Chumashחומש

וה'. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַה'" הוּא וּבֵית דִּינוֹ, שֶׁהַוָּי"ו לְשׁוֹן תּוֹסֶפֶת הוּא, כְּמוֹ פְּלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי:

וה׳ “AND” THE LORD — Wherever it is stated וה׳ “And the Lord” it signifies He and His celestial Court, because the prefix ו expresses an addition, just as one says, “Mr. So-and-so and Mr. So-and-so” (Genesis Rabbah 51:2; cf. Rashi on Genesis 19:24).

הכה כל בכור. אַף שֶׁל אֻמָּה אַחֶרֶת וְהוּא בְמִצְרַיִם (מכילתא):

הכה כל בכור SMOTE ALL THE FIRSTBORN — all: such, also, belonging to another people who happened to be in Egypt (Mekhilta; cf. Rashi on v. 12).

מבכר פרעה. אַף פַּרְעֹה בְּכוֹר הָיָה, וְנִשְׁתַּיֵּר מִן הַבְּכוֹרוֹת, וְעָלָיו הוּא אוֹמֵר "בַּעֲבוּר הַרְאוֹתְךָ אֶת כֹּחִי" (שמות ט') – בְּיַם סוּף (מכילתא):

מבכר פרעה means FROM THE FIRSTBORN PHARAOH’S — Pharaoh too, was a firstborn, but he alone was allowed to remain of the firstborn; and regarding this it states, (Exodus 9:16) “[But for this cause I have maintained thee in life in order to show thee my power” — i. e. to show thee my power at the Read Sea (cf. Mekhilta).

עד בכור השבי. שֶׁהָיוּ שְׂמֵחִין לְאֵידָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְעוֹד, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ יִרְאָתֵנוּ הֵבִיאָה הַפֻּרְעָנוּת; וּבְכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה בִּכְלָל הָיָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי מָנָה מִן הֶחָשׁוּב שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן עַד הַפָּחוּת, וּבְכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה חָשׁוּב מִבְּכוֹר הַשְּׁבִי:

עד בכור השבי UNTO THE FIRSTBORN OF THE CAPTIVE — because they rejoiced at the misfortune of the Israelites (Midrash Tanchuma, Bo 7); and a further reason why they were slain is that they should not say, — if they remained alive — it was our god who brought punishment upon our oppressors, the Egyptians (Mekhilta) The firstborn of the handmaid, threatened with death in 40:5 but not mentioned here as having been slain, is included in those stated here to have been slain since it enumerates here (i. e. the terms used here are intended to include everyone) from the most important amongst all of them to the least important, and the firstborn of the handmaid as belonging to the Egyptian people, is certainly more important than the firstborn of the captive (cf. Rashi on 11:6).

ויקם פרעה. מִמִּטָּתוֹ:

ויקם פרעה AND PHARAOH AROSE from his bed,

לילה. וְלֹא כְּדֶרֶךְ הַמְּלָכִים בְּשָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת בַּיּוֹם (שם):

לילה AT NIGHT and not, as is the way of kings, at three hours in the day (9 o’clock in the morning) (Mekhilta; cf. Berakhot 9b).

הוא. תְּחִלָּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ עבדיו, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה הוּא מְחַזֵּר עַל בָּתֵּי עֲבָדָיו וּמַעֲמִידָן (שם):

הוא HE, first — and afterwards עבדיו HIS SERVANTS — this informs us that he went round to the houses of his servants and made them get up (Mekhilta).

