| 1God spoke to Moses, saying, |
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אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 2“Consecrate to Me, from among the Israelites, every firstborn of man or beast—the first issue of every womb; it is Mine.” |
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בקַדֶּשׁ־לִ֨י כָל־בְּכ֜וֹר פֶּ֤טֶר כָּל־רֶ֨חֶם֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּֽאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה לִ֖י הֽוּא: |
| פֶּטֶר כָל־רֶחֶם - means: The one that first opened the womb. The root פֶּטֶר connotes “opening,” as in: “like one who makes an opening for water to gush forth (פּוֹטֵר), so is the beginning of strife”; and similarly: יַפְטִירוּ בְשָׂפָה, which means: “they will open their mouths with their lips.” |
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פֶּטֶר כָל־רֶחֶם.
שֶׁפָּתַח הָרֶחֶם תְּחִלָּה, כְּמוֹ: "פּוֹטֵר מַיִם רֵאשִׁית מָדוֹן" (משלי י"ז), וְכֵן "יַפְטִירוּ בְשָׂפָה" (תהלים כ"ב) – יִפְתְּחוּ שְׂפָתַיִם:
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| לִי הֽוּא - It is Mine. I acquired them for Myself by virtue of My smiting the Egyptian firstborn. |
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לִי הֽוּא.
לְעַצְמִי קָנִיתִי, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהִכֵּיתִי בְכוֹרֵי מִצְרַיִם:
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| 3Moses said to the people, “Remember this day on which you went out of Egypt, the house of bondage, for with a mighty hand God brought you out of here. No leavened food may be eaten on Passover. |
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גוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֜ה אֶל־הָעָ֗ם זָכ֞וֹר אֶת־הַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצָאתֶ֤ם מִמִּצְרַ֨יִם֙ מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֔ים כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֔ד הוֹצִ֧יא יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִזֶּ֑ה וְלֹ֥א יֵֽאָכֵ֖ל חָמֵֽץ: |
| זָכוֹר אֶת־הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - Remember this day. The expression “this day” teaches that one must mention the Exodus from Egypt every day. |
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זָכוֹר אֶת־הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.
לִמֵּד, שֶׁמַּזְכִּירִין יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם בְּכָל יוֹם:
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| 4This day, on which you are going out, is in the month of the beginning of the grain-ripening. |
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דהַיּ֖וֹם אַתֶּ֣ם יֹֽצְאִ֑ים בְּחֹ֖דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִֽיב: |
| בְּחֹדֶשׁ הָֽאָבִֽיב - In the month of ripening. Now, did they not know in which month they were leaving Egypt? Rather, this is what he was saying to them: See how kindly God treated you, that He took you out of Egypt in a month that is suited for departure – not hot, not cold, and not rainy; and so it says: “Who took out the prisoners בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת,” i.e., in a month that was fitting (כָּשֵׁר) for them to depart. |
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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):
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| 5When God will bring you to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which He swore to your forefathers to give you, a land flowing with goats’ milk and date- and fig-honey, then you must perform this service in this month. |
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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: |
| אֶל־אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי וגו' - To the land of the Canaanites… Even though it enumerates here only five peoples, all seven nations of the land of Canaan are included, for all of them are included in the generic name Canaanite. It is just that one of the family clans of Canaan was not called by any specific name other than Canaanite. |
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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:
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| נִשְׁבַּע לַֽאֲבֹתֶיךָ - He swore to your forefathers… With Abraham it says: “On that day God made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I have given this land…’”; and with Isaac it says: “Sojourn in this land…for I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, and I will fulfill the oath that I made to your father Abraham”; and with Jacob it says: “The land upon which you are lying I will give to you and your descendants.” |
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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):
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| זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ - Flowing with milk and honey - milk that flows from the goats, and honey that flows from dates and figs. |
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זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ.
