## Or HaChaim on Exodus Chapter 12 ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:2:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:2:1) **הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם כֶּפֶל ״רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים רִאשׁוֹן הוּא״ וְגוֹ׳, נִתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר כִּי חֹדֶשׁ זֶה הוּא רֹאשׁ, פֵּרוּשׁ מֻבְחָר שֶׁבֶּחֳדָשִׁים, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (שמות ל:כג) ״בְּשָׂמִים רֹאשׁ״. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **החודש הזה לכם ראש חדשים, "This month shall be for you the beginning of the months."** Why did the Torah repeat ראש חדשים and ראשון הוא? I believe the meaning of ראש is that the month of Nissan will be particularly important, the choicest of the months. We find the word ראש used in this sense in Exodus 30,23 when the most important of the spices in the making of oil for anointing is discussed. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:2:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:2:2) וְדִקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **לָכֶם**, כִּי אֵינוֹ מְשֻׁבָּח וּמְעֻלֶּה שֶׁבֶּחֳדָשִׁים אֶלָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְתִמְצָא שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ראש השנה יא.) בְּנִיסָן נִגְאֲלוּ בְּנִיסָן עֲתִידִין לִגָּאֵל, כִּי הַחֹדֶשׁ מְסֻיָּם לְטוֹבַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל זֶה ״רִאשׁוֹן הוּא״, רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מוֹנִים מִנִּיסָן לְצַד מַעֲלָתוֹ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** The Torah stressed the word לכם, for you, to tell us that this month would be special only for the Jewish people. Our sages pointed out in *Rosh Hashanah* 11 that Israel was redeemed from Egypt in Nissan and that the future redemption would again occur in that month. This is so because this month is a harbinger of good tidings for Israel. It is appropriate that Israel should begin the count of the months of the year by making Nissan the first month. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:2:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:2:3) עוֹד יִרְמֹז בְּאָמְרוֹ **הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה** וְלֹא אָמַר חֹדֶשׁ זֶה, לִרְמֹז עַל הַיָּדוּעַ, שֶׁהוּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִיב (שמות טו:ב) ״זֶה אֵלִי״, כִּי יִהְיֶה זֶה ״לָכֶם״ שֶׁיִּגָּלֶה לָהֶם, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מכילתא בשלח יד): רָאֲתָה שִׁפְחָה עַל הַיָּם וְכוּ׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Another reason that the Torah writes החודש הזה instead of writing חודש זה, is to allude to something or someone we are already familiar with. The reference to this known entity is G'd who is described in 15,2 as זה קלי, "this (One) is my G'd." The Torah alludes to the promise that it is this G'd who will orchestrate the redemption. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:2:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:2:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:2:4) עוֹד יִרְמֹז **כִּי הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ**, פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כִּנּוּי בְּחִינַת הָרֹאשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ עוֹד נִבְזִים וּשְׁפָלִים. עוֹד רָמַז בְּתֵיבַת ״זֶה״ כִּי יִהְיֶה רֹאשׁ לְכָל הֶחֳדָשִׁים שֶׁהֵם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר כְּמִסְפַּר ״זֶה״. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** An additional meaning derived from the wording of this line is that Israel will be a ראש, head, as a result of what happened in this month. The numerical value of the word זה is 12, i.e. Nissan will be the first and most distinguished of these twelve months. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:3:1) **דַּבְּרוּ וְגוֹ׳ לֵאמֹר.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר ״דַּבְּרוּ״ וְלֹא סָמַךְ עַל מַה שֶׁאָמַר בְּפָסוּק רִאשׁוֹן ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ וְגוֹ׳ לֵאמֹר״, וְאִם לֹא הִסְפִּיק לוֹ תֵּבַת ״לֵאמֹר״ הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר ״דַּבְּרוּ״ קֹדֶם אָמְרוֹ ״הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה״, כִּי מִצְוָה זוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְדוֹרוֹתָם נִתְּנָה, וְלָמָּה לֹא אָמַר קֹדֶם לָהּ ״דַּבְּרוּ״. עוֹד קָשֶׁה אָמְרוֹ תֵּבַת **לֵאמֹר** כִּי לְמִי יֹאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל? **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **דברו אל כל עדת ישראל לאמור, "speak to the whole community of Israel to say, etc."** Why did G'd have to use the instruction דברו and could not make do with the method of communicating with the Israelites i.e. לאמור? In fact why did G'd not omit the word לאמור altogether and simply said: דברו? Moses' address could then have included both the information about the new moon as well as the details of preparing for the Passover. The word לאמור is altogether hard to comprehend since it is not clear to whom the Israelites were to communicate this new law about the Passover lamb. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:3:2) וְאוּלַי כִּי לְצַד שֶׁבְּמִצְוָה זוֹ שֶׁל לְקִיחַת הַשֶּׂה יֵשׁ בָּהּ שְׁתֵּי בְּחִינוֹת: אַחַת לְטוֹבָה, כִּי בָהּ נָשְׂאוּ רֹאשׁ וְרָאוּ אוֹתָם אוֹיְבֵיהֶם עוֹשִׂים בֵּאלֹהֵיהֶם שְׁפָטִים, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה טז,ג), וְהַשְּׁנִיָּה לְצַד הַמִּצְוָה כִּי מִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ הִיא לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלָיו עָנוֹשׁ יֵעָנֵשׁ. לָזֶה הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר **דַּבְּרוּ** וְגוֹ׳ **לֵאמֹר**, ״דַּבְּרוּ״ לְשׁוֹן קֹשִׁי, כְּנֶגֶד צֹרֶךְ הַדָּבָר וּגְזֵרַת מֶלֶךְ וּלְהַעֲנִישׁ עַל כָּל עוֹבֵר, וְ״לֵאמֹר״ אֲמִירָה רַכָּה, כְּנֶגֶד מַעֲלָה וְכָבוֹד אֲשֶׁר תַּשִּׂיגֵם בַּדָּבָר. וּלְצַד שֶׁבַּמִּצְוָה שֶׁצִּוָּה בִּתְחִלַּת הַנְּבוּאָה, שֶׁהִיא לַחְשֹׁב מִנִּיסָן, אֵין עֹנֶשׁ לָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה כְּעֹנֶשׁ הַחוֹדֵל מֵעֲשׂוֹת הַפֶּסַח, וְלָזֶה לֹא אָמַר כְּנֶגְדָּהּ אֶלָּא ״לֵאמֹר״, אֲשֶׁר עַל כֵּן הֻצְרַךְ לַחְזֹר וְלוֹמַר ״דַּבְּרוּ״ כְּנֶגֶד מִצְוַת פֶּסַח, וְאָמַר עוֹד ״לֵאמֹר״ כִּי גַּם בָּהּ יֵשׁ מַעֲלָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּנִּזְכָּר. וּבְדֶרֶךְ דְּרָשׁ צִוָּם לְהַנְהִיג אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַנְהָגַת הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְווֹת, לְהוֹדִיעָם חֻקֵּי ה׳ וְתוֹרוֹתָיו וּלְהַנְהִיגָם בְּדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה, וְלָזֶה אָמַר ״דַּבְּרוּ״ וְאָמַר ״לֵאמֹר״, פֵּרוּשׁ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מְעֻלִּים, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (ישעיהו ג:י): ״אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק״ וְגוֹ׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Perhaps the reason two expressions had to be used is quite simple. The law of the Passover comprised two aspects, 1) that Israel would be uplifted by showing their enemies how they themselves exacted retribution from their deities by slaughtering the sheep (compare *Shemot Rabbah* 16,3), and 2) performance of the command was accompanied by the threat that anyone failing to carry out this command would face death. The word לאמור is therefore appropriate for the first of the two aspects of this commandment, whereas the word דברו is appropriate for the instructions containing a warning about possible non-compliance. Another, secondary meaning of the word לאמור maybe that G'd instructed Moses and Aaron to exercise their authority gently. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:3:3) **עוֹד** יִרְצֶה, כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה יְדַבֵּר אֶל הַזְּקֵנִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ לוֹ שֶׁכֵּן עָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה, דִּכְתִיב (שמות יב:כא) ״וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לְכָל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **דַּבְּרוּ אֶל כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר** שֶׁיֹּאמַר לְהָעָם, וְהוּא גַּם כֵּן מַה שֶׁאָמַר שָׁם הַכָּתוּב ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם״. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Moses was also to communicate first with the elders as we find that he did in 12,21 where he is reported as having called in all the elders of Israel. The instruction דברו was intended to the elders, whereas the word לאמור teaches that he was also to communicate the details of the law to the entire nation. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:3:4) **וְיִקְחוּ לָהֶם וְגוֹ׳.** קָשֶׁה לָמָּה אָמַר ו׳ בִּתְחִלַּת עִנְיָן? וְאוּלַי כִּי רָמַז לַדְּבָרִים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים בְּדִבְרֵי מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב ״מִשְׁכוּ וּקְחוּ״ וְגוֹ׳, וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה טז,ב) ״מִשְׁכוּ יְדֵיכֶם מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה״ וְגוֹ׳, וְדָבָר זֶה לֹא נֶאֱמַר בְּדִבְרֵי ה׳, וְהִנֵּה מִדִּבְרֵי מֹשֶׁה נִשְׁמַע כִּי כֵן נֶאֱמַר לוֹ בִּנְבוּאָה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ ״וְיִקְחוּ״ בְּתוֹסֶפֶת ו׳ רֶמֶז שֶׁקָּדַם דִּבּוּר, וּמַה הוּא ״מִשְׁכוּ״ שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויקחו להם איש שה, "that they should each take a lamb for themselves, etc."** The conjunctive letter ו at the beginning of this legislation is strange. Perhaps we have an allusion here to what Moses said to the Israelites later in verse 21 when he communicated the instructions received here. According to *Shemot Rabbah* 16,2 the word משכו contained a command to the Israelites to refrain henceforth from any idolatrous activity. This instruction did not emanate from G'd but was something Moses told the people on his own. On the other hand, seeing the way Moses told the people one gains the impression that G'd had communicated this to him as a prophetic insight. Perhaps the letter ו here at the beginning of the paragraph is proof that what Moses said in verse 21 and onwards was also part of the instructions he had received from G'd earlier. Precisely what did Moses mean with the word משכו? ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:5 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:3:5) עוֹד יִרְצֶה, לֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁאָמַר ״בֶּעָשׂוֹר״ – יָכוֹל לָקַח בֶּעָשׂוֹר יִשְׁחַט, לֹא לָקַח בֶּעָשׂוֹר לֹא יִקַּח בְּי״א בְּי״ב בְּי״ג, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״וְיִקְחוּ״ לְרַבּוֹת אַחַר כָּךְ. וּבַמְּכִילְתָא (שמות יב:ג) לָמְדוּ דִּין זֶה שֶׁל לְקִיחָה בְּי״א בְּי״ב בְּי״ג מִדִּין קַל וָחוֹמֶר, וְדָבָר הַבָּא בְּקַל וָחוֹמֶר אִם נִמְצָא לוֹ רֶמֶז בַּכָּתוּב נַסְכִּים לוֹמַר כִּי לָזֶה נִתְכַּוֵּן. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Seeing that Moses told the people to purchase the lamb on the tenth of the month people would think that those who bought it on that date could slaughter it whereas those who had failed to purchase it or set it aside on the tenth could not buy it on the 11th the 12th or the 13th, therefore Moses added the words "and they may purchase it" to indicate that even if they bought the lamb after the tenth of the month it would still qualify as a sacrifice. All this we derive from the word ויקחו which is preceded by the conjunctive letter ו. The *Mechilta* on our verse arrives at the ruling about purchasing the lamb on the 11th, 12th, or 13th of the month by a process called a fortiori, simple logic. If something can be deduced by that method and in addition we find an allusion in the text this reinforces our opinion. