Rashi on TanakhExodus 13

That open the womb. [Meaning:] that is the first to open the womb as in: “(פֹּטֵר מַיִם) As one who makes an opening for water, [so is] the beginning of an argument.” Similarly “יַפְטִירוּ בְשָׂפָה” — they will open their lips

It is mine. “I have acquired them for Myself by My having struck down the Egyptian first-born”

Remember this day. This teaches that mention of the Exodus from Egypt should be made every day.

In the month of Aviv (Nissan) But did they themselves not know in which month they went out? But this is what He said to them: “See the kindness that He has bestowed upon you, that He took you out in a month in which it is fit to go out — not hot, not cold and not raining. So, too, is it said: “He brings out prisoners בַּכּוֹשָרוֹת,” [בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת meaning:] a month that is כָּשֵר (fit) to go out.

To the land of the Canaanite, etc. And although only five nations are enumerated [nevertheless,] all seven nations are implied because Canaan includes them all. There was, however, one among the family of Canaan who had no other name except “Canaanite.”

Swore to your fathers, etc. Concerning Avraham it states: “On that day Adonoy made a covenant with Avram, etc.” Concerning Yitzchok it states: “Stay temporarily in this land, etc.” Concerning Yaakov it states: “The land upon which you are lying, etc.”

A land flowing with milk and honey. Milk flows from the goats and the honey flows from the dates and figs

This service. [I.e., the service] of the korbon Pesach. But was this not already stated above: “When you come to the land, etc?” why (then) did he go back and restate it? Because of something new that is introduced. In the previous chapter it is stated, “When your children will ask you, ‘What is this service of yours?’” Scripture [there] is speaking of the evil son, for he excluded himself from the community. But here [it states] “You must tell your son,” referring to the son who does not [even] know what to ask, whereby Scripture teaches you that you must initiate conversation with him with aggadic explanations which attract the heart (i.e., arouse his interest).

Because of this. “Because I will fulfill His mitzvos, such as these: Pesach, Matzo, and Maror.

Adonoy did [this] for me. This is an allusion to a response to the evil son, saying: “Adonoy did this for me” — “for me, but not for you, for had you been there [in Egypt] you would not have been worthy to be redeemed.

It shall be to you as a sign. The Exodus from Egypt will be to you as a sign —

on your hand and a reminder between your eyes. Meaning: that you write these sections and tie them upon the head and upon the arm.

On your hand. On the left hand. This is why יָדְכָה is written “full” (with a ה') in the second section (v. 16) so that it may be explained [as a contraction] of two words יָד שֶׁהִיא כֵהָה (the weak hand).

From year to year (lit. days to days). [מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה means] from year to year.

When Adonoy brings you. There are some of our Sages who learned from here that the first-born of the wilderness were not sanctified. The one whose opinion it is that they were sanctified explains this “coming into [Eretz Yisrael]” thus: If you will fulfill it (the sanctification of the first-born) in the wilderness, you will merit entering the land and you will [continue to] fulfill it there.

He swore to you. And where did He swear this to you? [when He said,] “I will bring you to the land about which I raised My Hand [as an oath], etc.”

And He will have given it to you. You should consider it as if He had given it to you on the same day and do not consider it as if it were an inheritance from your ancestors.

You must set aside. וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ is a term denoting setting aside similarly it says: “וְהַעֲבַרְתֶּם — You shall set aside his inheritance for his daughter.”

That is dropped (born) by animals. One prematurely born where the mother “drops” him and sends him out before his time. Scripture teaches you [that though it will not survive] that it is sanctified as a first-born in so far as exempting the one born afterwards. Although even one not born prematurely is also referred to as שֶׁגֶר as in שְׁגַר אֲלָפֶיךָ — “those born of your herds,” nevertheless, here it refers only to one of premature birth because it has already stated: “everyone that is first to open the womb.” Should you ask: does it refer also to a first-born of an unclean animal? [I would answer:] the Torah already was explicit elsewhere: “of your cattle and sheep.” There is a possible alternate explanation. וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ כָל פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם it is to the first-born of man that Scripture refers.

Firstling donkey. But not the firstling of any other unclean animal. This is a Scriptural decree because the Egyptian first-born are compared to donkeys. Also because [the donkeys] were helpful to Israel when they left Egypt [for there was not a single Israelite who did not take many donkeys] loaded with the silver and gold of Egypt.

Redeem with a sheep. He gives a sheep to the kohein. and the firstling donkey is permitted to be used. The sheep is not sacred in the possession of the kohein

You must break its neck. He breaks its neck with an ax from behind and kills it. He caused the kohein a monetary loss. Consequently, he suffers a loss of his money.

Redeem every first-born male among your sons. His five selaim redemption value is established in another place.

