Mishnah Pesachim

1 On the evening of the fourteenth of Nisan they search the house for chametz by the light of a lamp. Every place into which chametz is not brought does not require searching. So why did they rule: two rows of the wine cellar must be searched? This is actually a place into which chametz might be taken. Bet Shammai say: two rows over the front of the whole cellar. But Bet Hillel say: the two outer rows, which are the at the top.

2 They need not fear that a weasel may have dragged chametz from one room to another or from one place to another, for if so, they must also fear from courtyard to courtyard and from town to town, and there would be no end to the matter.

3 Rabbi Judah says: they search on the evening of the fourteenth and in the morning of the fourteenth, and at the time for destroying chametz. But the sages say: if he did not search in the evening of the fourteenth he must search on the fourteenth. If he did not search in the morning of 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 over he must put away in a hidden place, so that he will not need to search for it.

4 Rabbi Meir says: one may eat chametz the whole of the fifth hour and must burn it at the beginning of the sixth. Rabbi Judah says: one may eat the whole of the fourth hour, leave it uneaten the whole of the fifth, and must burn it at the beginning of the sixth.

5 Rabbi Judah further said: two unfit loaves of thanksgiving used to lie on the roof of the Temple portico: as long as they lay there all the people would eat chametz. When one was removed, they would leave it uneaten, neither eating nor burning it. When both were removed, all the people began to burn their chametz. Rabban Gamaliel says: non-sacred chametz may be eaten the whole of the fourth hour and terumah the whole of the fifth hour and they burn them at the beginning of the sixth hour.

6 Rabbi Hanina the deputy high priest says: throughout the days of the priests they never refrained from burning sacrificial meat that had been defiled by an offspring of uncleanness with meat that had been defiled by a father of uncleanness, even though they add uncleanness to its uncleanness. Rabbi Akiva added and said: throughout all the days of the priests they did not refrain from lighting oil that had been rendered unclean by a tevul yom in a lamp that had been made unclean by one who had contracted corpse impurity, even though they add uncleanness to its uncleanness.

7 Rabbi Meir said: from their words we learn that we may burn clean terumah together with unclean terumah on Pesah. Rabbi Yose said: that is not a proper analogy. And Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Joshua agree that each is burned separately. What do they disagree about? About doubtful terumah and unclean terumah: Rabbi Eliezer says: each is burned separately. But Rabbi Joshua rules: both together.

1 Any hour in which one is permitted to eat chametz, one may feed it to cattle, beasts and birds, and one may sell it to a gentile, and benefit from it is permitted. When its time has passed benefit from it is forbidden, and he may not even 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.

2 Chametz which belongs to a gentile over which Pesach has passed is permitted for benefit. But chametz belonging to an Israelite is forbidden for benefit, as it is said, “No leavened bread shall be seen with you.”Exodus 13:7

3 If a gentile lent money to an Israelite on his chametz, after Pesah it is permitted for use. But if an Israelite lent money to a gentile on his chametz, after Pesah it is prohibited for use. If ruins fell on chametz it is as if it has been removed. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: provided that a dog cannot dig it out.

4 One who unwittingly eats terumah chametz on Pesah must repay to a priest the principal plus a fifth. Intentionally, he is exempt from payment and from liability for its value as fuel.

5 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 can fulfill their obligation with hallah and terumah. But not with untithed produce, or with first tithe whose terumah has not been separated, or 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 their obligation with them.

6 And these are the herbs with which one fulfills his obligation on Pesah: with lettuce hazaret. 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 in vinegar, nor stewed nor boiled. And they combine to the size of an olive. And they fulfill their obligation with their stalks. And with demai, and with first tithe from which terumah has been separated, and second tithe and sacred property which have been redeemed.

7 One may not soak bran for poultry, but one may scald it. A woman may not soak bran to take with her to the bathhouse, but she may rub dry bran on her skin. And a man may not chew wheat and place it on his wound, because it turns into chametz.

