Rashi on TanakhDeuteronomy 16

Take heed of the month of spring. Before it arrives. Take heed that it is compatible with springtime, so that you may bring the omer-mincha- offering. If not, add a month to the year.

From Egypt at night. But didn’t they leave by day, as it is said, “On the day after the pascal-offering, the Israelites went out, etc.”? But, because it was at night that Pharoah granted them permission to leave, as it is said, “He called for Moshe and Aharon at night, etc.”

You shall slaughter the pesach-offering to Adonoy your God; flocks. As it is said, “You shall take it from the sheep and goats.”

And cattle. You shall slaughter, as the chagigah-offering. If those engaged as partners in the pesach were a large group, they must bring, with it, a chagigah-offering, so that it is eaten when they have filled themselves. In addition, the Rabbis derive many teachings from this passage.

Bread of anguish. Bread which memorializes the anguish they suffered in Egypt.

Since in haste you left. Without sufficient time for the dough to leaven. This will serve as a memorial. The haste was not yours, but Egypt’s, as it is said, “The Egyptians pressed the people, etc.”

So that you remember. By eating the pesach and matzah, the day of your departure.

None of the flesh may remain — which you slaughter towards evening of the first day — until morning. This prohibits retaining the flesh of the pesach offered during future generations, since this was previously stated only with regard to the pesach brought in Egypt. The “first day” mentioned here refers to the fourteenth of Nisan, as it is said, “But before the first day you must remove all leaven from your homes.” Because Scripture has digressed from matters concerning the pesach, and entered a discussion of the laws of the seven days — for example, “For seven days, are you to eat on it matzos,” “No sourdough of yours may be seen in all of your boundary” — it is now necessary to identify the slaughter to which this admonition is directed. For, if it had written, “None of the flesh which you slaughter towards evening may remain until morning,” one might have concluded that shelamim-offerings slaughtered throughout the entire seven day period are included in “do not allow to remain,” and thus may be eaten for only a day and a night. Scripture, therefore, specifies “towards evening ‘of the first day.”’ Another interpretation. To the chagigah-offering of the fourteenth, is Scripture’s reference, teaching that it may be eaten for two days. And “the first” mentioned here is Scripture’s reference to the first day of the festival. This is the sense of the passage: ‘The flesh of the chagigah which you slaughter towards evening may not remain overnight during the first day of the festival until the morning of the second; however, it may be eaten on the fourteenth and fifteenth.’ This is the way it is taught in tractate Pesachim.

Towards evening, at sunset, at the time you left Egypt. These are three separate times. Towards evening — after six hours — slaughter it. At sunset — eat it. At the time you left [Egypt] — you burn it, meaning that it is disqualified as nosar, and must be removed to the burning site.

You shall cook. The reference is to roasting over an open fire. This, too, is described as cooking.

You may depart in the morning. The morning of the second day. This teaches that one is required to remain overnight, to include the night after the festival.

For six days you shall eat matzos. Elsewhere it is said seven days. Seven from the old crop, six from the new. Another interpretation. This teaches that eating matzoh on the seventh day is not obligatory. You learn from this, and apply it to all six days; For, the seventh was included in a general group, and then isolated, with the teaching that eating matzah then is not obligatory, but arbitrary. It was not isolated strictly for itself, but as an example for the entire group. Just as the seventh day is arbitrary, so are all the days arbitrary, except for the first evening, which Scripture designates as obligatory, as it is said, “In the evening you shall eat matzos.”

[Is one of] withdrawal for the sake of Adonoy your God. Withdraw from working. Another interpretation. A gathering for celebrating with food and drink, as in “Please, let us gather you up.”

From the time the sickle begins felling the standing grain. From the time the omer is cut, which begins the harvest.

The fullness of your open-handed gift. The fullness of the gift of your hand, wholly commensurate with the blessing. Bring shelamim-offerings of rejoicing, and invite guests for feasting.

The Levite, proselyte, orphan, and widow. My four correspond with your four — your son, daughter, servant, and maid-servant. If you bring joy to Mine, I shall bring joy to yours.

Remember that you were a slave, etc. I redeemed you with thr stipulation that you observe and fulfill these statutes.

When you harvest. At harvest time, when you place the summer produce in storage. Another interpretation of when you harvest your threshing area and wine cellar. This teaches that the sukkah should be covered with the husks and skins left in the threshing area and wine cellar.

You shall experience pure joy. According to its plain meaning, this is not a command, but an assurance. According to the Talmudic teaching, however, it is derived from here that the last evening of the festival is included in the mitzvah to rejoice.

He shall not appear empty handed in the presence of Adonoy. Rather, bring olah-pilgrimage-offerings and festive shelamim-offerings.

Everyone according to the gift appropriate to his means. Someone who has numerous guests and great affluence should bring many olah- and shelamim-offerings.

Judges and police officers. Judges: Magistrates who render legal decisions. Police officers — who compel the people to abide by their instructions by administering corporal punishment with cudgels and whips, until they accept the judge’s decision.

In all of your cities. In each and every city.

For your tribes. This continues from ‘You shall appoint for yourself’ — “Judges and police officers you shall appoint for yourself for your tribes, in all of your cities which Adonoy, your God, is giving you.”

For your tribes. This teaches that judges are to be seated for each and every tribe and in each and every city.

Who will judge the people, etc. Appoint competent, righteous judges, to judge righteously.

Do not pervert justice. This follows the obvious interpretation.

Do not display favoritism. Not even during the arguments. This prohibits the judge from being gentle with one but harsh with the other, or from requiring one to stand while the other is seated; because when one notices the judge deferring to his fellow, his arguments are repressed.

Do not accept bribery. Even to adjudicate fairly.

For bribery blinds. Once he has accepted his bribe, it is impossible for him not to be partial, and subvert the verdict in his favor.

Words that are just. Words that are justified, true justice.

Pursue absolute justice. Follow after the pre-eminent tribunal.

So that you may live and inherit. There is adequate merit in the appointment of ethical judges to bring life to the Israelites, and settle them on their land.

Do not plant an Asherah tree for yourself. This makes him liable from the time that it was planted. Even if he never worshipped it, he transgresses a negative commandment for the very planting.

Do not plant an Asherah tree for yourself; any tree near the altar of Adonoy, your God. This prohibits planting a tree or building a structure on the Temple mount.

Do not erect for yourself a monument. A single-stone monument for sacrificial offerings, even for the sake of Heaven.

That [God] detests. An altar made of stones or an earthen altar is what He commanded, but He detests this, because it was in the canon of the Canaanites. Although He cherished it during the times of the patriarchs, He now detests it, since they included it in the idolatrous ritual.