| 4Moses said to Pharaoh, “This is what God has said: ‘Exactly at midnight, I will go forth in the midst of Egypt. |
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דוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֔ה כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה כַּֽחֲצֹ֣ת הַלַּ֔יְלָה אֲנִ֥י יוֹצֵ֖א בְּת֥וֹךְ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה כֹּה אָמַר ה' - Moses said, “This is what God has said.”. This prophecy was said to Moses when he was still standing before Pharaoh after the plague of darkness, for once he had left Pharaoh’s presence, he did not appear before him again. |
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וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה כֹּה אָמַר ה'.
בְּעָמְדוֹ לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה נֶאֶמְרָה לוֹ נְבוּאָה זוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי מִשֶּׁיָּצָא מִלְּפָנָיו לֹא הוֹסִיף רְאוֹת פָּנָיו:
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| כַּֽחֲצֹת הַלַּיְלָה - means: at the exact point when the night is divided. כַּחֲצֹת is a grammatical form similar to כַּעֲלוֹת “as it rose,” and בַּחֲרוֹת אַפָּם בָּנוּ “when their anger is kindled against us.” This is its straightforward meaning, to explain it according to its plain sense that חֲצוֹת is not a noun meaning “half.” Our rabbis, however, did explain it as being the same as כַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה “at about half the night,” and they said that Moses said to Pharaoh: כַּחֲצוֹת “at about midnight,” implying close to it, either before or after, and he did not say: בַּחֲצוֹת “at midnight,” in case Pharaoh’s astrologers would miscalculate the precise moment of midnight and as a result say: “Moses is a liar.” But the Holy One, blessed be He, who knows His times and moments, said “at midnight.” |
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כַּֽחֲצֹת הַלַּיְלָה.
כְּהֵחָלֵק הַלַּיְלָה, כַּֽחֲצֹת כְּמוֹ "בַּעֲלוֹת" (מלכים א י"ח), "בַּחֲרוֹת אַפָּם בָּנוּ" (תהילים קכ"ד), זֶהוּ פְּשׁוּטוֹ לְיַשְּׁבוֹ עַל אָפְנָיו, שֶׁאֵין חֲצוֹת שֵׁם דָּבָר שֶׁל חֲצִי. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְרָשׁוּהוּ כְּמוֹ כַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה, וְאָמְרוּ שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה "כַּחֲצוֹת", שֶׁמַּשְׁמַע סָמוּךְ לוֹ, אוֹ לְפָנָיו אוֹ לְאַחֲרָיו, וְלֹא אָמַר "בַּחֲצוֹת", שֶׁמָּא יִטְעוּ אִצְטַגְנִינֵי פַרְעֹה וְיֹאמְרוּ מֹשֶׁה בַּדַּאי הוּא (ברכות ד'):
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| 5Every firstborn in Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh sitting on his throne to the firstborn of the maidservant behind the millstones, as well as every firstborn animal. |
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הוּמֵ֣ת כָּל־בְּכוֹר֘ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ מִבְּכ֤וֹר פַּרְעֹה֙ הַיּשֵׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ עַ֚ד בְּכ֣וֹר הַשִּׁפְחָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר אַחַ֣ר הָֽרֵחָ֑יִם וְכֹ֖ל בְּכ֥וֹר בְּהֵמָֽה: |
| עַד בְּכוֹר השבי - To the firstborn of the prisoner. Why were the prisoners smitten, since they had not enslaved Israel? In order that they not say that their deity claimed retribution for their humiliation and brought punishment upon the Egyptians. |
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עַד בְּכוֹר השבי.
לָמָּה לָקוּ הַשְּׁבוּיִים? כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ, יִרְאָתָם תָּבְעָה עֶלְבּוֹנָם וְהֵבִיאָה פֻּרְעָנוּת עַל מִצְרַיִם:
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| מִבְּכוֹר פַּרְעֹה עַד בְּכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה - From Pharaoh’s firstborn…to the firstborn of the maidservant. This means that all those who were of lesser status than Pharaoh’s firstborn and of higher status than the maidservant’s firstborn were included. And why were the maidservants’ children punished? Because they, too, mistreated the Israelites and rejoiced at their suffering. |
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מִבְּכוֹר פַּרְעֹה עַד בְּכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה.
כָּל הַפְּחוּתִים מִבְּכוֹר פַּרְעֹה וַחֲשׁוּבִים מִבְּכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה הָיוּ בִּכְלָל; וְלָמָּה לָקוּ בְּנֵי הַשְּׁפָחוֹת? שֶׁאַף הֵם הָיוּ מְשַׁעְבְּדִים בָּהֶם וּשְׂמֵחִים בְּצָרָתָם:
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| וְכֹל בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָֽה - And every firstborn animal. They died because the Egyptians worshiped them, and when the Holy One, blessed be He, punishes a nation, He punishes its deities at the same time. |
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וְכֹל בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָֽה.
לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְדִין לָהּ. כְּשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִפְרָע מִן הָאֻמָּה, נִפְרָע מֵאֱלֹהֶיהָ:
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| 6There will be a great outcry throughout all Egypt, such as never has been and never will be again. |
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ווְהָֽיְתָ֛ה צְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּמֹ֨הוּ֙ לֹ֣א נִֽהְיָ֔תָה וְכָמֹ֖הוּ לֹ֥א תֹסִֽף: |
| 7But among the Israelites, no dog will whet its tongue against any person or any beast, in order that you may know that God is differentiating between the Egyptians and the Israelites.’ |
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זוּלְכֹ֣ל | בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹ֤א יֶֽחֱרַץ־כֶּ֨לֶב֙ לְשֹׁנ֔וֹ לְמֵאִ֖ישׁ וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה לְמַ֨עַן֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּן אֲשֶׁר֙ יַפְלֶ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה בֵּ֥ין מִצְרַ֖יִם וּבֵ֥ין יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| לֹא יֶֽחֱרַץ־כֶּלֶב לשונו - I am of the opinion that the word יֶחֱרַץ has the connotation of sharpening, i.e., לֹא יֶחֱרַץ means: “it will not whet its tongue.” And similarly we find לֹא חָרַץ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאִישׁ אֶת לְשֹׁנוֹ, meaning “no one whetted his tongue against any man of the Israelites,” and אָז תֶּחֱרַץ “then you will yell” means “emit a sharp sound,” and לְמוֹרַג חָרוּץ means “a sharp threshing disk,” and “the thoughts of a חָרוּץ” means “of a clever and sharp man,” and “the hand of חֲרוּצִים makes them rich” means “of sharp ones,” i.e., astute merchants. |
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לֹא יֶֽחֱרַץ־כֶּלֶב לשונו.
אוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן שִׁנּוּן – לֹא יְשַׁנֵּן, וְכֵן "לֹא חָרַץ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאִישׁ אֶת לְשׁוֹנוֹ" (יהושע י') – לֹא שִׁנֵּן, "אָז תֶּחֱרַץ" (שמואל ב ה׳:כ״ד) – תִּשְׁתַּנֵּן, "לְמוֹרַג חָרוּץ" (ישעיהו מ"א) – שָׁנוּן, "מַחְשְׁבוֹת חָרוּץ" (משלי כ"א) – אָדָם חָרִיף וְשָׁנוּן, "וְיַד חֲרוּצִים תַּעֲשִׁיר" (שם י') – חֲרִיפִים, סוֹחֲרִים שְׁנוּנִים:
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| אֲשֶׁר יַפְלֶה - means “that He will differentiate.” |
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אֲשֶׁר יַפְלֶה.
יַבְדִּיל:
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| 8All these courtiers of yours will then come down and prostrate themselves before me and say, ‘Leave, you and all the people who follow your counsel!’ After that I will leave with all my people.” He left Pharaoh’s presence indignantly. |
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חוְיָֽרְד֣וּ כָל־עֲבָדֶ֩יךָ֩ אֵ֨לֶּה אֵלַ֜י וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לִ֣י לֵאמֹ֗ר צֵ֤א אַתָּה֙ וְכָל־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־בְּרַגְלֶ֔יךָ וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן אֵצֵ֑א וַיֵּצֵ֥א מֵֽעִם־פַּרְעֹ֖ה בָּֽחֳרִי־אָֽף: |
| וְיָֽרְדוּ כָל־עֲבָדֶיךָ - All these courtiers of yours will then come down. Moses showed respect for royalty, for ultimately Pharaoh himself came down to him at night “and said, ‘Get up and get out from among my people,’” yet Moses did not say to him beforehand, “You will then come to me and prostrate yourself before me.” |
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וְיָֽרְדוּ כָל־עֲבָדֶיךָ.