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:6 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:3:6) עוֹד יִרְמֹז בְּדַקְדֵּק עוֹד תֵּיבַת ״לָהֶם״. עוֹד אָמְרוֹ תֵּיבַת **אִישׁ** שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אֶלָּא ״וְיִקְחוּ שֶׂה לְבֵית״ וְגוֹ׳. אָכֵן יִרְצֶה עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זַ״ל (תנחומא) בְּפָסוּק ״וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה״ וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קְחוּ אוֹתִי עִמָּכֶם, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ כָּאן לְצַד כִּי זוֹ מִצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה הוֹדִיעָם הַשָּׂגַת הַמִּצְוָה כִּי בַּעֲשׂוֹתָהּ יַשְׁרֶה עָלָיו ה׳ שְׁכִינָתוֹ בְּסוֹד (דברים כח:י) ״וְרָאוּ כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי שֵׁם ה׳ נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ״. גַּם אָמְרוּ כִּי תֵּיבַת ״מִצְוָה״ יֵשׁ בָּהּ שֵׁם הֲוָיָ״ה חֲצִי בְּאַ״ת בַּ״שׁ וַחֲצִי בְּפָשׁוּט (תיקוני זוהר תיקון כט), וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וְיִקְחוּ לָהֶם אִישׁ** פֵּרוּשׁ עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זַ״ל (סוטה מב:) ״אִישׁ״ – אֵין אִישׁ אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כִּי בְּמִצְוָה זוֹ יִקְחוּ לָהֶם לְקִיחָה גְּדוֹלָה וַעֲצוּמָה וְהוּא אִישׁ שֶׁהוּא אֱלֹהֵינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Inasmuch as both the words להם and איש in our verse seem superfluous at first glance seeing that all the Torah had to write was ויקחו שה לבית, we are entitled to derive additional meanings from these words. In a similar situation where the letter ו at the beginning of the word ויקחו seems strange, (Exodus 25,2) *Tanchuma* understands the letter as including G'd Himself. Here is what *Tanchuma* has to say there: "G'd said to them: 'take Me with you."' [This would suggest that the gifts the Israelites donated for the Tabernacle would ensure that G'd's presence would dwell amongst them. I have not found this text in my edition of the *Tanchuma*. Ed.] In our situation, considering that these were the first commandments addressed to the Jews as a people, G'd may also have suggested that performance of these commandments would ensure His Presence amongst the Israelites and that even the Gentiles would become aware of this as pointed out in Deut. 28,10. *Sotah* 42 claims that on occasion the word איש refers to the Almighty, such as in Samuel I 17,8 where Goliath blasphemes, provoking G'd to battle against him. Here too the word איש may be an allusion to G'd whom Moses called **איש** מלחמה in Exodus 15,3. The *Tikkuney Zohar* section 29 demonstrate that the word מצוה contains half of the Ineffable Name at the end, and the other half at the beginning if one applies the method known as *aleph tav, bet shin* when reading the alphabet. [The letter צ would correspond to the letter ה, whereas the letter מ would correspond to the letter י. Ed.] According to this the Torah hints that by means of this מצוה the Jewish people would make a great acquisition (לקיחה) i.e. they would establish a claim on G'd. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:7 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:3:7) **וְרָאִיתִי** לָתֵת לֵב לָמָּה לֹא צִוָּה ה׳ בְּפֶסַח מִצְרַיִם עַל הַטְּמֵאִים וְהָעֲרֵלִים וּבְנֵי הַנֵּכָר שֶׁלֹּא יֹאכְלוּ מִפֶּסַח. הֵן אֱמֶת כִּי אַזְהָרַת הַטְּמֵאִים, לְפִי מַה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּפָרָשַׁת ״זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה״ (במדבר יט:ב), יֵשׁ טַעַם נָכוֹן בַּדָּבָר, אֲבָל הָעֲרֵלִים וּבְנֵי הַנֵּכָר לָמָּה לֹא צִוָּה אוֹתָם ה׳. וְהִנֵּה לְפִי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה הוּזְהֲרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל שְׁנֵיהֶם, עַל הַמִּילָה כָּאָמוּר בְּדִבְרֵי קַבָּלָה (יחזקאל טז:ו) ״וָאֶרְאֵךְ מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת בְּדָמָיִךְ״, וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה יט:ו) דַּם פֶּסַח וְדַם מִילָה, וְעַל בֶּן נֵכָר דָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה טז) בְּפָסוּק ״מִשְׁכוּ״ וְגוֹ׳ – מִשְׁכוּ יְדֵיכֶם מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הֲרֵי שֶׁהִזְהִיר עַל הַדָּבָר כִּי קוֹדֶם מִצְוַת הַפֶּסַח יֵצְאוּ מִכְּלַל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְיִכָּנְסוּ בִּכְלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכָל זֶה אֵינוֹ מַסְפִּיק לְקוּשְׁיָתֵנוּ כִּי לָמָּה לֹא בָּאוּ הַדְּבָרִים בְּדִבְרֵי ה׳ בְּעִקַּר הַמִּצְוָה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** I have been puzzled why G'd did not specifically exclude the people who were either Gentiles, uncircumcised, or had contracted impurity through contact with the dead from offering and eating the Passover lamb, just as He legislated for the future observance of the Passover holiday (12,43-46 as well as Numbers chapter 9). Whereas we have pointed out in our commentary on Numbers 19,2 that there was a good reason for not permitting the ritually impure to participate in that commandment in subsequent years, there remains the question why the proselytes and the uncircumcised were not excluded from participating in the original passover lamb in Egypt? According to our sages as interpreted by *Shemot Rabbah* 19,6 based on Ezekiel 16,6 the blood mentioned there was the combined blood of circumcision and the blood of the paschal lamb the Israelites offered prior to the Exodus and which G'd "kissed" in appreciation of the readiness for martyrdom the Israelites demonstrated on that occasion. Our sages also interpret on Exodus 12,21 that the word משכו implies that the Israelites **first** had to divest themselves of any remnants of idolatrous conduct. This would include circumcision. They would have to become full-fledged members of the Jewish people before they qualified for participation in this great מצוה. These are all very fine exegetical points, but they do not address our question why G'd had not spelled out these conditions explicitly, seeing that our chapter contains so many details about this מצוה. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:8 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:3:8) **וְהִנֵּה** בְּסוֹף הַפָּרָשָׁה, אַחַר שֶׁסִּדֵּר יְצִיאַת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, נֶאֶמְרָה פָּרָשַׁת ״זֹאת חֻקַּת הַפָּסַח״ וְגוֹ׳, ״כָּל בֶּן נֵכָר״ וְגוֹ׳, ״וְכָל עֶבֶד״ וְגוֹ׳. וְרָאִיתִי לְרַבִּי אַבְרָהָם בֶּן עֶזְרָא זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה שֶׁכָּתַב כִּי פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ נֶאֶמְרָה לְפֶסַח דּוֹרוֹת וְהוֹסִיף מִצְווֹת אֲחֵרוֹת וְכוּ׳, וְאִם נִתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר כִּי בֶּן נֵכָר וְעָרֵל הֵם מִצְווֹת מוּסָפוֹת בְּפֶסַח דּוֹרוֹת, דְּבָרָיו כָּאן בְּטֵלִים הֵם כְּפִי דִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, וְגַם מִמַּה שֶׁגָּמַר אוֹמֶר הַכָּתוּב שָׁם בְּפָרָשַׁת עָרֵל וּבֶן נֵכָר וְאָמַר (שמות יב:נ) ״וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר״ וְגוֹ׳, וְאִם לְפֶסַח דּוֹרוֹת נֶאֶמְרָה פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר ״וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה״ וְגוֹ׳ שֶׁמַּשְׁמַע שֶׁעָשׂוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל הָאָמוּר בַּפָּרָשָׁה. גַּם מַה שֶׁאָמַר שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן עַל פֶּסַח שֶׁעָשׂוּ בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי הֵם דְּבָרִים בְּעָלְמָא, וּמִי יִשְׁמַע אֵלָיו וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר לְקַבֵּל דְּבָרָיו בָּזֶה, הֲגַם שֶׁהָרַב זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה חָשׁ לְקִמְחֵיהּ וְאֵינוֹ חוֹלֵק עַל דִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אֶלָּא בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ הוֹרָאָה לֶעָתִיד, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן גַּם בְּמַה שֶׁלְּפָנֵינוּ חוֹלֵק בְּלֹא עֹמֶק הַמַּכְרִיחַ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** At the end of our paragraph, (verse 43) after Moses has dealt with the preparations for the Exodus, the Torah legislates the way Passover is to be observed in the future, as a reminder of the Exodus. We find there that a בן נכר and an עבד כעני, a Gentile or a slave whose body is owned by a Jew must not participate in the Passover. Ibn Ezra writes that the whole paragraph starting with verse 43 refers to observance of the Passover by future generations. This was why G'd used that opportunity to add other details which did not apply to the observance of the original Passover in Egypt whereas other details such as the blood which had to sprinkled on the doorposts did not need to be repeated as they would not apply in the future. If he meant that the law about the בן נכר and ערל were new additions, to be observed by future generations only, Ibn Ezra would be in direct contradiction to the traditional views we have cited. Besides, how does he deal with 12,50 where the Torah reports the Israelites as having observed the Passover in accordance with the instructions Moses and Aaron had received from G'd? Surely the Torah would not have written: "the Israelites carried out, etc." if the previous paragraph had dealt only with the observance of the Passover in the future! Ibn Ezra's comment that verse 50 speaks of the observance of the Passover while the Israelites were in the desert seems devoid of any basis in fact. It is unlikely that anyone will take these comments of Ibn Ezra seriously. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:9 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:3:9) **וְרָאִיתִי** לְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בַּמְּכִילְתָּא שֶׁאָמְרוּ, וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: ״זֹאת חֻקַּת הַפָּסַח״ (שמות יב:מג) – בְּפֶסַח מִצְרַיִם וּבְפֶסַח דּוֹרוֹת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יֹאשִׁיָּה. רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן אוֹמֵר: בְּפֶסַח מִצְרַיִם הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא פֶּסַח מִצְרַיִם, פֶּסַח דּוֹרוֹת מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״כְּכָל חֻקֹּתָיו וְגוֹ׳ יַעֲשׂוּ אֹתוֹ״ (במדבר ט:ג) עַל כָּרְחָם. הֲרֵי דִּלְכָל דַּעַת הַתַּנָּאִים בְּפֶסַח מִצְרַיִם הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, וְנֶעֶקְרוּ דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם בֶּן עֶזְרָא וְהָיוּ כְּלֹא הָיוּ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** I have found the following comment in the *Mechilta* on 12,43: "Scripture deals here with both the Passover of Egypt and the Passover of subsequent generations, these are the words of Rabbi Yoshiah. Rabbi Yonathan says that the passage deals with the Passover in Egypt. Whence do I know what rules apply to subsequent Passovers? Scripture says: "in accordance with all its statutes and all its social laws you shall perform it" (Numbers 9,3). According to the foregoing all the Tannaim of the period agreed that the paragraph in question speaks about observance of the Passover in Egypt, thus Ibn Ezra's words are to be disregarded completely. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:10 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:3:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:3:10) וּלְפִי זֶה אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּרְמוֹז הַכָּתוּב בְּאָמְרוֹ **וְיִקְחוּ**, פֵּרוּשׁ, מִלְּבַד מִצְוַת מִילָה וּמִצְוַת מְשִׁיכָתָם מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת בֶּן נֵכָר שֶׁצִּוָּה ה׳, הוֹסִיף עוֹד לוֹמַר ״וְיִקְחוּ״ וְגוֹ׳. וְאָמְרוֹ **לָהֶם** כָּאן רָמַז שְׁלִילַת בֶּן נֵכָר וְעָרֵל שֶׁלֹּא יוּכְלוּ לֶאֱכוֹל בְּפֶסַח, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבָּא הַדָּבָר מְבוֹאָר בִּנְבוּאַת ״זֹאת חֻקַּת הַפָּסַח״ (שמות יב:מג). **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** It is therefore possible that when the Torah wrote ויקחו with the extra letter ו, it referred to additional commandments over and above that of circumcision and the need to remove all vestiges of idol worship. The commandment referred to would be the restrictions on the בן נכר and the ערל, the uncircumcised Israelite as outlined in the paragraph commencing with verse 43. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:4:1) **וְאִם יִמְעַט וְגוֹ׳.** הַכָּתוּב יִתְיַשֵּׁב בֵּין לְדַעַת רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וּבֵין לְדַעַת רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, שֶׁנֶּחְלְקוּ בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (מכילתא; פסחים צט,א). לְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה שֶׁאָמַר צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּשָּׁאֵר אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי חֲבוּרָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, יְדוּיַּק אָמְרוֹ **יִמְעַט הַבַּיִת**, פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁיִּתְמַעֵט מֵהַחֲבוּרָה וְלֹא כָּל הַחֲבוּרָה. וּלְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי שֶׁאָמַר שֶׁלֹּא יַנִּיחוּ הַפֶּסַח כְּמוֹת שֶׁהוּא, יְדוּיַּק אָמְרוֹ **מִהְיוֹת מִשֶּׂה**, שֶׁמְּעַט שֶׂה יִתְמַעֵט מִמְּנוּיִים וְעָלָיו הוּא הַהַקְפָּדָה שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁאֵר בְּלֹא מְנוּיִים, וְהַכָּתוּב שָׁקוּל הוּא. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ואם ימעט הבית, If the household be too small, etc.** This verse can be explained satisfactorily both according to the view of Rabbi Yossi and the view of Rabbi Yehudah who have conflicting views reported in *Pessachim* 99 in a situation where the two lambs of two different families have become mixed up and the members of the respective families are not sure to which animal they belong. According to Rabbi Yehudah it is sufficient if one member of each family partakes of both animals in order to fulfil the condition laid down in our verse, i.e. if the number of people originally designated to eat from one lamb had somehow shrunk. Rabbi Yehudah considers the operative part of the verse אם ימעט הבית מהיות משה as the diminutive word **ימעט, reduced number,** but not total absence. Rabbi Yossi holds that as long as either one of the two animals is not temporarily without anyone committed to eat from it, neither one is disqualified. Rabbi Yossi pays especial attention to the words מהיות משה, i.e. to leave that lamb as temporarily not belonging to anyone. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:4:2) **עוֹד** נִרְאֶה שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן לוֹמַר, שֶׁאֵין דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַשֶּׂה מוּעָט לְאוֹכְלָיו, כִּי כַּזַּיִת בָּשָׂר יִמָּצֵא בּוֹ לְרַבִּים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בַּחֲבוּרָה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** The verse may also tell us that the lamb must be big enough to provide a minimum of an olive size's amount of meat for every member of that household. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:4:3) **אוֹ** יִרְצֶה, כִּי בִּרְכַּת הַקֹּדֶשׁ מְרֻבָּה הִיא, וְיִמָּצֵא בּוֹ שִׁעוּר הַצָּרִיךְ לִמְנוּיָיו, וְלֹא יִמָּצֵא הַמִּעוּט אֶלָּא בַּבַּיִת שֶׁהֵם בְּנֵי חֲבוּרָה שֶׁלֹּא יַסְפִּיקוּ לְאוֹכְלוֹ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** The verse may also be understood as a blessing. If someone has a large family and the family cannot afford much, the lamb will nevertheless provide an adequate amount of meat for every member thereof because consumption of the meat is for the sake of fulfilling G'd's commandment. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:4:4) **לְפִי אָכְלוֹ תָּכֹסּוּ.** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פסחים פח.) שׁוֹחֵט אָדָם עַל יְדֵי בְּנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ הַקְּטַנִּים וְגַם עַל יְדֵי אִשְׁתּוֹ, גַּם אָמְרוּ (פסחים פז:) אִם הִיא לְמוּדָה לָבֹא אֵצֶל אָבִיהָ אוֹכֶלֶת מִשֶּׁל אָבִיהָ לְצַד הֱיוֹתָהּ רְגִילָה לֶאֱכֹל שָׁם, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אִישׁ לְפִי אָכְלוֹ**, פֵּרוּשׁ עַל אוֹתָם שֶׁהֵם רְגִילִים לָבֹא אֶצְלוֹ לֶאֱכֹל וְסוֹמְכִים עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ לְפִי מַה שֶׁהֵם יִמָּנֶה עִמּוֹ וְשָׁם קָנוּ מְקוֹמָם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **לפי אכלו תכסו על השה, "according to every man's eating you shall make your count for the lamb."** According to *Pessachim* 88 this means that a father may slaughter the Passover lamb on behalf of his wife and his children who are minors without having to consult them first. *Pessachim* 87 also teaches that a married woman who was still in the habit of frequenting her father's home, and who finds that both her husband and her father have included her as potential participants in their respective Passover offerings, has the choice to decide to which household she wishes to belong for the purpose of consuming the Passover. This is based on the words לפי אכלו meaning "according to where she is in the habit of taking her meals." ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:5 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:4:5) **עוֹד** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם (פסחים צ,א) שֶׁאוֹנֵן שׁוֹחֲטִין עָלָיו, הֲגַם שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת שְׁחִיטָה אֵינוֹ רָאוּי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּכוֹל לֶאֱכוֹל בַּלַּיְלָה שׁוֹחֲטִין עָלָיו, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **לְפִי אָכְלוֹ**, פֵּרוּשׁ הוֹלְכִין וְנִמְנִין בִּשְׁעַת שְׁחִיטָה עַל שְׁעַת אֲכִילָה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Another rule we learn from this verse (*Pessachim* 90) is that a person who is obligated to bury a near relative maybe included in the count for a Passover lamb though at the time the lamb is being slaughtered he is not yet under an obligation to fulfil this commandment due to his prior obligation to attend to the burial. The operative word is לפי אכלו meaning that as long as he is fit to eat it in the evening. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:6 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:4:6) **עוֹד** יִרְצֶה **לְפִי אָכְלוֹ**, עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ בִּפְסָחִים (פסחים צא,א) זָב וְכוּ׳ שׁוֹחֲטִין עָלָיו, וְגַם אָמְרִינַן הָתָם שׁוֹחֲטִין וְזוֹרְקִין עַל טְבוּל יוֹם וּמְחוּסַּר כִּפּוּרִים, וְעוּלָּא אָמַר אַף עַל טְמֵא שֶׁרֶץ עַד כָּאן. וְהַטַּעַם הוּא כָּל שֶׁיָּכוֹל לֶאֱכוֹל אֶת פִּסְחוֹ בְּעֵת אֲכִילָתוֹ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **לְפִי אָכְלוֹ**, פֵּרוּשׁ אֵין הוֹלְכִים בּוֹ אֶלָּא לְפִי אֲכִילָתוֹ שֶׁל פֶּסַח, וְכָל שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת אֲכִילָתוֹ הוּא רָאוּי לְאָכְלוֹ, הֲגַם שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת שְׁחִיטָה לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי, שׁוֹחֲטִין עָלָיו. וּלְפִי זֶה הוּא הַדִּין טְמֵא מֵת אִם הָיָה יוֹם שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁלּוֹ חָל בְּיוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר, שׁוֹחֲטִין עָלָיו וְאוֹכֵל לָעֶרֶב. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** The same word also serves as a ruling concerning a person afflicted with a discharge from his sexual organ (זב). The Passover may be slaughtered on such a person's behalf. The same applies to a person who is in the process of undergoing ritual purification and only needs to await sunset on that day to have completed this process. In all these instances the deciding factor is whether the person in question will be legally entitled to partake of the Passover on the evening of the 15th of Nissan. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:7 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:4:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:4:7) **וּמַה** שֶׁאָמְרוּ שָׁם בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים וְהוּבָא בִּפְסָחִים דף צ,א סְבָרַת תַּנָּא שֶׁסּוֹבֵר כִּי ״וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַפֶּסַח בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא״ (במדבר ט:ו) יוֹם שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁלָּהֶם הָיָה, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן נִדְחוּ לְפֶסַח שֵׁנִי, דַּוְקָא טֻמְאַת מֵת דַּחֲמִירָא, וְלָזֶה אָמַר (שם) ״לְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם״, הֲגַם שֶׁלָעֶרֶב הָיוּ טְהוֹרִים. וּלְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי (שם) נוּכַל לוֹמַר שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ טְמֵא מֵת שֶׁחָל שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁלּוֹ בְּיוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר שׁוֹחֲטִים עָלָיו. וּמַה גַּם אִם טָבְלוּ וּכְדַעַת הַתּוֹסָפוֹת בִּפְסָחִים דף צ וּלְדַעַת הָרַאבַ״ד שֶׁהִשִּׂיג עַל רַמְבַּ״ם בְּפֶרֶק ו׳ מֵהִלְכוֹת קָרְבַּן פֶּסַח, יְעֻיַּן שָׁם דְּבָרָיו, וְהוּא הַיּוֹתֵר קָרוֹב לִפְשָׁטָא דְּסוּגְיָא. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Both *Mechilta* and *Pessachim* 90 consider Numbers 9,6 in which Israelites are complaining about not being able to eat of the Passover in the desert due to their being ritually impure, as referring to people who would have completed their purification process by the evening of the 15th of Nissan. Why were these people prevented from eating the Passover then? The reason was that their ritual impurity was of the most severe kind, i.e. due to contact with the dead. According to one authority such impurity is still considered as sufficiently effective even if the party concerned has already undergone the final sprinkling of spring water. According to Rabbi Yossi we could conclude that even a person who was on the last day of purification after having been in contact with a corpse would qualify to join a household whose head had included him in the Passover guests at the time he slaughtered his animal. This is especially so if the person had already undergone immersion in a ritual bath. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:5:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:5:1) **וּמִן הָעִזִּים תִּקָּחוּ.** טַעַם שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר **תִּקָּחוּ**, לוֹמַר אֲפִלּוּ יֵשׁ כְּבָשִׂים יָכוֹל לִקַּח מִן הָעִזִּים, לָזֶה סָמַךְ לְקִיחָה לָעִזִּים. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ומן העזים תקחו, "or you may take it from amongst the he-goats."** The reason the Torah had to write the word תקחו, you shall purchase or take once more is to teach that it is permitted to use a goat even if one owns a sheep of the appropriate age group. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:6:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:6:1) **וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת.** פֵּרוּשׁ, צָרִיךְ שְׁמִירָה כְּדִין קֳדָשִׁים כֵּיוָן שֶׁקָּרָא עָלָיו שֵׁם פֶּסַח. עוֹד יִרְמוֹז עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זַ״ל (שיר השירים רבה ב,ב) בְּפָסוּק ״גּוֹי מִקֶּרֶב גּוֹי״ (דברים ד:לד), שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם סְרוּכִים קְצָת בְּחֻקֵּי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מִצַּד הֱיוֹתָם בֵּין הַמִּצְרִיִּים, וְאָמְרוּ עוֹד (שמות רבה טז,ב) שֶׁרָמַז הַכָּתוּב בְּאָמְרוֹ ״מִשְׁכוּ״ שֶׁיִּמְשְׁכוּ מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וְהִנֵּה אֵין כַּוָּנָתָם זַ״ל לוֹמַר חָס וְשָׁלוֹם שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אֶלָּא לְצַד שֶׁהָיוּ בֵּינֵיהֶם מִבְּלִי יְדִיעָתָם יַעֲשׂוּ חֻקִּים שֶׁל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בִּפְרָטֵי הַמַּלְבּוּשִׁים וְהַמַּאֲכָלִים וּדְבָרִים הָרְגִילִים, וַאֲשֶׁר עַל כֵּן מִלְּבַד שֶׁצִּוָּה שֶׁיַּעַקְרוּ מֵאוֹתָם פְּרָטִים שֶׁיְּדַמּוּ לָהֶם, נִתְחַכֵּם עוֹד אֵל עֶלְיוֹן לַעֲקוֹר בְּחִינַת הָרַע מֵהֶם וְלַעֲשׂוֹת תִּקּוּן עָוֹן זֶה, וְאָמַר שֶׁיִּקְחוּ הַטָּלֶה, שֶׁהִיא עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם שֶׁבָּהּ הָיָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הַמִּכְשׁוֹלוֹת, וְיַעֲשׂוּ בָּהּ מִצְוָה הָאֲמוּרָה בָּעִנְיָן, וּבָזֶה יִהְיֶה לָהֶם תִּקּוּן לִשְׁמִירַת עֲוֹן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת**, פֵּרוּשׁ, בִּמְקוֹם מִצְוַת שְׁמִירַת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כְּשֶׁיִּנְהֲגוּ בּוֹ מִשְׁפָּט כָּתוּב, וְהָבֵן. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **והיה לכם למשמרת, "And you will keep it under observation until the fourteenth, etc."** This means that the lamb required special examination just as any animals designated to become sacrificial offerings. This begins as soon as one has designated what "name" i.e. the specific offering the animal is to serve as. According to an opinion in *Shir Hashirim Rabbah* on the verse "like a lily amongst the thorns" this is a reference to the phenomenon that G'd had to liberate the Jewish people as גוי מקרב גוי, "one nation immersed within another nation" (Deut.4,34), the reason the Israelites had to set aside the lamb four days prior to being able to slaughter it was because it took that length of time to divest themselves of the remnants of their pagan practices. All of this is hinted at in the word משכו in verse 21. When the *Midrash* speaks about the Israelites having to divest themselves of vestiges of idol worship this is not to be understood as their being idol worshippers. However, they still used to wear clothing which the pagans wore, ate foods that the pagans ate, etc. The fastest and most effective way of countering the psychological impact of their former practices was to set aside the Egyptian deity in the knowledge that they would slaughter it in a few days' time. Inasmuch as the Egyptians believed in astrology, the constellation of the ram represented a handicap Israel had to overcome. Slaughtering a ram was the most effective way of doing this. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:8:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:8:1) **וְאָכְלוּ אֶת הַבָּשָׂר.** רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פסחים פג.) אָמְרוּ ״אֶת הַבָּשָׂר״ – וְלֹא גִּידִים וַעֲצָמוֹת, קַרְנַיִם וּטְלָפַיִם. וְלִדִבְרֵיהֶם, לָמָּה אָמַר ״אֶת״? מַה בָּא לְרַבּוֹת? וְנִרְאֶה כִּי בָא לְרַבּוֹת מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּמִּשְׁנָה (פסחים פד.): כָּל הַנֶּאֱכָל בְּשׁוֹר הַגָּדוֹל נֶאֱכָל בִּגְדִי הָרַךְ, וּמְפָרֵשׁ לָהּ רָבָא: כָּל הַנֶּאֱכָל בְּשׁוֹר הַגָּדוֹל בְּשִׁלְקָא וְכוּ׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ואכלו את הבשר, "and they will eat the meat, etc."** *Pessachim* 83 states that the emphasis here on the Israelites eating the "meat" means that they were **not to eat** the horns, the hooves, the sinews, etc. This exegesis is strange since we have a rule that the expression את always means that something is to be included not excluded and the Torah here wrote **את** הבשר! Perhaps the addition alluded to by the word את can be traced to the *Mishnah Pessachim* 7,11 that "the parts of the lamb that are permitted to be eaten are those which are analogous to the parts of the ox that are permitted to be eaten." Ravah explains *Pessachim* 84 that what is meant are parts of the animals which become soft as a result of boiling them in water. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:8:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:8:2) **עוֹד** יִרְצֶה עַל פִּי מַחְלֹקֶת רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ (פסחים פד,א) בְּגִידִין שֶׁסּוֹפָם לְהִתְקַשּׁוֹת, לְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן נִמְנִין וּלְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אֵין נִמְנִין. לְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן יִתְבָּאֵר הַכָּתוּב עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: ״אֶת הַבָּשָׂר״ – כָּל שֶׁדּוֹמֶה לַבָּשָׂר שֶׁעִמָּהֶם קָאָמַר וַהֲרֵי הֵם דּוֹמִין, וּלְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ כָּל שֶׁדּוֹמִין לַבָּשָׂר בִּבְחִינַת הַבָּשָׂר מִצַּד עַצְמוֹ, וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהַבָּשָׂר אֵין סוֹפוֹ לְהִתְקַשּׁוֹת וְכוּ׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** There is also a disagreement between Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish (folio 84 *Pessachim)* about the permissibility of sinews which though soft after boiling revert to becoming hard when taken out of the water. Rabbi Yochanan feels such sinews are not permissible as food as they are not analogous to "meat," whereas Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish feels that the sinews are sufficiently analogous to flesh to be included under the heading בשר. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:8:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:8:3) **וּמַצּוֹת עַל מְרוֹרִים.** לְפִי פְּשַׁט הַכָּתוּב, לְפִי מַה שֶׁרָאִינוּ שֶׁאָמַר ה׳ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ צְלִי אֵשׁ וְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה שָׁלֵם וְכוּ׳, זֶה יַגִּיד שֶׁדַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן הוּא לְהַרְאוֹת בְּחִינָה הַגְּדוֹלָה וְהַחֵרוּת וְאֵין רְשׁוּת אֲחֵרִים עֲלֵיהֶם. וּלְפִי זֶה גַּם הַמְּרוֹרִים שֶׁצִּוָּה ה׳ הוּא לְצַד כִּי כֵן דֶּרֶךְ אוֹכְלֵי צְלִי לֶאֱכוֹל עִמּוֹ דָּבָר חַד, כִּי בָּזֶה יֶעֱרַב לְחֵיךְ הָאוֹכֵל וְיֹאכַל בְּכָל אַוַּת נַפְשׁוֹ. גַּם בָּזֶה יֻכַּר גּוֹדֶל הָעֲרֵבוּת כְּשֶׁיַּקְדִּים לְפִיו מְרוֹרִים. גַּם מַה שֶׁהִזְכִּיר הַמַּצּוֹת הוּא פְּרָט אֲשֶׁר יְכוֹנֵן חֵיךְ אוֹכֶל יִטְעַם לוֹ הַצְּלִי. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ומצות על מרורים, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.** The plain meaning of the verse seems to be that the roasting of the lamb whole is a symbol of freedom. Freedom means wholeness. The requirement to eat bitter herbs with it is natural; Egyptians used to eat roast meat with something pungent as this enhanced the taste of the meat and enabled the person who ate it to thoroughly enjoy his meal. Letting the bitter herbs precede the meat in his mouth made one more conscious of the contrast and of how something which by itself had tasted bitter would suddenly transform the whole meal into an enjoyable experience. The unleavened bread also contributed to that feeling. We therefore find that there were three components which combined to make the meal enjoyable. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:8:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:8:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:8:4) וְהִנֵּה שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַשָּׂרִיגִים יַטְעִימוּ יַחַד, וְהוּא רוֹמֵז לִשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים: הָאֶחָד הוּא הַגָּלוּת שֶׁמֵּרְרוּ אֶת חַיֵּיהֶם, הַשֵּׁנִי הִיא הַיְּצִיאָה תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד שֶׁלֹּא הִסְפִּיק בְּצֵקָם לְהַחְמִיץ בְּמִצְרַיִם, שְׁלִישִׁי, אֲשֶׁר פָּסַח ה׳ עַל בָּתֵּיהֶם וְהוּא בְּחִינַת הַגְּאֻלָּה, כִּי עָבַר ה׳ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְנִתֵּק חֶבֶל מוֹסֵרוֹת הֶעָבוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ תּוֹקְפִים בָּהֶם שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַבְּכוֹרָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי הָעִנְיָן בִּמְקוֹמוֹ (שמות יא:ה). וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת הָעִנְיָנִים יַחַד הָיוּ צְרִיכִין לִהְיוֹת, וְזוּלַת אֶחָד אֵין נֵס בַּשְּׁנַיִם הָאֲחֵרִים, שֶׁאִם לֹא הָיָה הַגָּלוּת לֹא הָיוּ מַשִּׂיגִים אֲשֶׁר הִשִּׂיגוּ מֵהַצֵּרוּף וּמַה שֶׁבֵּרְרוּ, וּמַה גַּם לְפִי מַה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרִים (בראשית מו:ג) כִּי גּוֹי גָּדוֹל עַצְמוֹ שֶׁהוֹצִיא ה׳ מִמִּצְרַיִם הֵם בְּחִינוֹת נִיצוֹצֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שֶׁשָּׁם הָיְתָה וְשָׁם נִמְצֵאת, וּסְגֻלַּת הוֹצָאָתָהּ הוּא הַמָּרוֹר אֲשֶׁר מֵרְרוּ אֶת חַיֵּיהֶם, וְהוּא סוֹד אָמְרוֹ (קהלת ח:ט) ״עֵת אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַט הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם לְרַע לוֹ״. וְאִלּוּ לֹא הָיָה הַמְּהִירוּת שֶׁהוֹצִיאָם ה׳ הָיוּ חוֹזְרִים וּמִשְׁתַּקְּעִים בּוֹרְרִים וּמִתְבָּרְרִים, וְהוּא מַאֲמַר הַתַּנָּא (הגדה של פסח): וְאִלּוּ לֹא הוֹצִיא וְכוּ׳ עֲדַיִן וְכוּ׳, וְהָיִינוּ עֲבָדִים לְפַרְעֹה וְכוּ׳, דִּכְתִיב (שמות יב:לט): ״וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ״, וְעִקַּר הַגְּאֻלָּה הִיא הַפְּסִיחָה. נִמְצֵאתָ אוֹמֵר כִּי שְׁלָשְׁתָּם יַחַד הֵם הָעִקָּר, וְלָזֶה הָיָה הִלֵּל מְדַקְדֵּק לְכָרְכָם יַחַד (פסחים קטו,א). **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** These three components symbolised three things. 1) The exile which had embittered the Israelites' lives; 2) The suddenness of the Exodus so that even their dough did not have time enough to rise. 3) The fact that G'd "passed over" the houses of the Israelites which was a major element of the redemption. This "leap-frogging" severed Israel's previous dependence on the Egyptians which had appeared as incapable of separation. I have explained the nature of the good being inextricably intertwined with the evil in my commentary on Exodus 11,5. Redemption meant the tearing asunder of these bonds between good and evil. These three phenomena had to be experienced simultaneously otherwise the whole redemption would not have been possible. If a single element had been lacking the other two would not even have been miraculous at all by themselves. Without the exile experience no other refining process could have been effective and could have borne fruit. We have explained in our commentary on Genesis 46,3 how the descent into the immoral environment of Egypt was a necessary prelude to "rescuing" the souls that had been taken captive by the forces of the קליפה at the time Adam had eaten from the tree of knowledge. This is also the mystical dimension of Kohelet 8,9: "there is a time when one man rules over another to his detriment." Had the Exodus not occurred as abruptly as it did, the Israelites might well have returned to Egypt to become ever more deeply mired in that moral morass. This idea is best expressed by the author of the *Haggadah shel Pessach* who claims that: "if G'd had not taken us out of there (at the time), then both we and our forefathers would have remained subservient to Pharaoh in Egypt." This is what the Torah means in 12,39 when it testifies that "they could not tarry any longer." The principal element of the redemption was the פסיחה, "the skipping over." Hillel (*Pessachim* 115) symbolised the importance of the simultaneous occurrence of these three elements when he insisted that we must consume the meat, the bitter herbs and the unleavened bread as a single "sandwich." ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:13:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:13:1) **וְלֹא יִהְיֶה וְגוֹ׳ לְמַשְׁחִית.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לְסִבַּת מַשְׁחִית שֶׁיּוֹצֵא לְהַשְׁחִית בְּזוּלַת, אֵין בּוֹ אֶלָּא בְּחִינַת טֶבַע הַהַשְׁחָתָה לְכָל זוּלַת, בִּרְאוֹת חוֹתָם שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁהִיא הַמִּצְוָה יִפְחַד וְיִרָא מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו, לָזֶה הוּא שֶׁצִּוָּה ה׳ לִהְיוֹת הַדָּם לְאוֹת. וְאִם תֹּאמַר אִם כֵּן מִצְרִי שֶׁהָיָה נֶחְבָּא אֶל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה נִצּוֹל, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״בָּכֶם״ וְלֹא בַּמִּצְרִים, כִּי לֹא תָּאִיר אוֹר הַמִּצְוָה לְהַצָּלָה אֶלָּא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה ס:ב) ״וְעָלַיִךְ יִזְרַח ה׳ וּכְבוֹדוֹ עָלַיִךְ יֵרָאֶה״. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ולא יהיה בכם נגף למשחית, "so there will be no plague against you to destroy, etc."** What is meant is that the destructive force (angel of death) will have no excuse to attack **you** rather than his other natural targets; he will notice the blood on the doorposts of your homes as if it were the seal of the Almighty and be afraid to approach and inflict harm. This was the reason G'd commanded the Israelites to use the blood as a sign. Should you say that in that case any Egyptian hiding out in the house of an Israelite which bore the sign of that blood could escape the plague, the Torah wrote בכם, the restrictions on the angel of death applied only "to you." The "light" of having performed the commandment illuminated only Israel; we find confirmation of this in Isaiah 60,2: ועליך יזרח ה וכבודו עליך יראה, "but upon you the Lord will shine and His Presence will be seen over you." ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:14:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:14:1) **חֻקַּת עוֹלָם תְּחָגֻּהוּ.** טַעַם שֶׁלֹּא הִסְפִּיק לוֹמַר ״לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם״, וַהֲגַם שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מכילתא) כִּי ״דֹּרֹתֵיכֶם״ לְבַד הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר מִעוּט רַבִּים שְׁנַיִם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״חֻקַּת עוֹלָם״ לְגַלּוֹת עַל פֵּרוּשׁ ״דֹּרֹתֵיכֶם״ שֶׁהוּא תָּמִיד, עֲדַיִן קָשֶׁה, לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר ״לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם״ אֶלָּא ״חֻקַּת עוֹלָם״. אָכֵן יִתְבָּאֵר עַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאוֹמֵר (ברכות יב:) ״לְמַעַן תִּזְכֹּר אֶת יוֹם צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ״ לְהָבִיא לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר ״כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ״ הַלֵּילוֹת. אֶפְשָׁר כִּי אָמַר ״חֻקַּת עוֹלָם״ שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמַר תֵּינַח בִּימֵי הַחֵרוּת, בִּימֵי הַגָּלוּת שֶׁאָנוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים מַה מָקוֹם לְזִכָּרוֹן לְטוֹבָה שֶׁפָּסְקָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״חֻקַּת עוֹלָם״ אֲפִלּוּ בִּזְמַן הַשִּׁעְבּוּד בִּשְׁאָר גָּלֻיּוֹת חֻקָּה חָקַק ה׳. וּמֵאֶמְצָעוּת פֵּרוּשָׁם זֶה תַּשְׂכִּיל גַּם כֵּן הֲסָרַת טַעֲנַת ״לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם״ שֶׁאֵין כַּוָּנָתוֹ שְׁנֵי דּוֹרוֹת. וְאִם לֹא הָיָה אוֹמֵר ״לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם״ לֹא הָיִינוּ שׁוֹמְעִים מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ בְּ״חֻקַּת עוֹלָם״, וְהָיִינוּ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁלֹּא בָּא אֶלָּא לְהַתְמָדַת דּוֹרוֹת וְלֹא לִשְׁנֵי דּוֹרוֹת לְבַד הַנִּשְׁמָע מִתֵּבַת ״לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם״, וּמֵהַיִּתּוּר שָׁמַעְנוּ מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **חקת עולם תחגהו, "you will celebrate it as an everlasting statute."** Why did the Torah not only use the expression לדורותיכם, "for your generations" which it uses normally? While it is true that the *Mechilta* states that the word "your generations" would imply only the minimum, i.e. two generations, and the expression חקת עולם means forever, it is still peculiar that the Torah had to use both expressions. The reason is connected to the discussion in *Berachot* 12 about the verse "in order that you remember the day you came out of Egypt for all the days of your life (including messianic times)." The opposing interpretation of that verse claims that the words "all the days of your life" mean "the whole days of your life" i.e. including the nights (Deut. 17,3). If the Torah had only used the words חקות עולם, I might have concluded that this day is to be observed only during periods when the Jewish people are free and independent; when they are in exile, however, I could argue that there would be no occasion to especially mark that date, therefore the Torah had to add the word לדורותיכם to tell us that the Passover rites are to be observed not only when we are free and independent but even when we are in exile. It is a statute, חוקה, and does not depend on our circumstances. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:15:1) **שִׁבְעַת יָמִים.** הִנֵּה הַטַּעַם הוּא לְצַד שֶׁלֹּא הִסְפִּיק בְּצֵקָם לְהַחְמִיץ וּגְאָלָם הַגּוֹאֵל. וְאִם תֹּאמַר, וַהֲלֹא הַיּוֹצְאִים עֲדַיִן לֹא יָצְאוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת זִכָּרוֹן לַדָּבָר? הֲלֹא גַּם הַפֶּסַח שֶׁצִּוָּה ה׳ לָקַחַת שֶׂה לְבֵית אָבוֹת וְגוֹ׳ עֲדַיִן לֹא פָּסַח, אֶלָּא שֶׁבִּזְכוּת מִצְוָה זוֹ יִפְסַח ה׳, גַּם הַמַּצָּה בִּזְכוּת מִצְוָה זוֹ יְמַהֵר לְגָאֳלָם, וְכֵן הָיָה: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **שבעת ימים מצות תאכלו, "You shall eat unleavened bread for seven days, etc."** This is connected to the fact that the Israelites' dough did not rise due to the suddenness of the redemption. You may well ask how the Torah could legislate (verse 14) a **memorial** for something that had not even taken place yet? After all, the dough did not rise because of the constant motion of the people carrying it on their backs, something that occurred on the morrow! They had not even slaughtered the Passover lamb yet and already the Torah speaks of an annual memorial to something that had not happened as yet! The whole Exodus would not occur until after the Israelites had slaughtered the Passover and eaten it with unleavended bread, and had thereby acquired the merit enabling G'd to take them out of Egypt! This is the day which **G'd** would remember for them in order to take them out, etc. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:15:2) **וְתִמְצָא** שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פסחים קכ.) מִדְּרָשׁוֹת הַתּוֹרָה בְּאַחַת מִשְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת, כִּי כָל שִׁבְעָה אֵין חִיּוּב בְּמַצָּה אֶלָּא לַיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה קְבָעוֹ הַכָּתוּב חוֹבָה, וְהַטַּעַם כִּי גַּם בְּחִינַת הַמִּצְוָה לֹא הָיָה אֶלָּא בְּלֵיל חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר, וְזֶה נִקְבַּע לְחוֹבָה בַּזְּמַן עַצְמוֹ, וּמֵאָז וָהָלְאָה אֵין כִּוּוּן בַּנֵּס לַמִּצְוָה, וְהָבֵן. וְטַעַם אָמְרוֹ ״שִׁבְעַת יָמִים מַצּוֹת״ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא רְשׁוּת. וְאוּלַי שֶׁדִּבֵּר בְּסֵדֶר זֶה לוֹמַר כִּי מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ אָכַל כָּל שִׁבְעָה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** In support of our contention that the Torah here does not speak of a commandment to eat unleavened bread for seven days, you will note that *Pessachim* 120 arrives at the conclusion that the mention of "seven days you shall eat unleavened bread" in our verse is not a commandment but a voluntary observance, the commandment to eat unleavened bread applying only on the night the Passover is eaten; the duty to eat unleavened bread became effective only on the evening preceding the Exodus. In later generations, the eating of unleavened bread was not a reminder of a **miracle** at all. Perhaps the manner in which the Torah reports this legislation is meant to tell us that the eating of unleavened bread on the night of the Passover will be accounted for the people eating it as if they had eaten unleavened bread during all the seven days of that holiday. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:15:3) וְתִמְצָא כִּי צִוָּה ה׳ שְׁנֵי מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ – בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן לְצַד נֵס יוֹם חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר, וְיוֹם שְׁבִיעִי לְצַד נֵס גְּמַר הַגְּאוּלָה שֶׁל קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף וְכוּ׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** G'd commanded two kinds of מקראי קדש, "holy convocations," one on the first day, i.e. the 15th of Nissan and one on the seventh day, i.e. the 21st day of Nissan. The latter "holy convocation" was in respect of the final stage of the redemption, the drowning of the pursuing Egyptians in the sea. There were two separate miracles which needed to be commemorated then. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:15:4) עוֹד טַעַם אָמְרוֹ **שִׁבְעַת**, לְצַד שֶׁלֹּא צִוָּה ה׳ בְּכָל שִׁבְעָה לָאו דְּלֹא תֹּאכַל חָמֵץ, וְהָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר אִם לֹא אָכַל חָמֵץ אֵין בְּיָדוֹ לֹא זְכוּת וְלֹא עֹנֶשׁ. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת״, לוֹמַר לְךָ כִּי כְּשֶׁלֹּא אָכַל חָמֵץ כְּאִלּוּ אָכַל מַצּוֹת, וַהֲרֵי בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁבַע מִצְווֹת עֲשֵׂה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Another reason accounting for the seven days from the 15th to the 21st of Nissan being considered as a unit, i.e. שבעת ימים instead of שבעה ימים, is because G'd did not formulate the prohibition not to eat leavened bread as an outright commandent, such as "do not eat חמץ." I would have thought that a person who does not eat leavened matter during these days is neither culpable nor has he acquired special merit. The Torah therefore implies that not eating חמץ is equivalent to eating מצה and that such a person has acquired the merit of seven consecutive positive commandments (one for each day he did not eat חמץ.) [I believe the author refers to the fact that the prohibition of eating leavened matter in verse 19 is phrased impersonally, i.e. "anyone who eats leavened matter will be cut off from his people," whereas the repetition in verse 20 which addresses itself directly to the people makes no mention of seven days. If this is not the correct interpretation we must assume an uncorrected error in all the earlier manuscripts. Somewhat remarkably, the author does not comment on either verse 19 or verse 20 in this chapter. Ed.] ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:5 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:15:5) וְטַעַם שִׁבְעָה וְלֹא פָּחוֹת וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, נִתְכַּוֵּן ה׳ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֲסוּקִים בְּמִצְווֹת עַד גְּמַר הַגְּאוּלָּה שֶׁהוּא בְּיוֹם שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁל פֶּסַח אֲשֶׁר הִפְלִיא ה׳ עֲשׂוֹת נִסִּים לָהֶם וּבְרוֹדְפֵיהֶם מִשְׁפָּטִים. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** The reason the Torah already mentioned seven days here is that the Israelites should be occupied with the performance of מצות right until the moment on the seventh day when the last stage of the redemption would be completed after G'd had displayed even greater miracles than previously. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:6 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:15:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:15:6) גַּם יֵשׁ טַעַם בָּרוּחָנִיּוּת, כִּי יְסוֹדֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שֶׁהֵם שֹׁרֶשׁ נִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁבְעָה עֵינַיִם (זכריה ג:ט), וְתִקָּרֵא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּת שֶׁבַע לְסִבָּה זוֹ (זהר חלק ג ו:). **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** There is another mystical reason for the number seven, the root of the souls of the Jewish people being equated with שבעה עינים, as we know from Zachariah 3,9, and the community of Israel is therefore frequently referred to as בת שבעה, "the seven-fold one," compare *Zohar* volume 3 page 6). [According to Rabbi Moshe Cordovero in his פרדס רמונים the expression שבעת ימים is a reference to the emanation בינה which presides over the 6 days preceding it, i.e. which are subordinate to it. Ed.] ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:17:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:17:1) **וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַמַּצּוֹת וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֲנִי שָׁמַרְתִּי הַיּוֹם וְלֹא אֵחַרְתִּי יוֹם אֶחָד, וּבְעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם, לְטַעַם זֶה אַתֶּם גַּם כֵּן לֹא תְּאַחֲרוּ הַמַּצָּה עַד שֶׁתַּחְמִיץ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ושמרתם את המצות, "You shall guard the unleavened breads, etc."** G'd told us that just as He had carefully guarded that date and had not redeemed us a single day later than the timetable He had planned, so we should be careful not to allow the dough for the unleavened bread to remain inactive a minute too long ; otherwise it might begin to rise. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:17:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:17:2) וְאָמַר עוֹד **וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה**, יְצַו כֵּן הָאֵל גַּם כֵּן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָאָדָם מְשַׁמֵּר גַּם הַיּוֹם לְבַל יִטְעֶה בַּחֶשְׁבּוֹן, וְלֹא יַקְדִּים וְלֹא יְאַחֵר מֵעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וְלֹא יוֹם אַחֵר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ. וְכָל פֵּרוּשׁ זֶה אוֹמֵר **כִּי בְּעֶצֶם** יָאִיר יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל, יָאִיר לָתֵת טַעַם לְמַה שֶׁלְּפָנָיו לִשְׁמִירַת הַמַּצּוֹת, וְיָאִיר לְמַה שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו לִשְׁמִירַת הַיּוֹם עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ, כִּי בְּעֶצֶם וְגוֹ׳ פֵּרוּשׁ לְטַעַם שֶׁבְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם וְגוֹ׳ וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אַתֶּם גַּם כֵּן אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** The Torah added: "you shall observe this day" to teach that not only must we be very careful in the preparation of the unleavened bread, but we must also be very careful with our calendar calculations so as not to observe the Passover on the wrong day of the month. We cannot substitute a different day for celebrating this holiday. The reason is that what occurred happened בעצם i.e. this word is to be read in both directions. The careful watch over the dough and the careful observance of the correct date are both because of what occurred on that very day. We are to emulate what G'd did at that time to the best of our ability. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:21:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:21:1) **וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לְכָל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.** וַהֲגַם כִּי ה׳ אָמַר אֵלָיו ״דַּבְּרוּ אֶל כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל״, יִהְיֶה פֵּרוּשׁוֹ כְּמַאֲמַר (ויקרא ד:יג) ״וְאִם כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁגּוּ״ שֶׁיֵּאָמֵר עַל הַזְּקֵנִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בִּמְקוֹמוֹ (תורת כהנים), ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם״ יְכַוֵּן לִשְׁאָר הָעָם, כְּמִשְׁפַּט כָּל מִצְווֹת ה׳ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ מִפִּי מֹשֶׁה (עירובין נד,א). **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויקרא משה לכל זקני ישראל, Moses called all the elders of Israel, etc.** Although G'd had told Moses to speak to the whole community of Israel we must interpret this commandment as similar to Leviticus 4,13 where the Torah speaks of: "if the whole community of Isael committed an unintentional sin, etc." In that instance the Torah also refers to the elders, as *Torat Kohanim* explains on that verse. The words following, i.e. ויאמר אליהם, may mean that Moses addressed the rest of the people just as became customary with informing the people of any of the other commandments of the Torah. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:21:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:21:2) **אוֹ** אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר אֶלָּא לַזְּקֵנִים וְהֵם יְדַבְּרוּ לְכָל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַחֲלוּקָה מִצְוָה זוֹ מִשְּׁאָר מִצְווֹת הַתּוֹרָה כִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא נִכְנְסוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּבְּרִית וְלֹא הוּחְנְכוּ לְהִכָּנֵס לִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת, וְלָזֶה הָיָה מְדַבֵּר לַזְּקֵנִים וְהַזְּקֵנִים כָּל אֶחָד יְדַבֵּר בְּנַחַת וּבְדֶרֶךְ הַמִּתְקַבֵּל לִבְנֵי מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נוֹחִים לַעֲשׂוֹת. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Alternatively, Moses only told the elders and they in turn told the people. In that event this commandment would be different from all the other commandments in the Torah. The reason that the Israelites were not addressed by Moses directly could be that they had not yet entered the holy covenant, had not yet been circumcised. As a result they needed an additional intermediary. The elders had their own method of prevailing on the people to accept this legislation. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:24:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:24:1) **וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה.** הִנֵּה פְּשַׁט הַכָּתוּב יַגִּיד כִּי גַּם לְדוֹרוֹת יְצַו דְּבָרִים הָאֲמוּרִים בָּעִנְיָן, וְלֹא רָאִינוּ שֶׁעָשׂוּ כֵּן קַדְמוֹנֵינוּ, גַּם רַבּוֹתֵינוּ לֹא צִוּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן. וְנִרְאֶה כִּי מִמַּה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב **לְחָק לְךָ** בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ וְחָזַר לוֹמַר **וּלְבָנֶיךָ**, גִּלָּה הַמְכֻוָּן שֶׁהוּא עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ, שֶׁאֵין הַדְּבָרִים שָׁוִים בּוֹ וּבְבָנָיו, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר ״וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְחָק עוֹלָם״, וּמֵאָמְרוֹ ״לְחָק לְךָ וּלְבָנֶיךָ״ הֲרֵי זֶה מְפָרֵשׁ הַמְכֻוָּן שֶׁאֵינָם שָׁוִים בַּדָּבָר. ״לְחָק לְךָ״ הוּא כָּל הָאָמוּר בָּעִנְיָן, ״וּלְבָנֶיךָ עַד עוֹלָם״ פְּרָטִים מֵהָעִנְיָן, וְסָמַךְ הַכָּתוּב עַל שֶׁיָּבֹא בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרִים הַפְּרָטִים שֶׁהֵם נוֹהֲגִים לְדוֹרוֹת וְשָׁלַל בָּהֶם פְּרָטִים שֶׁאֵינָם לְדוֹרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּירָם בָּהֶם, וְגַם כָּאן בֵּאֵר הַדְּבָרִים בְּאָמְרוֹ ״וְלֹא יִתֵּן הַמַּשְׁחִית לָבֹא אֶל בָּתֵּיכֶם לִנְגֹּף״ שֶׁיִּנְגֹּף אֶת מִצְרַיִם, וְדָבָר זֶה אֵינוֹ מָצוּי לְדוֹרוֹת. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ושמרתם את הדבר הזה, "You will observe this matter."