כי אין בית אשר אין שם מת. יֵשׁ שָׁם בְּכוֹר, מֵת, אֵין שָׁם בְּכוֹר, גָּדוֹל שֶׁבַּבַּיִת קָרוּי בְּכוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אַף אֲנִי בְּכוֹר אֶתְּנֵהוּ" (תהילים פ"ט). דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִצְרִיּוֹת מְזַנּוֹת תַּחַת בַּעְלֵיהֶן וְיוֹלְדוֹת מֵרַוָּקִים פְּנוּיִים, וְהָיוּ לָהֶם בְּכוֹרוֹת הַרְבֵּה, פְּעָמִים חֲמִשָּׁה לְאִשָּׁה אַחַת, כָּל אֶחָד בְּכוֹר לְאָבִיו:

כי אין בית אשר אין שם מת FOR THERE WAS NOT A HOUSE WHERE THERE WAS NOT ONE DEAD — If there was a firstborn there, he died: if there was no firstborn there, then the chief person in the house died because the chief person in the house is called בכור, as it is said, (Psalms 89:28) “I also will appoint him to be a בכור, [the highest of the kings of the earth]” (Mekhilta DeRashbi 12:30; cf. Rashi on 4:22; Pesachim Rabbah, Midr. Vajosha). Another explanation is: the Egyptian women were unfaithful to their husbands and bore children from young men, unmarried, and thus they (the Egyptian men) had many firstborn sons sometimes there were five to one woman, each being the firstborn to his own father (thus there might well be no house in which there was not a firstborn) (cf. Mekhilta).

ויקרא למשה ולאהרן לילה. מַגִּיד שֶׁהָיָה מְחַזֵּר עַל פִּתְחֵי הָעִיר וְצוֹעֵק, הֵיכָן מֹשֶׁה שָׁרוּי? הֵיכָן אַהֲרֹן שָׁרוּי? (מכילתא):

ויקרא למשה ולאהרן לילה AND HE CALLED FOR MOSES AND AARON BY NIGHT — This tells us that he went round to the entrances leading into the city (i. e. to each different district) crying out, “Where does Moses reside? Where does Aaron reside?” (Mekhilta).

גם אתם. הַגְּבָרִים:

גם אתם BOTH YE — the men,

גם בני ישראל. הַטַּף:

גם בני ישראל AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — the little ones (i. e. בני must be understood literally).

ולכו עבדו את ה' כדברכם. הַכֹּל כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲמַרְתֶּם וְלֹא כְּשֶׁאָמַרְתִּי אֲנִי; בָּטֵל "לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחַ", בָּטֵל "מִי וָמִי הַהוֹלְכִים", בָּטֵל "רַק צֹאנְכֶם וּבְקָרְכֶם יֻצָּג":

ולכו עבדו את ה' כדברכם AND GO, SERVE THE LORD, AS YE HAVE SAID — everything shall be as you have said and not as I have said: annulled is what I have said, (5:2) “I will not let you go” (“Arise, go out”); annulled is, (10:8) “who are they that shall go?” (“go, both you and the children of Israel”); annulled is, (10:24) “but your flocks and herds must remain” (“Take also your flocks and herds”) (cf. Mekhilta).

גם צאנכם גם בקרכם קחו. וּמַהוּ כאשר דברתם? "גַּם אַתָּה תִּתֵּן בְּיָדֵנוּ זְבָחִים וְעֹלֹת" (שמות י'), קְחוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתֶּם:

גם צאנכם גם בקרכם קחו TAKE ALSO YOUR FLOCKS AND HERDS — And what is the force of כאשר דברתם AS YE HAVE SPOKEN? It is an allusion to (10:25) “Thou, also, must give into our hands sacrifices and burnt offerings” — it means: take of my cattle also even as ye said.

וברכתם גם אתי. הִתְפַּלְּלוּ עָלַי שֶׁלֹּא אָמוּת, שֶׁאֲנִי בְּכוֹר:

וברכתם גם אתי AND BLESS ME ALSO — Pray on my behalf that I should not die because I am a firstborn (cf. Targum Jonathan on Exodus 12:32 and Mekhilta).

כלנו מתים. אָמְרוּ לֹא כִגְזֵרַת מֹשֶׁה הוּא, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמַר "וּמֵת כָּל בְּכוֹר", וְכָאן אַף הַפְּשׁוּטִים מֵתִים, חֲמִשָּׁה אוֹ עֲשָׂרָה בְּבַיִת אֶחָד:

כלנו מתים WE ARE ALL DEAD MEN — They said, Not according to Moses’ decree is this what has happened for he said (10:5) “And every firstborn shall die”, and here all the ordinary people are dead, five or ten in one house (Mekhilta).