חָלָב זָב מִן הָעִזִּים, וְהַדְּבַשׁ זָב מִן הַתְּמָרִים וּמִן הַתְּאֵנִים:
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| אֶת־הָֽעֲבֹדָה הַזֹּאת - This service - of the Passover sacrifice. Now, was this command not already stated above: “Once you have come into the land…you must maintain this service”? Why does the Torah repeat it here? On account of something new that is introduced here: In the earlier passage, it says: “When your children ask you, ‘What is this service of yours?’” This passage of Scripture is speaking about a wicked child, who has disassociated himself from the community obligated in the service, i.e., the Jewish people. Here, however, it says: “you must tell your child,” referring to a child who does not yet know how to ask, and Scripture teaches you that you must begin the discussion about the Exodus for him with aggadic matters that will arouse his interest. |
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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):
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| 6For seven days you must eat matzos, and on the seventh day there must be a festival to God. |
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ושִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים תֹּאכַ֣ל מַצֹּ֑ת וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י חַ֖ג לַיהֹוָֽה: |
| 7During the seven days, matzos must be eaten. Nothing leavened of yours nor any leavening agent of yours may be seen throughout your domain. |
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זמַצּוֹת֙ יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת שִׁבְעַ֣ת הַיָּמִ֑ים וְלֹא־יֵֽרָאֶ֨ה לְךָ֜ חָמֵ֗ץ וְלֹא־יֵֽרָאֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ שְׂאֹ֖ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻלֶֽךָ: |
| 8You must tell your child on that day saying, ‘It is for the sake of fulfilling His commandments, like these, that God acted on my behalf when I came out of Egypt.’ |
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חוְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּֽעֲב֣וּר זֶ֗ה עָשָׂ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לִ֔י בְּצֵאתִ֖י מִמִּצְרָֽיִם: |
| בַּֽעֲבוּר זֶה - It is for the sake of this - i.e., so that I fulfill God’s commandments, such as these before me: the Passover offering, matzos, and bitter herbs. |
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בַּֽעֲבוּר זֶה.
בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאֲקַיֵּם מִצְווֹתָיו, כְּגוֹן פֶּסַח מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר הַלָּלוּ:
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| עָשָׂה ה' לִי - That God acted on my behalf. Here Scripture alludes to the answer one is to give to the wicked child, by saying: “God acted for me but not for you, for if you had been there in Egypt, although you would have been redeemed, you would not have been worthy of being redeemed.” |
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עָשָׂה ה' לִי.
רָמַז תְּשׁוּבָה לְבֵן רָשָׁע, לוֹמַר עָשָׂה ה' לִי, וְלֹא לְךָ, שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיִיתָ שָׁם לֹא הָיִיתָ כְדַאי לִגָּאֵל (מכילתא):
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| 9The Exodus will be a sign for you when you wear tefilin on your arm, and a reminder when you wear tefilin on your forehead between your eyes, so that God’s Torah will be on your lips, for with a mighty hand God brought you out of Egypt. |
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טוְהָיָה֩ לְךָ֨ לְא֜וֹת עַל־יָֽדְךָ֗ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן֙ בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֔יךָ לְמַ֗עַן תִּֽהְיֶ֛ה תּוֹרַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּפִ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמִּצְרָֽיִם: |
| וְהָיָה לְךָ לְאוֹת - (lit.) It will be for you a sign - i.e., the Exodus from Egypt must be for you a sign. |
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וְהָיָה לְךָ לְאוֹת.
יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם תִּהְיֶה לְךָ לאות:
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| עַל־יָֽדְךָ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן בית עֵינֶיךָ - On your arm and a reminder between your eyes - meaning to say that you write down these passages describing the Exodus on scrolls and bind them as tefilin on the head and arm. |
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עַל־יָֽדְךָ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ.
שֶׁתִּכְתֹּב הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַלָּלוּ וְתִקְשְׁרֵם בָּרֹאשׁ וּבַזְּרוֹעַ:
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| עַל־יָֽדְךָ - On your arm - i.e., the left arm. For this reason the word יָדְכָה in the second passage is written in full, including the letter ה, to be expounded as “the hand (יָד) that is weak (כֵּהָה).” |
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עַל־יָֽדְךָ.
עַל יַד שְׂמֹאל, לְפִיכָךְ יָדְכָה מָלֵא בְּפָרָשָׁה שְׁנִיָּה, לִדְרֹשׁ בָּהּ יָד שֶׁהִיא כֵהָה (מנחות ל"ו):
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| 10You must observe this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year. |
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יוְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֛ אֶת־הַֽחֻקָּ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לְמֽוֹעֲדָ֑הּ מִיָּמִ֖ים יָמִֽימָה: |
| מִיָּמִים יָמִֽימָה - means: From year to year. |
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מִיָּמִים יָמִֽימָה.
