וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Torah presents commandments that relate to commemorating the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt on the same night that God struck down the firstborn of Egypt. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

קַדֶּשׁ־לִ֨י כָל־בְּכ֜וֹר פֶּ֤טֶר כָּל־רֶ֙חֶם֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה לִ֖י הֽוּא׃

Sanctify to Me every firstborn; the first issue of any womb among the children of Israel, from man and animal, is Mine. Its sanctification expresses the fact that it belongs to God.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־הָעָ֗ם זָכ֞וֹר אֶת־הַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצָאתֶ֤ם מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֔ים כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֔ד הוֹצִ֧יא יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִזֶּ֑ה וְלֹ֥א יֵאָכֵ֖ל חָמֵֽץ׃

Before mentioning the matter of the firstborn, the command he received from God in the previous verse, Moses addresses other matters. Moses said to the people: Remember this day, on which you departed from Egypt, from the house of bondage , the place where you were slaves. You did not have to flee from there, for with strength of hand, by force, the Lord took you out from this; and leavened bread may not be eaten during the exodus itself and on the dates set aside to commemorate the exodus in future generations.

הַיּ֖וֹם אַתֶּ֣ם יֹצְאִ֑ים בְּחֹ֖דֶשׁ הָאָבִֽיב׃

This day, in this season, you depart, in the month of the ripening. This is not only a description of the season when Israel left Egypt. It is also a normative instruction, as the festival of Passover must always occur in the spring.

וְהָיָ֣ה כִֽי־יְבִֽיאֲךָ֣ יְהוָ֡ה אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽ֠כְּנַעֲנִי וְהַחִתִּ֨י וְהָאֱמֹרִ֜י וְהַחִוִּ֣י וְהַיְבוּסִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֤ע לַאֲבֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ לָ֣תֶת לָ֔ךְ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ וְעָבַדְתָּ֛ אֶת־הָעֲבֹדָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַזֶּֽה׃

The festival of Passover is relevant not only for the present. It shall be when the Lord shall bring you to the land of the Canaanites, the Hitites, the Emorites, the Hivites, and the Yevusites, that He took an oath to your forefathers to give to you, which is a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall perform this service that you observed in Egypt, of the paschal offering, in this month of spring.

שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים תֹּאכַ֣ל מַצֹּ֑ת וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י חַ֖ג לַיהוָֽה׃

Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; and on the seventh day is a festival to the Lord.

מַצּוֹת֙ יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת שִׁבְעַ֣ת הַיָּמִ֑ים וְלֹֽא־יֵרָאֶ֨ה לְךָ֜ חָמֵ֗ץ וְלֹֽא־יֵרָאֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ שְׂאֹ֖ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻלֶֽךָ׃

Only unleavened bread shall be eaten for the seven days. You are not obligated to eat unleavened bread for all seven days, as might have been inferred from the previous verse. Rather, if one wishes to eat bread during these seven days, it must be unleavened. Not only is consuming leavened bread prohibited, but neither leavened bread shall be seen with you, nor shall leaven be seen with you, within your entire border.

וְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּעֲב֣וּר זֶ֗ה עָשָׂ֤ה יְהוָה֙ לִ֔י בְּצֵאתִ֖י מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃

You shall tell your son on that day, when you commemorate the exodus, saying: It is because of this, in order that I will preserve the memory of these events and perform the commandments, that the Lord did this, all the signs and wonders, for me upon my exodus from Egypt.

וְהָיָה֩ לְךָ֨ לְא֜וֹת עַל־יָדְךָ֗ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן֙ בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֔יךָ לְמַ֗עַן תִּהְיֶ֛ה תּוֹרַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה בְּפִ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃

It, the story of the exodus, shall be a sign for you on your hand and a remembrance between your eyes. You must write a reference to this story on an object that you will attach to your arm and between your eyes, so that the law of the Lord will be in your mouth, because you must remember that with a powerful hand the Lord took you out of Egypt.

וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֛ אֶת־הַחֻקָּ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לְמוֹעֲדָ֑הּ מִיָּמִ֖ים יָמִֽימָה׃ (ס)

In addition to the various means of commemorating the exodus throughout the entire year, you shall observe this statute, the paschal lamb, at its appointed time, from year to year.

וְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־יְבִֽאֲךָ֤ יְהוָה֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר נִשְׁבַּ֥ע לְךָ֖ וְלַֽאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ וּנְתָנָ֖הּ לָֽךְ׃

Up to this point, Moses has detailed the various rituals dedicated to the remembrance of the exodus: Eating unleavened bread and refraining from consuming leavened bread on the festival of Passover; establishing that festival in the spring; eliminating leaven from one’s possession for this festival; telling the story of the exodus; and binding a written sign to one’s arm and head. He now returns to the command that God had earlier instructed him to give to Israel: It shall be when the Lord will take you to the land of the Canaanite, as He took an oath to you and to your forefathers, and He shall give it to you,

וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ֥ כָל־פֶּֽטֶר־רֶ֖חֶם לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וְכָל־פֶּ֣טֶר ׀ שֶׁ֣גֶר בְּהֵמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ הַזְּכָרִ֖ים לַיהוָֽה׃

you shall transfer to the Lord each first issue of the womb; and of each first issue discharged from the body of an animal that you will have, the males are sanctified and are the Lord’s.

