   טזוְהָיָ֤ה לְאוֹת֙ עַל־יָ֣דְכָ֔ה וּלְטֽוֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֔ד הֽוֹצִיאָ֥נוּ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
and for ornaments between your eyes Heb. וּלְטוֹטָפֹת, tefillin. Since they are [composed of] four compartments, they are called טֹטָפֹת, ‎טט in Coptic meaning two, and פת in Afriki (Phrygian) meaning two (Men. 34b) [thus 2+2=4 boxes of tefillin]. Menachem (Machbereth Menachem p. 99), however, classified it [טוֹטָפֹת] with “Speak (הַטֵף) to the south” (Ezek. 21:2) and “Preach not (אַל-תּטִּיפוּ)” (Micah 2:6), an expression of speech, like “and as a remembrance” (Exod. 13:9), for whoever sees them [the tefillin] bound between the eyes will recall the miracle [of the Exodus] and speak about it.   וּלְטֽוֹטָפֹת  תְּפִלִּין; וְעַל שֵׁם שֶׁהֵם אַרְבָעָה בָתִּים קְרוּיִין טטפת – "טט" בְּכַתְפִּי שְׁתַּיִם, "פת" בְּאַפְרִיקִי שְׁתַּיִם (סנהדרין ד'). וּמְנַחֵם חִבְּרוֹ עִם "וְהַטֵּף אֶל דָּרוֹם" (יחזקאל כ"א), "אַל תַּטִּיפוּ" (מיכה ב'), לְשׁוֹן דִּבּוּר, כְּמוֹ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן, שֶׁהָרוֹאֶה אוֹתָם קָשׁוּר בֵּין הָעֵינַיִם, יִזְכֹּר הַנֵּס וִידַבֵּר בּוֹ: