| 1Keep the month of spring, and make the Passover offering to the Lord, your God, for in the month of spring, the Lord, your God, brought you out of Egypt at night. |
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אשָׁמוֹר֙ אֶת־חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֔יב וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ פֶּ֔סַח לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֞י בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֗יב הוֹצִ֨יאֲךָ֜ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם לָֽיְלָה: |
| Keep the month of spring. Heb. אָבִיב. Before it [Nissan] arrives, watch that it should be fit for the אָבִיב, ripening [capable of producing ripe ears of barley by the sixteenth of the month], to offer up in it the omer meal offering. And if not, proclaim it a leap year [thereby enabling you to wait another month, until the barley ripens]. — [San. 11b] |
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שָׁמוֹר אֶת־חֹדֶשׁ הָֽאָבִיב.
מִקֹּדֶם בּוֹאוֹ שְׁמֹר שֶׁיְּהֵא רָאוּי לְאָבִיב – לְהַקְרִיב בּוֹ אֶת מִנְחַת הָעֹמֶר, וְאִם לָאו עַבֵּר אֶת הַשָּׁנָה (עי' סנהדרין י"א):
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| [for in the month of spring the Lord, your God, brought you] out of Egypt at night. But did they not go out by day, as it is said, “on the morrow of the Passover the children of Israel went out…” (Num. 33:3)? However, since during the night Pharaoh gave them permission to leave, as it is said, “So he called for Moses and Aaron at night [and said, ‘Rise up, go out from among my people…]’ ” (Exod. 12:31), [therefore, here it says “at night”]. — [Ber. 9a] |
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מִמִּצְרַיִם לָֽיְלָה.
וַהֲלֹא בַּיּוֹם יָצְאוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ל"ג) מִמָּחֳרַת הַפֶּסַח יָצְאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ'? אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁבַּלַּיְלָה נָתַן לָהֶם פַּרְעֹה רְשׁוּת לָצֵאת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות י"ב) וַיִּקְרָא לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן לַיְלָה וְגוֹ' (בראשית ט'):
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| 2You shall slaughter the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, your God, [of the] flock, and [the Festival sacrifices of the] cattle, in the place which the Lord will choose to establish His Name therein. |
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בוְזָבַ֥חְתָּ פֶּ֛סַח לַֽיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ צֹ֣אן וּבָקָ֑ר בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְחַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם: |
| You shall slaughter the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, your God, [of the] flock. As it is said, “You may take [it] either from the sheep or from the goats” (Exod. 12:5). |
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וְזָבַחְתָּ פֶּסַח לה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ צֹאן.
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות י"ב) מִן הַכְּבָשִׂים וּמִן הָעִזִּים תִּקָּחוּ:
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| and…cattle. These are slaughtered as the chagigah [Festival offering]. If a large group was formed for the Passover offering, they bring a Festival offering along with it, so that the Passover sacrifice will be eaten [after a sufficient meal, and therefore] after the required satiation. [Everyone had to designate himself to a particular company of people, which was then relevant to one particular Passover offering (Pes. 69a-70b).] Our Rabbis also derived many other things from this verse. — [Sifrei ; Pes. 70a] |
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וּבָקָר.
תִּזְבַּח לַחֲגִיגָה, שֶׁאִם נִמְנוּ עַל הַפֶּסַח חֲבוּרָה מְרֻבָּה, מְבִיאִים עִמּוֹ חֲגִיגָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא נֶאֱכָל עַל הַשֹּׂבַע (פסחים ס"ט); וְעוֹד לָמְדוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְּבָרִים הַרְבֵּה מִפָּסוּק זֶה:
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| 3You shall not eat leaven with it; for seven days you shall eat with it matzoth, the bread of affliction, for in haste you went out of the land of Egypt, so that you shall remember the day when you went out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. |
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גלֹֽא־תֹאכַ֤ל עָלָיו֙ חָמֵ֔ץ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֛ים תֹּֽאכַל־עָלָ֥יו מַצּ֖וֹת לֶ֣חֶם עֹ֑נִי כִּ֣י בְחִפָּז֗וֹן יָצָ֨אתָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לְמַ֣עַן תִּזְכֹּ֗ר אֶת־י֤וֹם צֵֽאתְךָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ: |
| the bread of affliction. [I.e.,] bread that brings to mind the affliction they suffered in Egypt. — [Sifrei] |
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לֶחֶם עֹנִי.
לֶחֶם שֶׁמַּזְכִּיר אֶת הָעֹנִי שֶׁנִּתְעַנּוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם (ספרי):
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| for in haste you went out of the land of Egypt. And the dough [that you had prepared for eating] did not have time to become leavened, so this [matzah] will be for you as a reminder. And the haste [here] is not on your part, but on the part of the Egyptians, for so it says, “So the Egyptians took hold of the people [to hasten to send them out of the land]” (Exod. 12:33). - [Sifrei; Ber. 9a] |
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כִּי בְחִפָּזוֹן יָצָאתָ.
וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק בָּצֵק לְהַחֲמִיץ וְזֶה יִהְיֶה לְךָ לְזִכָּרוֹן; וְחִפָּזוֹן לֹא שֶׁלְּךָ הָיָה אֶלָּא שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַתֶּחֱזַק מִצְרַיִם עַל הָעָם וְגוֹ'" (ספרי):
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| so that you shall remember. By eating the Passover sacrifice and the matzah, the day you went out [of the land of Egypt]. |
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לְמַעַן תִּזְכֹּר.
עַל יְדֵי אֲכִילַת הַפֶּסַח וְהַמַּצָּה את יום צאתך:
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| 4And no leaven shall be seen with you within all your border for seven days; neither shall any of the flesh you slaughter on the preceding day in the afternoon, remain all night until the morning. |
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דוְלֹא־יֵֽרָאֶ֨ה לְךָ֥ שְׂאֹ֛ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻֽלְךָ֖ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְלֹֽא־יָלִ֣ין מִן־הַבָּשָׂ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּזְבַּ֥ח בָּעֶ֛רֶב בַּיּ֥וֹם הָֽרִאשׁ֖וֹן לַבֹּֽקֶר: |
| neither shall any of the flesh you slaughter on the preceding day in the afternoon, remain all night until the morning. This is an admonition regarding leaving over the flesh of the Passover sacrifice, offered up by future generations, because [so far this prohibition] had been mentioned only with regard to the Passover sacrifice offered in Egypt (see Exod. 12:10). And יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן stated here is the fourteenth of Nissan [the preceding day, and not the fifteenth, which is the first day of Passover], just as it says: “but on the preceding day (בַּיוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן) you shall clear away leaven from your houses” (Exod. 12:15). Now since Scripture digressed from the subject of the Passover sacrifice and began to speak of the rules pertaining to the seven days [of the Festival]-such as, “seven days you shall eat with it matzoth ” (verse 3); “And no leaven shall be seen with you within all your border for seven days” (verse 4)-it was necessary to specify to which slaughtering [Scripture] is admonishing. For had it written only “neither shall any of the flesh you slaughter in the afternoon, remain all night until the morning” [without saying “the preceding day”], I might have thought that the peace offerings slaughtered during all the seven days are also subject to [the prohibition of] “And you shall not leave any of it until the morning,” (Exod. 12:10), and may be eaten only for [one] day and a night. Therefore, it is written: “on the preceding day in the evening,” [thereby clarifying that the verse is referring to the Passover sacrifice]. Another explanation: Scripture is referring to the Festival offering brought on the fourteenth of Nissan [and not to the specific Passover sacrifice], and it teaches with reference to it that it may be eaten for two days [and the intervening night]. Now the רִאשׁוֹן mentioned here [according to this explanation], is the first day of the Festival [i.e., the fifteenth of Nissan, rather than the preceding day]. And this is the meaning of the verse: The flesh of the Festival offering, which you slaughtered in the afternoon, shall not remain overnight after the first day of the Festival until the morning of the second day [the sixteenth of Nissan], but rather, it is to be eaten on the fourteenth and the fifteenth [and the intervening night]. And thus it is taught in tractate Pes. (71b). |
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וְלֹא־יָלִין מִן־הַבָּשָׂר אֲשֶׁר תִּזְבַּח בָּעֶרֶב בַּיּוֹם הָֽרִאשׁוֹן לַבֹּֽקֶר.
