Chumashחומש

ויאמר משה כה אמר ה'. בְּעָמְדוֹ לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה נֶאֶמְרָה לוֹ נְבוּאָה זוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי מִשֶּׁיָּצָא מִלְּפָנָיו לֹא הוֹסִיף רְאוֹת פָּנָיו:

ויאמר משה כה אמר ה AND MOSES SAID, THUS SAITH THE LORD — Whilst he was still standing before Pharaoh this prophecy was spoken to him, because after he left him, he did not see his face again (Exodus Rabbah 18:1).

כחצת הלילה. כְּהֵחָלֵק הַלַּיְלָה: כחצת. 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'):

כחצות הלילה means, WHEN THE NIGHT IS DIVIDED (i. e., when midnight arrives). כחצות is an infinitive with prefix, of similar form to, (1 Kings 18:36) בעלות, “when went up” and (Psalms 124:3) “when their wrath was kindled (בחרות)”. This is its literal meaning which fits in with the sense, for חצות is not a noun, being another form of חֵצִי (when the meaning would be about midnight I will go out etc.”, for this does not fit in with the sense, since God would certainly have stated exactly when He would do this). But our Rabbis took it in this sense and explained it as meaning “about the middle of the night”, and they asserted that Moses said כחצות “about midnight”, which implies near to it — either just before it or just after it, and he did not say בחצות “at midnight” (as God had bidden him say) because he feared lest Pharaoh’s astrologers might make a mistake as regards the time when the slaughter of the firstborn actually took place, thinking that it was a little earlier or later than midnight, and would say, in consequence of this error, “Moses is a liar!” (cf. Berakhot 4a).

עד בכור השבי. לָמָּה לָקוּ הַשְּׁבוּיִים? כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ, יִרְאָתָם תָּבְעָה עֶלְבּוֹנָם וְהֵבִיאָה פֻּרְעָנוּת עַל מִצְרַיִם:

עד בכור השבי UNTO THE FIRSTBORN OF THE CAPTIVE (these words are used in 12:29 instead of עד בכור השפחה “unto the firstborn of the handmaid” in this verse) — Why were the captives smitten, for they had not enslaved the Israelites? In order that these might not say that their god had claimed satisfaction for the humiliation imposed upon them and had brought this punishment upon the Egyptians (cf. Mekhilta).

מבכור פרעה עד בכור השפחה. כָּל הַפְּחוּתִים מִבְּכוֹר פַּרְעֹה וַחֲשׁוּבִים מִבְּכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה הָיוּ בִּכְלָל; וְלָמָּה לָקוּ בְּנֵי הַשְּׁפָחוֹת? שֶׁאַף הֵם הָיוּ מְשַׁעְבְּדִים בָּהֶם וּשְׂמֵחִים בְּצָרָתָם:

מבכור פרעה עד בכור השפחה FROM THE FIRSTBORN OF PHARAOH UNTO THE FIRSTBORN OF THE HANDMAID — All who were of less importance than the firstborn of Pharaoh and of more importance than the firstborn of the handmaid are included in this description. And why were the sons of the handmaids stricken? Because they, too, treated them (the Israelites) as slaves and rejoiced at their misery (Midrash Tanchuma, Bo 7).

וכל בכור בהמה. לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְדִין לָהּ. כְּשֶׁהַקָּבָּ"ה נִפְרָע מִן הָאֻמָּה, נִפְרָע מֵאֱלֹהֶיהָ:

וכל בכור בהמה AND ALL THE FIRSTBORN OF BEASTS — because they worshipped these as gods. When the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts punishment from a nation, He punishes their gods at the same time (Genesis Rabbah 96:5).

לא יחרץ כלב 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:

לא יחרץ כלב לשנו NO DOG SHALL חרץ HIS TONGUE — I say that it has the meaning of sharpening: “no dog shall whet his tongue”. So, too: (Joshua 10:21) “לא חרץ his tongue against any of the children of Israel”, i. e. “none whetted”; (II Samuel 5:24) “then תחרץ” — then thou shalt utter a sharp sound; (Isaiah 41:15) “a threshing-sledge חרוץ” i. e. sharp; (Proverbs 21:5) “the plans of a חרוץ” — of “an acute and sharp man”; (Proverbs 10:4) “the hand of the חרוצים maketh rich”, i. e. the hand of the acute — of sharp merchants.

אשר יפלה. יַבְדִּיל:

אשר יפלה meant THAT HE MAKETH A DIFFERENCE.

וירדו כל עבדיך. 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:

וירדו כל עבדיך AND ALL THY SERVENTS SHALL COME DOWN [UNTO ME] — He showed respect to the king, for as a matter of fact ultimately Pharaoh himself came down to him at night, (Exodus 12:31) “And he said, Arise, go out from the midst of my people”; but Moses did not at the outset say to him, “And thou shalt come down to me and shalt prostrate thyself”, out of respect for the king, (Exodus Rabbah 7:3)

אשר ברגליך. הַהוֹלְכִים אַחַר עֲצָתְךָ וְהִלּוּכְךָ:

אשר ברגליך (lit., who are at thy feet) — who go after (follow) thy counsel and ways.

ואחרי כן אצא. עִם כָּל הָעָם מֵאַרְצְךָ:

ואחרי כן אצא AND AFTER THAT I WILL GO OUT, with all my people, from thy land.

ויצא מעם פרעה. כְּשֶׁגָּמַר דְּבָרָיו, יָצָא מִלְּפָנָיו:

ויצא מעם פרעה AND HE WENT OUT FROM PHARAOH — After he had concluded his words he went forth from his presence.

