Derasha on Bo 12:7 — Torah Temimah note 2

Parashas Bo · Shemos 12:7 · TT note 2

The Complete Passuk

וְלָֽקְחוּ֙ מִן־הַדָּ֔ם וְנָ֥תְנ֛וּ עַל־שְׁתֵּ֥י הַמְּזוּזֹ֖ת וְעַל־הַמַּשְׁק֑וֹף עַ֚ל הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יֹאכְל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ בָּהֶֽם׃

Source Citation

Torah Temimah on Shemos 12:7, note 2 (on שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹת) points to Menachos 34a (R’ Akiva’s binyan av).

Sefaria — Exodus 12:7
Sefaria — Torah Temimah on Exodus 12:7
Sefaria — Menachos 34a
E-Daf — Menachos 34a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Menachos 34a
רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר: ״עַל הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וְעַל שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹת״, שֶׁאֵין תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״שְׁתֵּי״, מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״שְׁתֵּי״? זֶה בָּנָה אָב, כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״מְזוּזוֹת״ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא אַחַת, עַד שֶׁיִּפְרֹט לְךָ הַכָּתוּב שְׁתַּיִם.

English: Rabbi Akiva says: It is not necessary [to use the other derashah]; when it says “on the lintel and on the two doorposts,” why say “two”? This builds a prototype: wherever Scripture says “mezuzot,” it means only one, until the text specifies two for you.

Type of Learning

Binyan av from this verse: the ordinary mitzvah of mezuzah requires one post unless Scripture specifies two.

What Is Learned

The extra word “two” here teaches that elsewhere “mezuzot” does not require two doorposts for the mitzvah of mezuzah.