8 One may not put flour into haroset or into mustard. And if he did put it, it must be eaten immediately. But Rabbi Meir forbids it. One may not boil the Pesah sacrifice, neither in liquids nor in fruit juice but one may baste and dip it in them. The water used by a baker must be poured out, because it causes leavening.

1 These must be removed on Pesah: Babylonian kutah, Medean beer, Idumean vinegar, Egyptian zitom, The dyer’s pulp, 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.

2 With regard to the dough in the cracks of the kneading trough: if there is as much as an olive in one place, he must remove it. But if not, it is nullified because its quantity is small. And it is likewise in the matter of uncleanness: if he objects to it, it makes a break. But if he wants to keep it, it is like the kneading-trough. With regard to “deaf” dough, if there is a dough similar to it which has become chametz, it is forbidden.

3 How do they separate hallah on the festival from dough which is in a state of uncleanness? Rabbi Eliezer says: she should not call it hallah until it is baked. Rabbi Judah ben Batera says: she should put the dough into cold water. Rabbi Joshua said: this is not the chametz concerning which we are warned about in, “It shall not be seen,”Exodus 13:7 and “It shall not be found.”Exodus 12:19 Rather she separates it and leaves it until the evening, and if it ferments it ferments.

4 Rabban Gamaliel says: three women may knead at the same time and bake in one oven, one after the other. But the sages say: three women may be engaged with the dough at the same time: one kneads, one shapes and one bakes. Rabbi Akiva says: not all women and not all kinds of wood and not all ovens are alike. This is the general principle: if it the dough rises, she should slap it with hands dipped in cold water.

5 Siʿur must be burned, while one who eats it is exempt. Sidduk must be burned, while one who eats it is liable to karet. What is siʿur? When there are lines on the surface like locusts’ horns. Sidduk is when the cracks have intermingled with each other, the words of Rabbi Judah. But the sages say: regarding the one and the other, one who eats it is liable for karet. And what is siʿur? When its surface is blanched, like the face of a man whose hair is standing on end.

6 If the fourteenth of Nisan falls on Shabbat, they remove everything before Shabbat, the words of Rabbi Meir. The sages say: at its usual time. Rabbi Eleazar bar Zadok says: terumah before Shabbat, and non-sacred chametz at its usual time.

7 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 chametz at home: if he is able to go back, remove it, and then return to his religious duty, he must go back and remove it. But if not, he mentally renounces ownership of it. If he is on his way to save from an invasion or from a river or from robbers or from a fire or from a collapse of a building, he mentally renounces ownership of it. But if to rest for pleasure, he must return immediately.

8 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 when there is as much as an egg. Rabbi Judah says: for both, when there is as much as an olive. But the sages say: holy meat, when there is as much as an olive and chametz, when there is as much as an egg.

1 In a place where it is the custom to do work on the eve of Pesah until midday one may do work. Where it is the custom not to do work, one may not do work. Someone who goes from a place where they work to a place where they do not work, or from a place where they do not work to a place where they do work, they impose on him the restrictions of the place he left and the restrictions of the place he has entered. And a man must not act differently from local custom because of the quarrels that would result.

2 Similarly, someone who transports sabbatical year produce from a place where it has ceased to exist in the field to a place where it has not ceased or from a place where it has not ceased to a place where it has ceased, he must remove it. Rabbi Judah says: he can say to them “You can go out too and bring produce for yourself.”

3 In a place where it is the custom to sell small domesticated animals to non-Jews, such sale is permitted. But where the custom is not to sell, such sale is not permitted. In no place however is it permitted to sell large animals, calves or foals, whether whole or maimed. Rabbi Judah permits in the case of a maimed one. And Ben Bateira permits in the case of a horse.

4 In a place where it is the custom to eat roasted meat on the night of Pesah, they may eat it. Where it is the custom not to eat it, they may not eat it. In a place where it is the practice to light a lamp at home on the night of Yom Kippur, they may light. Where it is the practice not to light, they may not light. And they light lamps in synagogues, study houses, and dark alleys, and for people who are ill.