טרם יחמץ. הַמִּצְרִים לֹא הִנִּיחוּם לִשְׁהוֹת כְּדֵי חִמּוּץ:

טרם יחמץ BEFORE IT WAS LEAVENED — The Egyptians would not allow them to stay long enough for the dough to become leavened.

משארתם. שְׁיָרֵי מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר.

משארתם (from the root שאר “to be left over”) denotes the leavings (what was left) of the unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Mekhilta).

על שכמם. אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁבְּהֵמוֹת הַרְבֵּה הוֹלִיכוּ עִמָּהֶם, מְחַבְּבִים הָיוּ אֶת הַמִּצְוָה:

על שכמם UPON THEIR SHOULDER — Although they took many cattle with them yet they bore this upon their shoulders because the commands of God were so dear unto them (Mekhilta).

כדבר משה. שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם בְּמִצְרַיִם, "וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ אִישׁ מֵאֵת רֵעֵהוּ":

כדבר משה [THEY DID] ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF MOSES which he had spoken to them in Egypt, viz., (Exodus 11:2) “And let every man ask his fellow…”

ושמלת. אַף הֵן הָיוּ חֲשׁוּבוֹת לָהֶם מִן הַכֶּסֶף וּמִן הַזָּהָב, וְהַמְאֻחָר בַּפָּסוּק חָשׁוּב:

ושמלות AND GARMENTS — These were even more valued by them than the silver and than the gold: the later a thing is mentioned in the text the more valued it is (cf. Mekhilta) (i. e. the fact that silver is mentioned before gold shows that the text is mentioning the objects in the ascending scale of value and consequently the garments, as being mentioned last, must have been most valued by them).

וישאלום. אַף מַה שֶּׁלֹּא הָיוּ שׁוֹאֲלִים מֵהֶם הָיוּ נוֹתְנִים לָהֶם, אַתָּה אוֹמֵר אֶחָד? טֹל שְׁנַיִם וָלֵךְ.

וישאלום lit., AND THEY HANDED THEM OVER — Even what they did not ask of them did they give to them: “You say “one” — take “two”, but only go!” (Mekhilta).

וינצלו. וְרוֹקִינוּ:

וינצלו The Targum translates this by ורוקינו, AND THEY EMPTIED OUT.

מרעמסס סכתה. מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים מִיל הָיוּ, וּבָאוּ שָׁם לְפִי שָׁעָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים" (שמות י"ט):

מרעמסס סכתה FROM RAMESES TO SUCCOTH — These were distant from one another 120 miles and yet they reached there in one moment, as it is said, (Exodus 19:4) “and I carried you as on eagles’ wings” (cf. Mekhilta and Rashi on Exodus 19:4).

הגברים. מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה (שה"ש רבה ג, ו):

הגברים ADULT MALES — from twenty years old and upwards (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:6).

ערב רב. תַּעֲרֹבֶת אֻמּוֹת שֶׁל גֵּרִים:

ערב רב A MIXED MULTITUDE — a mingling of various nations who had become proselytes.

עגת מצות. חֲרָרָה שֶׁל מַצָּה; בָּצֵק שֶׁלֹּא הֶחֱמִיץ קָרוּי מַצָּה:

עגת מצות means a cake of (made of) unleavened dough (Mekhilta); dough which has not become leavened is termed מצה.