חָלַק כָּבוֹד לַמַּלְכוּת, שֶׁהֲרֵי בַּסּוֹף יָרַד פַּרְעֹה בְּעַצְמוֹ אֵלָיו בַּלַּיְלָה "וַיֹּאמֶר קוּמוּ צְּאוּ מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי" (שמות י"ב), וְלֹא אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה מִתְּחִלָּה וְיָרַדְתָּ אֵלַי וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ לִי:
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| אֲשֶׁר־בְּרַגְלֶיךָ - (lit., “who are at your feet”). means “who follow your advice and ways.” |
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אֲשֶׁר־בְּרַגְלֶיךָ.
הַהוֹלְכִים אַחַר עֲצָתְךָ וְהִלּוּכְךָ:
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| וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן אֵצֵא - And after that I will leave - with the entire people, from your land. |
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וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן אֵצֵא.
עִם כָּל הָעָם מֵאַרְצְךָ:
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| וַיֵּצֵא מֵֽעִם־פַּרְעֹה - He left Pharaoh’s presence - i.e., when he had finished his words, he left Pharaoh’s presence. |
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וַיֵּצֵא מֵֽעִם־פַּרְעֹה.
כְּשֶׁגָּמַר דְּבָרָיו, יָצָא מִלְּפָנָיו:
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| בָּֽחֳרִי־אָֽף - Indignantly - regarding that which Pharaoh had said to him, “Never see my face again.” |
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בָּֽחֳרִי־אָֽף.
עַל שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ "אַל תֹּסֶף רְאוֹת פָּנַי" (שמות י'):
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| 9God then said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, in order that My marvels may be multiplied in Egypt.” |
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טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה לֹֽא־יִשְׁמַ֥ע אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם פַּרְעֹ֑ה לְמַ֛עַן רְב֥וֹת מֽוֹפְתַ֖י בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| לְמַעַן רְבוֹת מֽוֹפְתַי - In order that My marvels may be multiplied. “My marvels” in the plural indicates a minimum of two, and “multiply” indicates an additional one, making three. This refers to the plague of the firstborn, the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, and the tossing about of the Egyptians in it. |
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לְמַעַן רְבוֹת מֽוֹפְתַי.
מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת וּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף וּלְנַעֵר אֶת מִצְרַיִם:
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| 10Moses and Aaron had performed all these marvels before Pharaoh, but God made Pharaoh stubborn, so he did not send forth the Israelites from his land. |
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יוּמשֶׁ֣ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֗ן עָשׂ֛וּ אֶת־כָּל־הַמֹּֽפְתִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וַיְחַזֵּ֤ק יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹֽא־שִׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵֽאַרְצֽוֹ: |
| משה וְאַֽהֲרֹן עָשׂוּ וגו' - Moses and Aaron had performed… The Torah already wrote this in the description of all the preceding marvels, and it only repeats it here in order to juxtapose it with the following passage. |
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משה וְאַֽהֲרֹן עָשׂוּ וגו'.
כְּבָר כָּתַב לָנוּ זֹאת בְּכָל הַמּוֹפְתִים, וְלֹא שְׁנָאָהּ כָּאן אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל לְסָמְכָהּ לַפָּרָשָׁה שֶׁלְּאַחֲרֶיהָ:
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| 1God said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, showing them the new moon: |
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אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֣ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לֵאמֹֽר: |
| וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן - God said to Moses and Aaron. Since Aaron had acted and exerted himself in performing the marvels like Moses, God accorded him this honor in the first commandment given to Israel as a people by including him with Moses in the statement of this commandment. |
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וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן.
בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאַהֲרֹן עָשָׂה וְטָרַח בַּמּוֹפְתִים כְּמֹשֶׁה, חָלַק לוֹ כָּבוֹד זֶה בְּמִצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, שֶׁכְּלָלוֹ עִם מֹשֶׁה בַּדִּבּוּר:
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| בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם - In Egypt - outside the city. Or perhaps you might think that it was indeed inside the city? Scripture states elsewhere: “When I go out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to God.” Now, if a prayer, which is of relatively minor importance, Moses did not pray inside the city, a Divine utterance, which is more significant, was all the more so not spoken inside the city. And why indeed did God not communicate with Moses inside the city? Because it was full of idols. |
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בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם.
חוּץ לַכְּרַךְ, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּתוֹךְ הַכְּרַךְ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר (לעיל ט כט) "כְּצֵאתִי אֶת הָעִיר וְגוֹ'", וּמַה תְּפִלָּה קַלָּה לֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל בְּתוֹךְ הַכְּרַךְ, דִּבּוּר חָמוּר לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נִדְבַּר עִמּוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַכְּרַךְ? לְפִי שֶׁהָיְתָה מְלֵאָה גִלּוּלִים:
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| 2“This stage of the moon’s monthly renewal will signal the beginning of every new month. This month, Nisan, must be for you the beginning of the months; it must be for you the first of the months of the year. |
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בהַחֹ֧דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם רֹ֣אשׁ חֳדָשִׁ֑ים רִאשׁ֥וֹן הוּא֙ לָכֶ֔ם לְחָדְשֵׁ֖י הַשָּׁנָֽה: |
| הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה - This month. God showed Moses the moon in its renewal (בְּחִדּוּשָׁהּ) and said to him, “When the moon renews itself (מִתְחַדֵּשׁ) like this, it will be for you the beginning of the month.” Additionally, Scripture does not depart from its straightforward meaning: Concerning the month of Nisan God said to Moses, “This month must begin the sequence of numbering the months, that the following month, Iyar, will be called the second, and the next month, Sivan, the third.” |
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הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה.
הֶרְאָהוּ לְבָנָה בְּחִדּוּשָׁהּ וְאָמַר לוֹ כְּשֶׁהַיָּרֵחַ מִתְחַדֵּשׁ יִהְיֶה לְךָ רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ (מכילתא). וְאֵין מִקְרָא יוֹצֵא מִידֵי פְשׁוּטוֹ, עַל חֹדֶשׁ נִיסָן אָמַר לוֹ, זֶה יִהְיֶה רֹאשׁ לְסֵדֶר מִנְיַן הֶחֳדָשִׁים, שֶׁיְּהֵא אִיָּר קָרוּי שֵׁנִי, סִיוָן שְׁלִישִׁי:
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| הַזֶּה - This. Moses had difficulty regarding the reappearance of the moon, as to how much of the moon should be visible in order that it be fit to be consecrated as the new moon of the new month, so God showed him with His finger the moon in the sky and told him “See it like this and consecrate it.” But how could He show him? Did He not speak with him only by day, as it says: “on the day that God spoke to Moses,” “on the day He commanded,” and: “from the day on which God commanded you and from then on”? The answer is, however, that this passage was told to Moses shortly before sunset, and God showed him the moon at dusk. |
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הַזֶּה.
נִתְקַשָּׁה מֹשֶׁה עַל מוֹלַד הַלְּבָנָה, בְּאֵיזוֹ שִׁעוּר תֵּרָאֶה וְתִהְיֶה רְאוּיָה לְקַדֵּשׁ, וְהֶרְאָה לוֹ בְּאֶצְבַּע אֶת הַלְּבָנָה בָּרָקִיעַ וְאָמַר לוֹ כָּזֶה רְאֵה וְקַדֵּשׁ (שם). וְכֵיצַד הֶרְאָהוּ? וַהֲלֹא לֹא הָיָה נִדְבָּר עִמּוֹ אֶלָּא בַּיּוֹם? שֶׁנֶּ' "וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם דִּבֶּר ה'" (שמות ו'), "בְּיוֹם צַוֹּתוֹ" (ויקרא ז'), "מִן הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' וָהָלְאָה" (במדבר ט"ו)? אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לִשְׁקִיעַת הַחַמָּה נֶאֶמְרָה לוֹ פָרָשָׁה זוֹ וְהֶרְאָהוּ עִם חֲשֵׁכָה:
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| 3Speak together to the entire community of Israel, saying: On the 10th of this month, each man among them who heads an extended family-unit must take for himself a lamb or kid for his extended family, unless the extended family is so big that not everyone will be able to eat a kezayit of it, in which case, they should take a lamb or kid for each nuclear family. |
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גדַּבְּר֗וּ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֶּֽעָשׂ֖ר לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וְיִקְח֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם אִ֛ישׁ שֶׂ֥ה לְבֵֽית־אָבֹ֖ת שֶׂ֥ה לַבָּֽיִת: |
| דַּבְּרוּ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת - Speak to the entire community. But was Aaron to speak? Does it not already say regarding Moses: “You must speak”? The answer is, however, that Moses and Aaron accorded each other respect and said to each other, “Teach me what to say,” and thus the Divine word issued from both of them as if they were both speaking. |
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דַּבְּרוּ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת.
