Esnoga Bet Emunah

12210 Luckey Summit

San Antonio, TX 78252

United States of America

https://www.betemunah.org/

E-Mail: gkilli@aol.com

Esnoga Bet El

102 Broken Arrow Dr.

Paris TN 38242

United States of America

https://torahfocus.com/

E-Mail: waltoakley@charter.net

Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)

Three- and 1/2-year Lectionary Readings	Third Year of the Triennial Reading Cycle
Adar 29, 5785 - March 28/29, 2025	Third Year of the Shmita Cycle

Candle Lighting and Havdalah Times: https://www.chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.htm

Roll of Honor:

This Commentary comes out weekly and on the festivals thanks to the great generosity of:

His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David and beloved wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah

His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham

His Honor Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,

His Honor Paqid Adon Tzuriel ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Gibora bat Sarah

Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah & beloved family

His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann & beloved family

His Excellency Adon John Batchelor & beloved wife

His Excellency Adon Yehoshua ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Rut bat Sarah

His Excellency Adon Michael ben Yosef and beloved wife HE Giberet Sheba bat Sarah

Her Excellency Giberet Prof. Dr. Emunah bat Sarah & beloved family

His Excellency Adon Robert Dick & beloved wife HE Giberet Cobena Dick

His Excellency Adon Ovadya ben Abraham and beloved wife HE Giberet Mirit bat Sarah

His Excellency Adon Shlomoh ben Abraham

His Excellency Adon Ya’aqob ben David

His Excellency Adon Bill Haynes and beloved wife HE Giberet Diane Haynes

Her Excellency Giberet Krysta Wallrauch & beloved family

For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that GOD’s richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael and her Torah Scholars, amen ve amen!

Also, a great thank you and great blessings be upon all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly Torah Seder and allied topics.

If you want to subscribe to our list and ensure that you never lose any of our commentaries, or would like your friends also to receive this commentary, please do send me an E-Mail to gkilli@aol.com with your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your friends. Toda Rabba!

Blessings Before Torah Study

Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our GOD, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us through Your commandments, and commanded us to actively study Torah. Amen!

Please Ha-Shem, our GOD, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and our offspring's offspring, and all the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your delight. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Amen!

Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our GOD, King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations, and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!

Ha-Shem spoke to Moses, explaining a Commandment. "Speak to Aaron and his sons and teach them the following Commandment: This is how you should bless the Children of Israel. Say to the Children of Israel:

May Ha-Shem bless you and keep watch over you; - Amen!

May Ha-Shem make His Presence enlighten you, and may He be kind to you; - Amen!

May Ha-Shem bestow favor on you and grant you peace. – Amen!

This way, the priests will link My Name with the Israelites, and I will bless them."

These are the Laws for which the Torah did not mandate specific amounts: How much growing produce must be left in the corner of the field for the poor; how much of the first fruits must be offered at the Holy Temple; how much one must bring as an offering when one visits the Holy Temple three times a year; how much one must do when performing acts of kindness; and there is no maximum amount of Torah that a person must study.

These are the Laws whose benefits a person can often enjoy even in this world, even though the primary reward is in the Next World: They are: Honoring one's father and mother; doing acts of kindness; early attendance at the place of Torah study -- morning and night; showing hospitality to guests; visiting the sick; providing for the financial needs of a bride; escorting the dead; being very engrossed in prayer; bringing peace between two people, and between husband and wife; but the study of Torah is as great as all of them together. Amen!

A Prayer for Israel

Our Father in Heaven, Rock, and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the first manifestation of the approach of our redemption. Shield it with Your lovingkindness, envelop it in Your peace, and bestow Your light and truth upon its leaders, ministers, and advisors, and grace them with Your good counsel. Strengthen the hands of those who defend our holy land, grant them deliverance, and adorn them in a mantle of victory. Ordain peace in the land and grant its inhabitants eternal happiness.

Lead them, swiftly and upright, to Your city Zion and to Jerusalem, the abode of Your Name, as is written in the Torah of Your servant Moses: “Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather you, from there He will fetch you. And the Lord your God will bring you to the land that your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it, and He will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your fathers.” Draw our hearts together to revere and venerate Your name and to observe all the precepts of Your Torah, and send us quickly the Messiah son of David, agent of Your vindication, to redeem those who await Your deliverance.

We pray for his Honor Adon Tzuriel ben Avraham. Mi Sheberach…He who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon, may He bless and heal His Honor Paqid Tzuriel ben Avraham, May the Holy One, Blessed is He, be filled with compassion for him to restore his health, to heal him, to strengthen him, and to revivify him. And may He send him speedily a complete recovery from heaven, among the other sick people of Yisrael, a recovery of the body and a recovery of the spirit, swiftly and soon, and we will say amen ve amen!

We pray for H. Em. Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham. Mi Sheberach…He who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon, may He bless and heal H. Em. Hakham Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham, May the Holy One, Blessed is He, be filled with compassion for him to restore his health, to heal him, to strengthen him, and to revivify him. And may He send him speedily a complete recovery from heaven, among the other sick people of Yisrael, a recovery of the body and a recovery of the spirit, swiftly and soon, and we will say amen ve amen!

Shabbat HaChodesh

The Holy New Moon for the Month of Nisan

(The Month when Jewish Kings are Enthroned)

Shabbat Mevarchim

(Proclamation of the New Moon of Nisan)

(Saturday Evening 29^th of March – Sunday Evening 30^th of March 2025)

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
הַחֹדֶשׁ		Saturday Afternoon
“HaChodesh”	Reader 1 – Shemot 11:1-3	Reader 1 – Bamidbar 6:22-24
“The New Moon”	Reader 2 – Shemot 11:4-10	Reader 2 – Bamidbar 6:25-27
“El novilunio”	Reader 3 – Shemot 12:1-5	Reader 3 – Bamidbar 7:1-3
Shemot (Exodus) 11:1 – 12:28	Reader 4 – Shemot 12:6-10
Ashlamatah: Yehezchel (Ezekiel) 45:18-46:15	Reader 5 – Shemot 12:11-17	Monday and Thursday Mornings
Special Ashlamata: Shmuel alef (1 Samuel) 20:18-42	Reader 6 – Shemot 12:18-20	Reader 1 – Bamidbar 6:22-24
Tehillim (Psalms) 77	Reader 7 – Shemot 12:21-28	Reader 2 – Bamidbar 6:25-27
N.C.: Col. 2:16-23; 1 Cor. 5:6-8	Maftir – Shemot 12:21-28	Reader 3 – Bamidbar 7:1-3

Contents of the Torah Seder

· The Warning of the Last Plague – Exodus 11:1-10

· The Institution of the Passover – Exodus 12:1-13

· Regulations for the Passover Festival – Exodus 12:14-20

· Moses Communicates the Laws of Passover to the Elders – Exodus 12:21-28

Welcome to the World of Pshat Exegesis

In order to understand the finished work of the Pshat mode of interpretation of the Torah, one needs to take into account that the Pshat is intended to produce a catechetical output, whereby a question/s is/are raised, and an answer/a is/are given using the seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel and as well as the laws of Hebrew Grammar and Hebrew expression.

The Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel are as follows

[cf. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=472&letter=R]:

1. Ḳal va-ḥomer: "Argumentum a minori ad majus" or "a majori ad minus"; corresponding to the scholastic proof a fortiori.

2. Gezerah shavah: Argument from analogy. Biblical passages containing synonyms or homonyms are subject, however much they differ in other respects, to identical definitions and applications.

3. Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad: Application of a provision found in one passage only to passages which are related to the first in content but do not contain the provision in question.

4. Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim: The same as the preceding, except that the provision is generalized from two Biblical passages.

5. Kelal u-Peraṭ and Peraṭ u-kelal: Definition of the general by the particular, and of the particular by the general.

6. Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom aḥer: Similarity in content to another Scriptural passage.

7. Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano: Interpretation deduced from the context.

Welcome to the World of Remez Exegesis

Thirteen rules compiled by Rabbi Ishmael b. Elisha for the elucidation of the Torah and for making halakic deductions from it. They are, strictly speaking, mere amplifications of the seven Rules of Hillel, and are collected in the Baraita of R. Ishmael, forming the introduction to the Sifra and reading as follows:

Ḳal va-ḥomer: Identical with the first rule of Hillel.
Gezerah shavah: Identical with the second rule of Hillel.
Binyan ab: Rules deduced from a single passage of Scripture and rules deduced from two passages. This rule is a combination of the third and fourth rules of Hillel.
Kelal u-Peraṭ: The general and the particular.
u-Peraṭ u-kelal: The particular and the general.
Kelal u-Peraṭ u-kelal: The general, the particular, and the general.
The general which requires elucidation by the particular, and the particular which requires elucidation by the general.
The particular implied in the general and excepted from it for pedagogic purposes elucidates the general as well as the particular.
The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of the special regulation which corresponds in concept to the general, is thus isolated to decrease rather than to increase the rigidity of its application.
The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of some other special regulation which does not correspond in concept to the general, is thus isolated either to decrease or to increase the rigidity of its application.
The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of a new and reversed decision can be referred to the general only in case the passage under consideration makes an explicit reference to it.
Deduction from the context.
When two Biblical passages contradict each other the contradiction in question must be solved by reference to a third passage.

Rules seven to eleven are formed by a subdivision of the fifth rule of Hillel; rule twelve corresponds to the seventh rule of Hillel, but is amplified in certain particulars; rule thirteen does not occur in Hillel, while, on the other hand, the sixth rule of Hillel is omitted by Ishmael. With regard to the rules and their application in general. These rules are found also on the morning prayers of any Jewish Orthodox Siddur.

Reading Assignment:

The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez

By: Rabbi Yaakov Culi, Translated by Aryeh Kaplan

Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp.

(New York, 1979)

Vol.5 – “Exodus II – Redemptions” pp. 24-87.

Ramban: Exodus Commentary on the Torah

Translated and Annotated by Rabbi Dr. Charles Chavel Published by Shilo Publishing House, Inc.

(New York, 1973)

pp. 111 - 145

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Shemot (Exodus) 11:1 – 12:28‎

Rashi	Targum
1 ¶ Adonai said to Moshe, "There is one more plague that I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. After that he will send you away from here. When he sends you away, he will actually drive you out from here completely.	1 And the LORD spoke unto Mosheh, Yet one stroke will I bring upon Pharoh and upon the Mizraee, which will be greater than all, and afterward will he send you hence: when he releases, there will be to himself an end: driving, he will drive you forth from hence.
2 Speak, please, in the ears of the people, and let each man request [borrow] from his friend, and each woman from her friend, articles of silver and articles of gold."	2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, That every man will demand from his Mizraite friend, and every woman of her Mizraite friend, vessels of silver and vessels of gold.
3 Adonai gave the people favour in the eyes of the Egyptians. Moshe too was very great in the land of Egypt, [both] in the eyes of Pharaoh's servants and in the eyes of the people.	3 And the LORD gave the people favour before the Mizraee; also, the man Mosheh was very great in the land of Mizraim before the servants of Pharoh and before his people.
4 Moshe said, "This is what Adonai has said, About the time of midnight, I will go out in the midst of Egypt.	4 And Mosheh spoke (or, had spoken) to Pharoh, Thus says the LORD, At this hour of the following night will I be revealed in the midst of the Mizraee,
5 Every first-born in the land of Egypt will die, from the first-born of Pharaoh sitting on his throne, to the first-born of the [Egyptian] slave girl, behind the mill-stones, and every first-born animal.	5 and every firstborn in the land of Mizraim will die: from the firstborn of Pharoh who should sit upon the throne of his kingdom, unto the firstborn son of the humblest mother in Mizraim who grinds behind the mills, and all the firstborn of cattle.
6 There will be a great cry [of anguish] throughout the entire land of Egypt, the likes of which there never was and like there never will be.	6 And there will be a great cry in all the land of Mizraim, because like the plague of this night there hath not been, and like the plague of this night there never will be one.
7 But among all the B’ne Yisrael, a dog will not sharpen its tongue [growl] at man or animal. You will then know that Adonai distinguishes between Egypt and Yisrael.	7 But any of the children of Israel a dog will not harm by lifting up his tongue against either man or beast; that they may know that the LORD makes distinction between the Mizraites and the sons of Israel.
8 Then all these, your servants, will come down to me, and prostrate themselves saying, 'Go! You and all the people that follow you. Then I will go out." He [Moshe] then left Pharaoh in great anger.	8 And you will send down all thy servants to me, coming and beseeching me, saying, Go forth, you and all the people who are with you; and afterwards I will go. And he went out from Pharoh in great anger.
9 Adonai said to Moshe, "Pharaoh will not listen to you. Thus, I will multiply My wonders in the land of Egypt."	9 But the LORD said to Mosheh, Pharoh will not hearken to you; that I may multiply My wonders in the land of Mizraim.
10 Moshe and Aharon had done all these wonders before Pharaoh. [However] Adonai hardened Pharaoh's heart and he did not send the B’ne Yisrael out of his land.	10 And Mosheh and Aharon did all these wonders before Pharoh; and the LORD strengthened the design of Pharoh's heart, and he would not release the sons of Israel from his land.

