Mishnat Pesahim

Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen in all your territory.

In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, there shall be a passover offering to the Lord, and on the fifteenth day of that month the Lord's Feast of Unleavened Bread. You shall eat unleavened bread for seven days.

On the light [evening] of the fourteenth they search for hametz by the light of a lamp. Every place into which hametz is not brought does not require searching.

So why did they say: "two rows of the wine cellar"? A place into which hametz might be taken.

Bet Shammai say: two rows over the front of the whole cellar and Bet Hillel say: the two outer rows, which are the uppermost.

The search for the hametz should not be other than on the night of the 14th even though hametz is not forbidden to eat until midday of the 14th as will be explained. . . .

And the night is called "light" [or] in the manner that many things are called by their opposite. It did this order to speak in exalted language so that the tractate should not begin by speaking of absolute emptiness, that is to say, night.

On the "light" of the fourteenth they search for hametz by the light of a lamp.

One does not search by the light of the sun nor by the light of the moon but by the light of a candle, for searching with a candle is more beautiful and even though there is no proof of this there is a hint of it: “It will be that at that time, I will search out Jerusalem with lamps” (Zeph. 1:12), and, “The lamp of God is the soul of man” (Prov. 20:27).

One need not fear that a weasel may have dragged from one house to another or from one place to another. For, if so, also from courtyard to courtyard and from town to town, and there would be no end to the matter.

Rabbi Judah says one searches on the light [evening] of the fourteenth and on the morning of the fourteenth, and at the time of burning.

The sages say someone who did not search on the light of the fourteenth must search during the fourteenth; if he did not search during the fourteenth, he must search during the festival; if he did not search during the festival, he must search after the festival. And what he leaves he must put away in a hidden place, so that he should not need searching after it.

Rabbi Meir says: one eats during the entire five and burns at the beginning of six.

Rabbi Judah says: one eats during the entire four, suspends during the whole of the fifth, and burns at the beginning of six.

The dispute of Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Meir says that one can eat all the time that it is permissible to eat, and Rabbi Yehuda states that a there is a decree not to eat during the fifth hour because the day might be cloudy and one might make a mistake about one hour.

And the halakhah is according to Rabbi Yehuda.

Rabbi Judah also said: two unfit loaves of thanksgiving used to lie on the roof of the portico: as long as they lay there all the people ate.

When one was removed, they were in suspense, not eating and no burning.

When both of them were removed, all the people began to burn.

Rabban Gamaliel says: hullin is eaten during the entire four, and terumah during the entire five and they burn at the beginning of six.

It is prohibited to eat and derive benefit from leftover sacrifices, and the punishment is karet.

And it is prohibited to eat and derive benefit from hametz, and the punishment is karet.

Just as leftover sacrifices require burning, so too, hametz requires burning.

Rabbi Yehuda went back with a different argument. Leftover sacrifices are included in "you shall not leave over". And hametz is included in "you shall not leave over". Just as leftover acrifices are subject to burning, so too, leavened bread is subject to burning.

Rabbi Hanina the deputy-head of the priests says: during the days of the priests they never refrained from burning meat which had been defiled by a second-order uncleanness with meat which had been defiled by a first-order uncleanness, even though doing so adds uncleanness to its uncleanness.

Rabbi Akiva added and said: during the days of the priests they never refrain from lighting oil which had been made unfit by a tevul yom in a lamp which had been defiled by one who had contracted corpse impurity, even though doing so adds uncleanness to its uncleanness.

Rabbi Meir said: from their words we learn that we may burn clean terumah together with unclean on Pesah.

Rabbi Yose said: that is not an analogy and Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Joshua agree that each is burnt separately.

Concerning what do they disagree? In respect of the doubtful and the unclean: Rabbi Eliezer says each is burnt separately and Rabbi Joshua says both together.

As long as one is permitted to eat, one may feed to cattle, beasts and birds, and one may sell to a gentile, and benefit from it is permitted.

When its time has passed benefit from it is forbidden, and one may not fire an oven or a stove with it.