וגם צדה לא עשו להם. לַדֶּרֶךְ. מַגִּיד שִׁבְחָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלֹּא אָמְרוּ הֵיאַךְ נֵצֵא לַמִּדְבָּר בְּלֹא צֵידָה? אֶלָּא הֶאֱמִינוּ וְהָלְכוּ; הוּא שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בַּקַּבָּלָה, "זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלֹתָיִךְ לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא זְרוּעָה" (ירמיהו ב'), מַה שָּׂכָר מְפֹרָשׁ אַחֲרָיו? "קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַה' וְגוֹ'":

וגם צדה לא עשו להם NEITHER HAD THEY MADE FOR THEMSELVES ANY PROVISION for the journey. This is stated to tell how praiseworthy Israel was: that they did not say, “How can we go forth into the wilderness without provisions?” But they had faith and set forth. This it is that is referred to more explicitly in the prophets: (Jeremiah 2:1) “I remember for thee the affection of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, how thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a land that was not sown”. What reward is afterwards set forth there? “Israel is the Lord’s hallowed portion etc.” (Mekhilta).

אשר ישבו במצרים. אַחַר שְׁאָר הַיְשִׁיבוֹת שֶׁיָּשְׁבוּ גֵּרִים בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם:

אשר ישבו במצרים WHO ABODE IN EGYPT after the other settlements (i. e. including those also) which they had made as strangers in a land that was not theirs (cf. Mekhilta).

שלשים שנה וארבע מאות שנה. בֵּין הַכֹּל, מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד יִצְחָק עַד עַכְשָׁו, הָיוּ אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת, מִשֶּׁהָיָה לוֹ זֶרַע לְאַבְרָהָם נִתְקַיֵּם כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ, וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה הָיוּ מִשֶׁנִּגְזְרָה גְזֵרַת בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים עַד שֶׁנּוֹלַד יִצְחָק; וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְבַדָּהּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי קְהָת מִן הַבָּאִים עִם יַעֲקֹב הָיָה, צֵא וַחֲשֹׁב כָּל שְׁנוֹתָיו וְכָל שְׁנוֹת עַמְרָם בְּנוֹ וּשְׁמוֹנִים שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, לֹא תִמְצָאֵם כָּל כָּךְ, וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ הַרְבֵּה שָׁנִים הָיוּ לִקְהָת עַד שֶׁלֹּא יָרַד לְמִצְרַיִם, וְהַרְבֵּה מִשְּׁנוֹת עַמְרָם נִבְלָעִים בִּשְׁנוֹת קְהָת, וְהַרְבֵּה מִשְּׁמוֹנִים שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה נִבְלָעִים בִּשְׁנוֹת עַמְרָם, הֲרֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִמְצָא אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת לְבִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, וְהֻזְקַקְתָּה לוֹמַר עַל כָּרְחֲךָ, שֶׁאַף שְׁאָר הַיְשִׁיבוֹת נִקְרְאוּ גֵּרוּת וַאֲפִלּוּ בְחֶבְרוֹן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֲשֶׁר גָּר שָׁם אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק" (בראשית ל"ה), וְאוֹמֵר "אֶת אֶרֶץ מְגֻרֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר גָּרוּ בָהּ" (שמות ו'), לְפִיכָךְ אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר "כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ" מִשֶּׁהָיָה לוֹ זֶרַע, וּכְשֶׁתִּמְנֶה ת' שָׁנָה מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד יִצְחָק, תִּמְצָא מִבִּיאָתָן לְמִצְרַיִם עַד יְצִיאָתָן ר"י, וְזֶה אֶחָד מִן הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁשִּׁנּוּ לְתַלְמַי הַמֶּלֶךְ (מגילה ט'):