1 Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt saying:	1 And the LORD spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon in the land of Mizraim, saying,
2 "This month will be [reckoned] to you [as] the head [beginning] of months. It will be to you the first of the months of the year.	2 This month is ordained to be to you the beginning of the months; and from it you will begin to number for festivals, and times, and cycles; it will be to you the first of the number of the months of the year.
3 Speak to the entire community of Israel saying, 'On the tenth [day] of this month they will take--- each man [will take] a lamb for [his] family, a lamb for each household.	3 Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, In the tenth of this month, whose time is appointed for this time (occasion), and not for (coming) generations, they will take to them a lamb for the house of a family, and, if many in number, they will take a lamb for a house:
4 If the [members of the] household are too few for the [eating of a] lamb then he will take [a lamb] [together] with his neighbour, close by his house, according to the number of individuals. According to what the person eats will you make your count regarding the lamb.	4 but if the men of the house are fewer than ten in number, in proportion to a sufficient number to eat the lamb, he and his neighbor who is nearest to his house will take according to the number of souls: each man according to the sufficiency of his eating will be counted for the lamb.
5 A flawless lamb, a yearling male must be in your possession. You may take it from sheep or goats.	5 The lamb will be perfect, a male, the son of a year he will be to you; from the sheep or from the young goats ye may take.
6 You will hold it in safekeeping until the fourteenth day of this month, they will slaughter it--- the entire community of Yisrael--- between evenings [in the afternoon].	6 And it will be bound and reserved for you until the fourteenth day of this month, that you may not know the fear of the Mizraee when they see it; and you will kill it according to the rite of all the congregation of the assembly of Israel, between the suns.
7 They will take of its blood and place it on the side of the doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they will eat [the lamb].	7 And you will take of the blood and set it upon the two posts and upon the upper board outside of the houses in which you eat and sleep.
8 They will eat the meat during this night. It will be roasted over fire. They will eat it with matzah and bitter herbs.	8 And you will eat the flesh on that night, the fifteenth of Nisan, until the dividing of the night roasted with fire, [JERUSALEM. Roasted,] without leaven, with horehound and lettuce will you eat it.
9 You must not eat it half-cooked or boiled in water, but only roasted over fire, its head with its knees and its inner organs.	9 Eat not of it while living, neither boiled in wine, or oil, or other fluids, neither boiled in water, but roasted with fire, with its head, and its feet, and its inwards.
10 You must not leave any of it over until morning. Any of it left over until morning must be burned in fire.	10 Nor will any be left of it till the morning; but what may remain of it in the morning you will cover over, and in the daylight of the sixteenth day burn with fire; for you may not burn the residue of a holy oblation on the feast day.
11 This is how you must eat it: with your waist belted, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You must eat it in haste, it is a Pesach-offering to Adonai.	11 And according to this manner you will eat it, this time, but not in (other) generations: your loins will be girded, [JERUSALEM. Bound by the precepts of the law,] your shoes on your feet, and your staves in your hands; and you will eat in the fear of the majesty of the LORD of the world; because mercy hath been shown to you from before the LORD.
12 I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and I will strike [kill] every first-born in the land of Egypt, from man to beast; and against all the gods of Egypt, I will execute judgments, I am Adonai.	12 And I will be revealed in the land of Mizraim in the majesty of My glory this night, and with Me ninety thousand myriads of destroying angels; and I will slay all the firstborn in the land of Mizraim, of man and of beast, and against all the idols of the Mizraee I will execute four judgments: the molten idols will be melted, the idols of stone be broken, the idols of clay will he shattered, and the idols of wood be made dust, that the Mizraee may know that I am the LORD.
13 The blood will be for you as a sign on the houses where you are [staying]. I will see the blood and I will pass over you. There will be no plague against you when I strike the land of Egypt.	13 And the blood of the paschal oblation, (like) the matter of circumcision, will be a bail for you, to become a sign upon the houses where you dwell; and I will look upon the worth of the blood, and will spare you; and the angel of death, to whom is given the power to destroy, will have no dominion over you in the slaughter of the Mizraee.
14 This day will be for you a [day of] remembrance. You will celebrate it as a festival to Adonai, throughout your generations. It is an eternal statute that you must celebrate it.	14 And this day will be to you for a memorial, and you will celebrate it a festival before the LORD in your generations; by a perpetual statute will you solemnize it.
15 You must eat matzah for seven days, but before the first day you must remove [all] leaven from your homes; for anyone who eats chametz, that soul will be cut off from Yisrael. [Chametz is forbidden] from the first day [of Pesach] until [after] the seventh day.	15 Seven days you will eat unleavened bread: in the dividing of the day which precedes the feast you will put away leaven from your houses; for whosoever eats what is leavened, from the first day of the feast until the seventh day, that man will be destroyed from Israel.
16 The first day will be a holy assembly and the seventh day will be a holy assembly to you. No work will be done on them, only for [the preparation of food] which will be eaten by every person, that alone may be done for you.	16 And on the first day there will be a holy congregation, and on the seventh day there will be to you a holy congregation. No work will be done among you, only that which must be done for every one's eating may be done by you.
17 You must be vigilant regarding the matzah, for on this very day I brought out your hosts from the land of Egypt. You must preserve this day for your generations, it is an eternal statute.	17 And you will observe the feast of the unleavened bread, because in this same day the LORD will bring out your hosts free from the land of Mizraim; and you will observe this day in your generations, a statute for ever.
18 In the first [month] on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening you will eat matzah, [continuing] until the twenty-first day of the month in the evening.	18 In Nisan, on the fourteenth day of the month, you will kill the Passover, and at evening on the fifteenth you will eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first of the month. On the evening of the twenty-second, you may eat leavened bread.
19 For seven days no leaven may be found in your homes, for whoever eats chametz that soul will be cut off from the community of Israel, whether a proselyte or a native born in the land.	19 For seven days leaven will not be found in your houses; for whosoever eats of leaven, that man will perish from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger or home-bred in the land.
20 You must not eat anything that is chametz. In all your dwellings you will eat matzah.	20 Any mixture of leaven you will not eat; in every place of your habitation you will eat unleavened bread.
21. Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Draw forth or buy for yourselves sheep for your families and slaughter the Passover sacrifice.	21. And Mosheh called all the elders of Israel, and said to them, Withdraw your hands from the idols of the Mizraee, and take to you from the offspring of the flock, according to your houses, and kill the paschal lamb.
22. And you shall take a bunch of hyssop and immerse [it] in the blood that is in the basin, and you shall extend to the lintel and to the two doorposts the blood that is in the basin, and you shall not go out, any man from the entrance of his house until morning.	22. And you will take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the earthen vessel, and upon the upper bar without and upon the two posts you will sprinkle of the blood, which is in the earthen vessel, and not a man of you must come forth from the door of his hour till the morning.
23. The Lord will pass to smite the Egyptians, and He will see the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, and the Lord will pass over the entrance, and He will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses to smite [you].	23. For the Glory of the LORD will be manifested in striking the Mizraee, and He will see the blood upon the lintel and upon the two posts, and the Word of the LORD will spread His protection over the door, and the destroying angel will not be permitted to enter your houses to smite.
24. And you shall keep this matter as a statute for you and for your children forever.	24. And you will observe this thing for a statute to you and to your sons for a memorial for ever.
25. And it shall come to pass when you enter the land that the Lord will give you, as He spoke, that you shall observe this service.	25. And it will be when you are come into the land that the LORD will give to you, as He has spoken, that from the time of your coming you will observe this service.
26. And it will come to pass if your children say to you, What is this service to you?'	26. And it will be that when at that time your children will say to you, What is this your service?
27. you shall say, It is a Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for He passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, and He saved our houses.' " And the people kneeled and prostrated themselves.	27. You will say, It is the sacrifice of mercy before the LORD, who had mercy in His Word upon the houses of the sons of Israel in Mizraim, when He destroyed the Mizraee, and spared our houses. And when the house of Israel heard this word from the mouth of Mosheh, they bowed and worshipped.
28. So the children of Israel went and did; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.	28. And the sons of Israel went and did as the LORD commanded Mosheh and Aharon, so did they hasten and do.

Rashi’s Commentary for: ‎ Shemot (Exodus) 11:1 – 12:28‎

1 completely-Heb.כָּלָה [Onkelos renders:גְמִירָא . כָּלָה is therefore the equivalent of]כָּלִיל , complete. [I.e.,] He will let all of you out.