וְכִי אַהֲרֹן מְדַבֵּר? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר אַתָּה תְדַבֵּר? אֶלָּא חוֹלְקִין כָּבוֹד זֶה לָזֶה, וְאוֹמְרִים זֶה לָזֶה לַמְּדֵנִי, וְהַדִּבּוּר יוֹצֵא מִבֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאִלּוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם מְדַבְּרִים (מכילתא):
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| דַּבְּרוּ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר בֶּֽעָשׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ - Speak to the entire community of Israel, saying: on the 10th of [this] month - i.e., speak to them today, on the first day of the month, telling them that they must take the lamb on the tenth of the month. |
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דַּבְּרוּ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר בֶּֽעָשׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ.
דַּבְּרוּ הַיּוֹם, בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁיִּקָּחוּהוּ בֶּעָשֹׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ:
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| הַזֶּה - This. This teaches us that the Passover offering brought in Egypt was to be taken on the tenth of Nisan, but not the Passover offering of future generations. |
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הַזֶּה.
פֶּסַח מִצְרַיִם מִקְחוֹ בֶעָשׂוֹר, וְלֹא פֶּסַח דּוֹרוֹת (פסחים צ"ו):
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| שֶׂה לְבֵֽית־אָבֹת - (lit.) A lamb or kid per paternal house - i.e., for one family. Now, I might think that even if the family were many, they would still only require one lamb for all of them. Scripture therefore states: שֶׂה לַבָּיִת “a lamb (lit.) per household.” |
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שֶׂה לְבֵֽית־אָבֹת.
לְמִשְׁפָּחָה אַחַת; הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיוּ מְרֻבִּין, יָכוֹל שֶׂה אֶחָד לְכֻלָּן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "שֶׂה לַבָּיִת" (מכילתא):
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| 4If the nuclear family is too small to require a lamb or kid, then the family-head and a neighbor near his home must take one together, according to the number of people. You must be counted for the lamb or kid according to what each individual eats. |
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דוְאִם־יִמְעַ֣ט הַבַּ֘יִת֘ מִֽהְי֣וֹת מִשֶּׂה֒ וְלָקַ֣ח ה֗וּא וּשְׁכֵנ֛וֹ הַקָּרֹ֥ב אֶל־בֵּית֖וֹ בְּמִכְסַ֣ת נְפָשֹׁ֑ת אִ֚ישׁ לְפִ֣י אָכְל֔וֹ תָּכֹ֖סּוּ עַל־הַשֶֽׂה: |
| וְאִם־יִמְעַט הַבַּיִת מִֽהְיוֹת מִשֶּׂה - means: “if the members of the household are too few to be sufficient for one lamb,” that they cannot eat all of it and some of it will thus be left over, “he and his neighbor…must take one together.” This is its meaning according to the straightforward explanation. But there is also another, halachic exposition: The verse teaches us that after the members of the household have been registered as a group for eating the lamb, they may reduce their number by some of them withdrawing from the group assigned to eat it and registering for another lamb. However, if they wish to withdraw from the group and reduce their number, it has to be מִהְיוֹת מִשֶּׂה, i.e., they may reduce their number while the lamb still exists, – i.e., when it is alive, and not after it has already been slaughtered. |
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וְאִם־יִמְעַט הַבַּיִת מִֽהְיוֹת מִשֶּׂה.
וְאִם יִהְיוּ מוּעָטִים מִהְיוֹת מִשֶּׂה אֶחָד, שֶׁאֵין יְכוֹלִין לְאָכְלוֹ וְיָבֹא לִידֵי נוֹתָר, וְלָקַח הוּא וּשְׁכֵנוֹ וגו'
זֶהוּ מַשְׁמָעוֹ לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ בּוֹ מִדְרָשׁ: לְלַמֵּד, שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁנִּמְנוּ עָלָיו, יְכוֹלִין לְהִתְמַעֵט וְלִמְשֹׁךְ יְדֵיהֶם הֵימֶנּוּ וּלְהִמָּנוֹת עַל שֶׂה אַחֵר; אַךְ אִם בָּאוּ לִמְשֹׁךְ יְדֵיהֶם וּלְהִתְמַעֵט, מהיות משה, יִתְמַעֲטוּ בְּעוֹד הַשֶּׂה קַיָּם, בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בַחַיִּים וְלֹא מִשֶּׁנִּשְׁחַט (פסחים פ"ט):
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| בְּמִכְסַת - means “according to the number.” Similarly we find מִכְסַת הָעֶרְכְּךָ “the amount of the field’s value.” |
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בְּמִכְסַת.
חֶשְׁבּוֹן, וְכֵן "מִכְסַת הָעֶרְכְּךָ" (ויקרא כ"ז):
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| לְפִי אָכְלוֹ - (lit.) According to his eating - implies that only one who is able to eat of the lamb can be counted for it. This excludes the sick or elderly who cannot eat a kezayit. |
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לְפִי אָכְלוֹ.
הָרָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה, פְּרָט לְחוֹלֶה וּלְזָקֵן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֶאֱכֹל כַּזַּיִת (מכילתא):
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| תָּכֹסּוּ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: תִּתְמְנוּן – you must be counted. |
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תָּכֹסּוּ.
"תִּתְמְנוּן":
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| 5You must use a flawless young male animal in its first year for this offering; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. |
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השֶׂ֧ה תָמִ֛ים זָכָ֥ר בֶּן־שָׁנָ֖ה יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם מִן־הַכְּבָשִׂ֥ים וּמִן־הָֽעִזִּ֖ים תִּקָּֽחוּ: |
| תָמִים - Perfect - i.e., without a blemish. |
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תָמִים.
בְּלֹא מוּם:
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| בֶּן־שָׁנָה - (lit.) Of one year. Its entire first year it is called בֶּן שָׁנָה; meaning that it was born in that year. |
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בֶּן־שָׁנָה.
כָּל שְׁנָתוֹ קָרוּי בֶּן שָׁנָה, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁנּוֹלַד בְּשָׁנָה זוֹ:
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| מִן־הַכְּבָשִׂים וּמִן־הָֽעִזִּים - From the sheep (lit.) and from the goats - i.e., either from one or the other, for a goat is also called שֶׂה, as it says: וְשֵׂה עִזִּים “and goat-kids.” |
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מִן־הַכְּבָשִׂים וּמִן־הָֽעִזִּים.
אוֹ מִזֶּה אוֹ מִזֶּה, שֶׁאַף עֵז קָרוּי שֶׂה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְשֵׂה עִזִּים" (דברים י"ד):
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| 6You must keep watch over it until the 14th day of this month. The entire assembled community of Israel must slaughter their sacrifices in the afternoon of the 14th. |
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ווְהָיָ֤ה לָכֶם֙ לְמִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת עַ֣ד אַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר י֖וֹם לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וְשָֽׁחֲט֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ כֹּ֛ל קְהַ֥ל עֲדַת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בֵּ֥ין הָֽעַרְבָּֽיִם: |
| וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת - You must keep watch over it. This denotes examination, indicating that the animal needs to be checked for blemishes for four days prior to slaughter. And why did God require here that the animal be taken four days before its slaughter, which is something that He did not command regarding the Passover offering of future generations? Rabbi Matya ben Charash would say: It says: “And I passed over you and saw you, and look, your time was the time of love” – i.e., the time had arrived for the fulfillment of the oath that I swore to Abraham, namely, that I would redeem his children, but they had no commandments with which to occupy themselves in order to merit to be redeemed, as it says: “and you were naked and bare.” So God gave them two commandments: the blood of the Passover offering and the blood of circumcision – for they circumcised themselves on that night – as it says: “and I saw you wallowing in your bloods,” i.e., in two kinds of blood; and it also says: “You, too, through the blood of your covenant of circumcision I released your imprisoned ones from a pit that had no water.” And because they were steeped in idolatry, He said to them: מִשְׁכוּ וּקְחוּ לָכֶם “Draw and take for yourselves” – i.e., withdraw (מִשְׁכוּ) yourselves from idolatry and take for yourselves the sheep for fulfilling the commandment. By holding the animal for four days and not slaughtering it immediately they demonstrated that their withdrawal was a conscious decision and not impulsive. |
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וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת.
זֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן בִּקּוּר, שֶׁטָּעוּן בִּקּוּר מִמּוּם אַרְבָּעָה יָמִים קֹדֶם שְׁחִיטָה (פסחים צ"ו). וּמִפְּנֵי מָה הִקְדִּים לְקִיחָתוֹ לִשְׁחִיטָתוֹ אַרְבָּעָה יָמִים, מַה שֶּׁלֹּא צִוָּה כֵן בְּפֶסַח דּוֹרוֹת? הָיָה רַ' מַתְיָא בֶּן חָרָשׁ אוֹמֵר, הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר "וָאֶעֱבֹר עָלַיִךְ וָאֶרְאֵךְ וְהִנֵּה עִתֵּךְ עֵת דּוֹדִים" (יחזקאל ט"ז) – הִגִּיעָה שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם שֶׁאֶגְאַל אֶת בָּנָיו, וְלֹא הָיוּ בְיָדָם מִצְווֹת לְהִתְעַסֵּק בָּהֶם כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּגָּאֲלוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְאַתְּ עֵרוֹם וְעֶרְיָה" (שם), וְנָתַן לָהֶם שְׁתֵּי מִצְווֹת, דַּם פֶּסַח וְדַם מִילָה, שֶׁמָּלוּ בְאוֹתוֹ הַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת בְּדָמָיִךְ" (שם) – בִּשְׁנֵי דָּמִים, וְאוֹמֵר "גַּם אַתְּ בְּדַם בְּרִיתֵךְ שִׁלַּחְתִּי אֲסִירַיִךְ מִבּוֹר אֵין מַיִם בּוֹ" (זכריה ט'); וּלְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁטוּפִין בֶּאֱלִילִים אָמַר לָהֶם משכו וקחו לכם, מִשְׁכוּ יְדֵיכֶם מֵאֱלִילִים, וּקְחוּ לָכֶם צֹאן שֶׁל מִצְוָה (מכילתא):
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| וְשָֽׁחֲטוּ אֹתוֹ וגו' - And…must slaughter it…. But did all of them slaughter the lamb? Rather, from here we learn that a person’s agent is like himself. |
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וְשָֽׁחֲטוּ אֹתוֹ וגו'.
וְכִי כֻּלָּן שׁוֹחֲטִין? אֶלָּא מִכָּאן שֶׁשְּׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם כְּמוֹתוֹ (קידושין מלכים א):
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| קְהַל עֲדַת־יִשְׂרָאֵל - The assembled community of Israel. There are three expressions used here: קָהָל “assembly,” עֵדָה “community,” and יִשְׂרָאֵל “Israel.” From here our rabbis said: The community Passover offerings were slaughtered in three shifts, one after another. The first shift entered the Courtyard of the Temple and the doors of the Courtyard were then locked…; as is stated in Tractate Pesachim. |
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קְהַל עֲדַת־יִשְׂרָאֵל.
קָהָל וְעֵדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל; מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ, פִּסְחֵי צִבּוּר נִשְׁחָטִין בְּשָׁלוֹשׁ כִּתּוֹת זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ, נִכְנְסָה כַת רִאשׁוֹנָה נִנְעֲלוּ דַּלְתוֹת הָעֲזָרָה וְכוּ'. כִּדְאִיתָא בִּפְסָחִים (דף ס"ד):
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| בֵּין הָֽעַרְבָּֽיִם - In the afternoon. From the end of six hours of the day onwards is called בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם, when the sun leans towards its place of setting to begin evening. The expression בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם appears to me to denote those hours that are between the darkening (עֲרִיבַת) of the day and the darkening (עֲרִיבַת) of the night – the darkening of the day starts from the beginning of the seventh hour of the day, when the shadows of evening begin to fall, and the darkening of the night is at the beginning of the night. The word עֶרֶב is an expression of twilight and darkness, as in עָרְבָה כָּל שִׂמְחָה “all joy has turned dark.” |
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בֵּין הָֽעַרְבָּֽיִם.
מִשֵּׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת וּלְמַעְלָה קָרוּי בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם, שֶׁהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ נוֹטֶה לְבֵית מְבוֹאוֹ לַעֲרֹב; וּלְשׁוֹן בין הערבים נִרְאֶה בְעֵינַי אוֹתָן שָׁעוֹת שֶׁבֵּין עֲרִיבַת הַיּוֹם לַעֲרִיבַת הַלַּיְלָה, עֲרִיבַת הַיּוֹם בִּתְחִלַּת ז' שָׁעוֹת מִכִּי יִנָּטוּ צִלְלֵי עֶרֶב, וַעֲרִיבַת הַלַּיְלָה בִּתְחִלַּת הַלַּיְלָה. ערב לְשׁוֹן נֶשֶׁף וְחֹשֶׁךְ, כְּמוֹ "עָרְבָה כָּל שִׂמְחָה" (ישעיהו כ"ד):
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| 7They must take some of the blood and place it on the two doorposts and on the lintel inside the houses in which they will eat the sacrifice. |
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זוְלָֽקְחוּ֙ מִן־הַדָּ֔ם וְנָֽתְנ֛וּ עַל־שְׁתֵּ֥י הַמְּזוּזֹ֖ת וְעַל־הַמַּשְׁק֑וֹף עַ֚ל הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יֹֽאכְל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ בָּהֶֽם: |
| וְלָֽקְחוּ מִן־הַדָּם - They must take some of the blood. This refers to the ritual receiving of the blood. One might have thought that it was accepted in the hand, so Scripture states: “the blood that is in the basin.” |
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וְלָֽקְחוּ מִן־הַדָּם.
זוֹ קַבָּלַת הַדָּם, יָכוֹל בַּיָּד? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר אשר בסף (מכילתא):
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| הַמְּזוּזֹת - Doorposts - These are the uprights of the doorframe, one on one side of the entrance and one on the other. |
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הַמְּזוּזֹת.
הֵם הַזְּקוּפוֹת אַחַת מִכָּאן לַפֶּתַח וְאַחַת מִכָּאן:
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| הַמַּשְׁקוֹף - The lintel - This is the upper beam, upon which the door strikes when one closes it; “lintel” in Old French (“lintel”). The term שְׁקִיפָה connotes beating, as in קוֹל עָלֶה נִדָּף “the sound of a rustling leaf,” which is translated by Onkelos as קָל טַרְפָּא דְשָׁקִיף, and חַבּוּרָה “bruise” is translated as מַשְׁקוֹפֵי. |
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הַמַּשְׁקוֹף.
הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁהַדֶּלֶת שׁוֹקֵף עָלָיו כְּשֶׁסּוֹגְרִין אוֹתוֹ, לינטי"ל בְּלַעַז; וּלְשׁוֹן שְׁקִיפָה חֲבָטָה, כְּמוֹ "קוֹל עָלֶה נִדָּף" (ויקרא כ"ו) – דְשָׁקִיף, חַבּוּרָה – מַשְׁקוֹפֵי:
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| עַל־הַבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר־יֹֽאכְלוּ אֹתוֹ בָּהֶֽם - Inside the houses in which they will eat it - and not upon the lintel and doorposts of the doors in a barn for straw or in a cattle shed, in which people do not live and eat. |
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עַל־הַבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר־יֹֽאכְלוּ אֹתוֹ בָּהֶֽם.
וְלֹא עַל מַשְׁקוֹף וּמְזוּזוֹת שֶׁבְּבֵית הַתֶּבֶן וּבֵית הַבָּקָר, שֶׁאֵין דָּרִין בְּתוֹכוֹ (ע' מכילתא):
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| 8They must eat all the meat on that night. They must eat it roasted over fire, with matzah, and together with bitter herbs. |
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חוְאָֽכְל֥וּ אֶת־הַבָּשָׂ֖ר בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַזֶּ֑ה צְלִי־אֵ֣שׁ וּמַצּ֔וֹת עַל־מְרֹרִ֖ים יֹאכְלֻֽהוּ: |
| אֶת־הַבָּשָׂר - The meat - but not the sinews and bones. |
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אֶת־הַבָּשָׂר.
