Chametz and Matzah in Pesach Mitzrayim/2
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Chametz and Matzah in Pesach Mitzrayim
Exegetical Approaches
Seven Day Prohibition of Chamtez
The Israelites celebrated a seven day holiday in Egypt, just as they did in future generations. Chametz was prohibited for the entire week.
No Prohibition of Chametz
In Egypt, the Children of Israel ate the Pesach sacrifice with matzah but were not prohibited from eating chamtez, nor obligated to eat matzah the week afterwards.
Hashem's command to Moshe: one holiday or two? According to these commentators, Hashem commanded Moshe about two distinct celebrations: Chag HaPesach (12:1-13) which refers to the Pesach sacrifice which was to be eaten on the fourteenth of Nissan at twilight, and Chag HaMatzot (12:14-20) which refers to the future seven day holiday in which the nation was supposed to eat matzah and refrain from eating chametz.1
Which commands were relayed to the nation in Egypt? According to these commentators, although Hashem told Moshe both about Chag HaPesach (12:1-13) and about Chag HaMatzot (12:14-20) already in the beginning of Nissan, only the commands about Pesach were relayed to the people before the Exodus (12:20-27). The people were first told about the seven day Holiday of Matzot and the prohibition of chametz only after they left, in 13:3-8. As such, the nation was never obligated to refrain from chametz in Egypt.
Why