2 Please, speak- Heb.דַבֶּר-נָא is only an expression of request. [The verse is saying] I ask you to warn them about this, [i.e., to ask their neighbors for vessels] so that the righteous man, Abraham, will not say He fulfilled with them [His promise] “and they will enslave them and oppress them” (Gen. 15:13), but He did not fulfill with them “afterwards they will go forth with great possessions” (Gen. 15:14). - [from Ber. 9a]

4 Moses said, So said the Lord-When he stood before Pharaoh, this prophecy was said to him, for after he [Moses] left his [Pharaoh’s] presence, he did not see his face [again].-[from Exod. Rabbah 18:1, Mishnath Rabbi Eliezer ch. 19]

At the dividing point of the night-Heb.כַּחֲצֽת הַלַיְלָה , when the night is divided. כַּחֲצֽת is like “when the meal offering was offered up (כַּעֲלוֹת) ” (II Kings 3:20); [and like] “when their anger was kindled (בַּחֲרוֹת) against us” (Ps. 124:3). This is its simple meaning, which fits its context that חֲצֽת is not a noun denoting a half. Our Rabbis, however, interpreted it likeכַּחֲצִי הַלַיְלָה , at about midnight [lit., half the night], and they said that Moses saidכַּחֲצֽת , about midnight, meaning near it [midnight], either before it or after it, but he did not say בַּחֲצֽת , at midnight, lest Pharaoh’s astrologers err and [then] say, “Moses is a liar,” but the Holy One, blessed be He, Who knows His times and His seconds, בַּחֲצוֹת , at midnight. - [from Ber. 3b]

5 to the firstborn of the captive-Why were the captives smitten? So that they would not say, “Our deity has demanded [vengeance] for their [our] degradation, and brought retribution upon Egypt.”- [from Mechilta, Bo, on Exod. 12: 29]

from the firstborn of Pharaoh… to the firstborn of the slave woman-All those inferior to the Pharaoh’s firstborn and superior to the slave woman’s firstborn were included. Why were the sons of the slave women smitten? Because they too were enslaving them [the Israelites] and were happy about their misfortune. -[from Pesikta Rabbathi, ch. 17]

and every firstborn animal-Because they [the Egyptians] worshipped it, and when the Holy One, blessed be He, punishes any nation, He punishes its deity. -[from Mechilta, Bo, on Exod. 12:29]

7 not one dog will whet its tongue- Heb. יֶחֱרַץ . I say thatיֶחֱרַץ means sharpening לֹא יֶחֱרַץ , will not sharpen. Similarly, [in the phrase] “none whetted (חָרַץ) his tongue against any of the children of Israel” (Josh. 10:21), [ לֹא יֶחֱרַץ means] he did not sharpen; [in the phrase] “then you shall bestir (תֶּחֱרָץ) ” (II Sam. 5:24), [תֶּחֶרָץ means] you shall sharpen; [in the phrase] “a… grooved threshing sledge (חָרוּץ) ” (Isa. 41:15), [ חָרוּץ means] sharp; [in the phrase] “The plans of a diligent man (חַרוּץ) ” (Prov. 21:5), חָרוּץ [ means] a sharp-witted person; [in the phrase] “and the hand of the sharp-witted (חָרוּצִים) will make them rich” (Prov. 10:4), (חָרוּצִים) means sharp ones, shrewd merchants.

will separate-Heb. יַפְלֶה , will divide.-[from Onkelos, Jonathan] See the commentary on Exod. 8:18.

8 And all these servants of yours will come down-[By using this phrase,] he [Moses] showed respect for the throne, because eventually Pharaoh himself went down to him at night and said, “Get up and get out from among my people” (Exod. 12:31), although Moses had not originally said, “You will come down to me and prostrate yourself to me.”-[from Exod. Rabbah 7:3; Mechilta, Bo 13]

who are at your feet-Who follow your advice and your way.

and afterwards I will go out-with all the people from your land.

he exited from Pharaoh-After he had completed his words, he went out from before him.

with burning anger because he [Pharaoh] had said to him, “You shall no longer see my face” (Exod. 10:28)

9 in order to increase My miracles in the land of Egypt- (“My miracles” denotes two; “to increase” denotes three.) They are the plague of the firstborn, the splitting of the Red Sea, and the stirring of the Egyptians [into the sea].

10 Moses and Aaron had performed, etc.-It has already been written for us in reference to all the miracles, and it [Scripture] did not repeat it here except to juxtapose it to the following section [i.e., Exod. 12]. See Rashi’s commentary on the following verse.

Chapter 12

1 The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron-Since Aaron had worked and toiled with miracles just like Moses, He accorded him this honor at the first commandment by including him with Moses in [His] speech.-[from Tanchuma Buber, Bo 8; Mechilta] In early editions of Rashi, this paragraph is part of the above paragraph, the comment on 11:10. Indeed, that is how it appears in Tanchuma Buber.

in the land of Egypt-[I.e.,] outside the city. Or perhaps it means only within the city? Therefore, Scripture states: “When I leave the city, [I will spread my hands to the Lord]” (Exod. 9:29). Now, if [even a] prayer, which is of minor importance, he [Moses] did not pray within the city, a divine communication, which is of major importance, how much more so [would God not deliver it to Moses within the city]? Indeed, why did He not speak with him within the city? Because it was full of idols. -[from Mechilta]

2 This month-Heb.הַחֽדֶשׁ הַזֶה , lit., this renewal. He [God] showed him [Moses] the moon in its renewal and said to him, “When the moon renews itself, you will have a new month” (Mechilta). Nevertheless, [despite this rendering,] a biblical verse does not lose its simple meaning (Shab. 63a). Concerning the month of Nissan, He said to him, “This shall be the first of the order of the number of the months, so Iyar shall be called the second [month], and Sivan the third [month].”

This-Moses found difficulty [determining] the [precise moment of the] renewal of the moon, in what size it should appear before it is fit for sanctification. So He showed him with His finger the moon in the sky and said to him, “You must see a moon like this and sanctify [the month].” Now how did He show it to him? Did He not speak to him only by day, as it says: “Now it came to pass on the day that the Lord spoke” (Exod. 6:28); “on the day He commanded” (Lev. 7:38); “from the day that the Lord commanded and on” (Num. 15:23)? Rather, just before sunset, this chapter was said to him, and He showed him [the moon] when it became dark.-[from Mechilta]

3 Speak to the entire community-Heb.דַּבְּרוּ , [the plural form]. Now did Aaron speak? Was it not already stated [to Moses]: “You shall speak” (Exod. 7:2) “and you speak to the children of Israel, saying” (Exod. 31:13)]? But they [Moses and Aaron] would show respect to each other and say to each other, “Teach me [what to say],” and the speech would emanate from between them [and it would sound] as if they both were speaking. - [from Mechilta]

to the entire community of Israel, saying, “On the tenth of… month”- Speak today on Rosh Chodesh [the New Moon] that they should take it [the lamb] on the tenth of the month. - [From Mechilta]

this-The Passover sacrifice of Egypt had to be taken on the tenth, but not the Passover sacrifice of later generations. - [from Mechilta, Pes. 96a]

a lamb for each parental home- [I.e., a lamb] for one family. If [the family members] were numerous, I would think that one lamb would suffice for all of them. Therefore, the Torah says: “a lamb for a household.”-[from Mechilta]