בחרי אף. עַל שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ "אַל תֹּסֶף רְאוֹת פָּנַי" (שמות י'):

בחרי אף IN FIERCENESS OF WRATH because he (Pharaoh) had said to him, (Exodus 10:28) “Do not again see my face.

למען רבות מופתי. מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת וּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף וּלְנַעֵר אֶת מִצְרַיִם:

למען רבות מופתי SO THAT MY WONDERS MAY BE MULTIPLIED (more lit., so that my wonders may be many) — referring not to one wonder alone (the slaying of the firstborn) but to the slaying of the firstborn, the division of the Red Sea and the overthrowing of the Egyptians in it.

משה ואהרן עשו וגו'. כְּבָר כָּתַב לָנוּ זֹאת בְּכָל הַמּוֹפְתִים, וְלֹא שְׁנָאָהּ כָּאן אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל לְסָמְכָהּ לַפָּרָשָׁה שֶׁלְּאַחֲרֶיהָ:

ומשה ואהרן עשו וגו׳ AND MOSES AND AARON DID etc. — It (Scripture) has already written this in the description of all the preceding wonders, and it repeats it here only in order to connect it with the chapter which comes after this (as giving a reason why the commands in the next chapter were given to Aaron as well as to Moses; cf. Rashi’s comment on the following verse).

ויאמר ה' אל משה ואל אהרן. בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאַהֲרֹן עָשָׂה וְטָרַח בַּמּוֹפְתִים כְּמֹשֶׁה, חָלַק לוֹ כָּבוֹד זֶה בְּמִצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, שֶׁכְּלָלוֹ עִם מֹשֶׁה בַּדִּבּוּר:

ויאמר ה' אל משה ואל אהרן AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES AND AARON — Because Aaron had worked and toiled in performing the wonders just the same as Moses He paid him this honour at the first command by including him with Moses in the communication (Tanchuma Yahshan 2:3:8).

בארץ מצרים. חוּץ לַכְּרַךְ, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּתוֹךְ הַכְּרַךְ? תַּ"לֹ (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:

בארץ מצרים IN THE LAND OF EGYPT — This must have been outside the city! Or perhaps this is not so, but it was inside the city? Scripture however states, (Exodus 9:29) “When I leave the city [I will spread my hands (pray) unto the Lord]”. Now how was it in regard to prayer which is of light importance in comparison with a communication from God? He did not recite the prayer inside the city! Then, in the case of a divine communication which is of so weighty importance does it not follow all the more that this was also so! — And why, indeed, did He not converse with him inside the city? Because it was full of idols (Mekhilta).

החדש הזה. 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:

החדש הזה — He showed him the moon in the first stage of its renewal, and He said to him, “The time when the moon renews itself thus, shall be unto you the beginning of the month”. (The translation therefore is: “This stage of renewal (חדש) shall be the moment of beginning the months”; cf. Mekhilta). But no Scriptural verse can lose its literal meaning, and He really spoke this in reference to the month Nisan: this month shall be the beginning in the order of counting the months, so that Iyar shall be called the second, Sivan the third.

הזה. 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:

הזה THIS [STAGE OF RENEWAL] — Moses was in perplexity regarding the Molad of (the exact moment when begins) the new moon — how much of it must be visible before it is proper to consecrate it as new moon: He therefore pointed it out to him in the sky with the finger and said to him, “Behold it like this, and consecrate it” (i. e., when you see the moon in a stage of renewal similar to this which you now behold you may proclaim that a new month has begun). But how could He point it out to him, for did He not conserve with him only by day, as it is said, (Exodus 6:28) “And it came to pass on the day when the Lord spake [unto Moses]”; (Leviticus 7:38) “On the day when he commanded”; (Numbers 15:23) “From the day that the Lord commanded and henceforward”? But the explanation is: This chapter was spoken to him close to sunset and He pointed it out to him at nightfall (more lit., near darkness) (Mekhilta).

דברו אל כל עדת. 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):

דברו אל כל עדת SPEAK UNTO ALL THE CONGREGATION — But did Aaron speak? Has it not already been stated, (Exodus 7:2) “You (Moses) shall speak etc.”. But the explanation is: they paid respect one to the other, saying to each other, “Instruct me what to say”. and the divine communication in question issued from both of them, so that it was as though they were both speaking (Mekhilta).

דברו אל כל עדת ישראל לאמר בעשר לחדש. דַּבְּרוּ הַיּוֹם, בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁיִּקָּחוּהוּ בֶּעָשֹׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ:

דברו אל כל עדת ישראל לאמר בעשר לחדש i. e. SPEAK to-day — on the first of the month — THAT ON THE TENTH OF THE MONTH they should take it (the lamb) (Mekhilta).

הזה. פֶּסַח מִצְרַיִם מִקְחוֹ בֶעָשׂוֹר, וְלֹא פֶּסַח דּוֹרוֹת (פסחים צ"ו):

הזה [ON THE TENTH OF] THIS [MONTH] — As regards the paschal lamb sacrificed in Egypt it had to be taken from the flock on the tenth, but this did not apply to the paschal-lamb offered by future generations (Pesachim 96a).

שה לבית אבת. לְמִשְׁפָּחָה אַחַת; הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיוּ מְרֻבִּין, יָכוֹל שֶׂה אֶחָד לְכֻלָּן? תַּ"לֹ "שֶׂה לַבָּיִת" (מכילתא):

שה לבית אבות A LAMB FOR THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS — i. e. a lamb for one family (“family” here means the larger unit comprising the father or grandfather with his married sons and their families). Consequently, if they (the members of such a family) were numerous, one might think that they may take one lamb for all of them (irrespective of whether this would suffice to provide a piece as large as an olive, the minimum quantity, for each person)! Therefore Scripture states: שה לבית A LAMB FOR EACH HOUSEHOLD (Mekhilta).

