The Feast of Unleavened Bread
3 Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place, and leavened bread shall not be eaten.”
Pesachim 21b:5
Ḥizkiya said: From where is it derived in the mishna that it is prohibited to derive benefit from leavened bread on Passover? As it is stated: “Leavened bread shall not be eaten” (Exo 13:3). Since the verse uses the passive, it should be understood as follows: There shall be no permitted consumption of it at all, even deriving benefit, as benefit could be exchanged for money, which could be used to buy food. The Gemara reads precisely: The reason deriving benefit is prohibited is that the Merciful One writes in the law: “Leavened bread shall not be eaten.” Had the law not written: “Shall not be eaten,” and instead used the active form: You shall not eat, I would have said that the prohibition of eating is implied but that the prohibition of deriving benefit is not implied.
Pesachim 28b:4
The Gemara asks: What is the reason for the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda? The Gemara explains: There are three verses that are written with regard to this prohibition, and in Rabbi Yehuda’s opinion each one teaches that the prohibition applies at a different time. One verse states: “Leavened bread shall not be eaten” (Exo 13:3). Another verse states: “And all that which is leavened you shall not eat; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread” (Exo 12:20). And a third verse states: “You shall eat no leavened bread with it” (Deu 16:3). One verse indicates that there is a prohibition against eating leavened bread even before its time, on Passover eve. One verse indicates that there is a prohibition against eating leavened bread after its time as well, if a Jew owned it during Passover. And one verse indicates that the prohibition applies during Passover itself.
Pesachim 29a:5
The Gemara comments: Granted, according to the opinion of Rava, this explanation is consistent with that which was taught in the mishna: Leavened bread that belonged to a Jew is forbidden because it is stated: “It shall not be seen” (Exo 13:7). According to this explanation, the connection between the prohibition against deriving benefit from leavened bread that was owned by a Jew during Passover and the verse prohibiting seeing leaven during Passover is clear. The prohibition against deriving benefit from this leavened bread is a rabbinically instituted fine for transgressing the prohibition of “It shall not be seen.” But according to the opinion of Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov, which states that our mishna follows the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, and which renders forbidden by law deriving benefit from leavened bread that was owned by a Jew during Passover, why is this verse cited? The mishna should have said that it is forbidden due to the verse “Leavened bread shall not be eaten” (Exo 13:3), as that is the verse from which Rabbi Yehuda derives this prohibition.
Pesachim 96b:1
Rather, it refers to leavened bread, which is prohibited all seven days of Passover in the generations following the exodus. The Gemara asks: Does this prove by inference that during the Passover of Egypt, leaven was prohibited for only one night and not more? But wasn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: From where is it derived with regard to the Passover of Egypt that its prohibition of leavened bread applied for only one day? The verse states: “Leavened bread shall not be eaten” (Exo 13:3), and juxtaposed to it the verse states: “Today . . . you are going out” (Exo 13:4), to teach that the prohibition of leaven applied in Egypt for only one day. In any event, the prohibition applied for an entire night and day, and not just one night.
Rashi
Remember this day—This teaches that one must make mention of the exodus from Egypt every day (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 13:3; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 27:9).
As you enter the house, greet it. MAT 10:12
John Gill
As you enter the house—Or the “house”; that is, the house of an hospitable man, when, upon inquiry, found out:
Greet it—Meaning the inhabitants of it; or, as the Persic version reads, those of the household, especially the master of the family. Some copies add, saying, peace be to this house, as in (Luk 10:5) and so read the Vulgate Latin, and Munster’s Hebrew Gospel; and is a very just, and proper explanation of saluting: for the usual form of salutation among the Jews was in such words; of which (See Gill on Mat 5:47) by which is meant all kind of happiness, and prosperity, temporal, spiritual, and eternal.
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” LUK 22:19
John Gill
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks—Or blessed it, as in (Mat 26:26; Mar 14:22). Here begins the account of the Lord’s upper after the Passover was eaten.
He broke it and gave it to them—The disciples, as is expressed in (Mat 26:26).
Saying, “This is my body”—(See Gill on Matthew 26:26.)
Which is given for you—Or will be given for you, as an offering for sin in your room and stead; and accordingly it was given into the hands of men, and of justice, and unto death. The phrase denotes the substitution and sacrifice of Christ in the room of his people, and the voluntariness of it; and is only mentioned by Luke in this account: the Apostle Paul writes, which is broken for you (1Co 11:24) alluding to the breaking of the bread in the ordinance, and as expressing the bruises, wounds, sufferings, and death of Christ: the Ethiopic version here adds, “for the redemption of many.”