אַזְהָרָה לַמּוֹתִיר בְּפֶסַח דּוֹרוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא בְּפֶסַח מִצְרַיִם; וְיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן הָאָמוּר כָּאן הוּא י"ד בְּנִיסָן, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר "אַךְ בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן תַּשְׁבִּיתוּ שְׂאוֹר מִבָּתֵּיכֶם" (שמות י"ב); וּלְפִי שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק הַכָּתוּב מֵעִנְיָנוֹ שֶׁל פֶּסַח וְהִתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר בְּחֻקּוֹת שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, כְּגוֹן שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תֹּאכַל עָלָיו מַצּוֹת, וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה לְךָ שְׂאֹר בְּכָל גְּבֻלְךָ, הֻצְרַךְ לְפָרֵשׁ בְּאֵיזוֹ זְבִיחָה הוּא מַזְהִיר, שֶׁאִם כָּתַב וְלֹא יָלִין מִן הַבָּשָׂר אֲשֶׁר תִּזְבַּח בָּעֶרֶב לַבֹּקֶר הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר שְׁלָמִים הַנִּשְׁחָטִים כָּל שִׁבְעָה כֻּלָּן בְּבַל תּוֹתִירוּ וְאֵינָן נֶאֱכָלִין אֶלָּא לְיוֹם וָלַיְלָה, לְכָךְ כָּתַב בערב ביום הראשון. דָּבָר אַחֵר בַּחֲגִיגַת י"ד הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, וְלִמֵּד עָלֶיהָ שֶׁנֶּאֱכֶלֶת לִשְׁנֵי יָמִים, וְהָרִאשׁוֹן הָאָמוּר כָּאן בְּיוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, וְכֵן מַשְׁמָעוּת הַמִּקְרָא – בְּשַׂר חֲגִיגָה אֲשֶׁר תִּזְבַּח בָּעֶרֶב לֹא יָלִין בְּיֹ"טֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן עַד בָּקְרוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁנִי, אֲבָל נֶאֱכֶלֶת הִיא בְאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר וּבַחֲמִשָׁה עָשָׂר, וְכָךְ הִיא שְׁנוּיָה בְמַסֶּכֶת פְּסָחִים (דף ע"א):
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| 5You shall not sacrifice the Passover offering within any of your cities, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. |
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הלֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לִזְבֹּ֣חַ אֶת־הַפָּ֑סַח בְּאַחַ֣ד שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ: |
| 6Except at the place which the Lord, your God, will choose to establish His Name-there you shall slaughter the Passover offering in the afternoon, as the sun sets, at the appointed time that you went out of Egypt. |
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וכִּי אִם־אֶל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לְשַׁכֵּ֣ן שְׁמ֔וֹ שָׁ֛ם תִּזְבַּ֥ח אֶת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בָּעָ֑רֶב כְּב֣וֹא הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ מוֹעֵ֖ד צֵֽאתְךָ֥ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם: |
| in the afternoon, as the sun sets, at the appointed time that you went out of Egypt. These are three separate times. Towards evening---after six hours slaughter it. At sunset eat it. At the time you left you burn it, meaning that it is disqualified as notar, and must be removed to the burning site. |
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בָּעָרֶב כְּבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מוֹעֵד צֵֽאתְךָ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם.
הֲרֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה זְמַנִּים חֲלוּקִים, בָּעֶרֶב מִשֵּׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת וּלְמַעְלָה זָבְחֵהוּ, וּכְבֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ תֹּאכְלֵהוּ, וּמוֹעֵד צֵאתְךָ אַתָּה שׂוֹרְפֵהוּ, כְּלוֹמַר נַעֲשֶׂה נוֹתָר וְיֵצֵא לְבֵית הַשְּׂרֵפָה (ספרי; ברכות ט'):
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| 7And you shall roast [it] and eat [it] in the place which the Lord, your God, will choose, and you shall turn away in the morning and go to your dwellings. |
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זוּבִשַּׁלְתָּ֙ וְאָ֣כַלְתָּ֔ בַּמָּק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּ֑וֹ וּפָנִ֣יתָ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֖ לְאֹֽהָלֶֽיךָ: |
| And you shall roast [it]. Heb. וּבִשַּׁלְתָּ. [Here] this term means “roasted in fire” (צְלִי אֵשׁ) (see Exod. 12:9), for roasting is also included in the general term of בִּשּׁוּל, “cooking.” |
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וּבִשַּׁלְתָּ.