ואם ימעט הבית מהיות משה. וְאִם יִהְיוּ מוּעָטִים מִהְיוֹת מִשֶּׂה אֶחָד, שֶׁאֵין יְכוֹלִין לְאָכְלוֹ וְיָבֹא לִידֵי נוֹתָר: ולקח הוא ושכנו 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):

ואם ימעט הבית מהיות משה — This means: if they are too few to be sufficient for one lamb — that they are unable to eat the whole of it, and it would therefore come under the category of נותר “left over”. ולקח הוא ושכנו וגו׳ THEN LET HIM AND HIS NEIGHBOUR TAKE etc. — This is what these words and those that precede it imply in its literal sense, but there is also a derivation from it of a Halachic character — that the verse intends to teach that after they have counted themselves (formed themselves into a company) for it, they may reduce their number by withdrawing from it and may register themselves for a different lamb; but if they intend to withdraw and thereby reduce their number מהיות משה — they must reduce only whilst the lamb is still in being — whilst it is alive (מחיות משה = מהיות משה) — and not after it has been slaughtered (Pesachim 89a; cf. Mekhilta).

במכסת. חֶשְׁבּוֹן, וְכֵן "מִכְסַת הָעֶרְכְּךָ" (ויקרא כ"ז):

במכסת means ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER. Similar is, (Leviticus 27:23) “The number (מכסת) of thy valuation”.

לפי אכלו. הָרָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה, פְּרָט לְחוֹלֶה וּלְזָקֵן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֶאֱכֹל כַּזַּיִת (מכילתא):

לפי אכלו [EVERY MAN] ACCORDING TO HIS EATING — every man who is fitted to eat the quantity prescribed by the Law; this excludes a sick person and an aged person who are unable to eat a portion the size of an olive (Mekhilta).

תכסו. "תִּתְמְנוּן":

תכסו means ye shall number yourselves, as the Targum renders it. (It is not to be translated: ye shall number others.)

תמים. בְּלֹא מוּם:

תמים PERFECT i. e. without blemish (Mekhilta).

בן שנה. כָּל שְׁנָתוֹ קָרוּי בֶּן שָׁנָה, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁנּוֹלַד בְּשָׁנָה זוֹ:

בן שנה OF THE FIRST YEAR — the whole of its first year it is termed שנה בן, as much as to say, that it was born during this year (it does not mean that it is one year old — in its second year) (cf.Mekhilta).

מן הכבשים ומן העזים. אוֹ מִזֶּה אוֹ מִזֶּה, שֶׁאַף עֵז קָרוּי שֶׂה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְשֵׂה עִזִּים" (דברים י"ד):

מן הכבשים ומן העזים — i. e. either from these (a lamb) or from these (a goat) (i. e. the ו of ומן does not signify “and”, but “or”); for a goat, also, is called שה, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 14:4) “the שה of the goats” (שה means the young animal, either of the sheep or of the goats) (cf. Mekhilta).

והיה לכם למשמרת. 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):

והיה לכם למשמרת AND IT SHALL BE IN YOUR KEEPING (or watching) — This expresses the idea of examining, and the text therefore implies that it requires examination against any blemish during the four days before slaughter (Pesachim 96a). And why did He order that it should be taken from the flock four days before its slaughter, something which He did not command in respect to the paschal-lamb that was offered by succeeding generations? Rabbi Mathia, the son of Cheresh, said, in answer: Behold, it (Scripture) says, (Ezekiel 16:8) “And I passed over thee (an allusion to God’s passing over the Israelites in Egypt) and looked upon thee, and behold, thy time was the time of love” — there had arrived the time to fulfil the oath which I had sworn to Abraham to redeem his children. They, however, possessed no divine commands in which to engage in order that they should merit to be redeemed — as it is said (Ezekiel 16:7) “thou wast naked and bare” (i. e. bare of all merit earned through the fulfilment of God’s commands). He therefore gave them two commands, relating respectively to the blood of the paschal-lamb and the blood of the circumcision — for that night they circumcised themselves, as it is said (Ezekiel 16:6) “[When I passed over thee] I saw thee wallowing in thy bloods (בְּדָמַיִךְ is plural)” i. e. in two kinds of blood. Further it states, (Zechariah 9:11) “As for thee, also, because of the blood of the covenant I released thy prisoners out of the pit wherin there is no water”. And yet another reply to this question is, that because they were sunk in idolatry and had no merit gained by the practice of a divine command, He said unto them, (v. 21) משכו “Draw” — withdraw your hands from idols; וקחו לכם צאן “and take unto yourselves a lamb” to fulfil a divine command (Mekhilta).

ושחטו אתו וגו'. וְכִי כֻּלָּן שׁוֹחֲטִין? אֶלָּא מִכָּאן שֶׁשְּׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם כְּמוֹתוֹ (קידושין מ"א):

ושחטו אתו וגו׳ AND THEY SHALL SLAUGHTER IT etc. — But did they all slaughter it (one alone did this on behalf of the company formed to eat that particular lamb; cf. Chullin 29b)? But we derive from this statement the legal principle that a man’s agent is as himself (this is derived from the fact that although one alone slaughtered the lamb on behalf of many, Scripture still states: they shall slaughter it) (Mekhilta; Kiddushin 41b).

