Pesachim

Hence the Sages said: Silence is better for the wise, and how much more so for fools, as it is said, Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise.1 IF THE PASCHAL SACRIFICES BELONGING TO TWO [SINGLE PERSONS] BECOME MIXED UP etc. Shall we say that our Mishnah does not agree with R. Judah? For it was taught: And if the household be too little for a lamb:2 this teaches that they may go on decreasing [their numbers] ,3 providing, however, that one of them remains:4 this is R. Judah's view. R. Jose said: Providing that they do not leave the Paschal sacrifice as it is!5 — Said R. Johanan: You may even say [that it agrees with] R. Judah. Since R. Judah said, One may not slaughter the Passover-offering for a single person, then from the outset he stood to register another with himself, and he [the newly-registered person] is accounted as one of the [original] members of the company. R. Ashi said: Our Mishnah too proves this, for it teaches, SIMILARLY, IF THERE ARE FIVE COMPANIES CONSISTING OF FIVE MEMBERS EACH: thus,only of five [each], but not [if some consist] of five and [others of] four; is not[the reason] because one of the [original] members of the company does not remain with it?6 This proves it. M I S H N A H. was first set aside for a Passover-offering, must remain registered for it, while in R. Jose's opinion it is sufficient that someone remains, even if he is not of those who originally registered for it. For if R. Judah's view Is not as stated, it does not differ in any way from R. Jose's. But in the Mishnah, when A, the only original owner of one of the sacrifices, declares, ‘If this animal is not mine, I withdraw from the other and register for this’, the other is left without anyone who first registered for it, since A is the only original owner. member to remain, the Mishnah could teach that whatever the number of original members, each company increases itself to five and then does as stated.