זֶהוּ צְלִי אֵשׁ, שֶׁאַף הוּא קָרוּי בִּשּׁוּל:
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| and you shall turn away in the morning [and go to your dwellings]. [i.e.,] the morning of the second day [of Passover]. This teaches that [the pilgrim] is required to remain [in Jerusalem] the night when the Festival terminates. — [Sifrei ; Pes. 95b; Chag. 17a-b] |
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וּפָנִיתָ בַבֹּקֶר.
לְבָקְרוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁנִי, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁטָּעוּן לִינָה לֵיל שֶׁל מוֹצָאֵי י"ט (ספרי; פסחים צ"ה; חגיגה י"ז):
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| 8For six days you shall eat matzoth, and on the seventh day there shall be a halt to the Lord, your God. You shall not do any work [on it]. |
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חשֵׁ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים תֹּאכַ֣ל מַצּ֑וֹת וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י עֲצֶ֨רֶת֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה מְלָאכָֽה: |
| For six days you shall eat matzoth. But elsewhere it says, “For seven days [you shall eat matzoth]!” (Exod. 12:15). [The solution is:] For seven days you shall eat matzoth from the old [produce] and six days [i.e., the last six days, after the omer has been offered] you may eat matzoth prepared from the new [crop]. Another explanation: It teaches that the eating of matzoh on the seventh day of Passover is not obligatory, and from here you learn [that the same law applies] to the other six days [of the Festival], For the seventh day was included in a general statement [in the verse “For seven days you shall eat matzoth,” but in the verse: “Six days you shall eat matzoth”] it has been taken out of this general [statement], to teach us that eating matzoh [on the seventh day] is not obligatory, but optional. [Now we have aready learned that if something is singled out of a general statement, we apply the relevant principle not only to itself but to every thing included in the general category. Thus the seventh day] is excluded here not to teach regarding itself, rather to teach regarding the entire generalization [i.e., the entire seven days of the Festival]. Just as on the seventh day the eating of matzah is optional, so too, on all the other days, the eating of matzah is optional. The only exception is the first night [of Passover], which Scripture has explicitly established as obligatory, as it is said, “in the evening, you shall eat matzoth” (Exod. 12:18). - [Mechilta on Exod 12:18; Pes. 120a] |
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שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת.
וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר (שמות י"ב) הוּא אוֹמֵר "שִׁבְעַת יָמִים"? שִׁבְעָה מִן הַיָּשָׁן וְשִׁשָּׁה מִן הֶחָדָשׁ (ספרי; מנחות ס"ו); דָּבָר אַחֵר — לִמֵּד עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה בַּשְּׁבִיעִי שֶׁאֵינָהּ חוֹבָה, וּמִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד לְשֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי שְׁבִיעִי בִּכְלָל הָיָה וְיָצָא מִן הַכְּלָל לְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין אֲכִילַת מַצָּה בּוֹ חוֹבָה אֶלָּא רְשׁוּת, וְלֹא לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמוֹ יָצָא, אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד עַל הַכְּלָל כֻּלּוֹ יָצָא, מַה שְּׁבִיעִי רְשׁוּת אַף כֻּלָּם רְשׁוּת, חוּץ מִלַּיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהַכָּתוּב קְבָעוֹ חוֹבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות י"ב) "בָּעֶרֶב תֹּאכְלוּ מַצֹּת" (מכילתא; פסחים ק"כ):
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| [and on the seventh day there shall be] a halt to the Lord your God. עִצֶרֶת. Keep yourself back from work. Another explanation: [עִצֶרֶת means] a gathering for eating and drinking, as the expression, “Let us detain (נַעַצְרָה) you” (Judg. 13:15). |
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עֲצֶרֶת לה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ.