5 In a place where it is the custom to do work on the ninth of Av, one may do it. Where it is the custom not to do work, one may not do it. And in all places students of sages refrain from work on that day. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel said: a man should always make himself a student of sages. But the sages say: In Judea they used to do work on the eve of Pesah until midday, while in Galilee they did not work at all. With regard to the night: Bet Shammai forbid work, but Bet Hillel permit it until sunrise.

6 Rabbi Meir says: any work which he began before the fourteenth, he may finish it on the fourteenth. But he may not begin new work on the fourteenth, even if he can finish it on the same day. The sages say: three craftsmen may work on the eve of Pesah until midday, and they are: tailors, hairdressers, and laundry workers. Rabbi Yose bar Judah says: shoemakers too.

7 They may set up chicken coops for hens on the fourteenth. And if a hen ran away, one may return her to her place. And if she died, one may put another in her place. They may sweep away the manure from under an animal’s feet on the fourteenth, but on the festival one may only move it to the side. They may take vessels to and bring them back from a craftsman’s house, even if they are not required for the festival.

8 Six things the inhabitants of Jericho did: against three they the sages protested, and against three they did not protest. And these are those against which they did not protest: They grafted palm trees all day on the eve of Pesah. They “wrapped up” the Shema. And they harvested and stacked their produce before the bringing of the ʿomer. And for these they did not protest. And these are those against which they did protest: They permitted for use the small branches of sycamore trees belonging to sacred property, And they ate the fallen fruit from beneath trees on Shabbat, and they gave peʾah from vegetables. And for these they did protest.

9 Six things King Hezekiah did, concerning three they the sages agreed with him, and concerning three they did not agree with him: He dragged his father’s bones on a rope bier, and they agreed with him. He crushed the bronze serpent, and they agreed with him. He hid the book of remedies, and they agreed with him. And concerning three they did not agree with him: He cut down the doors of the Temple and sent them to the king of Assyria, and they did not agree with him. He closed up the waters of the Upper Gihon, and they did not agree with him. He added an extra month of Nisan in Nisan, and they did not agree with him.

1 The afternoon tamid is slaughtered at eight and a half hours and is offered at nine and a half hours. On the eve of Pesah it is slaughtered at seven and a half hours and offered at eight and a half hours, whether it is a weekday or Shabbat. If the eve of Pesah fell on the eve of Shabbat it is slaughtered at six and a half hours and offered at seven and a half hours, and the pesah offering after it.

2 A pesah sacrifice which a person slaughtered for another purpose, or caught the blood or brought it or sprinkled its blood for another purpose. Or for its own purpose and for another purpose. Or for another purpose and for its own purpose, it is disqualified. How is it “for its own purpose” and then “for another purpose”? For the purpose of being a pesah sacrifice first and then for the purpose of being a well-being offering. How is it “for another purpose” and then “for its own purpose”? For the purpose of being a well-being offering first and then for the purpose of being a pesah sacrifice.

3 If he slaughtered it for those who cannot eat it or for those who are not registered for it, for uncircumcised persons or for unclean persons, it is unfit. If he slaughtered it for those who can eat it and for those who cannot eat it, for those who are registered for it and for those who are not registered for it, for circumcised and for uncircumcised persons, for unclean and for clean persons, it is fit. If he slaughtered it before midday, it is disqualified, because it is said, “and all of the assembled congregation of Israelites shall slaughter it at twilight”Exodus 12:6. If he slaughtered it before the evening tamid, it is fit, providing that a person stirs its blood until the blood of the tamid is sprinkled. Nevertheless if it was sprinkled before the tamid, it is fit.

