Chametz and Matzah in Pesach Mitzrayim/1
Chametz and Matzah in Pesach Mitzrayim
Introduction
Conflicting Verses
It is well known that the nation was chased out of Egypt, leaving no time for their dough to rise:
לט) וַיֹּאפוּ אֶת הַבָּצֵק אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם עֻגֹת מַצּוֹת כִּי לֹא חָמֵץ כִּי גֹרְשׁוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ וְגַם צֵדָה לֹא עָשׂוּ לָהֶם.
A simple reading of the verse suggests that had there been more time, the people would not have baked matzah but rather leavened bread. However, this idea encounters difficulty given the command of 12:15:
(טו) שִׁבְעַת יָמִים מַצּוֹת תֹּאכֵלוּ אַךְ בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן תַּשְׁבִּיתוּ שְּׂאֹר מִבָּתֵּיכֶם כִּי כׇּל אֹכֵל חָמֵץ וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִיּוֹם הָרִאשֹׁן עַד יוֹם הַשְּׁבִעִי.
This verse suggests that already before the Exodus, Hashem commanded that the nation to refrain from chametz and eat matzah for seven days. If so, regardless of being chased out, the people should have been eating matzah and not bread! How can the two verses be reconciled? What is the real reason that the nation refrained from chametz - hashem's command or the speed of the redemption?
Structure of Chapter 12
Chapter 12 opens with Hashem's telling Moshe about the laws of both the Korban Pesach and the seven day holiday of Chag HaMatzot (12:1-20).