וְלֹא גִּידִים וַעֲצָמוֹת (שם):
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| וּמַצּוֹת עַל־מְרֹרִים - Together with bitter herbs (). Any bitter herb is called מָרוֹר. God commanded them to eat bitter herbs as a reminder of: “They embittered their lives.” |
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וּמַצּוֹת עַל־מְרֹרִים.
כָּל עֵשֶׂב מַר נִקְרָא מָרוֹר; וְצִוָּם לֶאֱכֹל מַר זֵכֶר לְ"וַיְמָרְרוּ אֶת חַיֵּיהֶם" (שמות א'):
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| 9Tell them: ‘Do not eat any of it partially roasted or cooked in water or any other liquid, but only fully roasted over fire whole, together with its head, its legs, and its internal organs. |
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טאַל־תֹּֽאכְל֤וּ מִמֶּ֨נּוּ֙ נָ֔א וּבָשֵׁ֥ל מְבֻשָּׁ֖ל בַּמָּ֑יִם כִּ֣י אִם־צְלִי־אֵ֔שׁ רֹאשׁ֥וֹ עַל־כְּרָעָ֖יו וְעַל־קִרְבּֽוֹ: |
| אַל־תֹּֽאכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ נָא - Do not eat any of it partially roasted (). Meat which is not fully roasted is called נא in Arabic. |
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אַל־תֹּֽאכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ נָא.
שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָלוּי כָּל צָרְכּוֹ קוֹרְאוֹ נָא בְלָשׁוֹן עֲרָבִי:
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| וּבָשֵׁל מְבֻשָּׁל - (lit.) Or cooked in any way. All this is part of the prohibition of “do not eat.” |
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וּבָשֵׁל מְבֻשָּׁל.
כָּל זֶה בְּאַזְהָרַת אל תאכלו:
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| בַּמָּיִם - In water. And from where do we know that this prohibition applies also to other liquids? Scripture states: וּבָשֵׁל מְבֻשָּׁל, the repeated verb implying: under any circumstances. |
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בַּמָּיִם.
מִנַּיִן לִשְׁאָר מַשְׁקִין? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וּבָשֵׁל מְבֻשָּׁל, מִכָּל מָקוֹם (פסחים מ"א):
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| כִּי אִם־צְלִי־אֵשׁ - But only roasted. Above, where it also states that the sacrifice was to be eaten roasted, Scripture ordained it in the form of a positive commandment, but here Scripture added to it a negative commandment: “do not eat any of it…but only roasted.” |
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כִּי אִם־צְלִי־אֵשׁ.
לְמַעְלָה גָּזַר עָלָיו בְּמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה, וְכָאן הוֹסִיף עָלָיו לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, אל תאכלו ממנו … כי אם צלי אש:
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| רֹאשׁוֹ עַל־כְּרָעָיו - (lit.) Its head upon its legs - i.e., roast all of it together as one, with its head, its legs, and its internal organs; and also its intestines he put inside it after they have been rinsed. The expression עַל כְּרָעָיו וְעַל קִרְבּוֹ is similar to the expression עַל צִבְאוֹתָם, which is the same in meaning as בְּצִבְאוֹתָם “by their hosts” – i.e., all of them as they are. This, too, means: as it is – its entire flesh whole. |
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רֹאשׁוֹ עַל־כְּרָעָיו.
צוֹלֵהוּ כֻּלּוֹ כְאֶחָד עִם רֹאשׁוֹ וְעִם כְּרָעָיו וְעִם קִרְבּוֹ, וּבְנֵי מֵעָיו נוֹתֵן לְתוֹכוֹ אַחַר הֲדָחָתָן (שם ע"ד); וּלְשׁוֹן על קרבו כִּלְשׁוֹן "עַל צִבְאוֹתָם" (שמות ו'), כְּמוֹ בְּצִבְאוֹתָם – כְּמוֹת שֶׁהֵן, אַף זֶה כְּמוֹת שֶׁהוּא – כָּל בְּשָׂרוֹ מִשָּׁלֵם:
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| 10You must not leave any of it over until morning. Any of it that is left over until morning, you must burn in fire. |
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יוְלֹֽא־תוֹתִ֥ירוּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ עַד־בֹּ֑קֶר וְהַנֹּתָ֥ר מִמֶּ֛נּוּ עַד־בֹּ֖קֶר בָּאֵ֥שׁ תִּשְׂרֹֽפוּ: |
| וְהַנֹּתָר מִמֶּנּוּ עַד־בֹּקֶר - Any of it that is left over until morning. Why does Scripture state “until morning” a second time? That one is to add an earlier stage of morning to the stage of morning already mentioned – for “morning” usually means “beginning at sunrise,” so by repeating the word Scripture brings the time forward, implying that it is forbidden to eat it already from dawn. This is according to its straightforward explanation. But there is also another exposition: The repetition teaches us that whatever of the Passover offering is left over is not burned on the festival itself but only on the next day, and this is how you are to explain the verse: and whatever is left over on the first morning, you must wait “until the second morning,” and only then burn it. |
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וְהַנֹּתָר מִמֶּנּוּ עַד־בֹּקֶר.
מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר עד בקר פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה? לִתֵּן בֹּקֶר עַל בֹּקֶר, שֶׁהַבֹּקֶר מַשְׁמָעוֹ מִשְּׁעַת הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה, וּבָא הַכָּתוּב לְהַקְדִּים שֶׁאָסוּר בַּאֲכִילָה מֵעֲלוֹת הַשַּׁחַר, זֶהוּ לְפִי מַשְׁמָעוֹ. וְעוֹד מִדְרָשׁ אַחֵר, לִמֵּד שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִשְׂרָף בְּיוֹם טוֹב אֶלָּא מִמָּחֳרָת, וְכָךְ תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ: וְהַנּוֹתָר מִמֶּנּוּ בְּבֹקֶר רִאשׁוֹן, עַד בֹּקֶר שֵׁנִי תַעֲמֹד וְתִשְׂרְפֶנּוּ (מכילתא):
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| 11And this is how you must eat it: with your waist belted, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You must eat it in haste. This offering will be known as “the Passover offering to God,” because I will pass over any Israelite firstborn. |
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יאוְכָ֘כָה֘ תֹּֽאכְל֣וּ אֹתוֹ֒ מָתְנֵיכֶ֣ם חֲגֻרִ֔ים נַֽעֲלֵיכֶם֙ בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם וּמַקֶּלְכֶ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם וַֽאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ בְּחִפָּז֔וֹן פֶּ֥סַח ה֖וּא לַיהֹוָֽה: |
| מָתְנֵיכֶם חֲגֻרִים - Your waist belted - act prepared for travel. |
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מָתְנֵיכֶם חֲגֻרִים.
מְזֻמָּנִים לַדֶּרֶךְ:
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| בְּחִפָּזוֹן - This is an expression of haste and speed, as in “and David was in a hurry (נֶחְפָּז) to leave,” and “that the Arameans had cast off in their haste (בְּחָפְזָם) to flee.” |
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בְּחִפָּזוֹן.
לְשׁוֹן בֶּהָלָה וּמְהִירוּת, כְּמוֹ "וַיְהִי דָּוִד נֶחְפָּז לָלֶכֶת" (שמואל א' כ"ג), "אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁלִיכוּ אֲרָם בְּחָפְזָם" (מלכים ב' ז'):
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| פֶּסַח הוּא לה' - It is the Passover offering to God. The offering is called Passover (פֶּסַח) because of the skipping and passing over (פְּסִיחָה), for the Holy One, blessed be He, skipped over the houses of the Israelites that were among the houses of the Egyptians, and He jumped from Egyptian to Egyptian while an Israelite in the middle was spared harm. So you, too, perform each component of the Passover offering service in honor of God, like one “springing and jumping,” as a reminder of its name that it is called פֶּסַח “the Passover offering.” And also “pasche,” the Old French word for the Passover festival, means “stepping over.” |
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פֶּסַח הוּא לה'.