4 One who slaughters the pesah with chametz in his possession violates a negative commandment. Rabbi Judah says: also the evening tamid. Rabbi Shimon says: If he slaughters the pesah with chametz on the fourteenth for its own purpose, he is liable. if for a different purpose, he is exempt. But for all other sacrifices, whether slaughtered for their own purpose or for a different purpose, he is exempt. If he slaughters the pesah with chametz on the festival for its own purpose, he is exempt. If for a different purpose, he is liable. But for all other sacrifices slaughtered on the festival with chametz, whether for their own purpose or for another purpose, he is liable, except in the case of a sin-offering which he slaughtered for a different purpose.

5 The pesah is slaughtered in three divisions, as it is said, “And the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it”Exodus 12:6: “assembly,” “congregation,” and “Israel.” The first division entered, the Temple court was filled, and they closed the doors of the Temple court. They sounded a tekiʿah, a teruʿah, and a tekiʿah. The priests stood in rows, and in their hands were basins of silver and basins of gold, a row which was entirely of silver was of silver, and a row which was entirely of gold was of gold, they were not mixed. And the basins did not have flat bottoms, so that they would not put them down and let the blood congeal.

6 The Israelite killed the lamb. And the priest caught the blood. He would hand it to his colleague and his colleague would hand it to his colleague. And he would receive the full basin and give back the empty one. The priest nearest the altar would sprinkle it once against the base of the altar.

7 The first division then went out and the second entered. The second went out and the third entered. As did the first, so did the second and the third. They recited the Hallel. If they finished it, they repeated, and if they repeated and were not finished yet, they recited it a third time, though they never did recite it a third time. Rabbi Judah says: the third division never reached, “I love the Lord for he hears”Psalm 116:1, because there were few people in it.

8 As it was done on weekdays so it was done on Shabbat, except that the priests would mop up the Temple court, against the will of the sages. Rabbi Judah says: he a priest would fill a goblet with the mixed blood and he sprinkled it once on the altar, but the sages did not agree with him.

9 How did they hang up the sacrifices and skin them? There were iron hooks fixed in the walls and in the pillars, on which they hung up the sacrifices and skinned them. If anyone had no place to suspend and skin their sacrifice, there were thin, smooth poles which he placed on his shoulder and on his companion’s shoulder, and so hung up the animal and skinned it. Rabbi Eliezer says: when the fourteenth fell on Shabbat, he placed his hand on his companion’s shoulder and his companion’s hand on his shoulder, and he hung up the sacrifice and skinned it.

10 Then he tore it and took out its inner fats, placed them in a tray and burned them on the altar. The first division went out and sat down on the Temple mount, the second sat in the hel, while the third remained in its place. When it grew dark they went out and roasted their pesah lambs.

1 These things in connection with the pesah override Shabbat: its slaughtering and the sprinkling of its blood and the cleansing of its innards and the burning of its fat. But its roasting and the washing of its innards do not override Shabbat. Carrying it and bringing it from outside the Shabbat border and cutting off its wart do not override Shabbat. Rabbi Eliezer says they do override Shabbat.

2 Rabbi Eliezer said: is it not logical: if slaughtering, which is usually forbidden as a labor, overrides Shabbat, shouldn’t these, which are only forbidden as mandated rest shevut, override Shabbat? Rabbi Joshua said to him: let the festival prove this, for they permitted labor on the festival and forbade activities forbidden because of shevut. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: what is this, Joshua? What proof is a voluntary act compared with a commandment! Rabbi Akiva answered and said: let sprinkling purification water prove it, which is performed because it is a commandment and is forbidden only as a shevut, yet it does not override Shabbat. So you too, do not wonder at these, that though they are required because of a commandment and are forbidden only as shevut, yet they do not override Shabbat. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: but that is exactly what I am arguing about: if slaughtering, which is a labor, overrides Shabbat, is it not logical that sprinkling, which is only a shevut, should override Shabbat! Rabbi Akiva said to him: or the opposite: if sprinkling, which is forbidden as a shevut, does not override Shabbat, then slaughtering, which is normally forbidden on account of labor, is it not logical that it should not override Shabbat. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: Akiva! You are uprooting what is written in the Torah, “at twilight, offer it at its set time”Numbers 9:3, both on weekdays and on Shabbat. He said to him: master, give me an appointed time for these as there is an appointed time for slaughtering! Rabbi Akiva stated a general rule: work which could be done on the eve of Shabbat does not override Shabbat. Slaughtering, which could not be done on the eve of Shabbat, does override Shabbat.