עֲצֹר עַצְמְךָ מִן הַמְּלָאכָה; דָּבָר אַחֵר — כְּנוּפְיָא שֶׁל מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה, לְשׁוֹן "נַעְצְרָה נָּא אוֹתָךְ" (שופטים י"ג):
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| 9You shall count seven weeks for yourself; from[the time] the sickle is first put to the standing crop, you shall begin to count seven weeks. |
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טשִׁבְעָ֥ה שָֽׁבֻעֹ֖ת תִּסְפָּר־לָ֑ךְ מֵֽהָחֵ֤ל חֶרְמֵשׁ֙ בַּקָּמָ֔ה תָּחֵ֣ל לִסְפֹּ֔ר שִׁבְעָ֖ה שָֽׁבֻעֽוֹת: |
| from [the time] the sickle is first put to the standing crop, [you shall begin to count seven weeks]. [I.e.,] from the time the omer is harvested [on the sixteenth of Nissan], which is the beginning of the harvest. — [see Lev . 23:10, Sifrei ; Men. 71a] |
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מֵֽהָחֵל חֶרְמֵשׁ בַּקָּמָה.
מִשֶּׁנִּקְצַר הָעֹמֶר שֶׁהוּא רֵאשִׁית הַקָּצִיר (עי' ספרי; מנחות ע"א):
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| 10And you shall perform the Festival of Weeks to the Lord, your God, the donation you can afford to give, according to how the Lord, your God, shall bless you. |
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יוְעָשִׂ֜יתָ חַ֤ג שָֽׁבֻעוֹת֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ מִסַּ֛ת נִדְבַ֥ת יָֽדְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתֵּ֑ן כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ: |
| the donation you can afford to give. [I.e.,] sufficient generous donation from you; according to the blessing [that God bestows upon you], bring peace offerings of happiness [these are extra peace offerings in addition to the Festival offerings] and invite guests to eat [with you]. |
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מִסַּת נִדְבַת יָֽדְךָ.
דֵּי נִדְבַת יָדְךָ, הַכֹּל לְפִי הַבְּרָכָה הָבֵא שַׁלְמֵי שִׂמְחָה וְקַדֵּשׁ קְרוּאִים לֶאֱכֹל:
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| 11And you shall rejoice before the Lord, your God, -you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite who is within your cities, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are among you, in the place which the Lord, your God, will choose to establish His Name therein. |
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יאוְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ֞ לִפְנֵ֣י | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אַתָּ֨ה וּבִנְךָ֣ וּבִתֶּ֘ךָ֘ וְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וַֽאֲמָתֶ֒ךָ֒ וְהַלֵּוִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ וְהַגֵּ֛ר וְהַיָּת֥וֹם וְהָֽאַלְמָנָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ בַּמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם: |
| the Levite… the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. [God says:] These are My four, corresponding to your four, [namely,] “Your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant.” If you shall gladden Mine, I will gladden yours. — [Midrash Aggadah, Midrash Hagadol. Compare Tanchuma 18, Pesikta d’Rav Kahana p.100a. Note that in incunabula editions, this comment of Rashi is connected to the preceding one: and invite guests to eat [with you]: the Levite… the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. [God says:] These are My four…] |
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לֵּוִי גֵּר יָּתוֹם וְאַלְמָנָה.
אַרְבָּעָה שֶׁלִּי כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה שֶׁלְּךָ – בנך ובתך ועבדך ואמתך, אִם אַתָּה מְשַׂמֵּחַ אֶת שֶׁלִּי אֲנִי מְשַׂמֵּחַ אֶת שֶׁלְּךָ:
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| 12And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall keep and perform these statutes. |
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יבוְזָ֣כַרְתָּ֔ כִּי־עֶ֥בֶד הָיִ֖יתָ בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֣ וְעָשִׂ֔יתָ אֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה: |
| And you shall remember that you were a slave [in Egypt]. On this condition did I redeem you [from Egypt], that you keep and perform these statutes. |
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וְזָכַרְתָּ כִּי־עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ וגו'.