הַקָּרְבָּן קָרוּי פסח עַל שֵׁם הַדִּלּוּג וְהַפְּסִיחָה, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָיָה מְדַלֵּג בָּתֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִבֵּין בָּתֵּי מִצְרַיִם וְקוֹפֵץ מִמִּצְרִי לְמִצְרִי וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶמְצָעִי נִמְלָט; וְאַתֶּם עֲשׂוּ כָל עֲבוֹדוֹתָיו לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, דֶּרֶךְ דִּלּוּג וּקְפִיצָה, זֵכֶר לִשְׁמוֹ שֶׁקָּרוּי פסח; וְגַם פשק"א לְשׁוֹן פְּסִיעָה:
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| 12I will pass through Egypt on that night and I will strike down every firstborn in Egypt, whether man or beast. Upon all the gods of Egypt I will mete out chastisements. I, God, will do this. |
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יבוְעָֽבַרְתִּ֣י בְאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֘יִם֘ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַזֶּה֒ וְהִכֵּיתִ֤י כָל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵֽאָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה וּבְכָל־אֱלֹהֵ֥י מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה שְׁפָטִ֖ים אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
| וְעָֽבַרְתִּי - I will pass - like a king passing from place to place to redeem the Israelites, and in the course of this one passing and in one moment all the firstborn will be smitten. |
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וְעָֽבַרְתִּי.
כְּמֶלֶךְ הָעוֹבֵר מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם (מכילתא), וּבְהַעֲבָרָה אַחַת וּבְרֶגַע אֶחָד כֻּלָּן לוֹקִים:
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| כָל־בְּכוֹר בְאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם - Every firstborn in Egypt - even the firstborn of other nations who were then in Egypt. And from where do we know that also the Egyptian firstborn who were in other places were smitten? Scripture states: “To the One who smote the Egyptians through their firstborn.” |
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כָל־בְּכוֹר בְאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם.
אַף בְּכוֹרוֹת אֲחֵרִים וְהֵם בְּמִצְרַיִם. וּמִנַּיִן אַף בְּכוֹרֵי מִצְרַיִם שֶׁבִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "לְמַכֵּה מִצְרַיִם בִּבְכוֹרֵיהֶם" (תהלים קל"ו):
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| מֵֽאָדָם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָה - (lit.) From man to beast. With the one who started the sin began the punishment. |
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מֵֽאָדָם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָה.
מִי שֶׁהִתְחִיל בַּעֲבֵרָה מִמֶּנּוּ מַתְחֶלֶת הַפֻּרְעָנוּת (מכילתא):
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| וּבְכָל־אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם - Upon all the gods of Egypt. Those of wood rotted, and those of metal dissolved and melted onto the ground. |
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וּבְכָל־אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם.
שֶׁל עֵץ נִרְקֶבֶת וְשֶׁל מַתֶּכֶת נִמְסֵת וְנִתֶּכֶת לָאָרֶץ (שם):
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| אֶֽעֱשֶׂה שְׁפָטִים אֲנִי ה' - I will mete out chastisements; I, God - i.e., I Myself, and not through an emissary. |
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אֶֽעֱשֶׂה שְׁפָטִים אֲנִי ה'.
אֲנִי בְעַצְמִי, וְלֹא עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ:
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| 13The blood will serve you as a sign on the houses in which you are: I will see the blood and I will mercifully pass over you, and there will be no destructive plague among you when I strike Egypt. |
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יגוְהָיָה֩ הַדָּ֨ם לָכֶ֜ם לְאֹ֗ת עַ֤ל הַבָּתִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתֶּ֣ם שָׁ֔ם וְרָאִ֨יתִי֙ אֶת־הַדָּ֔ם וּפָֽסַחְתִּ֖י עֲלֵכֶ֑ם וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֨ה בָכֶ֥ם נֶ֨גֶף֙ לְמַשְׁחִ֔ית בְּהַכֹּתִ֖י בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| וְהָיָה הַדָּם לָכֶם לְאֹת - The blood will serve you as a sign. It will act as a sign for you, but not as a sign for others. From here we may infer that the Israelites placed the blood only on the inside of the doorposts. |
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וְהָיָה הַדָּם לָכֶם לְאֹת.
לָכֶם לְאוֹת וְלֹא לַאֲחֵרִים לְאוֹת (שם). מִכָּאן שֶׁלֹּא נָתְנוּ הַדָּם אֶלָּא מִבִּפְנִים:
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| וְרָאִיתִי אֶת־הַדָּם - I will see the blood. Everything is revealed to Him, so why does the Torah imply that He needed to look at the blood? Rather, this is what the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I will turn My attention to observe that you are occupied with My command, and then I will pass over you. |
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וְרָאִיתִי אֶת־הַדָּם.
הַכֹּל גָּלוּי לְפָנָיו, אֶלָּא אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, נוֹתֵן אֲנִי אֶת עֵינַי לִרְאוֹת שֶׁאַתֶּם עֲסוּקִים בְּמִצְווֹתַי, וּפוֹסֵחַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם (שם):
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| וּפָֽסַחְתִּי - Some say that its meaning is: “I will have pity,” and a similar example of this verb in this sense is: פָּסוֹחַ וְהִמְלִיט “having pity and delivering.” But I say that every form of פְּסִיחָה means “skipping over and leaping.” Thus וּפָסַחְתִּי denotes that God was skipping from the Israelite houses to the Egyptian houses, for they were dwelling amongst one another. Similarly פֹּסְחִים עַל שְׁתֵּי הַסְּעִפִּים “(lit.) leaping upon (i.e., vacillating between) the two opinions,” and likewise all פִּסְחִים (lame people) are so called because they walk as if they are springing; and similarly פָּסוֹחַ וְהִמְלִיט means “He skips over him and lets him escape amidst those being slain.” |
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וּפָֽסַחְתִּי.
וְחָמַלְתִּי, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ "פָּסֹחַ וְהִמְלִיט" (ישעיהו ל"א). וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר, כָּל פְּסִיחָה לְשׁוֹן דִּלּוּג וּקְפִיצָה. ופסחתי, מְדַלֵּג הָיָה מִבָּתֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבָתֵּי מִצְרִיִּים, שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁרוּיִים זֶה בְּתוֹךְ זֶה, וְכֵן "פּוֹסְחִים עַל שְׁתֵּי הַסְּעִפִּים" (מלכים א י"ח), וְכֵן כָּל הַפִּסְּחִים – הוֹלְכִים כְּקוֹפְצִים, וְכֵן "פָּסֹחַ וְהִמְלִיט" – מְדַלְּגוֹ וּמְמַלְּטוֹ מִבֵּין הַמּוּמָתִים:
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| וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶף - And there will be no destructive plague among you - but there will be among the Egyptians. Now if an Egyptian were in the house of an Israelite, I might have thought he would be saved. Scripture therefore states: “there will be no destructive plague among you,” but there will be with an Egyptian who is in your house. And if an Israelite were in the house of a Egyptian, I may have understood that he would be smitten like the Egyptian, so Scripture states: “there will be no destructive plague among you” wherever you may be. |
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וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶף.
אֲבָל הוֶֹה הוּא בַּמִּצְרִים. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה מִצְרִי בְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, יָכוֹל יִמָּלֵט? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶף", אֲבָל הֹוֶה בַּמִּצְרִים שֶׁבְּבָתֵּיכֶם. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל מִצְרִי, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי יִלְקֶה כְמוֹתוֹ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶף" (מכילתא):
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| 14This day, 15 Nisan, will become a day of remembrance for you, and you must celebrate it as a festival to God; once you enter the Promised Land you must celebrate it as an everlasting statute throughout all your generations, as follows: |
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ידוְהָיָה֩ הַיּ֨וֹם הַזֶּ֤ה לָכֶם֙ לְזִכָּר֔וֹן וְחַגֹּתֶ֥ם אֹת֖וֹ חַ֣ג לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם תְּחָגֻּֽהוּ: |
| לְזִכָּרוֹן - A remembrance - for future generations. |
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לְזִכָּרוֹן.
לְדוֹרוֹת:
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| וְחַגֹּתֶם אֹתוֹ - And you must celebrate it - i.e., that day which will be for you as a remembrance, you must celebrate. But we have not yet heard which day is the day of remembrance. Scripture therefore states: “Remember this day, on which you went out of Egypt.” This teaches us that the day of their leaving Egypt is to be the day of remembrance. And on which day did they leave? Scripture states: “On the day following the Passover sacrifice the Israelites left.” We may thus say that the 15th of Nisan is to be a festival day, for on the night of the 15th they ate the Passover offering, and the following morning, the day of the 15th, they left Egypt. |
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וְחַגֹּתֶם אֹתוֹ.
