Pesachim

for the putting away of leaven is assimilated to [the prohibition of] eating leavened bread,1 and the eating of leavened bread to the [precept of] the eating of unleavened bread. The putting away of leaven [is assimilated] to [the prohibition of] the eating of leavened bread, for it is written, seven days shall there be no leaven in your houses,’ for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off.2 And [the prohibition of] the eating of leavened bread [is likened] to the [precept of] eating unleavened bread, because it is written, Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread;3 and in respect to unleavened bread it is written, at even ye shall eat unleavened bread.4 Yet perhaps it is to include the night of fourteenth [as the time] for removal?5 — ‘The day’ is written. Then say [that it must be removed] from the morning?6 — ‘Ak’ divides [it].7 The School of R. Ishmael taught: We find that the fourteenth is called the first, as it is said, on the first, on the fourteenth day of the month.8 R. Nahman b. Isaac said: ‘The first’9 [rishon] means the preceding, for the Writ saith, Wast thou born, before [rishon] Adam?10 If so, and ye shall take you out the first [rishon] day,11 — does ‘rishon’ here too mean the preceding? — There it is different, because it is written, and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days:12 just as the seventh [means] the seventh of the Festival, so the first [means] the first of the Festival. [But] here too it is written, even the first day [rishon] ye shall put away leaven out of your houses. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread?13 — If so, let Scripture write ‘first’ [‘rishon’]; why ‘the first [ha-rishon]’? Infer from this [that it is required] for what we have stated. If so, there too12 what is the purpose of ‘the first’ [‘ha-rishon’]? Moreover, when it is written there, on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest,14 say that rishon implies the preceding? There it is different, because Scripture saith, ‘and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest’: just as ‘eighth’ means the eighth of the Festival, so ‘first’ means [the] first of the Festival. [But still] what is the purpose of ‘the first’ [ha-rishon]?12 — In order to exclude the Intermediate days of the Festival.15 [But the exclusion of] the Intermediate days of the Festival is derived from ‘first’ and ‘eighth’? — It is [nevertheless] required: you might argue, since the Divine Law writes, and on the eighth day, the waw [‘and’] indicates conjunction with the preceding subject, so [as to include] even the Intermediate days of the Festival too;16 hence ha-rishon informs us [otherwise]. Then let Scripture write neither the waw nor the heh?17 Moreover, when it is written there, In the first day [ha-rishon] ye shall have an holy convocation,18 does ‘rishon’ mean the preceding?19 Rather, these three [instances of] ‘rishon’ [‘first’] are necessary for what the School of R. Ishmael taught. For the School of R. Ishmael taught: As a reward for [the observance of] the three ‘firsts’20 they [Israel] merited three firsts:21 to destroy22 the seed of Esau; the building of the Temple; and the name of the Messiah. ‘To destroy the seed of Esau,’ of whom it is written, And the first came forth red, all over like an hairy garment;23 and ‘the building of the Temple’, whereof it is written, A glorious throne, set on high from the first24 is the place of our sanctuary;25 ‘and the name of Messiah,’ for it is written, First unto Zion, behold, behold them.26 Raba said, [It27 is deduced] from here: Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread:28 [that means,] thou shalt not kill the passover sacrifice while leavened bread is still in existence.29 Then perhaps each person [must remove his leaven] when he kills [his sacrifice]?30 Scripture meant the time for killing.31 It was taught likewise: ‘[Even] the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses’: [this means] on the eve of the Festival. Yet perhaps that is not so, but [rather] on the Festival itself? — Therefore it is stated, ‘thou shalt not offer the blood of thy sacrifice with leavened bread,’ [i.e.,] thou shalt not kill the Passover sacrifice while leavened bread still exists [in thy, house]: that is R. Ishmael's view. R. Akiba said, That is unnecessary: lo, it is said, ‘Even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses’, and it is written, no manner of work shall be done in them;32 while we find that kindling is a principal labour.33 R. Jose said, It is unnecessary: lo, it is said, ‘Even [ak] on the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses’: [that means,] from the eve of the Festival. Or perhaps it is not so, but rather on the Festival? Therefore is stated, ‘Ak’, which serves to divide;34 hence if [it means] on the Festival itself, can [part of it] be permitted? Surely the putting away of leaven is likened to [the prohibition of] eating leavened bread, while the prohibition of eating leavened bread is likened to [the duty of] eating unleavened bread. 35 Said Raba: leaven must already be removed. away; therefore the verse quoted supra can only refer to the fourteenth. fourteenth, Sc. in the evening. showing that the putting away takes place in the middle of the day, not at the beginning. i.e., the fourteenth — ye shall put away, etc. urgent nature is permitted. teaching of the waw: then both should be omitted. Tabernacles. then. no fixed hour applicable to all. was burnt.