עַל מְנָת כֵּן פְּדִיתִיךָ, שֶׁתִּשְׁמֹר וְתַעֲשֶׂה אֶת הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה:
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| 13You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat. |
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יגחַ֧ג הַסֻּכֹּ֛ת תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים בְּאָ֨סְפְּךָ֔ מִגָּרְנְךָ֖ וּמִיִּקְבֶֽךָ: |
| You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth…] when you gather in [the produce]-. [i.e.,] at the time of the ingathering, when you bring the summer fruits into the house. Another explanation: “when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat” (בְּאָסְפְּךָ מִגָּרְנְךָ וּמִיִּקְבֶךָ) teaches that we should cover the sukkah [only] with the waste products that come from the threshing floor and the vat [i.e., with things that have grown from the ground, have become detached, and are not susceptible to ritual uncleanness. Since they are not foods and are not vessels, they are not susceptible to spiritual uncleanness. - R.H. 13a; Suk. 12a] |
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בְּאָסְפְּךָ.
בִּזְמַן הָאָסִיף שֶׁאַתָּה מַכְנִיס לַבַּיִת פֵּרוֹת הַקַּיִץ; דָּבָר אַחֵר — באספך מגרנך ומיקבך, לִמֵּד שֶׁמְּסַכְּכִין אֶת הַסֻּכָּה בִּפְסֹלֶת גֹּרֶן וְיֶקֶב (ראש השנה י"ג; סוכה י"ב):
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| 14And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities. |
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ידוְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ֖ בְּחַגֶּ֑ךָ אַתָּ֨ה וּבִנְךָ֤ וּבִתֶּ֨ךָ֙ וְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וַֽאֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וְהַלֵּוִ֗י וְהַגֵּ֛ר וְהַיָּת֥וֹם וְהָֽאַלְמָנָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ: |
| 15Seven days you shall celebrate the Festival to the Lord, your God, in the place which the Lord shall choose, because the Lord, your God, will bless you in all your produce, and in all the work of your hands, and you will only be happy. |
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טושִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים תָּחֹג֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בַּמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֣י יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֞ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בְּכֹ֤ל תְּבוּאָֽתְךָ֙ וּבְכֹל֙ מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֔יךָ וְהָיִ֖יתָ אַ֥ךְ שָׂמֵֽחַ: |
| and you will only be happy. According to its simple meaning, this is not an expression denoting a command, but rather an expression of an assurance [i.e., I promise you that you will be happy]. But according to its oral interpretation, [our Rabbis] learned from this to include the night before the last day of the Festival for the obligation of rejoicing. — [see Suk. 48a; Sifrei] |
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וְהָיִיתָ אַךְ שָׂמֵֽחַ.
לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ אֵין זֶה לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן הַבְטָחָה, וּלְפִי תַלְמוּדוֹ לָמְדוּ מִכָּאן לְרַבּוֹת לֵילֵי יוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן לְשִׂמְחָה (שם מ"ח):
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| 16Three times in the year, every one of your males shall appear before the Lord, your God, in the place He will choose: on the Festival of Matzoth and on the Festival of Weeks, and on the Festival of Sukkoth, and he shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. |
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טזשָׁל֣וֹשׁ פְּעָמִ֣ים | בַּשָּׁנָ֡ה יֵֽרָאֶה֩ כָל־זְכ֨וּרְךָ֜ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְחָ֔ר בְּחַ֧ג הַמַּצּ֛וֹת וּבְחַ֥ג הַשָּֽׁבֻע֖וֹת וּבְחַ֣ג הַסֻּכּ֑וֹת וְלֹ֧א יֵֽרָאֶ֛ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה רֵיקָֽם: |
| and he shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. But bring burnt-offerings of appearance (עוֹלוֹת רְאִיָּה) [which are obligatory when appearing before the Lord in Jerusalem on the Festivals] and Festival peace-offerings. - [Chag. 8b] |
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וְלֹא יֵֽרָאֶה אֶת־פְּנֵי ה' רֵיקָֽם.
אֶלָּא הָבֵא עוֹלוֹת רְאִיָּה וְשַׁלְמֵי חֲגִיגָה:
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| 17[Every] man [shall bring] as much as he can afford, according to the blessing of the Lord, your God, which He has given you. |
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יזאִ֖ישׁ כְּמַתְּנַ֣ת יָד֑וֹ כְּבִרְכַּ֛ת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ: |
| [Every] man [shall bring] as much as he can afford. One who has many eaters [i.e., a large family] and many possessions should bring many burnt-offerings and many peace-offerings. — [Sifrei; Chag. 8b] |
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אִישׁ כְּמַתְּנַת יָדוֹ.
מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אוֹכְלִין הַרְבֵּה וּנְכָסִים מְרֻבִּין יָבִיא עוֹלוֹת מְרֻבּוֹת וּשְׁלָמִים מְרֻבִּים (ספרי; חגיגה ח'):
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| 18You shall set up judges and law enforcement officials for yourself in all your cities that the Lord, your God, is giving you, for your tribes, and they shall judge the people [with] righteous judgment. |
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יחשֹֽׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּתֶּן־לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ וְשָֽׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִשְׁפַּט־צֶֽדֶק: |
| Judges and law-enforcement officials. Heb. שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים. שֹׁפְטִים are judges who decide the verdict, and שֹׁטְרִים are those who chastise the people in compliance with their order, (who strike and bind [not found in early editions]) with rods and straps, until he [the guilty party] accepts the judge’s verdict. |
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שֹֽׁפְטִים וְשֹֽׁטְרִים.
שׁוֹפְטִים – דַּיָּנִים הַפּוֹסְקִים אֶת הַדִּין, וְשׁוֹטְרִים – הָרוֹדִין אֶת הָעָם אַחַר מִצְוָתָם (שֶׁמַּכִּין וְכוֹפְתִין) בְּמַקֵּל וּבִרְצוּעָה עַד שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו אֶת דִּין הַשּׁוֹפֵט:
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| in all your cities. Heb. בְּכָל-שְׁעָרֶיךָ, in every city. |
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בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶיךָ.
בְּכָל עִיר וָעִיר:
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| for your tribes. [This phrase] refers back to “You shall set up… for yourself.” Thus, the understanding of the verse is “You shall set up judges and law-enforcement officials for yourself, for your tribes, in all your cities that the Lord, your God, is giving you.” |
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לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ.
מוּסָב עַל תתן לך – שׁוֹפְטִים וְשׁוֹטְרִים תִּתֶּן לְךָ לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ:
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| for your tribes. This teaches us that judges must be appointed for every tribe, and for every city. — [Sifrei, San. 16b] |
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לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ.
מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמּוֹשִׁיבִין דַּיָּנִין לְכָל שֵׁבֶט וָשֵׁבֶט וּבְכָל עִיר וָעִיר (ספרי; סנהדרין ט"ז):
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| and they shall judge the people [with] righteous judgment. Appoint judges who are expert and righteous so that they will judge justly. — [from Sifrei] |
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וְשָֽׁפְטוּ אֶת־הָעָם וגו'.
מַנֵּה דַּיָּנִין מֻמְחִים וְצַדִּיקִים לִשְׁפֹּט צֶדֶק (עי' ספרי):
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| 19You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show favoritism, and you shall not take a bribe, for bribery blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts just words. |
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יטלֹֽא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹֽא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם: |
| You shall not pervert justice. [This is to be understood] according to its apparent meaning. |
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לֹֽא־תַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט.
כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:
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| you shall not show favoritism. Even during the statement of pleas [by the litigants]. This is an admonition addressed to the judge, that he should not be lenient with one litigant and harsh with the other, [e.g., ordering] one to stand [while allowing] the other to sit, because as soon as one notices that the judge is showing more respect toward his opponent, he cannot plead his case any longer [because he thinks that it will be of no use]. |
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לֹֽא־תַכִּיר פָּנִים.
אַף בִּשְׁעַת הַטְּעָנוֹת; אַזְהָרָה לַדַּיָּן שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא רַךְ לָזֶה וְקָשֶׁה לָזֶה, אֶחָד עוֹמֵד וְאֶחָד יוֹשֵׁב, לְפִי שֶׁכְּשֶׁרוֹאֶה זֶה שֶׁהַדַּיָּן מְכַבֵּד אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ מִסְתַּתְּמִין טַעֲנוֹתָיו:
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| and you shall not take a bribe. Even [if you intend] to judge justly - [from Sifrei]. |
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וְלֹֽא־תִקַּח שֹׁחַד.