קהל עדת ישראל. 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):

קהל עדת ישראל it speaks here of קהל assembly, עדה congregation, ישראל Israel, whilst one of these terms alone would have sufficed; hence they (the Rabbis) said: the paschal-lambs of the congregation (a term used in contrast to that which was sacrificed by an individual on the 14th of the second month; cf. Numbers 9:9—14) are to be slaughtered in three groups, one after the other — the first group entered and the doors of the court were closed, etc. as is to be found in the Talmud, Treatise Pesachim (64a).

בין הערבים. 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):

בין הערבים AT EVENTIDE — The period beginning at six hours (reckoning from six o’clock in the morning) and hence forward is called בין הערבים (Mekhilta), because the sun then inclines in the direction of the place of its setting to become darkened. The expression בין הערבים appears to me to denote those hours which are between the darkening of the day and the darkening of the night. The darkening of the day is at the beginning of the seventh hour in the day, from when the shadows of evening decline; and the darkening of the night is at the commencement of the night (this period is therefore from noon until the beginning of night). The word ערב is an expression for gloom and darkness, as in (Isaiah 24:11). “All joy is darkened".

ולקחו מן הדם. זוֹ קַבָּלַת הַדָּם, יָכוֹל בַּיָּד? תַּ"לֹ אשר בסף (מכילתא):

ולקחו מן הדם AND THEY SHALL TAKE OF THE BLOOD — This refers to the ritual reception of the blood. One might think that they must take it in the hand; therefore Scripture states, (v. 22) “[and ye shall dip it in the blood] which is in the basin (Mekhilta).

המזוזת. הֵם הַזְּקוּפוֹת אַחַת מִכָּאן לַפֶּתַח וְאַחַת מִכָּאן:

המזוזת THE SIDE POSTS — These are the upright posts, one on this side of the entrance and one on that side.

המשקוף. הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁהַדֶּלֶת שׁוֹקֵף עָלָיו כְּשֶׁסּוֹגְרִין אוֹתוֹ, לינטי"ל בְּלַעַז; וּלְשׁוֹן שְׁקִיפָה חֲבָטָה, כְּמוֹ "קוֹל עָלֶה נִדָּף" (ויקרא כ"ו) – דְשָׁקִיף, חַבּוּרָה – מַשְׁקוֹפֵי:

המשקוף THE LINTEL — This is the upper post upon which the door beats (שוקף) when it is being closed; old French lintel. The expression שקף (from which משקוף lintel is derived) denotes beating, as may be seen from the Targum on, (Leviticus 26:36) “the sound of a leaf that is beaten (by another)”, which Onkelos renders by דשקיף; and from the Targum on, (Exodus 21:25) חַבּוּרָה “wheal” (a beaten spot), where משקופי is the rendering.

על הבתים אשר יאכלו אתו בהם. וְלֹא עַל מַשְׁקוֹף וּמְזוּזוֹת שֶׁבְּבֵית הַתֶּבֶן וּבֵית הַבָּקָר, שֶׁאֵין דָּרִין בְּתוֹכוֹ (ע' מכילתא):

אל הבתים אשר יאכלו אתו בהם ON THE HOUSES WHEREIN THEY SHALL EAT IT — and not upon the lintel and the doorposts which are in the place used for storing straw or in the stalls of oxen, in which people do not live and eat. (Cf. Mekhilta and הגהות הגר״א thereon).

את הבשר. וְלֹא גִּידִים וַעֲצָמוֹת (שם):

את הבשר AND THEY SHALL EAT] THE FLESH — but not the sinews and bones (Mekhilta).

ומצות על מררים. כָּל עֵשֶׂב מַר נִקְרָא מָרוֹר; וְצִוָּם לֶאֱכֹל מַר זֵכֶר לְ"וַיְמָרְרוּ אֶת חַיֵּיהֶם" (שמות א'):

ומצות על מררים AND UNLEAVENED BREAD WITH מררים — Every bitter herb is called מרור. He commanded them to eat something bitter as a reminder of: (Exodus 1:14) “And they made their lives bitter” (Pesachim 116b).

אל תאכלו ממנו נא. שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָלוּי כָּל צָרְכּוֹ קוֹרְאוֹ נָא בְלָשׁוֹן עֲרָבִי:

אל תאכלו ממנו נא DO NOT EAT OF IT HALF-DONE — flesh that is not roasted as much as it should be is called נא in the Arabic language (cf. Pesachim 41a).

ובשל מבשל. כָּל זֶה בְּאַזְהָרַת אל תאכלו:

ובשל מבשל NOR SODDEN AT ALL — All this belongs to the prohibition, “Do not eat of it” (The text is, therefore, to be translated as above, and not: Do not eat of it half done, but boiled etc. The words אל תאכלו are to be supplied before בשל and כי אם צלי אש) (Pesachim 41b).

במים. מִנַּיִן לִשְׁאָר מַשְׁקִין? תַּ"לֹ וּבָשֵׁל מְבֻשָּׁל, מִכָּל מָקוֹם (פסחים מ"א):

במים [BOILED] IN WATER — Whence may it be deduced that this prohibition extends to other liquids also? Because Scripture states here ובשל מבשל, “or boiled at all” (Pesachim 41a.).

כי אם צלי אש. לְמַעְלָה גָּזַר עָלָיו בְּמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה, וְכָאן הוֹסִיף עָלָיו לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, אל תאכלו ממנו … כי אם צלי אש:

כי אם צלי אש BUT ROAST WITH FIRE — Above (in the preceding verse) Scripture promulgates the law regarding this in the form of an affirmative command; here it adds to that a negative command: Do not eat of it … except roasted by fire. (Consequently one who eats of it in in any manner except roasted by fire is liable to the punishment laid down for transgressing a negative command as well as to that for the infringement of a positive command) (Pesachim 41b).

