וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה כַּחֲצֹ֣ת הַלַּ֔יְלָה אֲנִ֥י יוֹצֵ֖א בְּת֥וֹךְ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

After the above interlude, the Torah narrates the conclusion of the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh in the palace. Although he has been banished by Pharaoh, Moses continues to speak before he leaves. Moses said: So said the Lord: About midnight, or: At midnight, I will emerge in the midst of Egypt and strike the Egyptians.

וּמֵ֣ת כָּל־בְּכוֹר֮ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַיִם֒ מִבְּכ֤וֹר פַּרְעֹה֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ עַ֚ד בְּכ֣וֹר הַשִּׁפְחָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר אַחַ֣ר הָרֵחָ֑יִם וְכֹ֖ל בְּכ֥וֹר בְּהֵמָֽה׃

Every firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, the highest and most important in the land, who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the maidservant, who possesses the lowest social status, as his mother performs the menial task of grinding grain while she is standing behind the mill, and all firstborn animals.

וְהָֽיְתָ֛ה צְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּמֹ֙הוּ֙ לֹ֣א נִהְיָ֔תָה וְכָמֹ֖הוּ לֹ֥א תֹסִֽף׃

There will be a great outcry in the entire land of Egypt that there has not been like it, nor will there be like it again. The disaster will strike the entire land, as death will reach every household.

וּלְכֹ֣ל ׀ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹ֤א יֶֽחֱרַץ־כֶּ֙לֶב֙ לְשֹׁנ֔וֹ לְמֵאִ֖ישׁ וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה לְמַ֙עַן֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּן אֲשֶׁר֙ יַפְלֶ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה בֵּ֥ין מִצְרַ֖יִם וּבֵ֥ין יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

But for all the children of Israel, a dog will not extend his tongue at anyone, from man to beast. The dogs will not dare to so much as bark at the children of Israel or even at their animals, so that you will know that the Lord distinguishes between Egypt and Israel.

וְיָרְד֣וּ כָל־עֲבָדֶיךָ֩ אֵ֨לֶּה אֵלַ֜י וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוּוּ־לִ֣י לֵאמֹ֗ר צֵ֤א אַתָּה֙ וְכָל־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־בְּרַגְלֶ֔יךָ וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן אֵצֵ֑א וַיֵּצֵ֥א מֵֽעִם־פַּרְעֹ֖ה בָּחֳרִי־אָֽף׃ (ס)

All these servants of yours, who surround you here, will descend to me and prostrate themselves to me, saying: Leave, you and all the people that follow you; and thereafter I will leave Egypt. He departed from Pharaoh’s presence in enflamed wrath, visibly angry.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה לֹא־יִשְׁמַ֥ע אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם פַּרְעֹ֑ה לְמַ֛עַן רְב֥וֹת מוֹפְתַ֖י בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

This and the following verse conclude the account of the plagues, except for the very last and worst plague. The final plague is separated from the others both due to its severity and because of the commandments which will be given to the Israelites to be performed at the same time, as related in the next section. The Lord had said to Moses already: Pharaoh will not heed you, despite the threat against his own firstborn, in order to increase My wonders in the land of Egypt. This was stated before the onset of the plagues, in 7:4: “Pharaoh will not heed you.”

וּמֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֗ן עָשׂ֛וּ אֶת־כָּל־הַמֹּפְתִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וַיְחַזֵּ֤ק יְהוָה֙ אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹֽא־שִׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאַרְצֽוֹ׃ (פ)

Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not send forth the children of Israel from his land.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לֵאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying:

הַחֹ֧דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם רֹ֣אשׁ חֳדָשִׁ֑ים רִאשׁ֥וֹן הוּא֙ לָכֶ֔ם לְחָדְשֵׁ֖י הַשָּׁנָֽה׃

This current month, Nisan, is for you the beginning of months; it is first for you of the months of the year.

דַּבְּר֗וּ אֶֽל־כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֶּעָשֹׂ֖ר לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וְיִקְח֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם אִ֛ישׁ שֶׂ֥ה לְבֵית־אָבֹ֖ת שֶׂ֥ה לַבָּֽיִת׃

The commandment of the beginning of months was given solely to Moses and Aaron because as heads of the judicial system, they were in charge of establishing the calendar and determining the months and years. The other commandments that God gave to Moses at this juncture had to be communicated to the people. Speak to the entire congregation of Israel, saying: On the tenth day of this month they shall take for themselves, each one, a lamb, a young sheep or goat, for each house of the fathers, a lamb for the household.