4 But if the household is too small for a lamb-And if they are too few to have one lamb, for they cannot eat it [all], and it will become left over (see verse 10), “then he and his neighbor… shall take.” This is the apparent meaning according to its simple interpretation. There is, however, also a midrashic interpretation, [namely that this verse comes] to teach us that after they were counted on it, [i.e., after they registered for a certain lamb,] they may diminish their number and withdraw from it and be counted on another lamb. If, however, they wish to withdraw and diminish their number, [they must do it] מִהְיוֹתמִשֶׂה [lit., from the being of the lamb]. They must diminish their number while the lamb still exists, while it is still alive, and not after it has been slaughtered. - [from Mechilta, Pes. 98a]

according to the number of-Heb.בְּמִכְסַת , amount, and so “the amount of (מִכְסַת) your valuation: (Lev. 27:23).

according to one’s ability to eat-[This indicates that only] one who is fit to eat-which excludes the sick and aged-who cannot eat an olive-sized portion [can be counted among the group for whom the sacrifice is killed]. - [from Mechilta]

shall you be counted-Heb. תָּכֽסוּ [Onkelos renders:] תִּתְמְנוּן , you shall be counted.

5 perfect without a blemish. -[from Mechilta]

in its [first] year-Heb. בֶּן-שָׁנָה For its entire first year it is called בֶּן-שָׁנָה , meaning that it was born during this year.-[from Mechilta]

either from the sheep or from the goats-Either from this [species] or from that [species], for a goat is also called שֶׂה , as it is written: “and a kid (שֵֶׂה עִזִים) ” (Deuteronomy . 14:4). - [from Mechilta]

6 And you shall keep it for inspection-Heb. לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת . This is an expression of inspection, that it [the animal] requires an inspection for a blemish four days before its slaughter. Now why was it [the designated animal] to be taken four days before its slaughter, something not required in the Passover sacrifice of later generations? Rabbi Mathia the son of Charash used to say [in response]: Behold He [God] says: “And I passed by you and saw you, and behold your time was the time of love” (Ezek. 16:8). The [time for the fulfillment of the] oath that I swore to Abraham that I would redeem his children has arrived. But they [the Children of Israel] had no commandments in their hands with which to occupy themselves in order that they be redeemed, as it is said: “but you were naked and bare” (Ezek. 16:7). So, He gave them two mitzvoth, the blood of the Passover and the blood of the circumcision. They circumcised themselves on that night, as it is said: “downtrodden with your blood (בְּדָמָיִךְ)” (ibid., verse 6), with the two [types of] blood. He [God] states also: “You, too—with the blood of your covenant I have freed your prisoners from a pit in which there was no water” (Zech. 9:11). Moreover, they [the Israelites] were passionately fond of idolatry. [Moses] said to them, “Withdraw and take for yourselves” (Exod. 12:21). [He meant:] withdraw from idolatry and take for yourselves sheep for the mitzvah. -[from Mechilta, here and on verse 21] Note that on verse 21, Rashi explains that differently.

shall slaughter it-Now do they all slaughter [it]? Rather, from here we can deduce that a person’s agent is like himself. - [from Mechilta, Kid. 41b] [Therefore, it is considered as if all the Israelites slaughtered the sacrifice.]

the entire congregation of the community of Israel- [This means] the congregation, the community, and Israel. From here, they [the Rabbis] said: The communal Passover sacrifices are slaughtered in three [distinct] groups, one after the other. [Once] the first group entered, the doors of the Temple court were locked [until the group finished; they were followed by the second group, etc.,] as is stated in Pesachim (64b).

in the afternoon-Heb.בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם From six hours [after sunrise] and onward is called בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם , literally, between the two evenings, for the sun is inclined toward the place where it sets to become darkened. It seems to me that the expression בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם denotes those hours between the darkening of the day and the darkening of the night. The darkening of the day is at the beginning of the seventh hour, when the shadows of evening decline, and the darkening of the night at the beginning of the night. עֶרֶב is an expression of evening and darkness, like “all joy is darkened (וְעָרְבָה) ” (Isa. 24:11). - [from Mechilta] 7

And they shall take [some] of the blood-This is the receiving of the blood [from the animal’s neck immediately after the slaughtering]. I would think that it was to be received in the hand. Therefore, Scripture says: “that is in the basin” (below, verse 22), [specifying that the blood is to be received in a vessel]. - [from Mechilta]

the… door posts-They are the upright posts, one from this side of the entrance and one from that side. -[from Kid. 22b]

the lintel-Heb.הַמַשְׁקוֹף . That is the upper [beam], against which the door strikes (שׁוֹקֵף) when it is being closed, lintel in Old French. The term שְׁקִיפָה means striking, like [in the phrase] “the sound of a rattling leaf” (Lev. 26:36), [which Onkelos renders:]טַרְפָּא דְּֽשָקִיף , “bruise” (Exod. 21:25), [which Onkelos renders:] מַשְׁקוֹפֵי .-[based on Jonathan]

on the houses in which they will eat it-But not on the lintel and the doorposts of a house [used] for [storing] straw or a house [used] for cattle, in which nobody lives. - [based on Mechilta]

8 the flesh-but not sinews or bones. -[from Mechilta]

and unleavened cakes; with bitter herbs-Every bitter herb is calledמָרוֹר , and He commanded them to eat bitters in commemoration of “And they embittered their lives” (Exod. 1:14). - [from Pes. 39a, 116b]

9 You shall not eat it rare-Heb. נָא Something not roasted sufficiently is called נָא in Arabic.

or boiled-All this is included in the prohibition of You shall not eat it.-[from Pes. 41b]

in water How do we know that [it is also prohibited to cook it] in other liquids? Therefore, Scripture states:מְבֻשָׁל וּבָשֵׁל , [meaning boiled] in any manner. - [from Pes. 41a]

except roasted over the fire-Above (verse 8), He decreed upon it [the animal sacrifice] with a positive commandment, and here He added to it a negative [commandment]: “You shall not eat it except roasted over the fire.”- [from Pes. 41b]

its head with its legs-One should roast it completely as one, with its head and with its legs and with its innards, and one must place its intestines inside it after they have been rinsed (Pes. 74a). The expression עַל כְּרָעָיו וְעַל-קִרְבּוֹ is similar to the expression “with their hosts (עַל-צִבְאֽתָם) ” (Exod. 6:26), [which is] likeבְּצִבְאֽתָם , as they are, this too means [they should roast the animal] as it is, all its flesh complete.