When your son asks you at a later time. There is a מָחָר that is immediate and there is a מָחָר that denotes a later time, for example this one [of this verse], and, for example: “(מָחָר) tomorrow your children will say to our children.” in the matter of the children of Gad and Reuvein.

“What is this?” [The question] of a dull child who is unable to ask a profound question and asks indefinitely, “What is this?” Elsewhere it states: “What are [the meanings] of the testimonies the statutes, and the laws, etc.?” That is the question of the wise son. The Torah thus speaks of four [different] sons: The dull one, the wicked one, the one who does not know what to ask and the one who asks wisely.

And for totafos between your eyes. [וּלְטֹטָפֹת refers to] tephillin Since they consist of four compartments they are called טֹטָפֹת — טַט in the Kathphi language is two פַּת in the Afriki language is two. Menachem records it in his machberes with: “(וְהַטֵּף) and speak to the south” and: אַל תַּטִּיפוּ — “Do not speak” [וְהַטֵּף and תַּטִּיפוּ being] terms for speaking, corresponding to: “and a reminder between your eyes” which is said in the first section, for whoever sees them tied between the eyes, will remember the miracle and speak about it.

When Pharaoh sent away, etc. Elohim did not lead them. [וְלֹא נָחָם means] He did not lead them, as in: “Go, (נְחֵה) lead the nation!” [or] “When you go, (תַּנְחֶה) it will lead you.”

Because it was the shortest route And it was, therefore, easy to return by that route to Egypt. There are many midrashic explanations.

Should they encounter war. For example the war of: “And the Amaleikites and Canaanites came down, etc.” Had they travelled a straight route they would [then] have returned [to Egypt]. If, when He led them on a round-about route, they said, “Let us appoint a leader and let us return to Egypt,” then had He led them on a straight [route] how much more so [would they have said so].

[The people] might change their minds. They might have second thoughts about going out, and set their hearts to return [to Egypt].

He led [the people] round-about. [Meaning:] He led them round-about from the direct route to the round-about route.

Reed Sea. As if it were written לְיַם סוּף — to the Reed Sea. סוּף is a term meaning a marsh in which reeds grow, as in “she put him (בַּסּוּף) in the reeds.” [or:] “The flags (וָסוּף) and reeds will wither.”

Armed. The word חֲמוּשִים means armed. (Because He took them on a round-about route in the desert, He caused them to go up armed. For had He taken them by way of settled areas they would not have armed themselves with all their needs, but, rather, as one traveling from place to place, whose intention it is to obtain what he needs there. But when he sets out into the wilderness he must prepare for himself all his needs. This verse was written only to make it understandable to the ear — so that you not say: during the war against Amaleik and the wars against Sichon and Og, and Midian, — from where did they have weapons that enabled Israel to defeat them by the sword? — From an old Rashi manuscript.) Likewise, it is written: “You shall pass by with arms.” Similarly, Onkelos translates [חֲמֻשִים] מְזָרְזִין — armed, as [he translates] “And he armed his servants” by “וְזָרֵיז .” An alternate explanation of וַחֲמֻשִׁים one of every five went out [of Egypt] and four-fifths died during the three days of darkness.

He had bound by oath. He (Yoseif) made them swear that they will make their children swear. Why did he not bind his sons by oath that they immediately carry him to the land of Canaan, as Yaakov bound [them] by oath? Yoseif said: “I was a ruler in Egypt, and I had sufficient power to do [so], but the Egyptians will not permit my sons to do [so].” He therefore bound them by oath that when they will be redeemed and go out of there, that they carry him [with them].

And then you must carry up my bones out of here with you. It was his brothers that he bound by this oath. Consequently we learn from this that also the bones of all the brothers [lit. tribes] did they carry up with them as it says: אִתְּכֶם — with you

They journeyed from Sukkos. On the second day, for on the first day they had come from Raamses to Sukkos.

To lead them on the way [The letter ל' of לַנְחֹתָם is] vocalized with a patach which is the same as לְהַנְחוֹתָם, similar to: “לַרְאֹתְכֶם the way in which to go” לַרְאוֹתְכֶם being the same as לְהַרְאוֹתְכֶם — to show. Here, too, [it means] to lead them by means of an agent. And who is this agent? The pillar of cloud. [Though] God Himself, in His glory, led it (the cloud) before them, nevertheless, He provided the pillar of cloud to lead them by its means for they travelled by means of the pillar of cloud. The pillar of cloud was not for providing light, but, rather, to show them the way.

He did not remove. [I.e.,] God [did not remove] the pillar of cloud by day [nor] the pillar of fire at night. This tells us that the pillar of cloud gave way to the pillar of fire and the pillar of fire gave way to the pillar of cloud, that before one would depart the other would arrive.