Rabbi Judah says: there is no removal of chametz except by burning; But the sages say: he may also crumble it and throw it to the wind or cast it into the sea.

Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen for you, and no leaven shall be seen for you in all your territory.

Gaining benefit from hametz belonging to a non-Jew which has gone through Passover is permitted; if it belonged to a Jew it's forbidden, as it is said, “No leaven shall be seen for you. . .”

If a non-Jew made a loan to a Jew secured on his hametz, gaining benefit from it is permitted after Passover.

If a Jew made a loan to a non-Jew secured on his hametz, gaining benefit from it is forbidden after Passover.

If a building collapsed onto hametz, it is as if it had been removed. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says, anything that a dog cannot search out.

Someone who eats hametz terumah by mistake on Passover must repay the principal plus a fifth.

On purpose, he is exempt from payment and from its value as fuel.

Five species are subject to hallah: wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye. These are subject to hallah, and they can be mixed one with another [as one quantity].

And their “new” is prohibited prior to Pesah, as is their reaping prior to the Omer.

If they took root prior to the Omer, the omer permits them. If not, they are prohibited until the next Omer has come.

If someone has eaten an olive-size piece of matzah from them on Pesah he has fulfilled his obligation.

If an olive-size of piece of hametz, he is liable for karet. If one of them became mixed with any other species, it is a transgression on Pesah.

Someone who has vowed to abstain from bread and harvest is prohibited from consuming them, according to Rabbi Meir. The sages say: someone who has vowed to abstain from dagan, is prohibited only from these.

They are subject to hallah and tithes.

You shall not eat anything leavened with it; for seven days thereafter you shall eat unleavened bread, bread of distress—for you departed from the land of Egypt hurriedly—so that you may remember the day of your departure from the land of Egypt as long as you live.

These are the things with which they fulfill their obligation on Pesah: with wheat, with barley, with spelt, with rye, and with oats.

And they fulfill the obligation with demai, with first tithe whose terumah has been separated, and with second tithe or sanctified property which have been redeemed; and priests with hallah and terumah.

But not with untithed produce, nor with first tithe whose terumah has not been separated, nor with second tithe or sanctified property which have not been redeemed.

Loaves of the thanksgiving offering and the wafers of a nazirite: if he made them for himself, they cannot fulfill their obligation with them; if he made them to sell in the market, they can fulfill it with them.

Rebbi Mana said, I went to Caesarea and heard Rebbi Aḥava ben Zeˋora who said, my father said in the name of Rebbi Ishmael: “bread” is mentioned for Passover and “bread” is mentioned for ḥallah. Just as bread mentioned for Passover is something that can be either matzah or hametz, bread mentioned for ḥallah must be something that can be either matzah or hametz.

They checked and found that only the five kinds can be either matzah or hametz; all other grains do not become matzah or hametz but become spoiled.

And these are the herbs with which one discharges his obligation on Pesah: with lettuce [hazeret]; with chicory [olshin]; with wild chicory [tamkah]; with picridium [harhavina], and with sonchus [maror].

They fulfill their obligation whether they are moist or dry, but not preserved, nor stewed nor boiled.

And they combine to the size of an olive [25 ml]. And they fulfill their obligation with their stalk and with demai, and with first tithe from which terumah has been separated, and second tithe and sacred property which have been redeemed.

One may not soak bran for fowls, but one may scald it.

A woman may not soak bran to take with her to the bathhouse, but she may rub it on her flesh dry.

A man may not chew wheat and place it on his wound, because it turns into chametz.

One may not put flour into haroset or into mustard. If he did it must be eaten immediately, and Rabbi Meir forbids.

One may not cook the Pesah sacrifice in liquids or in fruit juice but one may baste and dip it with them.

Water used by a baker must be poured out, because it causes leavening.

These are removed [transgress?] on Pesah: Babylonian kutah, Medean beer, Edomite vinegar, Egyptian zitom, dyer’s broth, cook’s dough, and the scribes’ paste.

Rabbi Eliezer says: women’s ornaments too. This is the general rule: whatever is of a species of grain must be removed on Pesah. These are subject to a warning but they do not involve karet.

