Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Negative Commandment 114 (Digest)
Shearing an Animal Designated for Sacrifice
"And do not shear the firstborn of your sheep"—Deuteronomy 15:19.
It is forbidden to shear an animal designated for sacrifice.
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> And the 114th prohibition is that we are forbidden from shearing wool from sanctified animals.
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> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,;) "And do not shear your firstborn sheep."
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> [This verse speaks only about the firstborn animals, but] we derive the prohibition from working with and from shearing all sanctified animals from the law of the firstborn.
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> The details of these two commandments, i.e., working and shearing, have been explained in tractate Bechoros. One who shears anything from;) sanctified animals is also punished by lashes.
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> Footnotes
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> Deut. 15:19.
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> The Arabic word for "any" could refer either to the amount of wool (i.e., any amount of wool, as translated above) or to the type of animal (i.e., regardless of the category of sacrifice it was designated for). It could therefore also be translated, "who shears any sanctified animal," See Kapach, 5731, note 15.
Positive Commandment 55 (Digest)
The Paschal Offering
"And the entire assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it in the afternoon"—Exodus 12:6.
Every individual is commanded to offer [or participate in a group that is offering] the Paschal Sacrifice on the afternoon of the fourteenth of Nissan [the eve of Passover]—even if this day falls on the Shabbat.
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> And the 55th mitzvah is that we are commanded to sacrifice a lamb for Pesach on the 14th day of the month of Nissan.
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> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement;) (exalted be He), "The entire community of Israel shall then slaughter it in the afternoon" [immediately preceding Pesach].
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> Anyone, man or woman, who transgresses this commandment by intentionally not bringing the offering in the proper time is punished by kares. It has been explained in tractate Pesachim;) that women are equally obligated as men to bring a Pesach offering, and that it overrides Shabbos, i.e., it is offered even when the 14th of Nissan falls on Shabbos.
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> Scripture states that the punishment is kares in G‑d's statement,;) "If a man is pure and was not on a distant journey, and he neglects to bring the Pesach offering, that person shall be cut off [spiritually]." In the beginning of tractate Kerisus,;) when listing the commandments punishable by kares — all of which are prohibitions — it lists, "And Pesach and circumcision, which are positive commandments." We have already explained this in the Introduction.;)
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> The details of this mitzvah are explained in tractate Pesachim.
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> Footnotes
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> Ex. 12:6.
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> 91b.
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> Num. 9:13.
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> 2a.
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> Immediately preceding the first positive commandment.
Negative Commandment 115 (Digest)
Sacrificing the Paschal Offering with Chametz in One's Possession
"You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread"—Exodus 23:18.
It is forbidden to have chametz (leavened bread) in one's possession from the onset of the time when the Paschal Offering is brought—noon of the fourteenth of Nissan [the eve of Passover].
This prohibition applies to all those who are participating in the eating of the sacrifice, the priest who slaughters it, the priest who sprinkles its blood on the altar, and the priest who offers its fats on the altar.
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> And the 115th prohibition is that we are forbidden from slaughtering the Pesach offering [when in possession] of leavened bread.
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> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,;) "Do not sacrifice the blood of My [Pesach] offering when in possession of leavened bread." The prohibition is repeated with the wording,;) "Do not slaughter [the blood of My (Pesach) offering when in possession of leavened bread]."
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> This means that beginning in the afternoon, which is the time for slaughtering the Pesach offering, one may not own leavened bread. Anyone performing the slaughter, sprinkling the blood, burning [the fats], or belonging to a group ;)] may not own leavened bread. If one of them owned leavened bread at that time [of doing the action], he is punished by lashes.
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> The Mechilta;) explains, "The verse, 'Do not slaughter the blood of My (Pesach) offering [when in possession] of leavened bread,' means that you may not slaughter the Pesach sacrifice when the leavened bread is still existing [in your possession]."
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> The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 5th chapter of Pesachim.;)
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> Footnotes
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> Ex. 23:18.
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> Ibid., 34:25.
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> Unlike other offerings, the Pesach is brought together by a group called a chaburah.
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> Parshas Mishpatim.
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> 63a.
Negative Commandment 116 (Digest)
Leaving Overnight the Fats of the Paschal Offering
"Neither shall the fat of My sacrifice remain until the morning"—Exodus 23:18.
It is forbidden to leave unsacrificed the fats of the Paschal Offering that are designated to be burnt on the altar, until they become invalid for offering [i.e., until the following morning].
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> And the 116th prohibition is that we are forbidden from leaving the fats of the Pesach sacrifice without burning them, causing them to become invalid as nosar.;)
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> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,;) "Do not allow the fat of My offering to remain overnight until morning."
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> The Mechilta;) says, "The verse, 'Do not allow to remain overnight,' teaches that the fats become invalid if they remain the entire night on the floor [of the Temple].;)
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> The commandment is repeated in different words,;) "Do not allow the [Pesach] sacrifice to remain overnight until morning."
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> Footnotes
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> N131.
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> Ex. 23:18.
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> Parshas Mishpatim.
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> In Hilchos P'sulei HaMukdashin 3:11, the Rambam rules that they become invalid even if they remained the entire night on the altar.
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> Ibid., 34:25.