3 When does he bring a hagigah with it the pesah sacrifice? When it comes during the week, in purity, and in small amounts. But when it comes on Shabbat, in large amounts, and in impurity, one does not bring the hagigah with it.

4 The hagigah was brought from flocks or herds, lambs or goats, from males or females. And it is eaten two days and one night.

5 If the pesah was slaughtered for a different purpose on Shabbat, he the slaughterer must bring a sin-offering on its account. All other sacrifices which he slaughtered as a pesah: if they are not fit to be a pesah he is liable. If they are fit to be a pesah: Rabbi Eliezer requires him to bring a sin-offering, But Rabbi Joshua exempts him. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: if for the pesah, which it is permitted to slaughter for its own purpose, yet when he changes its purpose he is liable. Then other sacrifices, which are forbidden to slaughter even for their own purpose, if he changes their purpose is it not logical that he should be liable. Rabbi Joshua said to him: not so. If you say with regard to the pesah, he is liable because he changed it to something that is forbidden. Will you say the same of other sacrifices, where he changed them for something that is permitted? Rabbi Eliezer said to him: let the community sacrifices prove it, which are permitted for their own sake, yet one who slaughters other sacrifices in their name is liable. Rabbi Joshua said to him: not so. If you say with regard to the public sacrifices, that is because they have a limit. Will you say the same of the pesah, which has no limit? Rabbi Meir says: he too who slaughters other sacrifices in the name of public sacrifice is not liable.

6 If he slaughtered it for those who are not its eaters, or for those who were not registered for it, for uncircumcised or for unclean persons, he is liable. If he slaughtered it for its eaters and for those who are not its eaters, for those who are registered for it and for those who are not registered for it, for circumcised and for uncircumcised, for unclean and for clean persons, he is exempt. If he slaughtered it, and it was found to have a blemish, he is liable. If he slaughtered it and it was found to be an internal terefah, he is exempt. If he slaughtered it, and then it became known that its owners had withdrawn from it, or that they had died, or that they had become unclean, he is not liable, because he slaughtered it with permission.

1 How is the pesah roasted? They bring a spit of pomegranate wood and push it into its mouth right down as far as its buttocks, and place its legs and its innards inside it, the words of Rabbi Yose the Galilean. Rabbi Akiva says: this is like boiling, rather they are hung outside it.

2 One may not roast the pesah either on a metal spit or on a grill. Rabbi Zadok said: it once happened that Rabban Gamaliel said to his servant Tabi, “Go out and roast us the pesah on the grill.” If it the pesah touched the clay of the oven, he should trim off the part that touched it. If some of its juice dripped onto the clay of the oven and dripped back onto it, he must remove the affected part. If some of its juice fell on the flour, he must take a handful away from its place.

3 If he basted it the pesah with oil of terumah: If those who registered for it are a company of priests, they may eat it. But if Israelites, if it is still raw, they may wash it off. If it is roasted, he must trim off the outer part. If he coated it with oil of second tithe, he must not charge its value to the members of the company, because second tithe must not be redeemed in Jerusalem.

4 Five things sacrifices may come in uncleanness, but may not be eaten in uncleanness: the omer, the two loaves, the showbread, the sacrifices of the public peace-offerings, and the goats of new months. The pesah which comes in uncleanness is also eaten in uncleanness, for from the very beginning it came for no other purpose but to be eaten.

