출애굽기 12:18의 주석

עד יום האחד ועשרים UNTIL THE TWENTY-FIRST DAY — Why is this stated? Has it not already been stated, (v. 15) “Seven days [shall ye eat unleavened bread]” (beginning on the fifteenth day, as Rashi shows in his comment on v. 14 and therefore terminating on the twenty-first)? The answer is: Since it is said in that verse, “[seven] days [shalt thou eat unleavened bread]”, we may ask whence do we derive that the prohibition of eating unleavened bread extends also to the nights of these seven days? Scripture therefore states here, “[Ye shall eat unleavened bread] until the twenty-first-day in the evening” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:18).

Why is this said. . . You might ask: Does this verse not imply that eating matzoh is obligatory for all seven days, yet before, Rashi clearly explained that for all seven days it is optional? The answer is: Rashi indeed said before that eating matzoh is optional, as that was the verse’s subject. But here, the subject is the removal of leaven from the home, as is seen in the following verse, “For seven days no leaven may be found in your homes.” And when Rashi mentioned “seven days,” he was not referring to: “You must eat matzos for seven days” (v. 15), rather he was referring to: “For seven days no leaven may be found” (v. 19). And if it said only, “Seven days no leaven may be found,” I might think that this applies only during the daytime, but not at night. (See Re”m for further elaboration.)

(Exodus 12:18) "On the first day, on the fourteenth day": Scripture made it mandatory (to eat matzoh on the first night). "until the twenty-first day of the month in the evening." What is the intent of this? From (Ibid. 18) "Seven days shall you eat matzoth," I would know only of the days. Whence would I derive (the same for) the nights? It is, therefore, written "until the twenty-first day," to include the nights.

V. 18. Während, wie zu V. 15 bemerkt, der Genuss der Mazzoth an den übrigen Tagen nicht obligat ist und nur den Genuss gegorenen Brotes ausschließt, ist der Mazzagenuss an diesem Abend positive Pflicht, und zwar soll an diesem Abend ein absichtlich für diesen Zweck vor Gärung geschütztes Brot (משתמרת לשם מצה), wie im vorhergehenden Verse ausgesprochen, gegessen werden. (חסר מצת: vielleicht, weil ein כזית als Symbol genügt). Die Negation des Gegorenen während der sieben Tage des Mazzafestes entfernt jeden Gedanken selbständigen menschlichen Mitwirkens aus der Vorstellung unserer Erstehung zur Freiheit. Der positive Genuss der Mazza beim Antritt der Erlösungsfeier lässt uns den Gedanken der durch Gott gewonnenen sozialen Freiheit mit dem Gedanken der Gotteshörigkeit verbinden, durch welche und für welche wir frei geworden. Gott gegenüber steht das freigewordene Israel immer mit der Mazza in Händen, aus Menschendienst sind wir in den Dienst Gottes getreten; vom Altare in Gottes Heiligtum blieb für immer aller Sauerteig ferne (Wajikra 2, 11). Durch diese Sätze ist das Mazzagebot und das Chamezverbot, auch losgetrennt von dem Peßachopfer, für alle Zeit zur Pflicht gemacht.

עד יום עשרים ואחד, “until (incl.) the twenty first day (of the month).” Rashi asks why the Torah had to spell this out seeing we can count to seven? He answers that seeing the Torah had previously written the word: ימים, “days.” I might have thought that only the daylight hours are meant. By telling us until which date of the month this commandment is applicable, I know that it also applies during the nights. Where do we have another example of the same formulation being used to make that point? Answer: in verse 1 in our chapter. If we are to answer seeing that we are left with the question that what Rashi answered should already have been written on that verse, one might venture the thought that there are commandments for which a reward is promised if it is performed, and one is punished for the mere failure to perform the commandment. An example would be the failure to eat matzah on the first night of Passover. On the other hand, no penalty is incurred if one does not eat any more matzah on the remaining days of the festival. If one eats matzah every day of the festival, although one could have avoided it without penalty, one still receives full credit for observing what the Torah had formulated as a commandment. This is so even if one ate the matzah only on the seven nights of the festival. However, if one ate matzah during the last eight or nine days of the month of Nissan, one does not accumulate additional credit as the period for which one qualified had concluded on the twenty first day of Nissan. To make this abundantly clear, the Torah wrote:בראשון בארבעה עשר יום לחודש בערב תאכלו מצות עד יום האחד ועשרים יום לחודש בערב, “On the first day, the fourteenth of the month in the evening until the twenty first day of the month in the evening you are to eat matzot.”