מִשָּׁנָה לְשָׁנָה (שם):
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| 11When God brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore that He would to you and your ancestors, and gives it to you, |
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יאוְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־יְבִֽאֲךָ֤ יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֔י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר נִשְׁבַּ֥ע לְךָ֖ וְלַֽאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ וּנְתָנָ֖הּ לָֽךְ: |
| וְהָיָה כִּֽי־יְבִֽאֲךָ - (lit.) It will be, when [God] brings you. Some of our rabbis deduced from here that the firstborn born in the desert were not sanctified. And the one who says that they were sanctified explains this mention of entering the land as follows: If you observe this commandment in the desert, you will merit to enter the Land of Israel and perform it there. |
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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):
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| נִשְׁבַּע לְךָ - He swore to you. And where did He swear this to you? “I will bring you to the land regarding which I raised My hand to swear that I would give it to Abraham….” |
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נִשְׁבַּע לְךָ.
וְהֵיכָן נִשְׁבַּע לְךָ? "וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתִי וְגוֹ'" (שמות ו'):
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| וּנְתָנָהּ לְךָ - And gives it to you - i.e., you must continually regard it as if He gave the land to you that very day, and not regard it as merely inherited from the forefathers. |
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וּנְתָנָהּ לְךָ.
תְּהֵא בְעֵינֶיךָ כְּאִלּוּ נִתְּנָה לְךָ בּוֹ בַּיּוֹם, וְאַל תְּהִי בְעֵינֶיךָ כִּירֻשַּׁת אָבוֹת:
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| 12you must set apart for God every first issue of the womb. Even all male firstling miscarriages of your cattle and flocks must be considered God’s. |
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יבוְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ֥ כָל־פֶּֽטֶר־רֶ֖חֶם לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וְכָל־פֶּ֣טֶר | שֶׁ֣גֶר בְּהֵמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ הַזְּכָרִ֖ים לַיהֹוָֽה: |
| וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ - You must set apart. The word וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ is none other than an expression of separation, and similarly we find that it says: “you must transfer (וְהַעֲבַרְתֶּם) his inheritance to his daughter.” |
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וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ.
אֵין וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן הַפְרָשָׁה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ אֶת נַחֲלָתוֹ לְבִתּוֹ" (במדבר כ"ז) (מכילתא):
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| שֶׁגֶר בְּהֵמָה - (lit.) A cast-off of an animal - is a firstling miscarriage, which its mother expelled (שִׁגְּרַתּוּ) and released from the womb prematurely. Scripture hereby teaches you that it receives the holy firstborn status in so far as that it exempts the animal born after it from being treated as a firstborn. Even an animal that is not a miscarriage may be called שֶׁגֶר, as in שְׁגַר אֲלָפֶיךָ “the offspring of your cattle,” but this instance of the word can only come to teach us about a miscarriage, for the Torah has already written: “every first issue of the womb.” And if you wish to say that the extra phrase comes to imply that even the firstborn of a animal that renders you spiritually defiled if you eat it is sanctified, I answer that Scripture states explicitly in another place: “Every firstborn male that is born of your herd or flock.” Another way the verse may be explained is that the earlier phrase “you must set apart every first issue of the womb” refers to the firstborn of people, in which case the latter phrase may refer to livestock in general and not specifically miscarriages. |
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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:
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| 13You must redeem every firstling donkey by giving a lamb or kid to a priest in its stead. If you do not redeem the donkey, you must break its neck. You must redeem every firstborn child among your sons. |
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יגוְכָל־פֶּ֤טֶר חֲמֹר֙ תִּפְדֶּ֣ה בְשֶׂ֔ה וְאִם־לֹ֥א תִפְדֶּ֖ה וַֽעֲרַפְתּ֑וֹ וְכֹ֨ל בְּכ֥וֹר אָדָ֛ם בְּבָנֶ֖יךָ תִּפְדֶּֽה: |
| פֶּטֶר חמור - Firstling donkey - but not the firstling of any other animal whose consumption renders you spiritually defiled. It is a special decree of the Torah that this law apply just to the firstborn of donkeys, because the firstborn of the Egyptians are compared to donkeys; and furthermore, donkeys helped Israel when they went out of Egypt, for there was not one of Israel who did not take with him many donkeys laden with Egyptian silver and gold. |
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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:
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| תִּפְדֶּה בְשֶׂה - You must redeem with a lamb - i.e., one gives a lamb to the priest and then it is permissible to derive benefit from the firstborn donkey, and the lamb also maintains its ordinary unsanctified status in the priest’s possession. |
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תִּפְדֶּה בְשֶׂה.
