Korban Pesach - Chapter 10

A person who breaks a bone in a pure Paschal sacrifice is liable for lashes, as Exodus 12:46 states: "You shall not break a bone in it." And with regard to the second Paschal sacrifice, Numbers 9:12 states: "He shall not break a bone in it."

When, however, the Paschal sacrifice is brought in a state of impurity, one is not liable for lashes. According to the Oral Tradition, it was taught: "You shall not break in it," i.e., in a pure sacrifice, not an impure one.

Whether one breaks a bone of the Paschal sacrifice on the night of the fifteenth of Nisan, while it is still day on the fourteenth, or even after several days, he is liable for lashes.

For this reason, the bones of the Paschal sacrifice are burnt with the remainder of its meat so that they will not cause misfortune.

One is liable only for breaking a bone upon which there was an olive-sized portion of meat or which contains marrow. If, by contrast, a bone does not contain marrow and there is not an olive-sized portion of meat upon it, one is not liable for breaking it. If there was an olive-sized portion of meat on a bone, but one broke it in a place where there is no meat, he is liable, even though there is no meat where he broke the bone.

When one breaks a bone that is already broken, he is liable for lashes.

When one burns the bones of a Paschal sacrifice or cuts its sinews, he is not liable for breaking a bone.

When a Paschal sacrifice was lightly roasted or cooked and one broke a bone, he is liable for lashes. Even if it was disqualified because it contracted impurity, it was taken out of the home where it is being eaten, or the like, the prohibition against breaking its bones applies.

When does the above apply? When there was a time the Paschal sacrifice was acceptable and it was disqualified. If, however, there was never a time when it was acceptable, e.g., it became piggul or was brought with a disqualifying intent concerning time or with a disqualifying intent concerning the type of sacrifice, the prohibition against breaking a bone does not apply.

If one breaks the bone of the fat-tail, he is not liable, because it is not fit to be eaten.

Cartilage which is like soft bones are permitted to be eaten.

If the Paschal sacrifice was a small and tender kid goat whose bones are soft, they may not be eaten, because that is considered as breaking a bone. If one partakes of them he is liable for lashes, for the liability applies equally whether one breaks a firm bone or a soft bone.

This is the general principle: Whatever could be eaten in a large ox after it has been cooked may be eaten in a tender kid after it has been roasted, e.g., the cartilage around the joints and similar types of body tissue.

Soft sinews that will ultimately become firm, even though they are fit to be eaten at the time and may be eaten from the Paschal sacrifice, they are not considered when enumerating people on the sacrifice. Persons may be enumerated because of the brain in the head, because it is possible to remove it without breaking a bone. One may not be enumerated on the marrow in the hip bone - it is bone closed on both sides - because it is impossible to remove the marrow without breaking a bone.

When a person partakes of the Paschal sacrifice, he should cut off the meat and partake of it. He may cut off the bones at the joints and separate them if he desires.

When he reaches the sciatic nerve, he should remove it and place it with the remainder of sinews, bones, and membranes which are removed at the time of eating. It is not removed previously, as is done with regard to other meat.

The Paschal sacrifice should not be cut into pieces before it is roasted. Instead, it is roasted whole. If it was cut into pieces, it is acceptable, provided it is not lacking a limb.

A person should endeavor that none of the meat of the Paschal sacrifice remain until the morning, as Exodus 12:10 states: "Do not leave over any of it until the morning." Similarly, with regard to the second Paschal sacrifice, Numbers 9:12 states: "Do not have any of it remain until the morning." If one left some over, whether from the first Paschal sacrifice or the second, he violates a negative commandment. He is not liable for lashes for this commandment, because it can be corrected by a positive commandment, as Exodus 12:10 states: "What remains from it, you shall burn in fire."

When the first Paschal sacrifice is offered, a peace-offering is sacrificed with it on the fourteenth of Nissan from cattle or from sheep, whether a large animal or a small one, like all other peace-offerings. It is called the festive-offering of the fourteenth. This is the intent of the Torah's statement Deuteronomy 16:2: "And you bring a Paschal offering to God your Lord from sheep and from cattle."

When is this festive-offering brought? When the Paschal sacrifice is offered during the week, in a state of ritual purity, and when there is a lack of Paschal sacrifices. If, however, the fourteenth of Nisan falls on the Sabbath, it is offered in a state of ritual impurity, or there are ample offerings, the festive-offering is not brought with it. Instead, only the Paschal sacrifices are brought.

The festive-offering brought on the fourteenth is a voluntary matter; it is not an obligation. It may be eaten for two days and one night like all other peace-offerings. It is forbidden to leave over the meat of the festive-offering of the fourteenth until the third day, as Deuteronomy 16:4 states: "Do not leave any of the meat that you will sacrifice in the evening for the first day until the morning." According to the Oral Tradition, it was taught that this is a warning for a person who leaves over the meat of the festive-offering of the fourteenth until the sixteenth. The term "until the morning" means until the morning of the second day. One who leaves over the meat is not liable for lashes. Instead, he should burn the left over meat in the same manner as meat left over from other sacrifices is burnt.

The meat of the festive-offering that was served on the table with the Paschal sacrifice and similarly, the other cooked dishes served with it should be burnt with it. They may only be eaten until midnight like the Paschal sacrifice itself. This is a decree lest a mixture occur.

What are the differences between the first Paschal sacrifice and the second Paschal sacrifice? At the time of the first, chametz is forbidden to be seen or possessed in one's domain. It may not be slaughtered while one is in possession of chametz. Its meat may not be removed from the company in which it was designated to be eaten. The Hallel must be recited when it is eaten. A festive-offering is brought with it. It may be brought in a state of impurity if the majority of the people are impure because of contact with a human corpse, as we explained.

With regard to the second Paschal sacrifice, by contrast, both chametz and matzah may be possessed by the person at home. Hallel is not recited while partaking of it. It may be taken out of the company in which it was designated to be eaten. A festive-offering is not brought with it and it may not be brought in a state of impurity.

Both are alike in that offering them supersedes the Sabbath prohibitions. Hallel is recited when they are offered. They are eaten roasted in one house together with matzah and bitter herbs. In neither instance may their meat be left over until the next morning, nor may their bones be broken.

Why does the second Paschal sacrifice not resemble the first in all matters, as might be expected since Numbers 9:12 states with regard to the second Paschal sacrifice: "It shall be offered according to all the statutes of the Paschal sacrifice"? Because some of the statutes of the Paschal sacrifice are explicitly mentioned with regard to it. This teaches that it is analogous to the first only in those matters which are stated explicitly regarding it. They are the mitzvot that concern the body of the sacrifice. They are "the statutes of the Paschal sacrifice" included in the general category.

The statements regarding the offering of the Paschal sacrifice in Egypt: that it should be set aside on the tenth of the month, that its blood should be applied to the lintel and the two doorposts with a bunch of hyssop, and that it should be eaten with haste, are not practices that are followed in future generations. They were observed only with regard to the Paschal sacrifice offered in Egypt.

Blessed be God who grants assistance.