ראשו על כרעיו. 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:

ראשו על כרעיו ITS HEAD WITH ITS LEGS — One roasts it all in one, with its head and with its legs and with its inward parts, and one places its entrails inside it after having rinsed them (Pesachim 74a). The expression על קרבו, is like the expression, (Exodus 6:26) “על צבאותם”, which is the same as בצבאותם, “with their hosts”, which means, “just as they are” (every one of the Israelites). So, too, this phrase means: they shall roast the flesh just as it is — all its flesh, whole.

והנתר ממנו עד בקר. מַה תַּ"לֹ 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):

והנתר ממנו עד בקר AND THAT WHICH REMAINETH OF IT UNTIL THE MORNING — What does Scripture intend to teach by stating עד בקר a second time? It intends to add an earlier stage of morning to the stage of morning already mentioned: because the term morning usually signifies the period beginning with sun-rise, and Scripture here intends to advance the hour and forbid eating it even from the break of day. This is the explanation according to what the text really implies. And there is still another Halacha derived from it: it teaches that it is not to be burnt on the festival itself but on the following day, and this is how you must explain it: “[and ye shall not leave anything of it until the morning]”; והנתר ממנו “and as regards that which is left of it” unto that first morning (עד בקר), until the second morning shalt thou wait, and then shalt thou burn it (Mekhilta; Pesachim 83b; Shabbat 24b).

מתניכם חגרים. מְזֻמָּנִים לַדֶּרֶךְ:

מתניכם חגרים YOUR LOINS GIRDED — i. e. prepared for the journey (Mekhilta).

בחפזון. לְשׁוֹן בֶּהָלָה וּמְהִירוּת, כְּמוֹ "וַיְהִי דָּוִד נֶחְפָּז לָלֶכֶת" (שמואל א' כ"ג), "אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁלִיכוּ אֲרָם בְּחָפְזָם" (מלכים ב' ז'):

בחפזון — This is an expression denoting hurry and haste, similar to, (I Samuel 23:26) “And David made haste (נחפז) to get away”; (2 Kings 7:15) ”which the Arameans had cast away in their haste"

פסח הוא לה'. הַקָּרְבָּן קָרוּי פסח עַל שֵׁם הַדִּלּוּג וְהַפְּסִיחָה, שֶׁהַקָּבָּ"ה 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:

פסח הוא לה IT IS THE PASSOVER OF THE LORD — The offering is called פסח in allusion to the springing and passing over — because the Holy One, blessed be He, passed over the houses of the Israelites in between the houses of the Egyptians and sprang from Egyptian to Egyptian, whilst the Israelite who was between them escaped. The words “And ye shall eat it in haste for it is a 'springing’-offering to the Lord” imply: Ye, therefore, do every act of sacrificial service connected with it (with the Paschal lamb) in honour of Heaven (God) by way of springing and leaping over (i. e. hastily), as a reminder of its name, which is called, the “springing”-offering. In old French, (Provencal) too, Pascua (the term for the Passover festival) signifies stepping over.

ועברתי. כְּמֶלֶךְ הָעוֹבֵר מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם (מכילתא), וּבְהַעֲבָרָה אַחַת וּבְרֶגַע אֶחָד כֻּלָּן לוֹקִים:

ועברתי AND I WILL PASS — This is not to be taken literally, but is speaks of God as one speaks of a king who passes from place to place (Mekhilta) but in this case all were punished at a single passage and in one moment.

כל בכור בארץ מצרים. אַף בְּכוֹרוֹת אֲחֵרִים וְהֵם בְּמִצְרַיִם. וּמִנַּיִן אַף בְּכוֹרֵי מִצְרַיִם שֶׁבִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרִים? תַּ"לֹ "לְמַכֵּה מִצְרַיִם בִּבְכוֹרֵיהֶם" (תהלים קל"ו):

כל בכור בארץ מצרים ALL THE FIRSTBORN IN THE LAND OF EGYPT — also the first-born of other nations who happened then to be in Egypt. And whence may we deduce that the first-born of the Egyptians who happened to be in other countries also died? From what Scripture states: (Psalms 136:10) “To Him that smote the Egyptians in their first-born” (an unqualified statement) (Mekhilta).

מאדם ועד בהמה. מִי שֶׁהִתְחִיל בַּעֲבֵרָה מִמֶּנּוּ מַתְחֶלֶת הַפֻּרְעָנוּת (מכילתא):

מאדם עד בהמה FROM MAN TO BEAST — He who first began the wrongdoing, from him began the punishment (Mekhilta).

ובכל אלהי מצרים. שֶׁל עֵץ נִרְקֶבֶת וְשֶׁל מַתֶּכֶת נִמְסֵת וְנִתֶּכֶת לָאָרֶץ (שם):

ובכל אלהי מצרים AND AGAINST ALL THE GODS OF EGYPT [WILL I EXECUTE JUDGEMENTS] — An idol of wood rotted, and one of metal melted and was poured out on the ground (cf. Mekhilta)).

אעשה שפטים אני ה'. אֲנִי בְעַצְמִי, וְלֹא עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ:

אעשה שפטים אני ה I WILL EXECUTE JUDGEMENTS, I, THE LORD — I, Myself, and not by means of a messenger (Pesikta Zotarta).