יוֹם שֶׁהוּא לְךָ לְזִכָּרוֹן אַתָּה חוֹגְגוֹ. וַעֲדַיִן לֹא שָׁמַעְנוּ אֵיזֶהוּ יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "זָכוֹר אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר יְצָאתֶם" (שמות י"ג), לִמְּדָנוּ, שֶׁיּוֹם הַיְצִיאָה הוּא יוֹם שֶׁל זִכָּרוֹן. וְאֵי זֶה יוֹם יָצְאוּ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "מִמָּחֳרַת הַפֶּסַח יָצְאוּ" (במדבר ל"ג), הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר יוֹם חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן הוּא שֶׁל יוֹם טוֹב, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֵיל חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָֹר אָכְלוּ אֶת הַפֶּסַח וְלַבֹּקֶר יָצְאוּ (מכילתא):
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| לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם וגו' - Throughout your generations. From this word alone I may have understood that it means only a minimum number of generations, i.e., two. Scripture therefore states: “You must celebrate it as an everlasting rule.” |
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לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם וגו'.
שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי מִעוּט דּוֹרוֹת שְׁנַיִם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "חֻקַּת עוֹלָם תְּחָגֻּהוּ" (שם):
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| 15For seven days you must eat matzos. But on the previous day, you must clear your houses of leavening agents, for the soul of anyone who eats leavened food from the first day until the seventh day will be cut off from Israel—he will die prematurely and childless. |
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טושִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ מַצּ֣וֹת תֹּאכֵ֔לוּ אַ֚ךְ בַּיּ֣וֹם הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן תַּשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ שְּׂאֹ֖ר מִבָּֽתֵּיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י | כָּל־אֹכֵ֣ל חָמֵ֗ץ וְנִכְרְתָ֞ה הַנֶּ֤פֶשׁ הַהִוא֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִיּ֥וֹם הָֽרִאשֹׁ֖ן עַד־י֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִעִֽי: |
| שִׁבְעַת יָמִים - means: a “seteyne” (group of seven) of days. |
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שִׁבְעַת יָמִים.
שטיינ"א שֶׁל יָמִים:
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| שִׁבְעַת יָמִים מַצּוֹת תֹּאכֵלוּ - For seven days you must eat matzos - but in another place it says: “for six days you must eat matzos.” This teaches us about the seventh day of Passover that there is no obligation to eat matzah on that day, as long as one does not eat chametz. And from where do we know that eating matzah on the other six days is also voluntary? Scripture states: “for six days” – for this is a rule by which the Torah is expounded: Something that was included in a general law, and was then singled out from the general law to teach us something about this singled out item, was not singled out to teach us that thing only about itself, but was singled out to teach us that thing regarding the entire general law. Thus, just as we have ascertained that on the seventh day eating matzah is voluntary, so too, eating matzah on the other six days is voluntary. I might now think that eating matzah on the first night is also voluntary. Scripture therefore states: “on the night following the 14th day of the month you must eat matzos.” Scripture thus established it as an obligation to eat matzah on that night. |
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שִׁבְעַת יָמִים מַצּוֹת תֹּאכֵלוּ.
וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר הוּא אוֹמֵר "שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת" (דברים ט"ז) לִמֵּד עַל שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁל פֶּסַח שֶׁאֵינוֹ חוֹבָה לֶאֱכֹל מַצָּה, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יֹאכַל חָמֵץ; מִנַּיִן אַף שִׁשָּׁה רְשׁוּת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים". זוֹ מִדָּה בַתּוֹרָה, דָּבָר שֶׁהָיָה בִּכְלָל וְיָצָא מִן הַכְּלָל לְלַמֵּד, לֹא לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמוֹ בִּלְבַד יָצָא, אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד עַל הַכְּלָל כֻּלּוֹ יָצָא, מַה שְּׁבִיעִי רְשׁוּת אַף שִׁשָּׁה רְשׁוּת; יָכוֹל אַף הַלַּיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹן רְשׁוּת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "בָּעֶרֶב תֹּאכְלוּ מַצֹּת" – הַכָּתוּב קְבָעוֹ חוֹבָה (פסחים ק"כ):
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| אַךְ בַּיּוֹם הָֽרִאשׁוֹן תַּשְׁבִּיתוּ שאור - But on (lit.) the first day you must clear…leavening agents. i.e., on the day before the festival. It is called רִאשׁוֹן because it comes directly before the seven days of the festival, and we find that something preceding another thing is termed רִאשׁוֹן relative to it, as in הֲרִאשׁוֹן אָדָם תִּוָּלֵד, which means “were you born before Adam?” Or perhaps it means none other than the first of the seven days? Scripture states in another place: “You must not slaughter My Passover blood-sacrifice (lit.) upon chametz,” i.e., you must not slaughter the Passover sacrifice while chametz of yours is still in existence. |
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אַךְ בַּיּוֹם הָֽרִאשׁוֹן תַּשְׁבִּיתוּ שאור.
מֵעֶרֶב יוֹם טוֹב, וְקָרוּי רִאשׁוֹן לְפִי שֶׁהוּא לִפְנֵי הַשִּׁבְעָה; וּמָצִינוּ מֻקְדָּם קָרוּי רִאשׁוֹן, "הֲרִאישׁוֹן אָדָם תִּוָּלֵד" (איוב ט"ו) – הֲלִפְנֵי אָדָם נוֹלַדְתָּ; אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל שִׁבְעָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "לֹא תִשְׁחַט עַל חָמֵץ וְגוֹ'" (שמות ל"ד) – לֹא תִשְׁחַט הַפֶּסַח וַעֲדַיִן חָמֵץ קַיָּם (פסחים ה'):
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| הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא - (lit.) That soul - i.e., when the soul that eats chametz is in its full state of being and mind. It thus excludes one who was coerced into eating it. |
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הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא.
כְּשֶׁהִיא בְנַפְשָׁהּ וּבְדַעְתָּהּ – פְּרָט לְאָנוּס (מכילתא):
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| מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל - From Israel. From this verse alone, I might understand that the person who eats chametz will be cut off only from Israel, but he may go and join another nation. Scripture therefore states in another place: “that person will be cut off from before Me” – in every place that is My domain. |
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מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל.
שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי תִּכָּרֵת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וְתֵלֶךְ לָהּ לְעַם אַחֵר, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר "מִלְּפָנַי" (ויקרא כ"ב) – בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא רְשׁוּתִי:
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| 16You must celebrate the first day of these seven as a holy occasion and the seventh day as a holy occasion, on which no work may be done. The only exception to this is work that is required to be done to prepare any person or animal’s food—that alone may be done for you. |
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טזוּבַיּ֤וֹם הָֽרִאשׁוֹן֙ מִקְרָא־קֹ֔דֶשׁ וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִקְרָא־קֹ֖דֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם כָּל־מְלָאכָה֙ לֹא־יֵֽעָשֶׂ֣ה בָהֶ֔ם אַ֚ךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵֽאָכֵ֣ל לְכָל־נֶ֔פֶשׁ ה֥וּא לְבַדּ֖וֹ יֵֽעָשֶׂ֥ה לָכֶֽם: |
| מִקְרָא־קֹדֶשׁ - (lit.) A proclamation of holiness. The word מִקְרָא is a noun; i.e., proclaim it as a day of holiness for distinctive eating, drinking, and clothing. |
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מִקְרָא־קֹדֶשׁ.
מקרא שֵׁם דָּבָר; קְרָא אוֹתוֹ קדש לַאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה וּכְסוּת (מכילתא):
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| לֹא־יֵֽעָשֶׂה בָהֶם - On which no [work] may be done - even by others. |
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לֹא־יֵֽעָשֶׂה בָהֶם.
אֲפִלּוּ עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים (שם):
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| הוּא לְבַדּוֹ - That alone - i.e., only that which is required to prepare food may be done, but not any food preparations that could effectively be done on the day before the festival. |
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הוּא לְבַדּוֹ.
"הוּא" וְלֹא מַכְשִׁירָיו שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹתָן מֵעֶרֶב יוֹם טוֹב (ביצה כ"ח):
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| לְכָל־נֶפֶשׁ - (lit.) For any soul - even for an animal. I might have thought that one may also prepare food for non-Jews. Scripture therefore states: “for you” (another reading: “only,” denoting a limitation). |
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לְכָל־נֶפֶשׁ.