וְאִם־יִמְעַ֣ט הַבַּיִת֮ מִהְיֹ֣ת מִשֶּׂה֒ וְלָקַ֣ח ה֗וּא וּשְׁכֵנ֛וֹ הַקָּרֹ֥ב אֶל־בֵּית֖וֹ בְּמִכְסַ֣ת נְפָשֹׁ֑ת אִ֚ישׁ לְפִ֣י אָכְל֔וֹ תָּכֹ֖סּוּ עַל־הַשֶּֽׂה׃

If the household will be too few for a lamb, as the family is too small to eat an entire lamb, then he and his neighbor who is near his house shall take one lamb together, according to the number of people; each according to the estimated amount of his eating you shall account, by setting the number of those appointed for eating the lamb. Since the lamb is an offering that must be eaten, only those who can actually consume some minimal amount may be numbered among those who will partake of it. The elderly, sick, or very young, who are unable to eat a minimal amount, are excluded from the tally for each particular lamb.

שֶׂ֥ה תָמִ֛ים זָכָ֥ר בֶּן־שָׁנָ֖ה יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם מִן־הַכְּבָשִׂ֥ים וּמִן־הָעִזִּ֖ים תִּקָּֽחוּ׃

An unblemished lamb, a male in the first year of its life it shall be for you; you shall take it from the sheep or from the goats.

וְהָיָ֤ה לָכֶם֙ לְמִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת עַ֣ד אַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר י֖וֹם לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וְשָׁחֲט֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ כֹּ֛ל קְהַ֥ל עֲדַֽת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בֵּ֥ין הָעַרְבָּֽיִם׃

After setting the lamb aside on the tenth of the month, it shall be for you for safekeeping until the fourteenth day of this month and the entire assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it as an offering in the afternoon.

וְלָֽקְחוּ֙ מִן־הַדָּ֔ם וְנָֽתְנ֛וּ עַל־שְׁתֵּ֥י הַמְּזוּזֹ֖ת וְעַל־הַמַּשְׁק֑וֹף עַ֚ל הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יֹאכְל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ בָּהֶֽם׃

They shall take from the blood of the slaughtered lamb, and put it on the two doorposts of the entryway to the house and on the lintel, on the houses in which they will eat it. If more than one family eats in one house, or if a single family eats two lambs as separate groups in two houses, the blood must be sprinkled on each house in which the eating takes place.

וְאָכְל֥וּ אֶת־הַבָּשָׂ֖ר בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַזֶּ֑ה צְלִי־אֵ֣שׁ וּמַצּ֔וֹת עַל־מְרֹרִ֖ים יֹאכְלֻֽהוּ׃

They shall eat the meat on that night, roasted over fire, and they shall also eat it with unleavened bread, with either the leaves or stalks of bitter herbs.

אַל־תֹּאכְל֤וּ מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ נָ֔א וּבָשֵׁ֥ל מְבֻשָּׁ֖ל בַּמָּ֑יִם כִּ֣י אִם־צְלִי־אֵ֔שׁ רֹאשׁ֥וֹ עַל־כְּרָעָ֖יו וְעַל־קִרְבּֽוֹ׃

You shall not eat from it half cooked, nor cooked in water, only roasted over fire, its head with its legs and with its innards. The entire lamb must be roasted as a single unit.

וְלֹא־תוֹתִ֥ירוּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ עַד־בֹּ֑קֶר וְהַנֹּתָ֥ר מִמֶּ֛נּוּ עַד־בֹּ֖קֶר בָּאֵ֥שׁ תִּשְׂרֹֽפוּ׃

You shall not leave anything from it until morning, as it must be wholly consumed that night. And if this nevertheless occurs, that which remains until morning you shall burn with fire.

וְכָכָה֮ תֹּאכְל֣וּ אֹתוֹ֒ מָתְנֵיכֶ֣ם חֲגֻרִ֔ים נַֽעֲלֵיכֶם֙ בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם וּמַקֶּלְכֶ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ בְּחִפָּז֔וֹן פֶּ֥סַח ה֖וּא לַיהוָֽה׃

As well as the requirement that it be eaten in the manner of liberated people, there is a further significance to the consumption of the lamb. So you shall eat it: Your loins girded, your shoes on your feet. Many people, especially simple farm workers, would ordinarily go barefoot. The donning of shoes signifies that they are about to depart on a journey. And eat it with your walking staff in your hand; you shall eat it in haste, it is the paschal lamb to the Lord.

וְעָבַרְתִּ֣י בְאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם֮ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַזֶּה֒ וְהִכֵּיתִ֤י כָל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵאָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה וּבְכָל־אֱלֹהֵ֥י מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה שְׁפָטִ֖ים אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

God informs Israel of the forthcoming events: I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and I will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man to animal, and against all the gods of Egypt I will administer great punishments: I am the Lord.