והיה הדם לכם לאת. לָכֶם לְאוֹת וְלֹא לַאֲחֵרִים לְאוֹת (שם). מִכָּאן שֶׁלֹּא נָתְנוּ הַדָּם אֶלָּא מִבִּפְנִים:

והיה הדם לכם לאת AND THE BLOOD SHALL BE UNTO YOU FOR A SIGN — it shall be to you for a sign, and not to others for a sign (Mekhilta). From this we may learn that they put the blood only inside their houses.

וראיתי את הדם. הַכֹּל גָּלוּי לְפָנָיו, אֶלָּא אָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה, נוֹתֵן אֲנִי אֶת עֵינַי לִרְאוֹת שֶׁאַתֶּם עֲסוּקִים בְּמִצְווֹתַי, וּפוֹסֵחַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם (שם):

וראיתי את הדם AND WHEN I SEE THE BLOOD — But surely everything is manifest to Him and He therefore did not need to look whether the blood had been put on the door-posts? But the meaning is: God says, I will set My eye (my attention) to take notice of the fact that you are engaged in the performance of My commands — then will I pass over you (Mekhilta).

ופסחתי. 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:

ופסחתי — This signifies I WILL SPARE you; similar to this is, (Isaiah 31:5) “Sparing (פסוח) and delivering”. (This is the explanation of Menachem ben Seruk). But I say that wherever the root פסח occurs it is an expression for leaping and springing over, so that ופסחתי here denotes that He sprang from the houses of the Israelites when He reached them, without having entered them, to the houses of the Egyptians — for they (the Egyptians and the Israelites) dwelt one next to the other. Of a like import is, (1 Kings 18:21) “How long will ye leap (פוסחים) upon two twigs?” So, too, all פסחים lame people walk as though they were springing, and are therefore termed פסחים. This, too, is the meaning of, (Isaiah 31:5) פסוח והמליט “He springs over him and delivers him” from amongst those who are being killed.

ולא יהיה בכם נגף. אֲבָל הוֶֹה הוּא בַּמִּצְרִים. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה מִצְרִי בְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, יָכוֹל יִמָּלֵט? תַּ"לֹ "וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶף", אֲבָל הֹוֶה בַּמִּצְרִים שֶׁבְּבָתֵּיכֶם. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל מִצְרִי, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי יִלְקֶה כְמוֹתוֹ, תַּ"לֹ "וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶף" (מכילתא):

ולא יהיה בכם נגף AND THE INFLICTION SHALL NOT BE UPON YOU — but it will be upon the Egyptians. — In the case that an Egyptian was in an Israelite’s house one might think that he would escape! Therefore Scripture says: “and the infliction shall not be upon you”, but it shall be upon the Egyptians who happen to be in your houses! In the case that an Israelite was in an Egyptians house, I might understand from this that he would be smitten just the same as he (the Egyptian)! Therefore Scripture says, “and the affliction shall not be upon you”, wherever you may happen to be (Mekhilta).

לזכרון. לְדוֹרוֹת:

לזכרון [AND THIS DAY SHALL BE UNTO YOU] FOR A MEMORIAL — in future generations (i. e. in the future).

וחגתם אתו. יוֹם שֶׁהוּא לְךָ לְזִכָּרוֹן אַתָּה חוֹגְגוֹ. וַעֲדַיִן לֹא שָׁמַעְנוּ אֵיזֶהוּ יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן, תַּ"לֹ "זָכוֹר אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר יְצָאתֶם" (שמות י"ג), לִמְּדָנוּ, שֶׁיּוֹם הַיְצִיאָה הוּא יוֹם שֶׁל זִכָּרוֹן. וְאֵי זֶה יוֹם יָצְאוּ? תַּ"לֹ "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):

וחגתם אתו AND YE SHALL CELEBRATE IT AS A FEAST— Scripture states: the day that is to serve you as a memorial, that day thou shalt celebrate as a feast, but we have not yet heard which is the day that is to be a memorial; therefore Scripture says (Exodus 13:3) “Remember (זכור) this day in which ye went out” and this teaches us that the day of the Exodus itself is the day which is to be the memorial (זכרון). Now, on which day did they go forth? Scripture states, (Numbers 33:3) “On the morrow after the Passover-sacrifice they went forth”. Thus you must say that the day of the fifteenth of Nisan is that of the Feast, for on the night of the fifteenth (i. e. what we would term the night following the day of the fourteenth) they ate the Passover-sacrifice, and consequently on the next morning they went forth (Mekhilta).

לדרתיכם וגו'. שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי מִעוּט דּוֹרוֹת שְׁנַיִם, תַּ"לֹ "חֻקַּת עוֹלָם תְּחָגֻּהוּ" (שם):

לדרתיכם וגו׳ [YE SHALL CELEBRATE IT] FOR YOUR GENERATIONS etc. — I might understand from this that it need be celebrated only for the minimum of a plurality of generations, viz., two; therefore Scripture goes on to state “an ordinance for ever shall ye celebrate it as feast” (Mekhilta).

שבעת ימים. שטיינ"א שֶׁל יָמִים:

שבעת ימים denotes a septaine (old French) of days.