10 and whatever is left over of it until morning- What is the meaning of “until morning” a second time? [This implies] adding one morning to another morning, for morning starts with sunrise, and this verse is here to make it [the prohibition] earlier, [i.e.,] that it is forbidden to eat it [the leftover flesh] from dawn. This is according to its apparent meaning. Another midrashic interpretation is that this teaches that it may not be burnt on Yom Tov but on the next day, and this is how it is to be interpreted: and what is left over from it on the first morning you shall wait until the second morning and burn it. - [from Shab. 24b]

11 your loins girded-Ready for the way [i.e., for travel].-[from Mechilta]

in haste-Heb.בְּחִפָּזוֹן , a term denoting haste and speed, like “and David was hastening (נֶחְפָז)” (I Sam. 23:26); that the Arameans had cast off in their haste (בְּחָפְזָם) (II Kings 7:15). - [from Onkelos]

it is a Passover sacrifice to the Lord- Heb.פֶּסַח . The sacrifice is called פֶּסַח because of the skipping and the jumping over, which the Holy One, blessed be He, skipped over the Israelites’ houses that were between the Egyptians houses. He jumped from one Egyptian to another Egyptian, and the Israelite in between was saved. [“To the Lord” thus implies] you shall perform all the components of its service in the name of Heaven. (Another explanation:) [You should perform the service] in the manner of skipping and jumping, [i.e., in haste] in commemoration of its name, which is called Passover (פֶּסַח) , and also [in old French] pasche, pasque, pasca, an expression of striding over.-[from Mishnah Pes. 116a,b; Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, verse 27; Mechilta on this verse]

12 I will pass-like a king who passes from place to place, and with one passing and in one moment they are all smitten. - [from Mechilta]

every firstborn in the land of Egypt - Even other firstborn who are in Egypt [will die]. Now how do we know that even the firstborn of the Egyptians who are in other places [will die]? Therefore, Scripture states: “To Him Who smote the Egyptians with their firstborn” (Ps. 136:10). - [from Mechilta]

both man and beast [I.e., first man and then beast.] He who started to sin first from him the retribution starts. -[from Mechilta]

and upon all the gods of Egypt - The one made of wood will rot, and the one made of metal will melt and flow to the ground. - [from Mechilta]

will I wreak judgments-I The Lord-I by Myself and not through a messenger. - [from Passover Haggadah]

13 And the blood will be for you for a sign-[The blood will be] for you a sign but not a sign for others. From here, it is derived that they put the blood only on the inside.-[from Mechilta 11]

and I will see the blood-[In fact,] everything is revealed to Him. [Why then does the Torah mention that God will see the blood?] Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I will focus My attention to see that you are engaged in My commandments, and I will skip over you.”- [from Mechilta]

and skip over-Heb.וּפָסַחְתִּי [is rendered] and I will have pity, and similar to it: “sparingפָּסוֹחַ and rescuing” (Isa. 31:5). I say, however, that every [expression of] פְּסִיחָה is an expression of skipping and jumping. [Hence,] וּפָסַחְתִּי [means that] He was skipping from the houses of the Israelites to the houses of the Egyptians, for they were living one in the midst of the other. Similarly, “skipping between (פּֽסְחִים) two ideas” (I Kings 18:21). Similarly, the lame (פִּסְחִים) walk as if jumping. Similarly, פָּסוֹחַ וְהִמְלִיט means: jumping over him and rescuing him from among the slain. -[from Mechilta] Both views are found in Mechilta. The first view is also that of Onkelos.

and there will be no plague to destroy [you]-But there will be [a plague] upon the Egyptians. Let us say that an Egyptian was in an Israelite’s house. I would think that he would escape. Therefore, Scripture states: “and there will be no plague upon you,” but there will be [a plague] upon the Egyptians in your houses. Let us say that an Israelite was in an Egyptian’s house. I would think that he would be smitten like him. Therefore, Scripture states: “and there will be no plague upon you.”- [from Mechilta]

14 as a memorial-for generations.

and you shall celebrate it The day that is a memorial for you—you shall celebrate it. But we have not yet heard which is the day of memorial. Therefore, Scripture states: “Remember this day, when you went out of Egypt” (Exod. 13:3). we learn that the day of the Exodus is the day of memorial. Now on what day did they go out [of Egypt]? Therefore, Scripture states: “On the day after the Passover, they went out” (Num. 33:3). I must therefore say that the fifteenth of Nissan is the day of the festival, because the night of the fifteenth they ate the Passover sacrifice, and in the morning, they went out.

throughout your generations-I understand [this to mean] the smallest number of generations, [namely only] two. Therefore, Scripture states: “you shall celebrate it as an everlasting statute.”-[from Mechilta]

15 For seven days-Heb. שִׁבְעַת יָמִים , seteyne of days, i.e., a group of seven days. [See Rashi on Exod. 10:22.]

For seven days you shall eat unleavened cakes- But elsewhere it says: “For six days you shall eat unleavened cakes” (Deuteronomy . 16:8). This teaches [us] regarding the seventh day of Passover, that it is not obligatory to eat matzah, as long as one does not eat chametz. How do we know that [the first] six [days] are also optional [concerning eating matzah]? This is a principle in [interpreting] the Torah: Anything that was included in a generalization [in the Torah] and was excluded from that generalization [in the Torah] to teach [something] it was not excluded to teach [only] about itself, but it was excluded to teach about the entire generalization. [In this case it means that] just as [on] the seventh day [eating matzah] is optional, so is it optional in [the first] six [days]. I might think that [on] the first night it is also optional. Therefore, Scripture states: “in the evening, you shall eat unleavened cakes” (Exod. 12:18). The text established it as an obligation. - [from Mechilta]

but on the preceding day you shall clear away all leaven-Heb.בַּיוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן . On the day before the holiday, it is called the first [day], because it is before the seven; [i.e., it is not the first of the seven days]. Indeed, we find [anything that is] the preceding one [is] called רִאשׁוֹן , e.g.,הֲרִאשׁוֹן אָדָם תִּוָלֵד , “Were you born before Adam?” (Job 15:7). Or perhaps it means only the first of the seven [days of Passover]. Therefore, Scripture states: “You shall not slaughter with leaven [the blood of My sacrifice]” (Exod. 34:25). You shall not slaughter the Passover sacrifice as long as the leaven still exists.-[from Mechilta, Pes. 5a] [Since the Passover sacrifice may be slaughtered immediately after noon on the fourteenth day of Nissan, clearly the leaven must be removed before that time. Hence the expression בַּיוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן must refer to the day preceding the festival.]

that soul When he [(the person) eats the leaven while he] is with his soul and his knowledge; this excludes one who commits the sin under coercion. -[from Mechilta, Kid. 43a]

from Israel I [could] understand that it [the soul] will be cut off from Israel and will [be able to] go to another people. Therefore, [to avoid this error] Scripture states elsewhere: “from before Me” (Lev. 22:3), meaning: from every place which is My domain. -[from Mechilta]

16 a holy convocation-Heb.מִקְרָא מִקְרָא קֽדֶשׁ is a noun. Call it [the day] holy with regard to eating, drinking, and clothing. - [from Mechilta]

no work may be performed on them-even through others. - [from Mechilta]

that alone [I.e., the necessary work for food preparation.] (I would think that even for gentiles [it is allowed]. Therefore, Scripture states: “that alone may be performed for you,” for you but not for gentiles.) That [the work needed for food] but not its preparations that can be done on the eve of the festival [e.g., repairing a spit for roasting, or a stove for cooking]. - [from Beitzah 28b]

by any soul- Even for animals. I would think that even for gentiles. Therefore, Scripture states: “for you.”-[from Beitzah 21b, Mechilta] Another version: Therefore, Scripture states: “but,” which makes a distinction.-[from Mechilta].