וְכָל־פֶּ֤טֶר חֲמֹר֙ תִּפְדֶּ֣ה בְשֶׂ֔ה וְאִם־לֹ֥א תִפְדֶּ֖ה וַעֲרַפְתּ֑וֹ וְכֹ֨ל בְּכ֥וֹר אָדָ֛ם בְּבָנֶ֖יךָ תִּפְדֶּֽה׃

Every first issue of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb. The firstborn of a donkey is sacred but it may not be used in its consecrated state. Instead, it must be exchanged for a lamb, which is given to the priests, as is explained later. And if you do not redeem it, the firstborn donkey, then you shall behead it. It is not clear why someone would refuse to redeem his donkey. Perhaps he is angry with his local priest or he cannot get hold of a lamb for whatever reason. And all the firstborn of man among your sons, who of course may not be offered upon the altar either, you shall redeem.

וְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־יִשְׁאָלְךָ֥ בִנְךָ֛ מָחָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֣ר מַה־זֹּ֑את וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֔יו בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֗ד הוֹצִיאָ֧נוּ יְהוָ֛ה מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים׃

It shall be when your son asks you tomorrow, saying: What is this? Why do you redeem the human firstborn and the firstborn of a donkey, and consecrate the firstborn of sheep, goats and cattle? You shall say to him: With strength of hand, power and force, the Lord took us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage.

וַיְהִ֗י כִּֽי־הִקְשָׁ֣ה פַרְעֹה֮ לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ֒ וַיַּהֲרֹ֨ג יְהֹוָ֤ה כָּל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מִבְּכֹ֥ר אָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּכ֣וֹר בְּהֵמָ֑ה עַל־כֵּן֩ אֲנִ֨י זֹבֵ֜חַ לַֽיהוָ֗ה כָּל־פֶּ֤טֶר רֶ֙חֶם֙ הַזְּכָרִ֔ים וְכָל־בְּכ֥וֹר בָּנַ֖י אֶפְדֶּֽה׃

It was when Pharaoh hesitated to send us forth, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn man to the firstborn animal, and only such measures persuaded Pharaoh to let us go. Consequently, God took all the firstborn as His possession. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord every first issue of the womb, the males; and all the firstborn of my sons I will redeem. I give to God the firstborn that He selected for Himself.

וְהָיָ֤ה לְאוֹת֙ עַל־יָ֣דְכָ֔ה וּלְטוֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֔ד הוֹצִיאָ֥נוּ יְהוָ֖ה מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (ס)

It, the sanctity of the firstborn, in addition to the story of the exodus (13:9), shall be a sign upon your arm, and an ornament between your eyes; for with strength of hand the Lord took us out of Egypt. He chose us and wants us to be His people. This is commemorated both by the giving of the firstborn to God and through the donning of phylacteries, which symbolize the unique bond between Israel and God.

וַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח פַּרְעֹה֮ אֶת־הָעָם֒ וְלֹא־נָחָ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים דֶּ֚רֶךְ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כִּ֥י קָר֖וֹב ה֑וּא כִּ֣י ׀ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים פֶּֽן־יִנָּחֵ֥ם הָעָ֛ם בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃

It was, in Pharaoh’s sending forth the people, that God did not guide them via the land of the Philistines, along the Mediterranean coast, although it was near, for God said: Lest the people reconsider when they see war. Although the Philistines were not a large nation, they were militarily powerful. Passing through their land risked a war which might have caused the Israelites to reverse course and return to Egypt.

וַיַּסֵּ֨ב אֱלֹהִ֧ים ׀ אֶת־הָעָ֛ם דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר יַם־ס֑וּף וַחֲמֻשִׁ֛ים עָל֥וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

God led the people circuitously, via the wilderness of the Red Sea. Instead of turning northward, toward the Mediterranean coastline, God led them southeast. And the children of Israel came up armed from the land of Egypt, as they assumed that they would eventually be forced to fight. God decided that they were not yet ready to stand in battle, and He therefore guided them on a path that would avoid direct confrontation with the Philistines.

וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־עַצְמ֥וֹת יוֹסֵ֖ף עִמּ֑וֹ כִּי֩ הַשְׁבֵּ֨עַ הִשְׁבִּ֜יעַ אֶת־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פָּקֹ֨ד יִפְקֹ֤ד אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְהַעֲלִיתֶ֧ם אֶת־עַצְמֹתַ֛י מִזֶּ֖ה אִתְּכֶֽם׃

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he, Joseph, had administered an oath to the children of Israel, the children of Jacob, or the Israelites in general, saying: God will remember and redeem you; and when this occurs, I request that you shall bring my bones up from here, from Egypt, with you.

וַיִּסְע֖וּ מִסֻּכֹּ֑ת וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ בְאֵתָ֔ם בִּקְצֵ֖ה הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃

They, the Israelites, traveled from a place called Sukot; alternatively, from a place where there were booths [ sukkot ], and they encamped in Etam, at the edge of the wilderness. Until this point, the Israelites traveled in fertile areas that were part of Egypt or Goshen. Now, they begin to travel in uninhabited areas.

וַֽיהוָ֡ה הֹלֵךְ֩ לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם יוֹמָ֜ם בְּעַמּ֤וּד עָנָן֙ לַנְחֹתָ֣ם הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְלַ֛יְלָה בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לְהָאִ֣יר לָהֶ֑ם לָלֶ֖כֶת יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה׃

So that they could navigate the desert, an angel of the Lord was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud to guide them on the way. They followed the cloud, which represented the glory of God. And by night He would go with them in a pillar of fire to illuminate for them, to go day and night. It is unclear whether the Israelites actually traveled by night. In any event, the pillar of fire gave them the ability to do so.

לֹֽא־יָמִ֞ישׁ עַמּ֤וּד הֶֽעָנָן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְעַמּ֥וּד הָאֵ֖שׁ לָ֑יְלָה לִפְנֵ֖י הָעָֽם׃ (פ)

The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night would not move from before the people. The Israelites did not know where they were traveling; these two pillars represented God’s guiding hand in the wilderness.