Comentário sobre Êxodo 12:24

AND YE SHALL OBSERVE THIS THING. This refers to the Passover-offering itself, concerning which He had said above, and slaughter the Passover lamb,²⁶⁶Above, Verse 21. even though it is removed [by two verses from here]. It does not refer to the putting of the blood [upon the lintel and on the two side-posts, mentioned above] in the verse nearby, since only in the Passover of Egypt were they commanded to do so, [i.e., to put the blood upon the lintel, etc.], as it is said, For the Eternal will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He seeth the blood upon the lintel, etc.²⁶⁷Verse 23. How then could we explain the end of the verse before us, which states that we are to observe this thing as an ordinance forever, when it applied only to the Passover of Egypt? Hence we must say that the expression, this thing, refers to the Passover-offering itself, mentioned above in Verse 21, which we are commanded to observe forever, i.e., whenever the Sanctuary is in existence. Verse 11, which states, And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, etc., also applied only to the Passover of Egypt (Pesachim 96 a). Similarly, the expression, and ye shall keep this service,²⁶⁸Verse 25. means the offering of the Passover. A similar case [of a Scriptural expression that is connected with one that is far removed and not with the one nearby], is the verse, And also unto thy bondwoman thou shalt do likewise.²⁶⁹Deuteronomy 15:17. This is connected with Verse 14 there above, thus making it obligatory for the master to present a released bondwoman with valuable gifts, even as he must do to the bondman. But it is not to be connected with the expression in the first half of Verse 17 itself, which establishes the law of a bondman who refused to be liberated at the end of his six years of bondage, i.e., that his ear is to be pierced and he is to be a bondman forever. As regards this law, it does not apply to a bondwoman.

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.

ושמרתם את הדבר הזה, “You shall observe this matter.” This verse does not refer to the instruction to smear the blood of the Passover lamb on the lintel and doorposts, seeing that this was a commandment that applied only on the night of the Exodus, but it refers to the basic Passover legislation and its ritual.

(Exodus 12:24) "And you shall keep this thing": to include the Pesach of future generations, that it be brought only from sheep or goats. These are the words of R. Eliezer. "as a statute for you and for your sons": What is the intent of this? From (Ibid. 7) "And they shall take from the blood, etc.", I might think that the women, too, are included. It is, therefore, written "as a statute for you and for your sons."

V. 24. את הדבר הזה, dieses Wort, dass Gott das Blut an den Häusern sehen und in Folge dessen die Rettung gewähren werde. Es ist damit die erste Mizwa von Gott zu einem sprechendsten Symbol und die Mizwaübung zu einer beredtesten Symbolsprache zwischen uns und Gott, von der positivsten, heilbringendsten Wirkung eingesetzt, und damit zugleich Bedeutung und Bedeutsamkeit aller folgenden ähnlichen Mizwot gegeben. — Der Wechsel des Numerus: לך — ושמרתם spricht sich also aus, entweder: Bewahret das Wort in eurer Gesamtheit, damit es jedem einzelnen für sich und seine Kinder zum Gesetz werde; oder bewahret das Wort in eurer Vielheit, damit es der Nation in ihrer Einheit zum Gesetz werde. Die Anrede im Singular ist nämlich überall an das einzelne Individuum, oder an die Nation als Einheit gerichtet. Jedenfalls ist durch die gleichzeitige Anrede im Plural oder Singular einer irrigen Auffassung nach beiden Seiten begegnet. Es begnügt sich das Gesetz weder mit bloßer Anerkennung und Erfüllung im Einzelleben, noch mit bloßer Anerkennung und Verwirklichung durch die Nation als Einheitsbegriff, etwa durch eine sie darstellende Repräsentanz. Das Gesetz will in der Nation als Gesamteinheit und in jedem einzelnen jüdischen Hause, in jeder einzelnen jüdischen Brust seine Anerkennung und Verwirklichung finden.