** According to the plain meaning of this verse the Torah tells that such matters as the sprinkling of the blood of the paschal lamb would also be performed in future generations. However, we have no reports to indicate that these details were ever observed again. We do not find that either the *Mishnah* or the Talmud ever instituted this as a rabbinic requirement. I believe that the words לחק לך on the one hand, and ולבניך on the other hand, mean that the application of the Passover law is not identical for future generations. As for as **you,** i.e. the present generation is concerned, all the aforementioned details apply. As to לבניך עד עולם only certain details of the Passover in Egypt will apply. The verse relies on legislation repeated in the Torah elsewhere to arrive at the pertinent observances to be observed in the future. The repetition of the purpose of these observances in Egypt, i.e. to keep the angel of death away from the homes of the Jews makes it plain that certain of the details would not apply in the future when G'd would not kill the firstborns. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:25:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:25:1) **וְהָיָה כִּי תָבֹאוּ וְגוֹ׳.** הִנֵּה פְּשַׁט הַכָּתוּב יַגִּיד כִּי מִצְוָה זוֹ אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא אַחַר כְּנִיסָתָם לָאָרֶץ, אִם כֵּן לָמָּה חָזַר ה׳ מִדַּעַת זוֹ וְצִוָּה אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (במדבר ט:א) בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית לַעֲשׂוֹת הַפֶּסַח בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ כְּכָל חֻקּוֹתָיו? **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **והיה כי תבאו אל הארץ, "It will be when you come to the land, etc."** According to the plain meaning of the verse the commandment mentioned here does not apply until after the Israelites enter the Holy Land. If that were so, however, why did G'd appear to have changed His mind when He commanded the Israelites to observe the Passover in the second year of their wanderings in the desert "at the appropriate time and in all its details" (Numbers 9,1)? ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:25:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:25:2) **וְנִרְאֶה** כִּי גִּלָּה ה׳ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן בָּזֶה, כִּי הָיָה בְּדַעְתּוֹ אִם יִזְכּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יַעֲשׂוּ פֶּסַח שֵׁנִי אֶלָּא בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, אֶלָּא לְצַד הַמְרָאתָם מֵעֵת יָצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְהֵם מַמְרִים פִּי ה׳, וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּיָם סוּף הִתְחִילוּ לַמְרוֹת, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים קו:ז) ״וַיַּמְרוּ עַל יָם בְּיַם סוּף״, זֶה הָיָה סִבָּה שֶׁאָרְכוּ הַיָּמִים וְלֹא הָיָה לָהֶם זְכוּת לַעֲלוֹת תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד. וְלָזֶה כְּשֶׁרָאָה ה׳ שֶׁגָּרְמוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וְלֹא נִכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ וְהֵם עֲדַיִן בַּמִּדְבָּר, הֻצְרַךְ לְצַוּוֹת לַעֲשׂוֹת הַפֶּסַח בַּמִּדְבָּר, כִּי עַד עַתָּה לֹא נִצְטַוּוּ אֶלָּא ״כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ״. וַהֲגַם כִּי הָאָדוֹן קוֹרֵא הַדּוֹרוֹת מֵרֹאשׁ (ישעיהו מא:ד), אַף עַל פִּי כֵן מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו הַטּוֹבִים הִגִּיד לְעַמּוֹ כַּנִּזְכָּר: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** It would appear that this verse contains an assurance that if the Israelites would conduct themselves meritoriously they would already observe the following year's Passover in their homeland. The delay occurred only because of the Israelites' disobedience and rebelliousness which commenced already before the completion of the Exodus at the Sea of Reeds (compare Psalms 106,7: "they rebelled at the sea, at the Sea of Reeds"). All these factors delayed the conquest of the Holy Land. When G'd saw that they were still in the desert He had to issue a command that they should observe the Passover even in the desert. Up to that point in the Book of Numbers they had only been commanded to observe the Passover once they arrived in the Holy Land. While it is true- as the prophet Isaiah has said- that G'd knows of all future developments in advance (Isaiah 41,4), He had held back with issuing instructions which would indicate that the trek through the desert would be beset with problems. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:28:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:28:1) **וַיֵּלְכוּ וְגוֹ׳ כֵּן עָשׂוּ.** הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר **כֵּן עָשׂוּ** וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק בְּמַה שֶׁקָּדַם לוֹמַר ״וַיַּעֲשׂוּ״ וְגוֹ׳, לוֹמַר הִצְדִּיקוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם בְּמִצְווֹת ה׳ וְלֹא הֵבִינוּ דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא כֵן הוּא בְּמַשְׁמָעוּת, וְזֶה לֹא הָיָה נִשְׁמָע מֵאָמְרוֹ ״וַיַּעֲשׂוּ וְגוֹ׳ כַּאֲשֶׁר״ וְגוֹ׳, כִּי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר מַה שֶׁחָשְׁבוּ הֵם, וְהָבֵן: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **וילכו ויעשו בני ישראל כאשר צוה השם, The children of Israel went and did as G'd commanded, etc."** The Torah had to repeat כן עשו, "they did so," to underline that they obeyed what Moses had commanded them in the name of G'd though they did not understand the meaning of all these regulations. Had the Torah not written the words כן עשו, we could have thought that they did so because they understood it all. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:30:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:30:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:30:1) **וַיָּקָם פַּרְעֹה לַיְלָה.** טַעַם אָמְרוֹ **לַיְלָה** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (זהר ח״ב לח.) כִּי אוֹתוֹ לַיְלָה הָיָה כַּיּוֹם יָאִיר כְּצַחוּת הַיּוֹם. וְרָמַזְתִּי רֶמֶז זֶה בַּפָּסוּק (שמות יג:ח) ״וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא״, כִּי יְכַוֵּן לוֹמַר שֶׁיַּגִּיד לוֹ גַּם נֵס הַלַּיְלָה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה יוֹם. וְשֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר כִּי זָרַח אוֹר בַּלַּיְלָה דֶּרֶךְ כְּלָל לָרָעִים וְלַטּוֹבִים, לָזֶה אָמַר **וַיָּקָם פַּרְעֹה לַיְלָה**, כְּשֶׁקָּם הוּא לִקְרֹא לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן מָנַע ה׳ מֵרָשָׁע אוֹרָה וְהָיָה לַיְלָה, פֵּרוּשׁ חֹשֶׁךְ, כְּאָמְרוֹ (בראשית א:ה) ״וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה״. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויקם פרעה לילה, Pharaoh rose up during the night, etc.** The reason that the Torah mentions "at night," something that was obvious, is that according to the *Zohar* 2, page 38 that night was as bright as daylight. I have already found an allusion to this fact in Exodus 13,8 where the Torah instructs the Jewish father to tell his sons about the happenings during that night ביום ההוא, "on that day." The Torah means that the father should not fail to mention that one of the things that occurred during that night was that the night turned into day. In the event that we would think that the daylight during that night shone for both the Egyptians and the Israelites, the Torah emphasises that when Pharaoh rose he thought it was night because for him it was dark. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:31:1) **וַיִּקְרָא לְמֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ׳ לַיְלָה.** טַעַם אָמְרוֹ פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה **לַיְלָה**; אוּלַי לֶהֱיוֹת כִּי חָשׁ פַּרְעֹה בִּקְרִיאָתוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה שֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא לִקְרָאתוֹ מֵחֲשַׁשׁ גְּזֵרָתוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ (שמות י:כח) ״אַל תּוֹסֶף רְאוֹת פָּנַי כִּי בְּיוֹם רְאוֹתְךָ פָנַי תָּמוּת״, וְאִם כֵּן יָחוּשׁ לְבַל יַעֲלִיל עָלָיו, לָזֶה אָמַר בִּקְרִיאָתוֹ ״לַיְלָה״, פֵּרוּשׁ, אֵין זֶה מִתְּנָאֵי הַגְּזֵרָה כִּי הוּא לֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא בַּיּוֹם וְלֹא בַּלַּיְלָה וּזְמַן זֶה לַיְלָה הוּא. אוֹ לְצַד שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאֶה פָּנָיו הוּא אוֹמֵר כִּי הוּא לַיְלָה וְאֵין כָּאן טַעֲנַת ״אַל תּוֹסֶף רְאוֹת פָּנַי״ כִּי הוּא בְּמַחְשָׁךְ, לֹא יִרְאוּ אִישׁ אֶת וְגוֹ׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויקרא למשה ולאהרון לילה, "He called for Moses and Aaron at night, etc."** The reason that the Torah repeats the word לילה, night, could be that Pharaoh was afraid that inasmuch as he had forbidden Moses and Aaron to see him again on pain of death (10,28), they would use this as an excuse not to see him, fearing it was a trap to give Pharaoh an excuse to execute them. By emphasising the word לילה Pharaoh indicated that he had only threatened them on "**the day** you will see my face, etc." Since it was night, they had no reason to be afraid. Alternatively, Pharaoh meant that seeing it was dark they would not see his face anyways, and his threat applied only to their **seeing** his face. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:31:2) **אוֹ** יְכַוֵּן הַכָּתוּב לוֹמַר תְּשׁוּבַת מֹשֶׁה אֶל פַּרְעֹה כְּשֶׁקָּרָא לוֹ, כִּי עָנָהוּ וְאָמַר לוֹ ״לַיְלָה״, וְאֵין אֲנִי יָכוֹל לָצֵאת לְדַבֵּר עִמְּךָ, כִּי צִוָּה ה׳ (שמות יב:כב) ״לֹא תֵצְאוּ אִישׁ מִפֶּתַח בֵּיתוֹ עַד בֹּקֶר״. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** One could also interpret this verse by viewing the word לילה as part of Moses' answer. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, whereupon the latter responded that it was now night, i.e. not the time to conduct negotiations. Moses may have added that G'd had forbidden any of the Israelites to leave their houses during that night (12,22) until morning. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:31:3) וְאָמַר פַּרְעֹה ״**קוּמוּ צְּאוּ**״ וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ, עֲשָׂאָם בְּנֵי חוֹרִין לְעַצְמָן. וְאוּלַי שֶׁרָמַז בְּתֵיבַת **קוּמוּ** לְשׁוֹן הִתְקוֹמְמוּת וּנְשִׂיאוּת רֹאשׁ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בראשית רבה נח,ח) בְּפָסוּק (בראשית כג,יז) ״וַיָּקָם שְׂדֵה עֶפְרוֹן״. וְחָשַׁב כִּי בָּזֶה תֵּקַל הַמַּכָּה מֵעָלָיו כְּשֶׁיִּגְמֹר הַדָּבָר מִצִּדּוֹ לְשַׁלְּחָם, הֲגַם שֶׁיָּבֹא הָעִכּוּב מֵהֶם אֵין עָלָיו אַשְׁמַת דָּבָר. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Upon hearing this Pharaoh said: קומו צאו, "arise and depart." In other words Pharaoh freed the Israelites by this proclamation. The expression קומו, "arise," may even contain a hint of Pharaoh's granting the Israelites a "higher status" than they had possessed heretofore. *Bereshit Rabbah* 58,8 explains Genesis 23,17 where the field and cave of Machpelah are described as ויקם, having arisen. Whereas previously, before Abraham's purchase, the field and cave belonged to a low-life such as Efron, the field and cave "rose" to a higher status by becoming the property of a man of the calibre of Abraham. At any rate, Pharaoh believed that by declaring the Israelites a free people without any further ado, he could free himself of the plague of the dying of the firstborn. If they did not leave immediately, their continued stay could not be blamed on him. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:31:4) **עוֹד** יִרְמֹז בְּאָמְרוֹ **קוּמוּ צְּאוּ**, כִּי לְצַד שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ רוֹצִים לָצֵאת אֵלָיו קְרָאָם לָקוּם, כִּי חָשַׁב שֶׁאֵינָם רוֹצִים לָקוּם מִמִּטָּתָם לָבוֹא אֶצְלוֹ, וְאָמַר כִּי קְרִיאָתוֹ לָהֶם הוּא לַהֲנָאָתָם שֶׁאוֹמֵר לָהֶם ״צְּאוּ״ וְגוֹ׳. וּלְדֶרֶךְ זֶה טַעַם אָמְרוֹ ״לַיְלָה״, הִקְדִּים הַכָּתוּב לוֹמַר טַעַם שֶׁלֹּא יָצְאוּ לִקְרָאתוֹ תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד, וַה׳ צִוָּה עַל כְּבוֹד הַמַּלְכוּת, לָזֶה הִקְדִּים סִבָּה אֲשֶׁר סִבְּבָה עַכָּבָתָם מִצֵּאת וְאָמַר ״לַיְלָה״, וְזוֹ סִבָּה שֶׁלֹּא קָמוּ וְיָצְאוּ אֶצְלוֹ כִּי ה׳ צִוָּה ״לֹא תֵצְאוּ אִישׁ מִפֶּתַח בֵּיתוֹ״ וְגוֹ׳ (שמות יב:כב). **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Another meaning of the words קומו צאו is that it is an accusation. Seeing that Moses and Aaron had refused to come to Pharaoh, he called upon them to rise from their beds for their own benefit, i.e. "the reason I have called you was so that you should leave the country." Accordingly, Moses and Aaron explained that their failure to get up from their beds immediately was not lack of respect for the king but לילה, G'd had ordered them not to leave their houses during that night. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:5 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:31:5) **גַּם אַתֶּם וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה אָמַר ״גַּם״ בִּתְחִלַּת דָּבָר? וְעוֹד, וְכִי מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן הָיוּ אֲסוּרִים שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר ״צְּאוּ מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי״? וְאוּלַי כִּי מִתּוֹךְ דְּבָרָיו גִּלָּה מַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ כִּי הָיָה חָפֵץ שֶׁיֻּצְּגוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, לָזֶה אָמַר **גַּם אַתֶּם** מִלְּבַד יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּלְצַד שֶׁאֵין הַדָּבָר מוּבָן בְּתֵבַת ״גַּם״ שֶׁהִיא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי לְפִי הָאֱמֶת מֹשֶׁה לֹא הָיָה בְּמַאֲסָר, וּכְשֶׁאָמַר ״גַּם״ אֵין בְּמַשְׁמָעוּת הַקּוֹדֵם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלֹא יֻצְדַּק לוֹמַר ״גַּם אַתֶּם״ אֶלָּא לְפִי מַחְשֶׁבֶת פַּרְעֹה כַּנִּזְכָּר, לָזֶה חָזַר לְבָאֵר **גַּם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.