שלשים שנה וארבע מאות שנה FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY YEARS — Altogether from the birth of Isaac until now were 400 years, and we must reckon from that event, for only from the time when Abraham had offspring from Sarah could the prophecy (Genesis 15:13) “Thy offspring shall be a stranger” be fulfilled; and there had been 30 years since that decree made at “the convenant between the parts” until the birth of Isaac. It is impossible to say that this means that they were 430 years in the land of Egypt alone, for Kohath was one of those who came into Egypt with Jacob (Genesis 46:11); go and reckon all his years and all the years of Amram his son and the whole eighty years of Moses, the latter’s son, until the Exodus and you will not find that they total to so many; and you must admit that Kohath had already lived many years before he went down to Egypt, and that many of Amram’s years are included in the years of his father Kohath, and that many of the 80 years of Moses are included in the years of his father Amram, so that you see that you will not find 400 years from the time of Israel’s coming into Egypt until the Exodus. You are compelled to admit, even though unwillingly, that the other settlements which the patriarchs made in lands other than Egypt come also under the name of “sojourning as a stranger” (גרות), including also that at Hebron, even though it was in Canaan itself, because it is said, (Genesis 35:27) “[Hebron] where Abraham and Isaac sojourned”, and it says, (Exodus 6:4) “[the land Canaan], the land of their sojournings wherein they sojourned”. Consequently you must necessarily say that the prophecy, “thy offspring shall be strangers… [four hundred years]” began only from the time when he had offspring. And only if you reckon the 400 years from the birth of Isaac will you find that from the time they came into Egypt until the time they left it, was 210 years (as alluded to in Genesis 15:13). This was one of the passages which they altered for king Ptolemy (Mekhilta; Megillah 9a).

ויהי מקץ שלשים שנה וגו' ויהי בעצם היום הזה. מַגִּיד, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ הַקֵּץ לֹא עִכְּבָן הַמָּקוֹם כְּהֶרֶף עַיִן – בְּט"ו בְנִיסָן בָּאוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אֵצֶל אַבְרָהָם לְבַשְּׂרוֹ, וּבְט"ו בְּנִיסָן נוֹלַד יִצְחָק, וּבְט"ו בְּנִיסָן נִגְזְרָה גְּזֵרַת בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים:

ויהי מקץ שלשים שנה וגו' ויהי בעצם היום הזה AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END OF THE 430 YEARS … EVEN ON THE SELF-SAME DAY — The addition of the latter phrase tells us that as soon as the predetermined end of the bondage arrived the Omnipresent did not detain them even as long as the twinkling of an eye (Mekhilta). For on the fifteenth of Nisan the ministering angels had come to Abraham to announce to him the promised birth of Isaac, and on the fifteenth of Nisan Isaac was born, and on the fifteenth of Nisan the decree “between the parts” relating to Israel’s slavery was made.

ליל שמרים. שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּבָּ"ה שׁוֹמֵר וּמְצַפֶּה לוֹ, לְקַיֵּם הַבְטָחָתוֹ להוציאם מארץ מצרים:

ליל שמרים IT WAS NIGHT OF WATCHING [UNTO THE LORD] — a night which the Holy One, blessed be He, was watching for and looking forward to, that He might fulfill His promise להוציאם מארץ מצרים TO BRING THEM OUT FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT.

הוא הלילה הזה לה'. הוּא הַלַּיְלָה שֶׁאָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם, בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה אֲנִי גוֹאֵל אֶת בָּנֶיךָ (מכילתא):

הוא הלילה הזה לה IT IS THIS NIGHT OF THE LORD — it is the night of which He said to Abraham, “On this night will I redeem your children” (Mekhilta; cf. Rashi on Genesis 39:11).

שמרים לכל בני ישראל לדרתם. מְשֻׁמָּר וּבָא מִן הַמַּזִּיקִין, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְלֹא יִתֵּן הַמַּשְׁחִית וְגוֹ'" (פסחים ק"ט):

שמרים לכל בני ישראל לדרתם [IT IS A NIGHT] OF PROTECTION FOR ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THROUGHOUT THEIR GENERATIONS — this night is protected, and comes as such from ages past, against all destructive forces, as it is said, (v. 33) “And He will not permit the destroyer [to enter your houses]” (Pesachim 109b; Rosh Hashanah 11b).

זאת חקת הפסח. בְּי"ד בְּנִיסָן נֶאֶמְרָה לָהֶם פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ:

זאת חקת הפסח THIS IS THE ORDINANCE OF THE PASSOVER — This chapter was spoken to them on the 14th day of Nisan.

