Derasha on Bo 12:4 — Torah Temimah note 5

Parashas Bo · Shemos 12:4 · TT note 5

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 5 (on בְּמִכְסַת נְפָשֹׁת) points to Pesachim 81a.

Sefaria — Exodus 12:4
Sefaria — Torah Temimah on Exodus 12:4
Sefaria — Pesachim 81a
E-Daf — Pesachim 81a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Pesachim 81a (via Torah Temimah)
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בְּמִכְסַת — מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין הַפֶּסַח נִשְׁחָט אֶלָּא לִמְנוּיָיו; יָכוֹל שְׁחָטוֹ בְּדִיעֲבַד כָּשֵׁר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: בְּמִכְסַת תָּכֹסּוּ — שָׁנָה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב לְעַכֵּב.

English: The Sages taught: “According to the number” — this teaches that the Pesach is slaughtered only for those enrolled on it. One might think that if it was slaughtered [without that], after the fact it is valid — therefore it says “according to the number you shall make your count,” repeating the matter to make it indispensable.

Type of Learning

Repetition of בְּמִכְסַת / תָּכֹסּוּ establishes an indispensable requirement of prior enrollment.

What Is Learned

Slaughter of the Pesach is valid only for those already numbered upon it.