** **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **גם אתם גם בני ישראל, "both you and the children of Israel."** Why did Pharaoh say גם, also, already **before** mentioning that Moses and Aaron were to leave? Besides, why did Moses and Aaron need Pharaoh's permission to leave that he said to them: "depart from amongst my people?" They were not his prisoners! Perhaps the wording of Pharaoh's dismissal reveals that subconsciously he had always wanted to arrest Moses and Aaron. When he now gave orders that the Israelites could leave, he had to first reverse his thinking about detaining Moses and Aaron individually. None of this would have been discernible if the word גם had been used only in connection with the departure of the Israelites as a people. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:6 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:31:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:31:6) **עוֹד** יִרְצֶה, כִּי נִתְכַּוֵּן לְגָרֵשׁ אוֹתָם הֲגַם שֶׁיַּחְפְּצוּ מֵרְצוֹנָם לָשֶׁבֶת עִמָּהֶם, וּלְפִי זֶה יֻצְדַּק לוֹמַר **גַּם אַתֶּם** – הֲגַם שֶׁאַתֶּם בִּרְשׁוּת עַצְמְכֶם, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵין אֲנִי חָפֵץ שֶׁתֵּשְׁבוּ בְּאַרְצִי, וְזֶה חִדּוּשׁ, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁאָמַר ה׳ (שמות יא:א) ״כְּשַׁלְּחוֹ כָּלָה גָּרֵשׁ יְגָרֵשׁ אֶתְכֶם״. וְאָמְרוֹ **גַּם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל** לְרַבּוֹת הַטַּף וְהַנָּשִׁים, וְאָמְרוֹ **גַּם צֹאנְכֶם** וְגוֹ׳ לְרַבּוֹת שְׁאָר מִקְנֶה, אוֹ לְרַבּוֹת מַה שֶׁשָּׁאֲלוּ לְעֵזֶר מִמֶּנּוּ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Still another meaning of this verse is that Pharaoh not only discharged the Israelites but he expelled them. The words גם אתם may then be interpreted thus: "Although you are no longer under my control as slaves, I do not want you to reside in my country any longer." This was a new element. Now the point had been reached of which G'd had said to Moses in 11,1: "when he will finally discharge you completely he will not only discharge you but he will expel you." The words גם בני ישראל refer to the women and the children; the word גם, also, in connection with גם צאנכם in verse 32 refers to the other items such as the animals Pharaoh himself was to supply (compare 10,25). ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:32:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:32:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:32:1) **וּבֵרַכְתֶּם גַּם אֹתִי.** כְּאִלּוּ אָמַר ״וְגַם תְּבָרְכוּ אוֹתִי״, וְשִׁעוּר הַכָּתוּב ״וּבֵרַכְתֶּם גַּם כֵּן אוֹתִי״ מִלְּבַד שֶׁיָּסִיר הַמַּכָּה, הַרְחָקַת הַנֶּזֶק וְהַקְרָבַת הַתּוֹעֶלֶת. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **וברכתם גם אותי, "bless me also."** The past tense here is to be interpreted as a wish, i.e. "bless me too." Pharaoh meant that not only should the plague stop but that the result of Moses' blessing should be the process of the rehabilitation of Egypt. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:35:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:35:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:35:1) **עָשׂוּ כִּדְבַר מֹשֶׁה.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לֹא לַהֲנָאַת הַמָּמוֹן אֶלָּא לְמִצְוַת נָבִיא. עוֹד יִרְצֶה עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁהֶעֱלָה רַמְבַּ״ם בְּפֶרֶק ט׳ מֵהִלְכוֹת יְסוֹדֵי הַתּוֹרָה, כִּי אִם יָבֹא נָבִיא וְיֹאמַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל פִּי ה׳ לַעֲבוֹר עַל מִצְוָה אַחַת הוֹרָאַת שָׁעָה כְּאֵלִיָּהוּ בְּהַר הַכַּרְמֶל וְכַדּוֹמֶה – שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ חוּץ מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עָשׂוּ.** וּלְצַד כִּי מַעֲשֶׂה זֶה הוּא מַעֲשֶׂה בִּלְתִּי הָגוּן לִגְנוֹב דַּעַת גּוֹי, גַּם לִגְזוֹל מָמוֹנָם, וְאֵיךְ יַצְדִּיקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאוֹמֵר לָהֶם עֲבוֹר עֲבֵרָה? לָזֶה אָמַר עַל פִּי מֹשֶׁה, פֵּרוּשׁ, אֲשֶׁר הוּבְחַן לְנָבִיא וּבִפְרָט זֶה יֵאָמְנוּ דְּבָרָיו כַּנִּזְכָּר: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **עשו כדבר משה, they did in accordance with Moses' instructions.** The Torah stresses that the reason the Israelites "borrowed" all this silver, gold, etc., was not because they were greedy for material goods but because Moses had instructed them to. The Torah may also teach us an object lesson in what Maimonides wrote in chapter nine of his *Hilchot Yesodey Hatorah* that if a prophet orders the people to commit an act which is against Torah law and such an order is of a temporary nature, an emergency situation, the people are to accept the prophet's instructions as long as the violation is not in the realm of idol worship. The people here were not happy about deceiving the Egyptians by making them think they were borrowing these trinkets intending to return them in a few days. Seeing that Moses was a duly accredited prophet, however, they complied with bis instructions in spite of their misgivings. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:36:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:36:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:36:1) **וַיַּשְׁאִלוּם וַיְנַצְּלוּ וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לְצַד שֶׁנָּתַן ה׳ חֵן הָעָם בְּעֵינֵי הַמִּצְרִים, וּבָזֶה הָיוּ הַמִּצְרִים מַשְׁאִילִים אוֹתָם בְּעַל כָּרְחָם, וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה הִצְדִּיקוּ הַדְּבָרִים, כִּי אֵין כַּוָּנָתָם לָלֶכֶת בְּהֶחְלֵט, שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים הֵם לָקַחַת מֵהֶם לְהַרְוִיחַ יוֹתֵר, וּבָזֶה ״וַיְנַצְּלוּ אֶת מִצְרָיִם״. וְהִנֵּה הַמַּשְׂכִּיל עַל דָּבָר יִרְאֶה כִּי פּוֹעַל אָדָם יְשַׁלֶּם לוֹ (ברכות ט,א), כִּי לְצַד שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל חִבְּבוּ דְּבַר הַיְּצִיאָה וְלֹא חָשְׁשׁוּ לַהֲנָאַת מָמוֹן, הוּא הַדָּבָר וְהוּא הַסִּבָּה שֶׁהִפְלִיאוּ לְהַרְוִיחַ, וּזְכוּתָם עוֹמֶדֶת לָהֶם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **וישאילום, וינצלו את מצרים, they let them have what they asked; they emptied Egypt** (of valuables). All this was a result of G'd giving the people favour in the eyes of the Egyptians so that the Egyptians lent them these trinkets against their will (the will of the Israelites). This proves that the Israelites were not prepared at that time to leave Egypt permanently else they themselves would have asked not only for what the Egyptians volunteered but for much more in order to enrich themselves. When the Torah writes that: "they emptied Egypt," the subject are the Egyptians themselves. From the above we see how correct the Talmud was in *Berachot* 9 where it is stated that the Israelites were so enamoured of the idea of leaving Egypt that financial gain did not interest them at that time. As a result G'd helped them acquire great possessions in a miraculous manner. All of this was a reward for their meritorious behaviour. [The author implies that if the Israelites had displayed greed by asking for a lot they never would have received as much as they did. Ed.] ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:39:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:39:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:39:1) **מַצּוֹת כִּי לֹא חָמֵץ.** פֵּרוּשׁ, הַטַּעַם שֶׁאָפוּהוּ מַצּוֹת כִּי לֹא הֻתַּר לָהֶם לֶאֱכוֹל חָמֵץ, לָזֶה מִהֲרוּ לֶאֱפוֹתוֹ מַצָּה. וַהֲגַם שֶׁשָּׁהָה מֵעֵת לִישָׁה עַד עֵת אֲפִיָּה זְמַן מָה, אוּלַי כִּי הָיוּ מִתְעַמְּלִים בּוֹ, וְלָזֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״מִשְׁאֲרוֹתָם צְרֻרוֹת בְּשִׂמְלוֹתָם עַל שִׁכְמָם״, וְכִי לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם מָקוֹם לָשֵׂאת אוֹתָם שֶׁהֻצְרְכוּ לְתִתָּם עַל שִׁכְמָם? אֶלָּא כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְעַמְּלוּ בָּהֶם, וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁמִּתְעַמְּלִים בָּעִסָּה אֵינָהּ מַחְמֶצֶת, נוֹסָף עַל שֶׁלֹּא נָתְנוּ בּוֹ שְׂאוֹר לְחַמֵּץ. וְנָתַן הַכָּתוּב טַעַם **כִּי לֹא חָמֵץ כִּי גֹרְשׁוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם** וְגוֹ׳: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **מצות כי לא חמץ, unleavened breads because it was not leavened.** The Torah means that the reason they baked Matzot was that they did not have permission to eat leavened bread; as a result they had to hasten in order to bake מצות. These loaves turned out to be matzot even though some time had elapsed between the kneading of the dough and the baking. Possibly, they kept the dough in motion in order to prevent it from becoming leavened. When the Torah bothered to graphically describe that "their kneading bowls were slung as bundles in their dresses over their shoulders" (verse 34), such a description would not be justified unless we were to learn something from it. Surely the Israelites had some other place where they could have carried their dough. The Torah wants to teach us that they deliberately vibrated the dough to keep it from rising. The process was facilitated by the fact that they had not added yeast to the dough in the first place. The Torah describes that the reason the dough did not have a chance to become leavened before the Exodus as being: "for they were being expelled from Egypt." ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:41:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:41:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:41:1) **וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ וְגוֹ׳.** וְלֹא אָמַר הַכָּתוּב מַה הָיָה, וְאִם נִתְכַּוֵּן עַל הַיְּצִיאָה הֲרֵי חָזַר וְאָמַר פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה ״וַיְהִי בְּעֶצֶם״. עוֹד צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה צַעַר יִרְמֹז בְּתֵיבַת **וַיְהִי.** **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויהי מקץ שלושים שנה, It was at the end of 430 yers, etc."** The Torah does not tell us what happened at that time, otherwise why would the word ויהי be repeated immediately afterwards. If the Torah had alluded to the time of the Exodus the second ויהי would be superfluous. Another thing requiring exegesis is what painful element is alluded to in the word ויהי in this instance. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:41:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:41:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:41:2) וְאוּלַי כִּי יַגִּיד הַכָּתוּב הַצַּעַר שֶׁל עִכּוּבָם עַד הַקֵּץ, וְלֹא הָיָה בָּהֶם זְכוּת לָצֵאת קוֹדֶם הַקֵּץ. אוֹ לִרְמוֹז כִּי הַצַּעַר שֶׁהָיָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּסְפָּר הַמֻּזְכָּר לְמַעְלָה, דִּכְתִיב: ״וּמוֹשַׁב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״ וְגוֹ׳ (שמות יב:מ), לֹא כָּל הַזְּמַן הַהוּא אֶלָּא מִקֵּץ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Perhaps the painful element referred to is the very length of time it took for the people to be redeemed. Had they possessed the necessary merit they would not have had to wait until the pre-arranged timetable, i.e. מקץ, the end of the time originally allocated for their bondage. Alternatively, the pain alluded to is the very length of the 430 years mentioned earlier as the time the people sojourned in Egypt. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:41:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:41:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:41:3) **וַיְהִי בְּעֶצֶם.** רָמַז הַצַּעַר שֶׁל יְצִיאַת הַיּוֹצְאִים עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁמֵּהֶם סָבְבוּ רָעוֹת. אוֹ לִרְמוֹז כִּי לֹא חָדְלוּ הַמַּכּוֹת וְהַצָּרוֹת מִמִּצְרַיִם גַּם בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (במדבר לג:ד) ״וּמִצְרַיִם מְקַבְּרִים״ וְגוֹ׳, ״וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹצְאִים בְּיָד רָמָה״ (שמות יד:ח). **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויהי בעצם, it was on that same day, etc.** The Torah may use the expression to tell us that though the Israelites departed on that day, the troubles of the Egyptians had not come to an end. We have a reference to the Egyptians being busy on that day burying their dead (Numbers 33,4) whereas at the same time the Israelites left Egypt their heads held high. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:42:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:42:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:42:1) **לֵיל שִׁמֻּרִים וְגוֹ׳.