כל בן נכר. שֶׁנִּתְנַכְּרוּ מַעֲשָׂיו לְאָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֶחָד הַגּוֹי וְאֶחָד יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשֻׁמָּד בְּמַשְׁמָע (מכילתא):

כל בן נכר NO STRANGE PERSON — one whose actions are estranged from his Heavenly Father (Zevachim 22b); both a heathen and an apostate Israelite therefore are implied in this term (Mekhilta).

ומלתה אתו אז יאכל בו. רַבּוֹ, מַגִּיד שֶׁמִּילַת עֲבָדָיו מְעַכַּבְתּוֹ מִלֶּאֱכֹל בַּפֶּסַח, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, אֵין מִילַת עֲבָדָיו מְעַכַּבְתּוֹ מִלֶּאֱכֹל בַּפֶּסַח, אִם כֵּן מַה תַּ"לֹ אז יאכל בו? הָעֶבֶד:

ומלתה אתו אז יאכל בו WHEN THOU HAST CIRCUMCISED HIM THEN SHALL HE EAT THEREOF — “he” means his (the slave’s) master; this tells us that the neglect to circumcise his slaves bars him from eating of the Paschal offering. This is the opinion of R. Joshua. Rabbi Eliezer, however, said: the neglect to circumcise his slaves does not bar him from eating of the Paschal offering. The objection was raised: if this be so what means “Then shall he eat thereof”? — The reply was given: “He” means the slave, not the master (the meaning being that the slave, so long as he is uncircumcised may not eat of it) (cf. Mekhilta).

תושב. זֶה גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב:

תושב A TOLERATED SOJOURNER — this means a stranger who has settled in Palestine (having undertaken to observe the seven precepts of the “Sons of Noah”).

ושכיר. זֶה גּוֹי, וּמַה תַּ"לֹ, וַהֲלֹא עֲרֵלִים הֵם, וְנֶאֱמַר וכל ערל לא יאכל בו? אֶלָּא כְּגוֹן עֲרָבִי מָהוּל וְגִבְעוֹנִי מָהוּל וְהוּא תּוֹשָׁב אוֹ שָׂכִיר (שם):

ושכיר AND A HIRED SERVANT — a heathen. But why need Scripture state at all that these (the תושב and the שכיר) may not eat of the Passover lamb? These are uncircumcised and it is said (v. 48) “And no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof”? But it refers to such a one as a circumcised Arabian or a circumcised Gibeonite who is a settler or a hired servant (Mekhilta; Yevamot 71a).

בבית אחד יאכל. בַּחֲבוּרָה אַחַת, שֶׁלֹּא יֵעָשׂוּ הַנִּמְנִין עָלָיו שְׁתֵּי חֲבוּרוֹת וִיחַלְּקוּהוּ. אַתָּה אוֹמֵר בַּחֲבוּרָה אַחַת אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּבַיִת אֶחָד כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, וּלְלַמֵּד שֶׁאִם הִתְחִילוּ וְהָיוּ אוֹכְלִים בֶּחָצֵר וְיָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ לַבַּיִת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר, "עַל הַבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר יֹאכְלוּ אֹתוֹ בָּהֶם", מִכָּאן שֶׁהָאוֹכֵל אוֹכֵל בִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת:

בבית אחד יאכל IN ONE HOUSE SHALL IT BE EATEN — in one company (cf. שה לבית); meaning that those who have registered themselves for it (the Paschal offering) shall not form themselves afterwards into two companies and divide it. An objection was raised: You say that this means “in one company”, but perhaps this is not so, but it means “in one house” (or place) as it usually signifies, and it intends to teach that if they had begun to eat, for example, in the courtyard of a house and rain fell they may not enter the house to complete the eating of the offering? The reply was given: this cannot be so, because Scripture says, (v. 7) “[They shall put the blood] upon the houses (plural) wherein they shall eat it” — and from here it follows that one who is eating the Paschal offering may eat it in two places (consequently the only meaning of the term בית is “company”, as was suggested) (cf. Mekhilta and Onkelos).

