(א) וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר ה' אֵלָ֔יו מֵאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יַקְרִ֥יב מִכֶּ֛ם קָרְבָּ֖ן לַֽה' מִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה מִן־הַבָּקָר֙ וּמִן־הַצֹּ֔אן תַּקְרִ֖יבוּ אֶת־קָרְבַּנְכֶֽם׃
(1) The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite people, and say to them: When any of you presents an offering of cattle to the LORD, he shall choose his offering from the herd or from the flock.
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) הַחֹ֧דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם רֹ֣אשׁ חֳדָשִׁ֑ים רִאשׁ֥וֹן הוּא֙ לָכֶ֔ם לְחָדְשֵׁ֖י הַשָּׁנָֽה׃ (ג) דַּבְּר֗וּ אֶֽל־כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֶּעָשֹׂ֖ר לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וְיִקְח֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם אִ֛ישׁ שֶׂ֥ה לְבֵית־אָבֹ֖ת שֶׂ֥ה לַבָּֽיִת׃ (ד) וְאִם־יִמְעַ֣ט הַבַּיִת֮ מִהְיֹ֣ת מִשֶּׂה֒ וְלָקַ֣ח ה֗וּא וּשְׁכֵנ֛וֹ הַקָּרֹ֥ב אֶל־בֵּית֖וֹ בְּמִכְסַ֣ת נְפָשֹׁ֑ת אִ֚ישׁ לְפִ֣י אָכְל֔וֹ תָּכֹ֖סּוּ עַל־הַשֶּֽׂה׃ (ו) וְהָיָ֤ה לָכֶם֙ לְמִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת עַ֣ד אַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר י֖וֹם לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וְשָׁחֲט֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ כֹּ֛ל קְהַ֥ל עֲדַֽת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בֵּ֥ין הָעַרְבָּֽיִם׃ (ז) וְלָֽקְחוּ֙ מִן־הַדָּ֔ם וְנָֽתְנ֛וּ עַל־שְׁתֵּ֥י הַמְּזוּזֹ֖ת וְעַל־הַמַּשְׁק֑וֹף עַ֚ל הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יֹאכְל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ בָּהֶֽם׃ (ח) וְאָכְל֥וּ אֶת־הַבָּשָׂ֖ר בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַזֶּ֑ה צְלִי־אֵ֣שׁ וּמַצּ֔וֹת עַל־מְרֹרִ֖ים יֹאכְלֻֽהוּ׃
(1) The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: (2) This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you. (3) Speak to the whole community of Israel and say that on the tenth of this month each of them shall take a lamb to a family, a lamb to a household. (4) But if the household is too small for a lamb, let him share one with a neighbor who dwells nearby, in proportion to the number of persons: you shall contribute for the lamb according to what each household will eat. ... (6) You shall keep watch over it until the fourteenth day of this month; and all the assembled congregation of the Israelites shall slaughter it at twilight. (7) They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they are to eat it. (8) They shall eat the flesh that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs.
The Korban Pesach
In describing the holiday of Pesach, the Torah describes what are essentially two holidays, Chag HaPesach and Chag HaMatzos. The former, is celebrated on the 14th of Nissan (i.e., what we call Erev Pesach) and its distinguishing Mitzvah is the bringing of the Korban Pesach. The later, begins on night of the 15th of Nissan when a person is obligated to eat the Korban Pesach alongside Matzoh and Marror as he retells the story of the Exodus from Egypt. This holiday last for seven days and requires, in addition to the affirmative Mitzvos, a person to rid his household of any Chametz. Obviously, these "Chagim" are intertwined in myriad ways and are essentially celebrated as one.
The original Korban Pesach was brought on the eve of the Jewish Nation's exodus from Egypt. The instructions for the first Korban were given to Moshe Rabbeinu on the first day of the month of Nissan. He is told to direct the nation to take a lamb on the 10th of Nissan and to slaughter it on the 14th. The Jews are then to take the blood and smear it on their doorposts--indicating the presence of an Israelite household. The Korban was not meant to be eaten alone. Instead, it was to hurriedly be eaten in groups as they anxiously awaited their imminent departure from Egypt. In subsequent years, the Jews were commanded to recall this seminal event in our Nation's history by likewise bringing a Korban Pesach and having a "Seder."
As we will learn, the Korban Pesach was meant as both an individual expression of gratitude and as a communal recognition of our collective heritage. This duality finds its expression in the rules governing its consumption. On the one hand, the focus on the parent/child dynamic speaks to the intimate nature of the evening and the need to create a personal narrative. On the other, the Torah appears encouraging of creating larger groups to share in consuming the Korban Pesach. But this too requires advance thoughtfulness as one cannot randomly join in a Chaburah.
The Korban Pesach, thanks to its national significance, is featured throughout Tanach--often as part of a covenant renewal or reaffirmation of the Jewish Nation's commitment to Torah and Mitzvos. Its prominence is further attested to in late Second Temple period writings noting the prevalent participation by the people in this Mitzvah.
(a) הפסח אינו נאכל אלא בלילה.
(b) ואינו נאכל אלא עד חצות.
(c) ואינו נאכל אלא למנויו.
(d) ואינו נאכל אלא צלי:
Korban Pesach (the Paschal lamb) cannot be consumed except [under the following conditions]:
(a) During the evening following its slaughter;
(b) up until midnight;
(c) by the members of the prearranged group
(d) when roasted.
- שתי חבורות שהיו אוכלות בבית אחד. אלו הופכין את פניהם הילך ואוכלין. ואלו הופכין את פניהם. הילך ואוכלין.
- Two Chaburos (or one that split a single Korban Pesach) that were eating in one house [room], [the members of] each [Chaburah] must turn their faces [towards the members of their respective Chaburah] while eating it;
Talmud - Mas. Pesachim 90a (Sonsino)
...For it was taught, And If the household be too little from being for a lamb:(17) sustain him with [the proceeds of] the lamb in his food requirements, but not in his requirements of [general] purchases. Rabbi said: In his requirements of [general] purchases too, so that if he has nought [wherewith to purchase], he may register another in his Passover offering and his hagigah, while the money he receives is hullin, for on this condition did the Israelites consecrate their Passover offerings.
(17) Ex. XII, 4, lit. translation.
Talmud - Mas. Baba Kama 51b
R. Eliezer b. Jacob held that there is bererah [so that] the one [partner] was drawing water from his own and so also the other [partner] was drawing the water from his own, whereas the Rabbis maintained that there is no bererah.(26) Rabina thereupon said: They (27) have followed here the same line of reasoning as elsewhere, as we have learnt, Where partners have vowed not to derive benefit from one another they would not be allowed to enter premises jointly owned by them. R. Eliezer b. Jacob, however, says: The one partner enters his own and the other partner enters his own. (28)
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(26) So that the water drawn by each of them consists of two parts: one from his own and the other from that of his fellow-partner, with reference to which he in the position of borrower, assuming thus full responsibility also for the part of the partner who is the lender.
(27) The Rabbis and R. Eliezer b. Jacob.
(28) And are consequently not deriving any benefit from one another. (Ned. 45b).