Derasha on Bo 12:4 — Torah Temimah note 1

Parashas Bo · Shemos 12:4 · TT note 1

The Complete Passuk

וְאִם־יִמְעַ֣ט הַבַּ֘יִת֮ מִהְי֣וֹת מִשֶּׂה֒ וְלָקַ֣ח ה֗וּא וּשְׁכֵנ֛וֹ הַקָּרֹ֥ב אֶל־בֵּית֖וֹ בְּמִכְסַ֣ת נְפָשֹׁ֑ת אִ֚ישׁ לְפִ֣י אׇכְל֔וֹ תָּכֹ֖סּוּ עַל־הַשֶּֽׂה׃

Source Citation

Torah Temimah on Shemos 12:4, note 1 (on וְאִם יִמְעַט הַבַּיִת) points to Pesachim 99a.

Sefaria — Exodus 12:4
Sefaria — Torah Temimah on Exodus 12:4
Sefaria — Pesachim 99a
E-Daf — Pesachim 99a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Pesachim 99a
תַּנְיָא: ״וְאִם יִמְעַט הַבַּיִת מִהְיוֹת מִשֶּׂה״, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמִּתְמַעֲטִין וְהוֹלְכִין, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיְּהֵא אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי חֲבוּרָה קַיָּים, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יַנִּיחוּ אֶת הַפֶּסַח כְּמוֹת שֶׁהוּא!

English: It was taught: “And if the household is too small for a lamb” — this teaches that they may keep diminishing [the group], provided that one of the members of the original group remains, the words of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Yosei says: provided that they do not leave the Pesach as it is [without anyone enrolled].

Type of Learning

Derash of יִמְעַט: the group may shrink so long as continuity of enrollment is preserved.

What Is Learned

A Pesach group may be reduced, but (per R’ Yehudah) at least one original member must remain; (per R’ Yosei) it must not be left without enrollees.