17 And you shall watch over the unleavened cakes-that they should not become leavened. From here they [the Rabbis] derived that if [the dough] started to swell, she [the woman rolling it out] must moisten it with cold water. Rabbi Josiah says: Do not read: אֶת-הַמַצּוֹת , the unleavened cakes,אֶת-הַמִצְוֹת , the commandments. Just as we may not permit the matzoth to become leavened, so may we not permit the commandments to become leavened [i.e., to wait too long before we perform them], but if it [a commandment] comes into your hand, perform it immediately. - [from Mechilta]

and you shall observe this day-from [performing] work.

throughout your generations, [as] an everlasting statute-Since “generations” and “an everlasting statute” were not stated regarding the [prohibition of doing] work, but only regarding the celebration [sacrifice], the text repeats it here, so that you will not say that the warning of: “no work may be performed” was not said for [later] generations, but only for that generation [of the Exodus].

18 until the twenty-first day-Why was this stated? Was it not already stated: “Seven days”? Since it says “days,” how do we know “nights” [are included in the mitzvah or commandment]? Therefore, Scripture states: “until the twenty-first day, etc.”-[from Mechilta] 19 shall not be found in your houses-How do we know [that the same ruling applies] to [leavening found within] the borders [outside the house]? Therefore, Scripture states: “throughout all of your borders” (Exod. 13:7). Why, then, did Scripture state: “in your houses”? [To teach us that] just as your house is in your domain, so [the prohibition against possessing leaven in] your borders [means only what is] in your domain. This excludes leaven belonging to a gentile which is in a Jew’s possession, and for which he [the Jew] did not accept responsibility. - [from Mechilta]

for whoever eats leavening - [This passage comes] to punish with “kareth” [premature death by the hands of Heaven] for [eating] leavening. But did He not already [give the] punishment for eating leaven? But [this verse is necessary] so that you should not say that [only] for [eating] leaven, which is edible, did He punish, but for [eating] leavening, which is not edible, He would not punish. [On the other hand,] if He punished [also] for [eating] leavening and did not [state that] He punished for [eating] leaven, I would say that [only] for [eating] leavening, which causes others to become leavened did He punish, [but] for [eating] leaven, which does not leaven others, He would not punish. Therefore, both of them had to be stated. -[from Mechilta, Beitzah 7b]

both among the strangers and the native born of the land-Since the miracle [of the Exodus] was performed for Israel, it was necessary to [explicitly] include the strangers [who were proselytized but are not descended from Israelite stock]. - [from Mechilta]

20 You shall not eat… leavening [This is] a warning against eating leavening.

any leavening-This comes to include its mixture [namely that one may not eat a mixture of chametz and other foods]. - [from Mechilta]

throughout all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened cakes-This comes to teach that it [the matzah] must be fit to be eaten in all your dwelling places. This excludes the second tithe and the matzah loaves that accompany a thanksgiving offering, [which are not fit to be eaten in all dwelling places, but only in Jerusalem]. [This insert may be Rashi’s or the work of an earlier printer or copyist.] - [from Mechilta]

21 Draw forth Whoever has sheep shall draw from his own.

or buy Whoever has none shall buy from the market. - [from Mechilta]

for your families-A lamb for a parental house. - [from Mechilta 3]

22 hyssop-Heb.אֵזוֹב . A species of herb that has thin stalks.

a bunch of hyssop Three stalks are called a bunch. - [Sukkah 13a]

that is in the basin - Heb.בַּסַּף , in the vessel, like “silver pitchers (סִפּוֹת) ” (II Kings 12:14). [from Mechilta]

the blood that is in the basin-Why does the text repeat this? So that you should not say that [Scripture means] one immersion for [all] the three sprinklings. Therefore, it says again: “that is in the basin,” [to indicate] that every sprinkling shall be from the blood that is in the basin-for each touching an immersion [is necessary]. - [from Mechilta]

and you shall not go out, etc. - This tells [us] that once the destroyer is given permission to destroy, he does not discriminate between righteous and wicked. And night is the time that destroyers are given permission, as it is said: “in which every beast of the forest moves about” (Ps. 104:20). - [from Mechilta]

23 will pass over Heb. וּפָסַח , and He will have pity. This may also be rendered: and He will skip over. See Rashi on verses 11 and 13.

and He will not permit the destroyer Heb.וְלֹא יִתֵּן , lit., and will not give. [I.e.,] He will not grant him the ability to enter, as in “but God did not permit him (נְתָנוֹ) to harm me” (Gen. 31:7).

25 And it shall come to pass when you enter-Scripture makes this commandment contingent upon their entry into the land, but in the desert, they were obligated only to bring one Passover sacrifice, the one they performed in the second year, [which they did] by divine mandate. - [from Mechilta]

as He spoke-Now where did He speak? “And I will bring you to the land, etc.” (Exod. 6:8). - [from Mechilta]

27 And the people kneeled and prostrated themselves - [in thanksgiving] for the tidings of the redemption, the entry into the land [of Israel], and the tidings of the children that they would have. - [from Mechilta]

28 So the children of Israel went and did-Now did they already do [it]? Wasn’t this said to them on Rosh Chodesh? But since they accepted upon themselves [to do it], Scripture credits them for it as if they had [already] done [it]. –

[from Mechilta]

went and did- Scripture counts also the going, to give reward for the going and reward for the deed. - [from Mechilta]

as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron- [This comes] to tell Israel’s praise, that they did not omit anything of all the commandments of Moses and Aaron. And what is the meaning of “so they did”? Moses and Aaron also did so. - [from Mechilta]

Ketubim: Tehillim (Psalms) 77:1-21

Rashi	Targum
1. For the conductor on Jeduthun, a song of Asaph.	1. For praise; composed by Jeduthun for Asaph; a psalm.
2. My voice is to God, and I shall cry out; my voice is to God, and hearken to me.	2. My voice is raised in the presence of the LORD, and I will complain; my voice is raised in the presence of God; hear my utterance!
3. On the day of my distress, I sought the Lord; my wound oozes at night and does not abate; my soul refuses to be comforted.	3. In the day of my distress, I sought instruction from the presence of the LORD; the spirit of prophecy rested on me in the night; my eye ran with tears and will not stop; my soul refused to be comforted.
4. I remember God and I stir; I speak, and my spirit becomes faint, forever.	4. I will remember God and I will tremble in the presence of the LORD; I will speak, and my spirit will be weary forever.
5. You held fast the awakenings of my eyes; I throb, and I do not speak.	5. You have shut the lids of my eyes; I am smitten, and I will not speak.
6. I think of days of yore, ancient years.	6. I have counted up the good days which were at the beginning, the good years of long ago.
7. I recall my music at night; I speak with my heart and my spirit searches.	7. I will remember my psalm in the night; I will speak with the thoughts of my heart, and the mind of my spirit will examine miracles.
8. "Will the Lord forsake [me] forever and nevermore be appeased?	8. Can the LORD be far off forever, and no longer show favor again?
9. Has His kindness ended forever? Has He issued a decree for all generations?	9. Can he have cut off his favor forever? Is the decree of evil complete for all generations?
10. Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He, in anger, shut off His mercy forever?"	10. Can God have forgotten to have pity? Or has he gotten too angry to sustain his compassion forever?
11. And I said, "This is to terrify me, the change of the right hand of the Most High."	11. And I said, "It is my sickness; they have forgotten the might of the right hand of the Most High." ANOTHER TARGUM: And I said, "It is my petition, years that he shortened by days."
12. I recall the deeds of Yah when I remember Your wonder from time immemorial.	12. I will remember the acts of God, for I will remember Your wonders from of old.
13. And I meditate over all Your works, and I speak of Your deeds.	13. And I meditated on all Your good works, and I will speak of the intricacy of Your miracles.
14. O God, Your way is in sanctity. Who is a power as great as God?	14. O God, because Your ways are holy, what god is great like the God of Israel?
15. You are the God Who works wonders; You made known Your might among the peoples.	15. You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your might among the peoples.
16. You redeemed Your people with Your arm, the sons of Jacob and Joseph forever.	16. You have redeemed Your people with the strength of Your arm, the sons that Jacob sired and whom Joseph fed, forever.
17. The waters perceived You, O God, the waters perceived You, they trembled, even the deeps quaked.	17. They saw Your presence in the midst of the sea, O God; they saw Your might by the sea; the Gentiles trembled, even the deeps will be shaken.
18. They poured forth thick waters; the skies let out a voice, even your arrows went abroad.	18. The clouds of heaven made water descend, the heights gave voice; also comes the hail, your arrows, and are ablaze.
19. The sound of Your thunder is like a wheel; the lightning illuminated the world; the earth shook and quaked.	19. The sound of your outcry was heard in the sphere; lightning lit up the world, the earth rattled and shook.
20. In the sea was Your way, and Your path in the mighty waters, and Your steps were not known.	20. In the sea of Suph was your path, and your highway in the many waters; and the track of your steps were not discerned.
21. You led Your people like sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron.	21. You guided your people as a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Rashi’s Commentary on Tehillim (Psalms) 77:1-21