5 If the flesh was defiled while the fat remained clean, he may not sprinkle the blood but if the fat was defiled while the flesh has remained clean, he must sprinkle the blood. But in the case of other dedicated sacrifices it is not so, rather even if the flesh was defiled while the fat has remained clean, he must sprinkle the blood.

6 If the community or the majority of it was unclean, or if the priests were unclean and the community clean, they make the pesah sacrifice in uncleanness. If a minority of the community were unclean: those who are clean observe the first Pesah, while those who are unclean observe the second.

7 A pesah whose blood has been sprinkled and then it became known that it was unclean, the frontlet makes atonement. If the body of the owner became unclean, the frontlet does not propitiate, because they the sages said: in the case of a nazirite, and he who sacrifices the pesah-offering, the frontlet makes atonement for the uncleanness of the blood, but the frontlet does not propitiate for the uncleanness of the body of the owner. If he was defiled with the uncleanness of the deep, the frontlet makes atonement.

8 If all or most of the pesah became unclean they burn it in front of the Birah with the wood of the pile. If a lesser part of it became unclean, and also “remainder,” they the people burn it in their courtyards or on their roofs with their own wood. Misers burn it in front of the Birah, in order to benefit from the wood of the pile.

9 A pesah which went out beyond the walls of Jerusalem or was defiled must be burned immediately. If its owners were defiled or they died, it must be left until its appearance changes and then it is burned on the sixteenth of Nisan. Rabbi Yohanan ben Berokah says: this too must be burned immediately, because there is no one to eat it.

10 The bones, and the sinews, and the “remainder” of the pesah are burned on the sixteenth. If the sixteenth falls on Shabbat, they are burned on the seventeenth, because they do not override either Shabbat or the festival.

11 Everything which can be eaten of a full-grown ox may be eaten of a tender goat, as well as the tops of the forelegs and the cartilages. One who breaks a bone of a clean pesah receives forty lashes but one who leaves over flesh of a clean pesah or breaks a bone of an unclean one does not receive the forty lashes.

12 If part of a limb went outside, he cuts the flesh as far as the bone and pares it until he reaches the joint and cuts it away. But in the case of other sanctified meat he cuts it off with a large knife, because they are not subject to the prohibition of breaking a bone. From the doorstop inward counts as inside. From the doorstop outward counts as outside. The windows and the thickness of the wall are as the inside.

13 Two companies which are eating in one room, these turn their faces in one direction and eat and they turn their faces in another direction and eat, and the boiler is in the middle. When the servant rises to mix the wine, he must shut his mouth and turn his face away from the other company until he reaches his own company and there he eats. But a bride may turn her face away and eat.

1 A wife, when she is in her husband’s home, and her husband slaughtered on her behalf and her father slaughtered on her behalf, she must eat of her husband’s. If she went to spend the first festival in her father’s home, and her father slaughtered on her behalf and her husband slaughtered on her behalf, she may eat wherever she pleases. An orphan on whose behalf his guardians slaughtered may eat wherever he pleases. A slave of two partners may not eat of either. Someone who is half slave and half free may not eat of his master’s.

2 One who says to his slave, “Go out and slaughter the pesah on my behalf,” if he slaughtered a kid, he may eat it. If he slaughtered a lamb, he may eat it. If he slaughtered a kid and a lamb, he eats the first. If he forgot what his master told him, how should he act? He should slaughter a lamb and a kid and declare, “If my master told me to slaughter a kid, the kid is his and the lamb is mine. And if my master told me to slaughter a lamb, the lamb is his and the kid is mine.” If his master also forgot what he told him, both animals go to the place of burning, but they the master and the slave are exempt from sacrificing the second pesah.

3 If a man says to his children, “I am going to slaughter the pesah on behalf of whichever of you goes up first to Jerusalem,” as soon as the first has put his head and the greater part of his body into Jerusalem he has acquired his portion, and he acquires it on behalf of his brothers with him. One may always register for it as long as there is as much as an olive’s worth for each one registered. They may register and withdraw from it until it has been slaughtered. Rabbi Shimon says: until the blood is sprinkled.

