דברים, פרק ט״ז, פסוק ד׳

The festival of Passover demands action on two parallel fronts: purifying the private home from any trace of leaven and participating precisely in the sacrifices. These requirements serve as more than mere historical memorials of the Exodus; they are permanent laws designed to shape a Jewish consciousness of liberation and complete submission to God. The strict prohibition against leaven focuses specifically on strong fermenting agents used to cause other dough to rise [שטיינזלץ, מלבי״ם].

This restriction is fundamentally tied to the concept of ownership. The prohibition applies exclusively to leaven owned by a Jewish person, meaning one is permitted to see leaven that belongs to non-Jews or to the Temple treasury [בכור שור, מלבי״ם]. Beyond physical removal, the requirement extends to the mind. A person must mentally nullify the leaven in their heart, viewing it as completely useless and equal to the dust of the earth [הכתב והקבלה, מלבי״ם]. Symbolically, the removal of leaven—an item representing independence and personal ownership—reminds the people that they left Egypt destitute and received all their property directly from God. Consequently, this demands a mindset of selflessness and devotion [רש״ר הירש]. This prohibition remains an enduring law for all generations, even though there was no practical need for such an instruction during the actual events of the Exodus [ספורנו].

The second core requirement involves the festival sacrifices and the strict rule against leaving any meat slaughtered in the evening until the morning. Just like the removal of leaven, this is a permanent law for all generations, not merely a temporary instruction resulting from the rushed departure from Egypt [ספורנו, רש״י, מזרחי, חזקוני]. Conceptually, leaving meat leftover disconnects the act of eating from the act of sacrifice, which diminishes the overall spiritual elevation of the offering [רש״ר הירש].

Commentators offer two primary approaches regarding the specific identity of this meat and the exact timeframe for eating it. One perspective maintains that the law refers directly to the Passover sacrifice itself [אבן עזרא, שטיינזלץ]. Under this view, the timeframe indicates the fourteenth of Nissan, or the first night of the holiday, meaning the meat must be completely consumed that very night with nothing left for the morning [רש״י, רמב״ן, שד״ל, ביאור יש״ר]. This precise instruction is necessary to ensure people do not mistakenly treat the Passover sacrifice like other peace offerings brought during the seven-day festival, which allow for a longer period of consumption [רש״י, גור אריה]. Alternatively, another approach suggests the meat refers to the additional festival offering brought alongside the Passover sacrifice. According to this interpretation, the timeframe refers to the first actual day of the festival. Because this specific festival offering may be eaten over a period of two days and one night, the strict deadline to leave no leftovers until the morning actually applies to the morning of the second day [רש״י, תורה תמימה, ברטנורא, העמק דבר].