וְהָיָה֩ הַדָּ֨ם לָכֶ֜ם לְאֹ֗ת עַ֤ל הַבָּתִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתֶּ֣ם שָׁ֔ם וְרָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־הַדָּ֔ם וּפָסַחְתִּ֖י עֲלֵכֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יִֽהְיֶ֨ה בָכֶ֥ם נֶ֙גֶף֙ לְמַשְׁחִ֔ית בְּהַכֹּתִ֖י בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

The blood that you will place on the doorways shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are and I will see the blood; I will pass over you, or: I will have mercy upon you, that you will not be struck. And there shall not be a stroke against you to destroy, when I smite the land of Egypt.

וְהָיָה֩ הַיּ֨וֹם הַזֶּ֤ה לָכֶם֙ לְזִכָּר֔וֹן וְחַגֹּתֶ֥ם אֹת֖וֹ חַ֣ג לַֽיהוָ֑ה לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם תְּחָגֻּֽהוּ׃

Up to this point, the Israelites have been commanded only with regard to the next few days, until the fourteenth of Nisan of the current year. Now God instructs them to commemorate this date in the future as well: This day shall be a remembrance for you, and you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; for your generations, you shall celebrate it as an eternal statute.

שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ מַצּ֣וֹת תֹּאכֵ֔לוּ אַ֚ךְ בַּיּ֣וֹם הָרִאשׁ֔וֹן תַּשְׁבִּ֥יתוּ שְּׂאֹ֖ר מִבָּתֵּיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י ׀ כָּל־אֹכֵ֣ל חָמֵ֗ץ וְנִכְרְתָ֞ה הַנֶּ֤פֶשׁ הַהִוא֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִיּ֥וֹם הָרִאשֹׁ֖ן עַד־י֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִעִֽי׃

These days shall be commemorated each year in the following manner: Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. At this point no explanation is given for this command. However, on the first day you shall eliminate leaven from your houses. For anyone who eats leavened bread from the first day until the conclusion of the seventh day of the festival, that person shall be excised from Israel.

וּבַיּ֤וֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ מִקְרָא־קֹ֔דֶשׁ וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִקְרָא־קֹ֖דֶשׁ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם כָּל־מְלָאכָה֙ לֹא־יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה בָהֶ֔ם אַ֚ךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵאָכֵ֣ל לְכָל־נֶ֔פֶשׁ ה֥וּא לְבַדּ֖וֹ יֵעָשֶׂ֥ה לָכֶֽם׃

It shall be for you a holy convocation, a gathering devoted to holiness, on the first day of the festival that will be celebrated in subsequent years, and a holy convocation on the seventh day. In addition, no labor shall be performed on them, except labor required in the preparation for that which shall be eaten for each person, such as slaughtering, cooking, and baking; it alone may be performed for you. The types of labor permitted on festivals are called by the Sages the labors necessary for preparing food.

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֮ אֶת־הַמַּצּוֹת֒ כִּ֗י בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אֶת־צִבְאוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֞ם אֶת־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֛ה לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶ֖ם חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָֽם׃

You shall guard the unleavened bread, to ensure that it shall not become leavened at all; because on this very day of the festival, I brought your hosts, camps, out of the land of Egypt; and you shall observe this day for your generations, an eternal statute. The significance of these events will remain important in your future as well.

בָּרִאשֹׁ֡ן בְּאַרְבָּעָה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר י֤וֹם לַחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב תֹּאכְל֖וּ מַצֹּ֑ת עַ֠ד י֣וֹם הָאֶחָ֧ד וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ בָּעָֽרֶב׃

In the first month, Nisan, on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, after nightfall, you shall eat unleavened bread with the offering that was slaughtered earlier that day in the afternoon, until the twenty-first day of the month in the evening.

שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים שְׂאֹ֕ר לֹ֥א יִמָּצֵ֖א בְּבָתֵּיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י ׀ כָּל־אֹכֵ֣ל מַחְמֶ֗צֶת וְנִכְרְתָ֞ה הַנֶּ֤פֶשׁ הַהִוא֙ מֵעֲדַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בַּגֵּ֖ר וּבְאֶזְרַ֥ח הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Not only must you eat unleavened bread and refrain from eating leavened bread, but for these seven days, leaven, the sourdough used to leaven other dough, shall not be found in your houses; as anyone who eats leavening, sourdough , that person shall be excised from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land.

כָּל־מַחְמֶ֖צֶת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑לוּ בְּכֹל֙ מוֹשְׁבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם תֹּאכְל֖וּ מַצּֽוֹת׃ (פ)

You shall not eat anything leavened, or containing leavening; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread during the festival of Passover.