EXOD146 See [[EXOD142]] Exodus 12:2 month AMEMEI 283

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EXOD147 See [[EXOD143]] Exodus 12:3-4 household AMJV 194

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EXOD148 Do not eat meat of the Pesach offering raw or cooked. The Torah specifies that the meat of the Pesach offering must be roasted in order to help the People of Israel remember the miraculous Exodus from Egypt. At that time, the Jewish people went from slavery to freedom. It is the way of kings and their courtiers (who are free, not enslaved) to eat roasted meat, for roasting seals in the juices and imparts a very tasty flavor. Usually, the little meat that commoners eat is cooked. On the Seder night, we conduct ourselves like princes enjoying their freedom and eat the meat of the Pesach offering roasted, in the manner of royalty. [We eat the roasted meat of the Pesach offering only when the beis HaMikdash is standing in Jerusalem. Current practice is to avoid eating any roasted meat on the Seder night so that no one will think the meat dish is a Pesach offering, which we cannot bring in the interim. Ed.] Another reason for eating the meat roasted is to recall that the Children of Israel left Egypt in haste. There was no time to cook the meat in a pot.

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EXOD149 Do not leave over any meat of the Pesach offering. Our nation must recall the miracles of the Exodus from Egypt, and it must be fixed in our hearts that Hashem redeemed us, freed us and elevated us to greatness. We became like kings, and a king has no need to leave over food from one day to the next. If any meat of the Pesach offering remains on the morning of the 15th of Nisan, it must be burned, as kings do to dispose of what it is no longer of any use to them.

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EXOD150 See [[EXOD142]] Exodus 12:2 month AMEMEI 283

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EXOD151 See [[EXOD142]] Exodus 12:2 month AMEMEI 283

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EXOD152 As those going on a journey. R. Yossi Haglili says: Scripture is hereby teaching proper deportment to those setting out on a journey -- that they do things with dispatch. (Mechilta).

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EXOD153 The symbol of putting the blood of the sacrifice on the doorposts once again demonstrated the unity of the Jewish home, the Jewish family. Therefore, to leave Egypt and truly become a people, the Jews first had to be united as a Jewish family.

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EXOD154 See [[DEUT210]] Deuteronomy 6:5 love SPERO 96

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EXOD155 (Continued from [[DEUT863]] Deuteronomy 16:20 righteousness TZADIK 291). Rabbi Yehudah ben Tema said (Avos 5:20): "Be bold as a leopard, light as an eagle, swift as a deer, and strong as a lion to do the will of your Father in Heaven." See how the Sages have exhorted us to make ourselves light and strong for mitzvos! And this did David say (Tehillim 119:60): "I was quick and did not delay to heed Your mitzvos." And so did our Rabbis of blessed memory expound: "'And you shall heed the matzos' [this verse]--do not read it matzos, but mitzvos. If a mitzvah comes to hand, do not allow it to go stale, but do it immediately (Mechilta). And one must be extremely light, zealous, and strong to combat the wicked, to be as stouthearted as Moshe our teacher, may peace be upon him, who said (Shemos 32:27): "And Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aharon the priest, saw and he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand." Therefore, take great care to be extremely zealous to separate yourself from the company of the wicked, not to participate in their counsels and in their accords. Above all, one must be zealous to repent. He must make haste and not delay the process of repentance, so that he not remain wicked in Hashem' presence for even one moment. See how the ministers of kings and princes are swift in their embassies and services. How much more zealous must one be in the service of the King of kings, the Holy One Blessed be He!

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