אֲפִלּוּ לִבְהֵמָה; יָכוֹל אַף לַגּוֹיִם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לָכֶם (מכילתא):
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| 17You must be vigilant regarding the matzos that they not rise. For on this very day I will have brought your hosts out of Egypt. You must observe this day throughout all your generations as an everlasting rule. |
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יזוּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֘ אֶת־הַמַּצּוֹת֒ כִּ֗י בְּעֶ֨צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אֶת־צִבְאֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֞ם אֶת־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֛ה לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶ֖ם חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָֽם: |
| וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־הַמַּצּוֹת - You must be vigilant regarding the matzos - so that they do not rise. From here our rabbis said: If the dough began to swell, it should be smoothed over with cold water to halt its leavening. Rabbi Yoshiyah says: Do not read the words of the verse as אֶת הַמַּצּוֹת “the matzos,” but as אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת “the commandments”; just as one may not let the matzah rise by leaving the dough unattended, so may one not let a mitzvah “go sour” by delaying it. Rather, if a mitzvah presents itself to you, perform it right away. |
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וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־הַמַּצּוֹת.
שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹאוּ לִידֵי חִמּוּץ; מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ תָּפַח תִּלְטֹשׁ בְּצוֹנֵן, רַבִּי יֹאשִׁיָּה אוֹמֵר אַל תְּהִי קוֹרֵא אֶת הַמַּצּוֹת, אֶלָּא אֶת הַמִּצְווֹת – כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֵין מַחֲמִיצִין אֶת הַמַּצָּה, כָּךְ אֵין מַחֲמִיצִין אֶת הַמִּצְוָה, אֶלָּא אִם בָּאָה לְיָדְךָ, עֲשֵׂה אוֹתָהּ מִיָּד (שם):
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| וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - You must observe this day - by desisting from work – |
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וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.
מִמְּלָאכָה:
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| לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם חֻקַּת עוֹלָֽם - Throughout your generations as an everlasting rule. Since the words “for your generations” and “as an everlasting rule” mentioned previously were not referring to the restriction against work but only to the celebration of the festival, Scripture repeats them again here, so that you not say that the prohibition of “no work may be done on these days” was not said for all generations but only for that generation. |
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לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם חֻקַּת עוֹלָֽם.
לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר דורות וְחקת עולם עַל הַמְּלָאכָה אֶלָּא עַל הַחֲגִיגָה, לְכָךְ חָזַר וּשְׁנָאוֹ כָּאן, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר אַזְהָרַת כל מלאכה לא יעשה לֹא לְדוֹרוֹת נֶאֶמְרָה אֶלָּא לְאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר:
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| 18In the first month, on the night following the 14th day of the month, you must eat matzos, until the night of the 21st day of the month. |
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יחבָּֽרִאשֹׁ֡ן בְּאַרְבָּעָה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר י֤וֹם לַחֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב תֹּֽאכְל֖וּ מַצֹּ֑ת עַ֠ד י֣וֹם הָֽאֶחָ֧ד וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ בָּעָֽרֶב: |
| עַד יוֹם הָֽאֶחָד וְעֶשְׂרִים - Until the 21st day. Why is this stated? Does it not already say: “For seven days you must eat matzos”? The answer is: Since there it says: “days,” from where do I know that nights are also included? Scripture therefore states: “until the 21st day….” |
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עַד יוֹם הָֽאֶחָד וְעֶשְׂרִים.
לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר "שִׁבְעַת יָמִים"? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר יָמִים, לֵילוֹת מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר עד יום האחד ועשרים וגו' (מכילתא):
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| 19For seven days no leavening agents may be found in your homes, for the soul of anyone who eats leavening agents will be cut off from the community of Israel—he will die prematurely and childless—whether he be a convert or a native citizen. |
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יטשִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים שְׂאֹ֕ר לֹ֥א יִמָּצֵ֖א בְּבָֽתֵּיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י | כָּל־אֹכֵ֣ל מַחְמֶ֗צֶת וְנִכְרְתָ֞ה הַנֶּ֤פֶשׁ הַהִוא֙ מֵֽעֲדַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בַּגֵּ֖ר וּבְאֶזְרַ֥ח הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְּבָֽתֵּיכֶם - No [leavening agents] may be found in your homes. And from where do I know that this applies also to other areas of one’s domain? Scripture therefore states: “throughout your domain.” If so, why does Scripture state “in your homes”? In order to tell us that just as your home is under your authority, so, too, “your domain” denotes only that which is under your authority. Thus excluded is the chametz of a non-Jew that was deposited with an Israelite but for which the Israelite accepted no responsibility. |
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לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְּבָֽתֵּיכֶם.
מִנַּיִן לַגְּבוּלִין? תַּלְמוּד לֹוֹמַר "בְּכָל גְּבוּלֶךָ" (שמות י"ג); מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר בְּבָתֵּיכֶם? מַה בֵּיתְךָ בִּרְשׁוּתְךָ, אַף גְּבוּלְךָ שֶׁבִּרְשׁוּתְךָ, יָצָא חֲמֵצוֹ שֶׁל נָכְרִי שֶׁהוּא אֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא קִבֵּל עָלָיו אַחֲרָיוּת (מכילתא):
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| כִּי כָּל־אֹכֵל מַחְמֶצֶת - For anyone who eats leavening agents. This statement is written to impose the punishment of excision for eating sourdough, a form of leaven. But did Scripture not already specify this punishment for eating chametz? Rather, the Torah repeats it here so that you not say: Regarding chametz, which is fit to eat, the Torah imposed this punishment for eating it, but for eating sourdough, which is not fit to eat, punishment is not imposed. And if, conversely, Scripture had specified the punishment for eating sourdough but not specified the punishment for eating chametz, I might say: The Torah imposed this punishment for eating sourdough because it leavens other foods, but for eating chametz, which does not leaven other foods, punishment is not imposed. Therefore, both are stated explicitly. |
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כִּי כָּל־אֹכֵל מַחְמֶצֶת.
לַעֲנֹשׁ כָּרֵת עַל הַשְּׂאוֹר, וַהֲלֹא כְבָר עָנַשׁ עַל הֶחָמֵץ? אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר חָמֵץ שֶׁרָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה עָנַשׁ עָלָיו, שְׂאוֹר שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה לֹא יֵעָנֵשׁ עָלָיו; וְאִם עָנַשׁ עַל הַשְּׂאוֹר וְלֹא עָנַשׁ עַל הֶחָמֵץ, הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר, שְׂאוֹר שֶׁהוּא מְחַמֵּץ אֲחֵרִים עָנַשׁ עָלָיו, חָמֵץ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְחַמֵּץ אֲחֵרִים לֹא יֵעָנשׁ עָלָיו, לְכָךְ נֶאֶמְרוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם (מכילתא):
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| בַּגֵּר וּבְאֶזְרַח הָאָֽרֶץ - Whether he be a convert or a native of the land. Since the miracle of the Exodus happened to the Israelites, it was necessary to specifically include converts in this prohibition. |
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בַּגֵּר וּבְאֶזְרַח הָאָֽרֶץ.
לְפִי שֶׁהַנֵּס נַעֲשָׂה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הֻצְרַךְ לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַגֵּרִים (שם):
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| 20You must not eat any leavening agent; you must eat matzos wherever you live.’” |
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ככָּל־מַחְמֶ֖צֶת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑לוּ בְּכֹל֙ מֽוֹשְׁבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם תֹּֽאכְל֖וּ מַצּֽוֹת: |
| מַחְמֶצֶת לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ - You must not eat any leavening agent. This is the prohibition of eating sourdough. |
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מַחְמֶצֶת לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ.
אַזְהָרָה עַל אֲכִילַת שְׂאוֹר:
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| כָּל־מַחְמֶצֶת - Any leavening agent. The word “any” is added to include eating a mixture of leaven with other food. |
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כָּל־מַחְמֶצֶת.
לְהָבִיא אֶת תַּעֲרָבְתּוֹ:
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| בְּכֹל מֽוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם תֹאכֵלוּ מַצּֽוֹת - You must eat matzos wherever you live. This comes to teach us that the matzos one is obligated to eat must be fit to be eaten “wherever you live.” It thus excludes matzos made from the second tithe and the matzah loaves of the thanksgiving-offering, which may be eaten only in Jerusalem. |
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בְּכֹל מֽוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם תֹאכֵלוּ מַצּֽוֹת.
זֶה בָא לְלַמֵּד שֶׁתְּהֵא רְאוּיָה לְהֵאָכֵל בְּכָל מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם, פְּרָט לְמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְחַלּוֹת תּוֹדָה (מכילתא):
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