שבעת ימים מצות תאכלו. 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? תַּ"לֹ "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, תַּ"לֹ "בָּעֶרֶב תֹּאכְלוּ מַצֹּת" – הַכָּתוּב קְבָעוֹ חוֹבָה (פסחים ק"כ):

שבעת ימים מצות תאכלו SEVEN DAYS SHALL YE EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD — But in another passage it slates: (Deuteronomy 16:8) “Six days shalt thou eat unleavened bread”! This teaches regarding the seventh day of the Passover that it is not obligatory to eat unleavened bread on it, but only this is required viz., that one should not eat leavened food. Whence may we derive that the other six days, too, are optinal as regards the eating of unleavened bread? From what Scripture states: “Six days [shalt thou eat unnleavened bread]”. For the following is a Rule by which the Torah may be expounded: Anything that is included in a general statement and goes out (i. e. Scripture singles it out) from this general statement for the purpose of teaching something, does not go out from it in order to teach something regarding itself alone but it goes out from it to teach something about everything that is included in the general statement. Now the seventh day is included in the general statement “Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread”, and in the text “Six days shall thou eat unleavened bread” it has left the general statement. How is it with the seventh day? It is optional as regards the eating of unleavened bread, (as explained in the earlier portion of this comment)! This, according to the above rule, applies also to everything that was included in the general statement i. e. to the whole seven days, and therefore the other six days are also optional in this respect! One might think that the first night of the Passover is also optional (since it is part of the first day when as we have just shown the eating of unleavened bread is optional), therefore Scripture states, (v. 18) “at evening ye shall eat unleavened bread” Scripture thus fixes it as obligatory for that night (Pesachim 120a).

אך ביום הראשון תשביתו 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? תַּ"לֹ "לֹא תִשְׁחַט עַל חָמֵץ וְגוֹ'" (שמות ל"ד) – לֹא תִשְׁחַט הַפֶּסַח וַעֲדַיִן חָמֵץ קַיָּם (פסחים ה'):

אך ביום הראשון תשביתו שאור EVEN THE FIRST DAY YE SHALL HAVE PUT AWAY LEAVEN — This means on the eve of the festival ye shall put it away — and that day is termed “the first (הראשון) day” because it is immediately before the seven days: We find in another passage, too, that a thing which precedes another is termed ראשון, as in (Job. 15:7) “Wast thou born ראשון Adam”, i. e. wast thou born before Adam? — But perhaps the text it referring only to the first of the seven days (i. e. the word ראשון has its ordinary meaning of first, and leavened food must be removed on the first day of the Festival and not on the preceding day)! Scripture, however, states: (Exodus 34:25) “Thou shalt not offer together with leaven [the blood of my sacrifice]” — i. e. thou shalt not slaughter the Passover sacrifice whilst leavened bread is still existent (but the Passover sacrifice was slaughtered on the afternoon of the day before the first day of the Festival; consequently all leavened food must have been removed by the hour of slaughter)(Mekhilta; cf. Pesachim 5a).

הנפש ההוא. כְּשֶׁהִיא בְנַפְשָׁהּ וּבְדַעְתָּהּ – פְּרָט לְאָנוּס (מכילתא):

הנפש ההיא [FOR WHOSOEVER EATETH ANYTHING LEAVENED..] THAT SOUL [SHALL BE CUT OFF] — if it eats unleavened bread when it is in its will (נפש) and with its full consciousness — this would exclude one who does so being under some external compulsion (force majeure) (cf. Mekhilta).

מישראל. שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי תִּכָּרֵת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וְתֵלֶךְ לָהּ לְעַם אַחֵר, תַּ"לֹ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר "מִלְּפָנַי" (ויקרא כ"ב) – בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא רְשׁוּתִי:

מישראל [THAT SOUL SHALL BE CUT OFF] FROM ISRAEL — I might understand from this that he shall be cut off from Israel and that he will be able to betake himself to another nation! Scripture therefore states in another passage, (Leviticus 22:3) “[that soul shall be cut off] from my presence” — in every place that is My territory (i. e. everywhere) (Mekhilta).

מקרא קדש. מקרא שֵׁם דָּבָר; קְרָא אוֹתוֹ קדש לַאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה וּכְסוּת (מכילתא):

מקרא קדש — The word מקרא is an infinitive and the translation is, “And on the first day there shall be “a calling it holy”, which implies: call it holy in regard to eating and drinking and raiment (Mekhilta).

לא יעשה בהם. אֲפִלּוּ עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים (שם):

לא יעשה בהם NO WORK SHALL BE DONE ON THEM, even by the agency of others (cf. Mekhilta).

הוא לבדו. "הוּא" וְלֹא מַכְשִׁירָיו שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹתָן מֵעֶרֶב יוֹם טוֹב (ביצה כ"ח):

הוא לבדו THAT ALONE — that and not such acts preliminary to it (to the preparation of food) as it was possible to do on the eve of the Festival (Beitzah 28b).

לכל נפש. אֲפִלּוּ לִבְהֵמָה; יָכוֹל אַף לַגּוֹיִם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לָכֶם (מכילתא):

לכל נפש BY EVERY BEING — even by cattle. One might think that also food may be prepared for non-Israelites! Scripture however states, (in this verse) לכם (i. e. לכל נפש לכם) for every being that belongs to you (the responsibility for feeding which belongs to you) (Mekhilta).

ושמרתם את המצות. 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):

ושמרתם את המצות AND YE SHALL WATCH THE UNLEAVENED BREAD that it shall not reach the stage of becoming leavened; hence the Rabbis said, if it (the dough) is rising (a sign that the leavening process is setting in) she (the woman kneading the dough) polishes it with cold water (i. e. she slaps the dough with hands dipped in cold water). Rabbi Josiah said: Do not read “את המַּצּוֹת”, the unleavened bread, but את הַמִּצְוֹת “[ye shall watch] the commandements” — just as we may not cause the unleavened bread to become leavened by letting the dough remain in its raw state too long so we may not let the commandment become “leavened” by waiting too long before we perform it; but if it (a commandment) comes to your hand, perform it immediately (Mekhilta).