** יְכַוֵּן הַכָּתוּב לִרְמֹז חֲמִשָּׁה נִסִּים מֻפְלָאִים שֶׁזְּמַנָּם לַיְלָה זוֹ: א׳, בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם כְּשֶׁהִכָּה אֶת אַרְבָּעָה מְלָכִים (בראשית יד:טו) ״וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה״. ב׳, בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם דִּכְתִיב (שמות יב:כט) ״וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה״. ג׳, בִּימֵי חִזְקִיָּה כְּשֶׁהִכָּה גַּבְרִיאֵל מַחֲנֵה סַנְחֵרִיב דִּכְתִיב (מלכים ב יט:לה) ״וַיְהִי בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא״. ד׳, בִּימֵי מָרְדְּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר (אסתר ו:א) ״בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא נָדְדָה שְׁנַת הַמֶּלֶךְ״. ה׳, גְּאֻלָּה הָעֲתִידָה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ליל שמורים הוא לה׳ It was a night of vigil for G׳d, etc.** The verse refers specifically to those miracles G'd performed at night. 1) In the days of Abraham when the latter defeated the four kings with his 318 men at night (Genesis 14,15); 2) during the Exodus when G'd is reported to have killed the firstborn at midnight (12,29). 3) In the days of Hezekiah when the angel Gabriel smote the army of Sancheriv on that night (Kings II 19,35). 4) In the days of Mordechai and Esther when the king could not sleep (Esther 6,1). 5) The redemption of the Jewish people in the future. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:42:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:42:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:42:2) כְּנֶגֶד נֵס אַבְרָהָם אָמַר **לֵיל שִׁמֻּרִים הוּא לַה׳**, כִּי בְּאֶמְצָעוּת הַנֵּס נִתְגַּלֵּית אֲמִתָּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בראשית רבה מב,א) שֶׁיֵּשׁ מֵהָאוּמּוֹת שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ מַאֲמִינִים בְּנֵס הַצָּלָתוֹ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים וְהֶאֱמִינוּ בְּנֵס הַכָּאַת אַרְבָּעָה מְלָכִים. וּכְנֶגֶד מִצְרַיִם אָמַר **לְהוֹצִיאָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.** וּכְנֶגֶד נֵס חִזְקִיָּהוּ אָמַר **הוּא הַלַּיְלָה** הַיָּדוּעַ לָכֶם כָּרָשׁוּם בְּדִבְרֵי נָבִיא (מלכים ב יט,לה) ״וַיְהִי בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיֵּצֵא מַלְאַךְ״ וְגוֹ׳. וּכְנֶגֶד נֵס מָרְדְּכַי אָמַר **הַזֶּה לַה׳**, וּכְנֶגֶד גְּאֻלָּה הָעֲתִידָה אָמַר **שִׁמֻּרִים לְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְדֹרֹתָם**, פֵּרוּשׁוֹ לְסוֹף הַדּוֹרוֹת בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Concerning the miracle in Abraham's time, the Torah says here "it was a night of vigilance for G'd," because G'd had demonstrated His truth as mentioned in *Bereshit Rabbah* 42. According to the *Midrash* there were some people who did not believe that G'd had saved Abraham from Nimrod's furnace in Ur Kasdim at the time. When they heard about how Abraham defeated these four kings, they changed their minds. The verse goes on to say "to take them out of Egypt," a reference to what happened during this night; the words הוא הלילה, are an allusion to the night in the future when G'd would smite the army of Sancheriv. The allusion to what would happen in the time of Mordechai and Esther is contained in the words הזה לה׳, whereas the reference to the redemption of the future is provided by the words שמורים לכל בני ישראל לדרותם, i.e. at the end of the exiles, may it happen soon. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:43:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:43:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:43:1) **וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ וְגוֹ׳ זֹאת חֻקַּת הַפָּסַח.** קָשֶׁה, לָמָּה לֹא אָמַר ״דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״ כַּסֵּדֶר הָאָמוּר בְּכָל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה. וּלְפִי מַה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ (שמות יב:ג) כִּי פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ נֶאֶמְרָה בְּי״ד בְּנִיסָן, לֹא הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר ״דַּבֵּר״ כִּי הִיא סְמוּכָה עִם ״דַּבְּרוּ אֶל כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל״ שֶׁאָמַר שָׁם. וְיֵשׁ לָתֵת טַעַם לָמָּה לֹא נִכְתְּבָה בִּמְקוֹמָהּ, כִּי לְצַד שֶׁמִּצְוָה זוֹ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת יֶשְׁנָהּ כְּפֶסַח דּוֹרוֹת נֶאֶמְרָה אַחַר יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, לוֹמַר כִּי כָל זֶה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת מְעַכֵּב לְדוֹרוֹת. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויאמר ה׳…זאת חוקת הפסח, G'd said: "this is the statute of the Passover, etc."** It is puzzling why this verse does not follow the usual procedure of introducing a direct commandment, i.e. "speak to the children of Israel, etc." According to what we wrote on verse 3 that this paragraph was said on the 14th of Nissan there was no need to write: "speak to the children of Israel" because it is a continuation of what is written in verse 3, i.e. "speak to the whole community, etc." We must explain then why this paragraph is not recorded as part of what Moses said in that verse. The answer is that this whole commandment is designed for observance of the Passover in future generations only, hence it was revealed after the Exodus. The principle reason for the legislation is to inform Israel that every detail mentioned here is essential for performance of the Passover in the future. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:43:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:43:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:43:2) **וְרָאִיתִי** מִדְרַשׁ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (שמות רבה יט,ה) שֶׁהוֹצִיא ה׳ רוּחַ מִגַּן עֵדֶן, וּבִשֵּׂם פִּסְחוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, וְנִתְקַבְּצוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, בְּבַקָּשָׁה הַאֲכִילֵנוּ מִפֶּסַח שֶׁלְּךָ. אָמַר לָהֶם: אִם אֵין אַתֶּם נִימוֹלִים אֵין אַתֶּם אוֹכְלִים, דִּכְתִיב ״זֹאת חֻקַּת הַפָּסַח״ וְגוֹ׳. מִיָּד נָתְנוּ עַצְמָן וּמָלוּ וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. הִנֵּה לְפִי מִדְרָשׁ זֶה לֹא קָשֶׁה לָמָּה לֹא אָמַר ״דַּבֵּר״ וְגוֹ׳ אוֹ ״לֵאמֹר״, כִּי פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן נֶאֶמְרָה, וְצִוָּה אוֹתָם ״כָּל בֶּן נֵכָר״ וְגוֹ׳, וְאַחַר שֶׁבָּאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְצַד אֲכִילַת פִּסְחוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה הַמְבֻשָּׂם מָלוּ עַצְמָם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** I have seen a view expressed in *Shemot Rabbah* 19,5 according to which G'd despatched a special wind from Paradise which lent its fragrance to Moses' Passover. When the Israelites inhaled this fragrance they all begged Moses to allow them a taste of his Passover lamb. Moses replied they could not do this as they had not been circumcised, seeing it states in our verse that you have to be circumcised in order to eat from the Passover. Thereupon the Israelites performed the rite of circumcision upon themselves. According to this *Midrash* we can easily explain why the Torah here did not write: "speak to the children of Israel, etc." An alternative explanation is that this paragraph was addressed only to Moses and Aaron and that G'd commanded them that uncircumcised people should not eat from the Passover. After the Israelites came to Moses and wanted to eat from his Passover they decided to circumcise themselves. [after all the commandment to circumcise themselves dated back to Abrahamitic times and was not valid only for consumption of the Passover. Ed.] ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:43:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:43:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:43:3) **וְקָשֶׁה** לְדִבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ, אֵיךְ יָכוֹל לִיתֵּן לָהֶם מִפִּסְחוֹ, וַהֲלֹא אֵין הַפֶּסַח נֶאֱכָל אֶלָּא לִמְנוּיָיו? וְאוּלַי שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם כֵּן כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּמּוֹלוּ, וּכְשֶׁיִּמּוֹלוּ יִהְיֶה כְּמוֹ כֵן פִּסְחֵיהֶם כְּפִסְחוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה מְבֻשָּׂם. וְרָאִיתִי רְאָיָה לְדִבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁלֹּא רָצוּ לִמּוֹל מִמַּה שֶׁאָמַר בִּיחֶזְקֵאל (כ:ח) ״וַיַּמְרוּ בִי וְלֹא אָבוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֵלַי וְגוֹ׳ וָאוֹמַר לִשְׁפֹּךְ חֲמָתִי עֲלֵיהֶם בְּתוֹךְ אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם״, הֲרֵי שֶׁלֹּא קִבְּלוּ עֲשׂוֹת מִצְוֹתָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** According to the aforementioned *Midrash* how was it possible that Moses would let everyone partake of his Passover seeing it could only be eaten by people who had been invited prior to its being slaughtered? Perhaps Moses only promised them that they could eat from it in order to encourage them to perform circumcision. As soon as the Israelites had circumcised themselves they found that their own Passover exuded the same fragrance as that of Moses so that they did not need to ask him to share it with them. I have seen a proof that the words of that *Midrash* are true, i.e. that the Israelites had not been prepared to circumcise themselves up to that point. We read in Ezekiel 20,8: "they rebelled against Me and did not want to listen to Me, and I threatened to pour out My wrath over them in the land of Egypt." Clearly, the prophet speaks of the Israelites' unwillingness to observe even the few commandments of G'd which applied at that time, primarily that of circumcision. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:48:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:48:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:48:1) **וְכִי יָגוּר אִתְּךָ גֵּר.** כָּאן הִסְכִּים עַל קַבָּלַת גֵּרִים מֵהָעֵרֶב רַב כְּדַעַת מֹשֶׁה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אִתְּךָ.** עוֹד רָמַז דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן כִּי לֹא הִסְכִּימָה עַל הַדָּבָר אֶלָּא לִרְצוֹן מֹשֶׁה ה׳ חָפֵץ, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה מב). וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אִתְּךָ גֵּר**, פֵּרוּשׁ, עִמְּךָ הוּא גֵּר, שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה בָּקִי בַּנִּסְתָּרוֹת וְלֹא מַחְשְׁבוֹתַי מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם, וְצֵא וּלְמַד מַה עָלְתָה בְּיָדָם מֵהֶם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **וכי יגור אתך גר, "When a stranger will sojourn with you, etc."** This was Moses' authority to accept converts from amongst the Egyptians. The reason the Torah writes אתך, "with you" (sing), is that such conversions had to be personally approved by Moses. There is also a hint here that G'd agreed to this only reluctantly, i.e. לרצון משה, and that is why the Torah wrote אתך גר, "he is a stranger (proselyte) with **you,** (but not with Me). G'd's reluctance was due to Moses' inability to examine G'd's hidden reasons. We all know what the result of Moses' accepting such proselytes was and how they triggered the sin of the golden calf. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:48:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:48:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:48:2) **הִמּוֹל לוֹ כָל זָכָר.** פֵּרוּשׁ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמִּילַת עֶבֶד מְעַכֶּבֶת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹּא יֹאכַל, גַּם הַגֵּר מִילַת עֲבָדָיו וְכוּ׳ מְעַכֶּבֶת אוֹתוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּמּוֹל לוֹ כָּל זָכָר. וְאָמְרוֹ **וְאָז יִקְרַב** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ לֹא יִצְטָרֵךְ שֶׁיִּשְׁחֲטוּ אֲחֵרִים עָלָיו אֶלָּא הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ יִקְרַב לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ, **וְהָיָה כְּאֶזְרַח** וְגוֹ׳: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **המול לו כל זכר, "let all his males be circumcised, etc."** Just as failure to circumcise a slave prevents such a slave from participating in the Passover, so failure of a proselyte to circumcise all his male slaves is a prerequisite before the proselyte himself can eat of the Passover. The reason that the Torah adds ואז יקרב, "and then he may approach," is to tell us that he does not need to appoint a natural born Jew to slaughter his Passover offering but that he may do so himself. This is why the Torah adds: "he will be just like a natural born Jew." ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:51:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 12:51:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/12:51:1) **וַיְהִי בְּעֶצֶם וְגוֹ׳.** הוֹדִיעַ הַדָּבָר בְּסָמוּךְ לַעֲשִׂיַּת פֶּסַח, לוֹמַר כִּי זֶה גּוֹרֵם גְּמַר הַיְּצִיאָה, כִּי זוּלַת זֶה לֹא הָיָה בְּיָדָם מִצְווֹת לָצֵאת, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (יחזקאל טז:ו) בְּפָסוּק ״וָאֶעֱבֹר עָלַיִךְ״ וְגוֹ׳: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויהי בעצם היום הזה, It was on the self-same day, etc.** The reason the Torah records the Exodus immediately after concluding the legislation of the Passover ceremonies is to remind us that the fulfilment of this מצוה is what triggered the redemption from Egypt. The Israelites had no other credentials than performance of this commandment.