נוֹתֵן שֶׂה לַכֹּהֵן וּפֶטֶר חֲמוֹר מֻתָּר בַּהֲנָאָה וְהַשֶּׂה חֻלִּין בְּיַד כֹּהֵן (בכורות ט'):
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| וַֽעֲרַפְתּוֹ - You must break its neck - i.e., one breaks its neck from behind with a hatchet, killing it. The owner of the donkey gained nothing by not redeeming the donkey, so by refusing to do so he cruelly and needlessly deprived the priest of his rightful possession, so he must also damage his property, killing the donkey in a cruel manner to experience his own cruelty. |
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וַֽעֲרַפְתּוֹ.
עוֹרְפוֹ בְּקוֹפִיץ מֵאֲחוֹרָיו וְהוֹרְגוֹ; הוּא הִפְסִיד מָמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל כֹּהֵן, לְפִיכָךְ יַפְסִיד מָמוֹנוֹ (שם י'):
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| וְכָל־בְּכוֹר אָדָם בְּבָנֶיךָ תִּפְדֶּה - You must redeem every firstborn child among your sons. His redemption is set at five sela’im by Scripture in another place. |
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וְכָל־בְּכוֹר אָדָם בְּבָנֶיךָ תִּפְדֶּה.
חָמֵשׁ סְלָעִים פִּדְיוֹנוֹ קָצוּב בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (במדבר י"ח):
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| 14If, in time to come, your child asks you, saying, ‘What is this?’ you must say to him, ‘God brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, with a mighty hand. |
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ידוְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־יִשְׁאָֽלְךָ֥ בִנְךָ֛ מָחָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֣ר מַה־זֹּ֑את וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֔יו בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֗ד הֽוֹצִיאָ֧נוּ יְהֹוָ֛ה מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים: |
| כִּֽי־יִשְׁאָֽלְךָ בִנְךָ מָחָר - (lit.) When your son asks you tomorrow. The meaning of “tomorrow” varies according to when the current situation ends: sometimes “tomorrow” can apply even to the present, and sometimes “tomorrow” can apply to a much later time, such as here, when it refers to after the generation of the Exodus has passed, and such as: “Tomorrow your descendants will say to our descendants” in the account regarding the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben. |
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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:
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| מַה־זֹּאת - What is this?. This is the question of a foolish child, who is unable to delve into the details of his question but asks in vague terms, “What is this?” Elsewhere, it says that a child may ask, “What is the basis for the testimonies, rules, and ordinances…?” this being the question of an intelligent child. Thus, the Torah communicates how to react to four types of children: a simpleton, a wicked one, one who does not know to ask, and one who asks intelligently, instructing us to tailor our explanations of all God’s commandments to each one’s disposition and mental capacity. |
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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):
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| 15When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us leave, God slew every firstborn in Egypt, the firstborn of both man and beast. I therefore sacrifice to God every male animal that is the first issue of the womb, and redeem every firstborn among my sons.’ |
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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: |
| 16The Exodus, which is described in this passage, will be a further sign on your arm and reminder between your eyes that God brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.” |
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טזוְהָיָ֤ה לְאוֹת֙ עַל־יָ֣דְכָ֔ה וּלְטֽוֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֔ד הֽוֹצִיאָ֥נוּ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמִּצְרָֽיִם: |
| וּלְטֽוֹטָפֹת - And reminder - i.e., tefilin, and on account of the fact that they have four compartments they are called טוֹטָפֹת – for טָט in Coptic means two, and פַּת in Phrygian means two. But Menachem ben Saruk classified the word טוֹטָפֹת together with וְהַטֵּף אֶל דָּרוֹם “and address the south”; and אַל תַּטִּפוּ “do not preach”; i.e., it has the connotation of “speech,” expressing the same idea as “and as a reminder between your eyes” in the earlier passage, for whoever sees the tefilin bound between the eyes will remember the miracle of the Exodus and speak about it. End of Parashat Bo |
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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:
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