ושמרתם את היום הזה. מִמְּלָאכָה:

ושמרתם את היום הזה AND YE SHALL GUARD THIS DAY — against work,

לדרתיכם חקת עולם. 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:

לדרתיכם חקת עולם THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS, AN ORDINANCE FOR EVER — Because the expressions, “[throughout your] generations”, and “an ordinance for ever” have not been mentioned in connection with the prohibition of work but only in reference to the celebration of the Festival (v. 14), it is therefore repeated here in order that you should not say: the prohibition, (v. 16) “no work shall be done”, was not spoken for future generations but for that generation alone to whom the words were addressed.

עד יום האחד ועשרים. לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר "שִׁבְעַת יָמִים"? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר יָמִים, לֵילוֹת מִנַּיִן? תַּ"לֹ עד יום האחד ועשרים וגו' (מכילתא):

עד יום האחד ועשרים UNTIL THE TWENTY-FIRST DAY — Why is this stated? Has it not already been stated, (v. 15) “Seven days [shall ye eat unleavened bread]” (beginning on the fifteenth day, as Rashi shows in his comment on v. 14 and therefore terminating on the twenty-first)? The answer is: Since it is said in that verse, “[seven] days [shalt thou eat unleavened bread]”, we may ask whence do we derive that the prohibition of eating leavened bread extends also to the nights of these seven days? Scripture therefore states here, “[Ye shall eat unleavened bread] until the twenty-first-day in the evening” (Mekhilta).

לא ימצא בבתיכם. מִנַּיִן לַגְּבוּלִין? תַּלְמוּד לֹוֹמַר "בְּכָל גְּבוּלֶךָ" (שמות י"ג); מַה תַּ"לֹ בְּבָתֵּיכֶם? מַה בֵּיתְךָ בִּרְשׁוּתְךָ, אַף גְּבוּלְךָ שֶׁבִּרְשׁוּתְךָ, יָצָא חֲמֵצוֹ שֶׁל נָכְרִי שֶׁהוּא אֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא קִבֵּל עָלָיו אַחֲרָיוּת (מכילתא):

לא ימצא בבתיכם NO LEAVEN SHALL BE FOUND IN YOUR HOUSES — Whence may we derive that this applies also to the external properties which belong to you? From what Scripture states, (Exodus 13:7) “[Neither shall leaven be seen with thee] in all thy boundaries”. If this be so, why then need Scripture specify here “in your houses” (since this term is comprised in the more general term “in all thy boundaries”)? It is for the purpose of defining the latter term through the former. How is it the case of thy house? Everything contained in it is under thy control! So, too, the term “[leaven in all] your boundaries” means only such leaven as is in your boundaries and under your control, thereby excluding such leaven belonging to a non-Israelite as is deposited with an Israelite but for which he has accepted no responsibility (Mekhilta).

כי כל אכל מחמצת. 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):

כי כל אכל מחמצת FOR WHOSOEVER EATETH THAT WHICH LEAVENETH — The purpose of this statement is to mention the punishment of excision for eating שאור (a synonym for מחמצת, which is something that causes the leavening process to set in, such as yeast etc., whilst חמץ denotes food which has become leavened). But has not Scripture already mentioned this punishment for eating leavened food (v. 15)? But the mention of this punishment is repeated here in connection with leaven מחמצת, in order that you should not argue as follows: For eating leavened food — a thing which is fitted to be eaten — it mentions this punishment, but if one eats leaven itself — which is something not fitted to be eaten — one should not be punished for it. If, however, it had mentioned the punishment for eating leaven but had not mentioned the punishment for eating leavened food, I might have said: For eating leaven — a thing which has the property of making other things leavened — it mentions the punishment, but if one eats leavened food — which is something that does not possess the property of making other things leavened — one should not be punished for it; therefore they are both mentioned (Mekhilta; cf. Beitzah 7b).

בגר ובאזרח הארץ. לְפִי שֶׁהַנֵּס נַעֲשָׂה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הֻצְרַךְ לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַגֵּרִים (שם):

בגר ובאזרח הארץ WHETHER HE BE A STRANGER OR A NATIVE OF THE LAND — Because the miracle of the Exodus was performed for Israel it is necessary expressly to include the stranger who has become an Israelite in this command (Mekhilta).

מחמצת לא תאכלו. אַזְהָרָה עַל אֲכִילַת שְׂאוֹר:

מחמצת לא תאכלו THAT WHICH LEAVENETH YE SHALL NOT EAT — Here we have the prohibition regarding eating שאור (that which causes food to become leavened).

כל מחמצת. לְהָבִיא אֶת תַּעֲרָבְתּוֹ:

כל מחמצת [YE SHALL NOT EAT] ANYTHING THAT LEAVENETH — The use of the word כל, anything (even in the smallest degree), is intended to include food with which it (שאור) is mixed (Mekhilta).

בכל מושבתיכם תאכלו מצות. זֶה בָא לְלַמֵּד שֶׁתְּהֵא רְאוּיָה לְהֵאָכֵל בְּכָל מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם, פְּרָט לְמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְחַלּוֹת תּוֹדָה (מכילתא):

בכל מושבתיכם תאכלו מצות IN ALL YOUR HABITATIONS SHALL YE EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD — This statement is intended to teach that it (the unleavened bread which you must eat on the first night of Passover) must be fitted to be eaten in all your habitations, thus excluding leavened bread which forms “the second tithe” and the unleavened meal cakes brought with the thanksgiving offering (which might be eaten only within the walls of Jerusalem) (Mekhilta).