4 If one registers others with him to share in his portion, the members of the company are permitted to give him his portion, and he eats his and they eat theirs.

5 If a zav saw two instances of discharge, they slaughter the pesah on his behalf on his seventh day. If he saw three instances of discharge, they slaughter on his behalf on his eighth day. If a woman observes a “day for a day,” they slaughter on her behalf on her second day. If she saw a discharge on two days, they slaughter on her behalf on the third day. And as for a zavah, they slaughter on her behalf on the eighth day.

6 As to an onen, and one who is removing a heap of stones, and likewise one whom they promised to take out of prison, and a sick or an old person who can eat as much as an olive, they slaughter on their behalf. Yet in the case of all these, they may not slaughter for them alone, for fear that they will cause the pesah to be disqualified. Therefore if a disqualification occurs to them, they are exempt from keeping the second pesah, except for one who was removing the heap, because he was unclean from the beginning.

7 They may not slaughter the pesah for a single person, the words of Rabbi Judah. But Rabbi Yose permits it. And even a company of a hundred who cannot eat as much as an olive, one may not slaughter a pesah for them. And one may not form a company of women and slaves and minors.

8 An onen immerses in a mikveh and eats his pesah in the evening, but not other sacred food. One who hears about his dead for the first time, and one who gathers the bones of his dead relative immerses and eats sacred food. A convert who converts on the eve of Pesah: Bet Shammai say: he immerses and eats his pesah in the evening. Bet Hillel say: anyone who separates from the foreskin is like one who separates from the grave.

1 Someone who was unclean or on a far-off journey and did not keep the first Pesah must keep the second. If he unwittingly erred or was prevented and did not keep the first, he must keep the second. If so, why are “an unclean person” and “one who was on a long journey” specified? Because those in the first cases are not liable to karet, whereas those in the latter cases are liable to karet.

2 What is “a distant journey”? From Modiʿim and beyond, and the same distance on all sides of Jerusalem, the words of 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 distant, but even when one is from the threshold of the Temple court and beyond.

3 What is the difference between the first Pesah and the second? The first is subject to the prohibition of chametz shall not be seen and chametz shall not be found, while at the second matzah and chametz are in the house with him. The first requires the reciting of Hallel when it is eaten, while the second does not require Hallel when it is eaten. But both require the reciting of Hallel when they are sacrificed, and they are eaten roasted with matzah and bitter herbs, and they override Shabbat.

4 The pesah which comes in impurity: zavin and zavot, menstruant women and women after childbirth do not eat from it, yet if they did eat they are exempt from karet. Rabbi Eliezer exempts them even of the karet normally incurred for entering the sanctuary.

5 What is the difference between the pesah which was offered in Egypt and the pesah of subsequent generations? The pesah in Egypt was taken on the tenth of Nisan, And it required sprinkling with a bunch of hyssop on the lintel and on the two doorposts, And it was eaten in haste on one night, whereas the pesah of subsequent generations is kept the whole seven days.

6 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 brings a peace-offering with the money. And the same applies to its substitute. If found after the slaughtering of the pesah, it is offered as a wellbeing offering, and the same applies to its substitute.

7 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 surviving son should not bring it as a pesah but rather as a wellbeing offering.

8 If a pesah became mixed up with other sacrifices, they all graze until they become unfit through a blemish, then they are sold, and then he must bring a replacement for the price of the best of this type, and bring for the price of the best of this type and he loses the remainder from his own pocket. If it became mixed up with first-borns: Rabbi Shimon says: if the pesah belonged to a company of priests, they eat all of the animals that night.