Babylonian kutah - it's made from mouldy bread and milk. They would dip foods into it.

Dough in the cracks of the kneading trough: if there is as much as an olive in one place, one must remove it and if not it is nullified through its smallness.

Similarly in the matter of uncleanness.

[outside Passover] If he objects to it, it interposes; but if he wants it to remain it is like the kneading-trough.

With “deaf” dough, if there is some similar which has become hametz, it is forbidden.

How do they separate hallah on a festival in a state of uncleanness?

Rabbi Eliezer says: she should not designate it until it is baked.

Rabbi Judah ben Batera says: she should put it into cold water.

Rabbi Joshua said: this is not the hametz about which we are warned, “No leavened bread shall be seen for you, and no leaven shall be seen for you”. Rather she separates it and leaves it until the evening, and if it ferments it ferments.

Rabban Gamaliel says: three women may knead at the same time and bake in one oven, one after the other.

And the sages say: three women may be engaged with the dough at the same time: one kneads, one shapes and one bakes.

Rabbi Akiba says: not all women and not all kinds of wood and not all ovens are alike. This is the general principle: if it rises, she should dunk it with cold water.

Si’ur must be burnt and he who eats it is exempt.

Sadduk must be burnt and he who eats it is liable for karet.

What is si'ur? Like locusts’ horns. Sadduk is when the cracks have intermingled with each other, according toRabbi Judah.

And the sages say, for both of them someone eats it is liable for karet.

And what is si'ur? When its face is blanched, like a man whose hair is standing up.

If the fourteenth falls on Shabbat, they remove everything before Shabbat, according to Rabbi Meir.

And the sages say: at its time. Rabbi Eleazar bar Zadok says: terumah before Shabbat, and regular food [hullin] at its time.

Someone who is on his way to slaughter his Pesah sacrifice or to circumcise his son or to dine at a betrothal feast at the house of his father-in-law, and remembers that he has hametz at home - if he is able to go back, destroy it, and return to his mitzvah, he must go back and destroy it but, if not, he annuls it in his heart.

To save from non-Jews or from a river or from robbers or from a fire or from a collapsed building, he annuls it in his heart.

To establish a voluntary Shabbat station [eruv tehumim​​​​​​​], he must return immediately.

And similarly, someone who went out of Jerusalem and remembered that he had holy meat with him - if he has passed Scopus, he burns it where he is; but if not, he returns and burns it in front of the Temple with the wood of the altar pile.

And for what quantity must they return? Rabbi Meir says: for both, like an egg; Rabbi Judah says: for both, like an olive; and the sages say: holy meat, like an olive and hametz, like an egg.

The firstborn offering, the animal tithe offering, and the Paschal offering are offerings of lesser sanctity. Their slaughter is anywhere in the Temple courtyard, and their blood requires one placement, provided that the priest places it so that the blood goes on the base of the altar.

They differ with regard to their eating. The firstborn offering is eaten by the priests, and the animal tithe offering is eaten by any person. And they are eaten throughout the city of Jerusalem, prepared in any manner of food preparation, for two days and one night.

The Pesah offering is eaten only at night, and it is eaten only until midnight, and it is eaten only by its registrants, and it is eaten only roasted.

On the eve of Pesah close to minhah one must not eat until nightfall.

And even the poorest person in Israel must not eat without reclining.

And they should not give him fewer than four cups of wine, even from the soup-kitchen.

Say, therefore, to the people of Israel: I am the LORD.

(1)I will bring you out from the labors of the Egyptians and (2) save you from their bondage. (3) I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary chastisements. (4) I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God. And you shall know that I, the LORD, am your God who freed you from the labors of the Egyptians.

(5) And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for an inheritance, I am the LORD.”

They mixed him the first cup: Bet Shammai says he blesses over the day and then over the wine and Bet Hillel says he blesses over the wine and then over the day.

They bring before him; he dips in lettuce until he reaches the appetizer that precedes the bread.

They bring before him matzah, lettuce, haroset and two dishes, even though the haroset is not a mitzvah.

Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Zadok says: it is a mitzvah.

And in the Temple they bring before him the body of the pesah.

They mixed him the second cup, and here the son asks.

If the son lacks knowledge, his father teaches him: How is this night different from all other nights!

On all other nights we don't even dip once, tonight twice.

On all other nights we eat hametz and matzah, tonight only matzah.

On all other nights we eat other vegetables, tonight only bitter herbs.

On all other nights, we eat meat roasted, boiled or cooked, tonight only roasted.

According to the intellect of the son does the father instruct him. He begins with shame and concludes with praise; and interprets from “My father was a wandering Aramean” (Deuteronomy 26:5-10) until he completes the whole section.

You shall recite as follows before the Lord your God:

(1) My father was a wandering Aramean. He went down to Egypt with meager numbers and sojourned there; but there he became a great and very populous nation.

(2) The Egyptians dealt harshly with us and oppressed us; they imposed heavy labor upon us.

(3) We cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our plea and saw our plight, our misery, and our oppression.

(4) The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and awesome power, and by signs and portents. . . .

(5) And he brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Rabban Gamaliel used to say: whoever does not make mention of these three things on Pesah does not fulfill his duty. And these are they: pesah, matzah, and bitter herbs.

The pesah because the Omnipresent passed over the houses of our fathers in Egypt.

The bitter herb because the Egyptians embittered the lives of our fathers in Egypt.

The matzah because our fathers were redeemed.

Therefore it is our duty to thank, praise, laud, glorify, raise up, beautify, bless, extol, and adore Him who made all these miracles for our fathers and ourselves; He brought us forth from slavery into freedom, from sorrow into joy, from mourning into festivity, from darkness into great light, and from servitude into redemption. Let us say before him, Hallelujah!

What is the difference between the first Pesah and the second? . . . .The first requires Hallel when it is eaten, while the second does not require Hallel when it is eaten.

Both require Hallel when they are sacrificed, and they are eaten roasted with matzah and bitter herbs, and they override Shabbat.

How far does one recite it? Bet Shammai say, until “A joyous mother of children” (Psalms 113:9) and Bet Hillel say, until “Flint into a fountain of waters” (Psalms 114:8) and he concludes the blessing with redemption.

Rabbi Tarfon says: “Who redeemed us and redeemed our fathers from Egypt”, but he did not seal with a blessing.

Rabbi Akiva says: “So may the Lord our God and the God of our fathers bring us to other appointed times and festivals which come towards us for peace, rejoicing in the rebuilding of Your city and glad in Your service, and there we will eat of the sacrifices and the pesahim . . . etc." until “Blessed are You who has redeemed Israel.”

They poured him a third cup and he blesses over his meal.

A fourth, he concludes the Hallel with it, and recites over it the blessing of the song.

Between these cups if he wants he may drink; between the third and the fourth he may not drink.

[Munich manuscript - our Vilna edition follows Rashi]

"A fourth, he concludes the Hallel with it, and recites over it the blessing of the song."

What is the blessing of the song? Rav Yehuda said, "They shall praise You, Lord, our God" and Rabbi Yoḥanan said, "The breath of all living things".

A fifth, he recites over it the Great Hallel, according to Rabbi Tarfon, and some say, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”.

From where is the Great Hallel ? Rabbi Yehuda says: From “Give thanks to the Lord” (Psalms 136:1) until “The rivers of Babylon” (Psalms 137:1).

And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: From “A song of ascents” (Psalms 134:1) until “The rivers of Babylon.”

Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: From “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself” (Psalms 135:4) until “The rivers of Babylon.”

We use this text: "On the fourth, one completes Hallel and recites the Great Hallel.'

A fourth, he recites over it the Great Hallel - we use the text fourth, not fifth.

Afterwards, he washes his hands and recites the grace after meals over a third cup and drinks it.
Afterwards, he pours out a fourth cup and completes the Hallel over it, reciting upon it the blessing of the song—i.e., "May all Your works praise You, God...".