אֲפִלּוּ לִשְׁפֹּט צֶדֶק (ספרי):
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| for bribery blinds. As soon as he [the judge] accepts a bribe from him [a litigant], it is impossible for him not to be favorably disposed towards him, to decide the judgment in his favor. |
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כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר.
מִשֶּׁקִּבֵּל שֹׁחַד מִמֶּנּוּ אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא יַטֶּה אֶת לִבּוֹ אֶצְלוֹ לַהֲפֹךְ בִּזְכוּתוֹ:
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| just words. Heb. דִּבְרי צַדִּיקִים, just words, true judgments. |
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דִּבְרֵי צדיקים.
דְּבָרִים הַמְצֻדָּקִים – מִשְׁפְּטֵי אֱמֶת:
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| 20Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live and possess the land the Lord, your God, is giving you. |
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כצֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָֽרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ: |
| Justice, justice shall you pursue. Seek out a good court. (Sifrei; San. 32b) |
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צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף.
הַלֹּךְ אַחַר בֵּית דִּין יָפֶה (ספרי; סנהדרין ל"ב):
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| that you may live, and you possess [the land]. The appointment of fitting judges is sufficient merit to keep Israel alive and settled in their land. — [from Sifrei] |
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לְמַעַן תִּֽחְיֶה וְיָֽרַשְׁתָּ.
כְּדַאי הוּא מִנּוּי הַדַּיָּנִין הַכְּשֵׁרִים לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְהוֹשִׁיבָן עַל אַדְמָתָן (ספרי):
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| 21You shall not plant for yourself an asherah, [or] any tree, near the altar of the Lord, your God, which you shall make for yourself. |
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כאלֹֽא־תִטַּ֥ע לְךָ֛ אֲשֵׁרָ֖ה כָּל־עֵ֑ץ אֵ֗צֶל מִזְבַּ֛ח יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ: |
| You shall not plant for yourself an asherah. [This admonition is] to make one liable [to punishment] from the time of planting it, and even though he did not worship it, he transgresses a prohibition for its planting. — [from Sifrei] |
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לֹֽא־תִטַּע לְךָ אֲשֵׁרָה.
לְחַיְּבוֹ עָלֶיהָ מִשְּׁעַת נְטִיעָתָהּ, וַאֲפִלּוּ לֹא עֲבָדָהּ עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה עַל נְטִיעָתָהּ (שם):
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| You shall not plant…any tree, near the altar of the Lord your God. This is a prohibition addressed to one who plants a tree or builds a house on the Temple Mount. — [Sifrei] |
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לֹֽא־תִטַּע לְךָ אֲשֵׁרָה כָּל־עֵץ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ.
אַזְהָרָה לְנוֹטֵעַ אִילָן וּלְבוֹנֶה בַיִת בְּהַר הַבַּיִת:
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| 22And you shall not set up for yourself a monument, which the Lord, your God hates. |
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כבוְלֹֽא־תָקִ֥ים לְךָ֖ מַצֵּבָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׂנֵ֖א יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ: |
| And you shall not set up for yourself any monument. A monument of one stone, to sacrifice on it even to Heaven. |
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וְלֹֽא־תָקִים לְךָ מַצֵּבָה.
מַצֶּבֶת אֶבֶן אַחַת לְהַקְרִיב עָלֶיהָ אֲפִלּוּ לַשָּׁמַיִם:
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| which [the Lord your God] hates. God has commanded you to make an altar of stones and an altar of earth. This, however, He hates, because this was a [religious] statute of the Canaanites, and although it was dear to Him in the days of the Patriarchs, now He hates it, since these [people] made it a statute for idolatry. (See Sifrei) |
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אֲשֶׁר שָׂנֵא.
מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים וּמִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה צִוָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת, וְאֶת זוֹ שָׂנֵא, כִּי חֹק הָיְתָה לַכְּנַעֲנִיִּים, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיְתָה אֲהוּבָה לוֹ בִּימֵי הָאָבוֹת, עַכְשָׁיו שְׂנֵאָהּ מֵאַחַר שֶׁעֲשָׂאוּהָ אֵלּוּ חֹק לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה (עי' שם):
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