אֶת־חַ֣ג הַמַּצּוֹת֮ תִּשְׁמֹר֒ שִׁבְעַ֨ת יָמִ֜ים תֹּאכַ֤ל מַצּוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֔ךָ לְמוֹעֵ֖ד חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָאָבִ֑יב כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֔יב יָצָ֖אתָ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
Guardarás a festa dos Matsot; sete dias comerás matsot, como te ordenei, no tempo determinado do mês de Aviv, pois no mês de Aviv saíste de Mitzrayim.
Chizkuni
הזה, this refers to the month known as ניסן in the Hebrew calendar. [How do we know this without having it spelled out for us? Ed.] The Torah describes the month in which the festival of huts falls, when the harvest has been brought in, as occurring at the time of the equinox. Exodus 34,22). It describes the festival of weeks as occurring during the early harvesting season for wheat, (same verse) and it describes the time when the Passover festival (matzot) occurs as being during the spring season, or more precisely as the month of the spring equinox. (Exodus 34,18) From all this it is clear that in order to comply with all these data the Sukkot festival can only occur during the month of Tishrey, and the Passover festival can only occur during the month of Nissan. [It is spelled out even more clearly in the Book of Esther 3,7, “on the first month which is the month of Nissan.” Ed.]
Maaseh Nissim
The One who does not know how to ask... What is the connotation of the word: Vihigadita, “And you shall tell,” in Exodus Chapter 13:8.
The word Vihigadita has the connotation of constantly repeating something until the person finally understands and accepts it and is able to repeat it.
Why does the Maggid offer this child the same answer that we just gave to the wicked child? The answer implies that he would have been excluded from redemption just as the wicked child was excluded from God’s redemption.
One should repeat the lesson of the Exodus to the one who does not know how to ask until he is able to respond to the wicked child, “It is because of this that God did for me when I went forth from Egypt…” The one who does not know how to ask is the child who is most likely to be influenced by the wicked child, so we must educate him so he is able to respond effectively to his co-religionist. This is implied by the language of the verse, “You shall tell it to your child on that day, saying, ‘It is because of this that the Lord did for me when I went forth from Egypt.’” The word “Saying,” (Laymor) implies, “You shall tell it to him on that day so he can say... Because of this that the Lord did for me…" (Exodus 13:8).
What is the connection between the consecration of the first born, the month of Aviv, the prohibition against idolatry, and the commandment to observe Passover?
This is a bit of a digression but one that is directly related to the theme of Passover.Exodus 13:8 follows the law of consecrating the first born (Exodus 13:1-2.) Moses then appears to change course and he reminds the people, “Remember the day on which you went forth from Egypt…in the month of Aviv.” The Torah then reminds the people to eat Matzah and to celebrate the feast of Passover. This same combination of themes and linguistic connections is also found in several other passages in the Torah:
In Exodus 23:10, the commandment to observe the three festivals is followed by the commandment to eat Matzah in the month of Abib, “for on it you went forth from Egypt.”
In Exodus 34:17-18, the commandment not to worship molten gods is followed by “You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread….at the set time in the month of Abib…you went forth from Egypt.”
In Deuteronomy 15:19-16:1, we find the law of consecrating all the firstlings followed by a similar passage, “Observe the month of Abib…God freed you from Egypt.”
The themes of the firstborn, the prohibition against idolatry, and the observance of Passover are connected to one another. Israel’s first Passover in Egypt was meant to be a repudiation of Egyptian idolatry. The Egyptians worshipped the Ram, the first of the astrological symbol in the signs of the Zodiac. By slaughtering the Passover lamb (i.e. the ram), we were showing our rejection of the gods of Egypt. God is the first among all firsts. Therefore, whenever we are told to consecrate the firstborn or the firstlings, the Torah follows the commandment with a reminder to observe Passover which was the first religious ceremony to celebrate the rejection of the cult of the firstborn. In the Torah the firstborn belong to God, yet another reminder that God is the first among all firsts. Similarly, spring was the time of year associated with the astrological symbol of the Ram. By celebrating Passover at this time of year and mentioning Abib in connection with this practice, we are reminded of the rejection of Egyptian idolatry.
The word Vihigadita has the connotation of constantly repeating something until the person finally understands and accepts it and is able to repeat it.
Why does the Maggid offer this child the same answer that we just gave to the wicked child? The answer implies that he would have been excluded from redemption just as the wicked child was excluded from God’s redemption.
One should repeat the lesson of the Exodus to the one who does not know how to ask until he is able to respond to the wicked child, “It is because of this that God did for me when I went forth from Egypt…” The one who does not know how to ask is the child who is most likely to be influenced by the wicked child, so we must educate him so he is able to respond effectively to his co-religionist. This is implied by the language of the verse, “You shall tell it to your child on that day, saying, ‘It is because of this that the Lord did for me when I went forth from Egypt.’” The word “Saying,” (Laymor) implies, “You shall tell it to him on that day so he can say... Because of this that the Lord did for me…" (Exodus 13:8).
What is the connection between the consecration of the first born, the month of Aviv, the prohibition against idolatry, and the commandment to observe Passover?
This is a bit of a digression but one that is directly related to the theme of Passover.Exodus 13:8 follows the law of consecrating the first born (Exodus 13:1-2.) Moses then appears to change course and he reminds the people, “Remember the day on which you went forth from Egypt…in the month of Aviv.” The Torah then reminds the people to eat Matzah and to celebrate the feast of Passover. This same combination of themes and linguistic connections is also found in several other passages in the Torah:
In Exodus 23:10, the commandment to observe the three festivals is followed by the commandment to eat Matzah in the month of Abib, “for on it you went forth from Egypt.”
In Exodus 34:17-18, the commandment not to worship molten gods is followed by “You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread….at the set time in the month of Abib…you went forth from Egypt.”
In Deuteronomy 15:19-16:1, we find the law of consecrating all the firstlings followed by a similar passage, “Observe the month of Abib…God freed you from Egypt.”
The themes of the firstborn, the prohibition against idolatry, and the observance of Passover are connected to one another. Israel’s first Passover in Egypt was meant to be a repudiation of Egyptian idolatry. The Egyptians worshipped the Ram, the first of the astrological symbol in the signs of the Zodiac. By slaughtering the Passover lamb (i.e. the ram), we were showing our rejection of the gods of Egypt. God is the first among all firsts. Therefore, whenever we are told to consecrate the firstborn or the firstlings, the Torah follows the commandment with a reminder to observe Passover which was the first religious ceremony to celebrate the rejection of the cult of the firstborn. In the Torah the firstborn belong to God, yet another reminder that God is the first among all firsts. Similarly, spring was the time of year associated with the astrological symbol of the Ram. By celebrating Passover at this time of year and mentioning Abib in connection with this practice, we are reminded of the rejection of Egyptian idolatry.
Chizkuni
ראה אתה אומר אלי, “See, You say to me:” the reason why we always read this section (33.12-34.26) on the Sabbath of the intermediate days of the festival of Passover and Sukkot, is because in this section the Sabbath is mentioned in the midst of the three pilgrimage festivals. And the passage (by mentioning that we must observe the seven days of the festival) also hints that work is prohibited on the Intermediate Days of the festivals. (Compare Talmud Chagigah folio 18a)