And he recites the blessing, borey pri hagefen, and afterwards does not taste anything except water throughout the entire night.
And he may mix a fifth cup and recite over it "the great Hallel" - i.e., from "Give thanks to God, for He is good" until "By the rivers of Babylon." This cup is not obligatory like the four cups.
He may complete the Hallel wherever hee desires, even though it is not the place of the meal.

One may not add afikoman after the pesah.

If some of them fell asleep, they may eat; if all of them, they may not eat.

Rabbi Jose says: if they snoozed, they may eat, but if they fell asleep, they may not eat.

What is then left [notar] of the flesh of the sacrifice shall be consumed in fire on the third day.

If any of the flesh of the sacrifice of whole-offering is eaten on the third day, it shall not be acceptable; it shall not count for the one who offered it. It is an offensive thing [pigul​​], and the person who eats of it shall bear the guilt.

The pesah makes the hands impure midnight. Pigul and notar makes the hands impure.

If he recited the blessing for the pesah, he thereby exempts the hagigah sacrifice.

If he recited the blessing for the sacrifice, he does not exempt the pesah, according to Rabbi Ishmael.

Rabbi Akiva says: one does not exempt the other, nor vice versa.

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

Speak to the Israelite people, saying: When any of you or of your generations who are defiled by a corpse or are on a long journey would offer a passover sacrifice to the LORD.

They shall offer it in the second month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, and they shall not leave any of it over until morning.

They shall not break a bone of it. They shall offer it in strict accord with the law of the passover sacrifice.

But if a man who is clean and not on a journey refrains from offering the passover sacrifice, that person shall be cut off from his kin, for he did not present the LORD’s offering at its set time; that man shall bear his guilt.

Someone who was unfit or on a long journey and did not keep the first must keep the second.

If he made a mistake or was prevented and did not keep the first, he must keep the second.

If so, why does it specify “unfit” and “on a long journey”? Those are not liable to karet, whereas these are liable to karet.

What is “a long journey”? From Modi’im and beyond, and the same distance in every direction, according to Rabbi Akiva.

Rabbi Eliezer says: from the threshold of the Temple court and beyond.

Rabbi Yose said to him: for that reason the heh has a dot on it in order to say, not because it is really far-off, but from the threshold of the Temple court and beyond.

What is the difference between the first Pesah and the second?

The first has the prohibitions of "shall not be seen and "shall not be found", while at the second one matzah and hametz are both in the house with him.

The first requires Hallel when it is eaten, while the second does not require Hallel when it is eaten.

But both require Hallel when they are sacrificed, and they are both eaten roasted with matzah and bitter herbs, and they both override Shabbat.

If the community or the majority of it was unfit, or if the priests were unfit and the community pure, they make it in impurity.

If a minority of the community were unfit: those who are clean observe the first, while those who are unfit observe the second.

The community is unfit – through defilement with the dead, for the Passover is not postponed because of the defilement other than from defilement with the dead (Zevahim 22b).

The pesah which comes in impurity: those with an emission, menstruants and women after childbirth do not eat from it but, if they did, they are exempt from karet.

Rabbi Eliezer exempts them even for entering the sanctuary.

What is the difference between the pesah in Egypt and the pesah of subsequent generations?

The pesah in Egypt was taken on the tenth and it required sprinkling with a bunch of hyssop on the lintel and on the two door-posts, and it was eaten in haste on one night, whereas the the pesah of subsequent generations is kept all seven days.

On one night, whereas the the pesah of subsequent generations is kept all seven days.

Our Mishnah is deficient and it should be read as follows: it is eaten in haste in one night and its fermentation/leavening during the whole day, but with regard to the pesah for subsequent generations, its fermentation/leavening is for all seven days.

For in the pesah of Egypt, it is written (Leviticus 13:3-4): “No leavened bread shall be eaten. You go free on this day in the month of Aviv”.

We declare that hametz is only not eaten on the day when you leave Egypt.

Rabbi Joshua said: I have heard that the substitute of a pesah is sacrificed, and that the substitute of a pesah is not sacrificed, and I cannot explain.