Do this in remembrance of me—That is, eat this bread in remembrance of my love to you, and in commemoration of my body being offered up for you. Observe this ordinance in the manner I now institute it, in time to come, in memory of what I am about to do for you; for this direction does not only regard the present time and action, but is intended as a rule to be observed by the churches of Christ in all ages, to his second coming: and it is to be observed, that the Lord’s supper is not a reiteration, but a commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ. This phrase is only mentioned by Luke here, and by the Apostle Paul, who adds it also at the drinking of the cup (1Co 11:24-25). The Persic version here reads, “do this perpetually in remembrance of me.”
Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1CO 5:8
and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 1CO 11:24
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might EPH 1:19
John Gill
And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe—The objects of the divine power here intended, are believers in Christ; which distinguishes this power from that which was put forth in creation, and from that which will be displayed in the resurrection of the dead, and from the power of divine wrath, which will appear in the damnation of sinners; and shows, that this power is that which is exerted in the implantation of faith, and in the continuance of it, and in the finishing of that work; and that this is a great power, an exceeding great one, a super eminent one; which is attended with energy and efficacy, and is irresistible and insuperable: the greatness of this power as displayed in the work of conversion and faith appears, if it be considered what the work itself is called, a creation, a resurrection from the dead, a regeneration, and a transformation of the man into another man, which must needs require Almighty power; as well as what is then done, some things are removed, Satan is dispossessed, the stony heart is taken away, the enmity is slain, the old man is put down from his throne, and put off with his deeds; and there are some things wrought, Christ is formed in the soul, his grace is implanted, his image is stamped on, a new heart is given, and principles of light and life, of grace and holiness are put; the understanding is enlightened, the will is subdued, the affections are set on other objects, and the mind and conscience are cleansed and purified; and the means of this are the ministers, and ministry of the word, which are weak, foolish, and contemptible, in the eyes of men; to which may be added, the opposition made both from within and from without, from a sinful heart, a tempting devil, and an ensnaring, reproaching, and persecuting world: so that this work of faith cannot be ascribed to anything short of the exceeding greatness of divine power; and which is seen in supporting faith when it is wrought, under great discouragements; in delivering believers out of divers temptations; in assisting them to discharge their duty, and in their final perseverance: and to increase the idea of this power it is added.
According to the working of his great might—Or “according to the energy of his great might”: the strength of his might, in all the great energy of it, is exerted towards and upon believers; and which they should know, own, and acknowledge, to the glory of the grace of God: and this is in proportion, and agreeably to that might.
4 Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out.
Pesachim 28b:6
The verse “Leavened bread shall not be eaten” is also required for another halakha. As it was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: From where is it derived that the prohibition against eating leavened bread during the first Passover in Egypt applied for only one day? The verse states: “Leavened bread shall not be eaten,” and this is juxtaposed to the verse that states: “Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out” (Exo 13:4). This indicates that the prohibition against eating leavened bread during the first Passover in Egypt applied for only that one day.
Rashi
In the month of Abib—But would we not know in which month they went out? But Moses said to them: See the kindness which God has bestowed on you—that he took you out in a month that is fitted for going out, not hot, nor cold nor rainy. In the same sense it says (Psa 68:7) “He leads out the prisoners to prosperity (בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת),” in a month that is fitted (כָּשֵׁר) for going out (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 13:4:1).
7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; and leavened bread shall not be seen with you, and leaven shall not be seen with you in all your territory.
Beitzah 7b:14
That opinion is also taught in a baraita. The verse states: “And leavened bread shall not be seen with you, and leaven shall not be seen with you in all your territory” (Exo 13:7). This obligation to remove leavened bread is subject to a dispute between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel, as Beit Shammai say: The measure that determines liability for removal of leaven is an olive-bulk, and the measure for leavened bread is a large date-bulk, and Beit Hillel say: The measure for both this and that is an olive-bulk. This baraita indicates that the dispute between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel is with regard to the obligation to remove leavened bread, not liability for eating it.
Pesachim 5b:2
The Sages taught in a baraita: “For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses” (Exo 12:19). To what purpose does the verse state this prohibition? Wasn’t it already stated: “And leaven shall not be seen with you, and leavened bread shall not be seen with you in all your territory” (Exo 13:7)?
Pesachim 5b:12
The Gemara raises a difficulty: This tanna seeks permission for seeing the leaven of a Gentile, and yet he cites a verse to establish a prohibition. The Gemara answers that the tanna did not cite proof from the phrase: It shall not be found. Due to the fact that it is stated: “Leaven shall not be seen with you in all your territory” (Exo 13:7) and “No leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory” (Deu 16:4) twice, one of them is superfluous and may be appended to: It shall not be found, creating the prohibition: It shall not be found with you. Only leaven belonging to a Jew is prohibited.