1 on jeduthun Concerning the decrees and the laws that pass over Israel.

3 my wound Heb. ידי , lit. my hand; my wound.

my wound oozes In this exile, which is like night, it oozes pus and gall.

and does not abate Its oozing does not abate.

4 I remember God The kindness that He used to do for me in the days of my love.

I speak about those acts of kindness and the favors.

and my spirit becomes faint Pasmer in Old French, to faint or swoon.

5 You held fast the awakenings of my eyes Heb. שמרות, an expression of the watch (אשמרת) of the night, for [when] a person awakens from his sleep his mind is settled and his heart returns to him, but I am not like that. In this night of exile, my eyes are always stuck together, like a man sleeping from a clogged heart, and in the troubles that I see, my spirit throbs and I have no speech within me.

6 I think of the days of yore to remember the kind acts that You performed for our forefathers.

7 I recall my music at night In the days of this exile, which is like night, I remember my melodies that I used to play in days of yore in the Temple.

I speak with my heart I think, and my spirit searches [to ascertain] what is the manner of the Holy One, blessed be He, and I wonder: will He forsake [me] forever?

9 Has...ended forever Perhaps His kind acts have ended?

Has He issued a decree a perpetual decree that He will never again repent of His anger?

10 Has...forgotten to be gracious Heb. חנות, to be gracious, like עשוֹת , to do; ראוֹת, to see. Another explanation: חנות means gracious acts.

Has He, in anger, shut off His mercy forever Heb. קפץ , an expression of (Deuteronomy . 15:7): “and do not close (תקפץ) your hand,” i.e., has He shut off the mercy forever because of the anger?

11 And I said, “This is to terrify me” My thoughts tell me, “This is only to terrify me and frighten me into returning to Him.”

to terrify me Heb. חלותי , like לחלוֹתי , to terrify me, an expression of sickness and terror.

the change of the right hand of the Most High How the right hand of the Most High changed. It was mighty with strength and now He has withdrawn His right hand.

13 And I meditate over all Your works that You have already done for us.

14 Your way is in sanctity Your manner is to sanctify Your name in the world, to execute justice upon the wicked.

17 The waters perceived You [The] mighty [waters perceived You] when You were revealed by the sea.

18 They poured forth thick waters The skies poured forth a stream of thick waters.

Your arrows Heb. חצציך , like חִצֶיךָ .

19 like a wheel Heb. בגלגל , like כגלגל . The sound of Your thunder [rolled] like a wheel on the sea to confuse the camp of the Egyptians.

20 and Your steps were not known The steps are not recognizable on the water. [The word] ועקבותיךָ means trazes in Old French, footprints.

Meditation from the Psalms

Tehillim (Psalms) 77

By: Hakham Dr. Hillel ben David

This psalm explains the purpose of Israel's long and arduous sojourn in exile.

While settled peacefully on its native soil the contented nation lapsed into a spiritual slumber and neglected its Divine mission. The latent moral and spiritual energy of the Chosen People remained dormant deep within the Jewish heart.

The awesome challenges of exile activated these powerful resources. The searing pain of incessant persecution aroused the Jewish soul. The heart of Israel soared heavenward and the voice of the anguished people cried out fervently to the Almighty.^{^[1]}

The psalmist searches through the chronicles of ancient Jewish history to demonstrate that G-d saved Israel even in their bleakest moments. Since the Almighty wrought miracles of salvation in the past, why does He not perform miracles in the present exile? Certainly, He remains omnipotent.

However, it is G-d's wish to wring every last tear from our eyes, to squeeze every last cry of repentance from our hearts, so that we might be thoroughly worthy of the final, total redemption. May it come speedily in our times!

The superscription of this psalm ascribes authorship to Asaph.^{^[2]} His unique talent was the ability to find something to sing about even in the bleakest gloom. Thus, this chapter was written to provide a certain perspective regarding the proper response to situations when the righteous faces crisis and hardship, Heaven forbid.^{^[3]}

This crisis and hardship motif is reinforced by Rashi who derives yedutun – ידותון, which introduces our chapter of Psalms, from the word dat - דת, decree. Every psalm introduced with this word refers to the evil decrees and oppressive edicts which the enemy imposes on Israel.

The remedy for the crisis and the hardships is related by Asaph. He speaks of rising at night, at midnight, to sing and commune with G-d. Moharosh^{^[4]} explained that the greatness of rising at midnight is indescribable and unimaginable. It is precisely at that moment that the Gates of Heavens are opened and one can then achieve all of his heart’s desires from HaShem. Whoever merits being awake at this time, and to recite the Tikkun Chatzot and do personal prayer with HaShem, his virtue is very great and he is praised in all the worlds. In regards to the midnight hour it is written:

Eicha (Lamentations) 2:19 Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.

At the midnight hour, one is literally “before HaShem’s countenance” and can express all of his thoughts aloud before HaShem as referred to in the verse:

Tehillim 77:7 In the night I will call to remember my song; I will converse with my heart; and my spirit will make a diligent search.

At midnight one is able to search and find all of the good points within himself and to entreat over the rectification of his soul before HaShem.^{^[5]} A person’s character finds expression in his prayer. His ability to “meditate” with his heart is an art which teaches us about him. A person has to be capable of holding an honest dialogue with himself, in complete privacy.

The power of the midnight cry is emphatically presented at the end of the Passover seder where we read:

It Came to Pass at Midnight

Of old, You performed many miracles by night. At the beginning of the first watch of this night.

To the righteous convert (Abraham) You gave victory when there was divided for him the night.