לא תוציא מן הבית. מִן הַחֲבוּרָה:

לא תוציא מן הבית THOU SHALT NOT CARRY FORTH OUT OF THE HOUSE this must therefore mean away from the company (Mekhilta).

ועצם לא תשברו בו. הָרָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה, כְּגוֹן שֶׁיֵּשׁ עָלָיו כַּזַּיִת בָּשָׂר, יֵשׁ בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם שְׁבִירַת עֶצֶם, אֵין עָלָיו כַּזַּיִת בָּשָׂר אֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם שְׁבִירַת עֶצֶם:

ועצם לא תשברו בו NEITHER SHALL YE BREAK A BONE THEREOF — any bone that is fitted for eating (for the purpose of the performing the command of eating the Paschal lamb) as, for instance, one upon which there is flesh of the size of an olive — to it there is (applies) the prohibition relating to the breaking of a bone, but if there is not upon it flesh of the size of an olive there does not apply to it the prohibition of breaking a bone (cf. Pesachim 84b).

כל עדת ישראל יעשו אתו. לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר בְּפֶסַח מִצְרַיִם "שֶׂה לְבֵית אָבוֹת", שֶׁנִּמְנוּ עָלָיו לַמִּשְׁפָּחוֹת, יָכוֹל אַף פֶּסַח דּוֹרוֹת כֵּן? תַּ"לֹ כל עדת ישראל יעשו אתו:

כל עדת ישראל יעשו אתו ALL THE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL SHALL KEEP IT — Why is this stated? Since it says of the Paschal offering offered in Egypt, (v. 3) “a lamb for the house of their fathers” which means that they are to be registered for it by families, one might think that in the case of the Paschal offering offered by future generations this must also be so! Therefore Scripture states: “All the congregation of Israel may eat it” (i.e. any of them may eat it whoever they may be who combine to do so) (Mekhilta).

ועשה פסח. יָכוֹל כָּל הַמִּתְגַּיֵּר יַעֲשֶׂה פֶּסַח מִיָּד, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר והיה כאזרח הארץ, מָה אֶזְרָח בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אַף גֵּר בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר (שם):

ועשה פסח AND HE WILL KEEP THE PASSOVER (the words may mean, then he shall keep the Passover) — One might think that this verse implies that any-one who becomes a proselyte (גר) must keep the Passover-offering rite immediately after his circumcision (even though this has not taken place just before Passover), therefore Scripture states והיה כאזרח הארץ “but he shall be as a native of the land”. How is it in the case of a native? He brings the offering on the fourteenth! So, too, a proselyte must bring it only on the fourteenth (Mekhilta).

וכל ערל לא יאכל בו. לְהָבִיא אֶת שֶׁמֵּתוּ אֶחָיו מֵחֲמַת מִילָה, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוּמָר לַעֲרֵלוּת וְאֵינוֹ לָמֵד מִ"בֶּן נֵכָר לֹא יֹאכַל בּוֹ" (שם):

וכל ערל לא יאכל בו AND NO UNCIRCUMCISED PERSON SHALL EAT THEREOF — This is stated in addition to the somewhat similar text in v. 43 in order to include in the prohibition of eating the Paschal offering any person whose brothers have died in consequence of circumcision (in which case the parents are exempted from circumcising any of their children born after the death of these), because such a one is not to be regarded as an apostate who of set purpose remains uncircumcised, and the law regarding such a one cannot be derived from the statement in v. 43, “no strange person shall eat thereof” (because Rashi has explained this to refer to an Israelite whose doings have estranged him from God).

תורה אחת וגו'. לְהַשְׁווֹת גֵּר לָאֶזְרָח אַף לִשְׁאָר מִצְווֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה (שם):

תורה אחת וגו׳ ONE LAW etc. — This is stated in addition to the similar text in v. 48 in order to declare that the proselyte is equal to the native also in respect to all other commands of the Torah (i. e. the preceding text has reference only to the Paschal offering whilst this is a general statement) (Mekhilta).