9 A company lost their pesah and they said to one who was registered with them, “Go and look for it, and slaughter it on our behalf.” And he went, found, and slaughtered it, and they also took an animal and slaughtered it: If his was slaughtered first, he eats of his and they eat with him. And if theirs was first slaughtered, they eat of theirs, while he eats of his. And if it is unknown which of them was first slaughtered, or if they slaughtered both of them at the same time, he eats of his, but they may not eat with him. While theirs goes to the place of burning, and they are exempt from keeping the second Pesah. He said to them, “If I delay, go and slaughter on my behalf,” and then he went and found it and slaughtered it, while they took another and slaughtered it: 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 to the place of burning, and he is exempt from keeping the second Pesah. He said to them, and they said to him: they all eat of the first to be slaughtered, and if it is unknown which of them was slaughtered first, both go 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.

10 Two companies whose pesah sacrifices became mixed up: these take possession of one animal and these 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, you withdraw from your own and you are registered for ours. While if this pesah is yours, we withdraw 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 make this declaration.

11 If the pesah sacrifices belonging to two individuals became mixed up, each takes possession of one animal. This one registers someone from the marketplace with him and that 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, you withdraw from yours and you are registered for mine. While if this pesah is yours, I withdraw from mine and I am registered for yours.”

1 On the eve of Pesah close to minhah one may not eat until nightfall. Even the poorest person in Israel must not eat on the night of Pesah until he reclines. And they should give him at least four cups of wine, and even from the charity plate.

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

3 They bring it in front of him. He dips lettuce until he reaches the appetizer that precedes the bread. They bring before him matzah, lettuce, and haroset and two dishes though the haroset is not mandatory. Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Zadok says: it is mandatory. And in the Temple they bring the body of the pesah before him.

4 They mixed him a second cup, and here the son questions his father. If the son lacks the intelligence to ask, his father instructs him: How different this night is from all other nights! 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. On all other nights we dip once, tonight twice. And according to the intellect of the son, the father instructs him. He begins with shame and concludes with praise. And expounds from “A wandering Aramean was my father”Deuteronomy 26:5 until he completes the whole section.

5 Rabban Gamaliel used to say: whoever does not mention these three things on Pesah does not fulfill his duty. And they are: the pesah, matzah, and bitter herbs. The pesah because the Omnipresent passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt. The matzah because our ancestors were redeemed from Egypt. The bitter herb because the Egyptians embittered the lives of our ancestors in Egypt. In every generation a man is obligated to regard himself as if he personally had gone from Egypt, because it is said, “And you shall tell your son on that day, saying: ‘It is because of that which the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’”Exodus 13:8. Therefore it is our duty to thank, praise, acclaim, glorify, raise up, beautify, bless, extol, and adore Him who made all these miracles for our ancestors and ourselves. He brought us 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!

6 How far does one recite it? Bet Shammai say: Until “As a joyous mother of children”Psalm 113:9. But Bet Hillel say: Until “The flint rock into a fountain of waters”Psalm 114:8. And he concludes with a formula of redemption. Rabbi Tarfon says: “Who redeemed us and redeemed our ancestors from Egypt,” but he did not conclude with a blessing. Rabbi Akiva says: “So may the Lord our God and the God of our ancestors bring us to other appointed times and festivals which come toward 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 have redeemed Israel.”

7 They poured him a third cup, and he blesses over his meal. A fourth cup, he concludes the Hallel, and recites over it the blessing of song. Between these cups if he wants he may drink. Between the third and the fourth he may not drink.

8 One may not conclude the pesah meal with an afikoman. If some of them fell asleep, they may eat the pesah when they wake up. If all of them fell asleep they may not eat. Rabbi Yose says: if they napped, they may eat, but if they fell asleep, they may not eat.

9 The pesah defiles one’s hands after midnight. Piggul and remnant defile one’s hands. If he recited the blessing for the pesah, he thus exempts the sacrifice the hagigah. but if he recited the blessing for the sacrifice the hagigah, he does not exempt the pesah, the words of Rabbi Ishmael. Rabbi Akiva says: this does not exempt that nor does that exempt this.