Rabbi Akiva said: I will explain.

The pesah which was found before the slaughtering of the pesah must be left to graze until it becomes unfit, and then it may be sold, and one buys a peace-offering with the money; and the same applies to its substitute.

After the slaughtering of the pesah, it is offered as a peace-offering, and the same applies to its substitute.

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you.

Speak to the whole community of Israel and say that on the tenth of this month each of them shall take a lamb to a family, a lamb to a household.

But if the household is too small for a lamb, let him share one with a neighbor who dwells nearby, in proportion to the number of persons: you shall contribute for the lamb according to what each household will eat.

Your lamb shall be without blemish, a one-year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

If a man sets aside a female for his pesah or a two-year old male, it should be left to graze until it becomes unfit, then it should be sold, and its money is spent on a voluntary sacrifice.

If a man separates his pesah and dies, his son after him should not bring it as a pesah but rather as a peace-offering.

If a pesah became mixed up with other types of sacrifices, they all graze until they become unfit, then they are sold, and then he must bring a replacement worth the price of the best of them for this type, and a replacement worth the price of the best of them for that type, and he loses the remainder from his own pocket.

If it became mixed up with first-borns: Rabbi Shimon says: if it was a company of priests, then they eat.

The first-born, the tithe, and the Paschal offering are offerings of lesser sanctity. Their slaughter is anywhere in the Temple courtyard, and their blood requires one placement, provided that he places it on the base of the altar. . . .The Paschal offering is eaten only at night, and it is eaten only until midnight, and it is eaten only by its registrants, and it is eaten only roasted.

A company lost their pesah and they said to one of them, “Go and seek it, and slaughter it on our behalf”; and he went, found, and slaughtered it, and they also took an animal and slaughtered.

If his was slaughtered first, he eats of his and they eat with him. And if theirs was slaughtered first, they eat of theirs, while he eats of his. And if it is unknown which of them was slaughtered first, or if they slaughtered both at the same time, he eats of his, but they may not eat with him; while theirs goes forth to the place of burning, and they are exempt from keeping the second Pesah.

If he said to them, “If I delay, go forth and slaughter on my behalf", and he went, found, and slaughtered it, and they also took an animal and slaughtered.

If theirs was slaughtered first, they eat of theirs while he eats with them; And if his was slaughtered first, he eats of his and they eat of theirs. And if it is unknown which of them was slaughtered first, or if they slaughtered both of them at the same time, they eat of theirs, but he may not eat with them, while his goes forth to the place of burning, and he is exempt from keeping the second Pesah.

If he said to them, and they said to him: they all eat of the first and if it is unknown which of them was slaughtered first, both go forth to the place of burning.

If he did not say to them and they did not say to him, they are not responsible for each other.

Two companies whose pesah sacrifices became mixed up: these take possession of one and those take possession of one.

One member of these joins those, and one member of those joins these, and thus they declare:

If this pesah is ours, your hands are withdrawn from your own and you are registered for ours; while if this pesah is yours, our hands are withdrawn from ours and we are registered for yours.

Similarly, if there are five companies consisting of five members each or of ten each, they draw one from each company and say the same.

If two people mixed up their pesah sacrifices, each one takes one animal and each one registers someone from the marketplace with him.

This one goes over to that one and that one goes over to this one, and thus they declare: “If this pesah is mine, your hands are withdrawn from yours and you are registered for mine; while if this pesah is yours, my hands are withdrawn from mine and I am registered for yours.”

"If two people mixed up their pesah sacrifices."

Let us say that the mishna is not in accordance with Rabbi Yehuda, as it was taught, "The verse, “And if the household be too little for a lamb” (Exodus 12:4) teaches that the members of the group may keep becoming "littler" provided one of the original members of the group remains; this is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda."

Rabbi Yosei says: provided they do not leave the Paschal lamb unattended.

We will return to you, Tractate Pesahim, and you will return to us; our mind is on you, Tractate Pesahim, and your mind is on us;

We will not forget you, Tractate Pesahim, and you will not forget us – not in this world and not in the next world.