שמות, פרק י״ב, פסוק כ״א

Moments before the Exodus, the divine plan translates into immediate human action. Moses gathers the people to prepare for the Passover sacrifice, shifting from theoretical instruction to practical execution. Although God initially commanded Moses to speak to the entire congregation of Israelites, Moses specifically summons the elders. One perspective suggests that Moses did address the entire nation but called the elders forward to honor them or to formally ordain them as a judicial court [העמק דבר, מלבי״ם, צפנת פענח]. Conversely, another approach maintains that Moses spoke exclusively to the elders, relying on them to relay the instructions to every family [אבן עזרא, חומש קה״ת]. This delegation was necessary because the Israelites were not yet accustomed to fulfilling commandments, and they needed their leaders to patiently explain the requirements [אור החיים]. Furthermore, slaughtering a sheep, an animal revered as a deity in Egypt, was a highly provocative and dangerous act. Moses required the elders and leaders to set a personal example by performing the commandment openly first, thereby instilling courage in the hearts of the entire nation [אברבנאל, אלשיך].

In this crucial moment, Moses delivers instructions that are remarkably brief. He omits any mention of the prohibition against leavened bread, the consumption of matzah and bitter herbs, or the precise dates of the festival. However, it is understood that he had already taught the Israelites all the detailed laws previously communicated to him by God [רמב״ן, טור הארוך, ביאור יש״ר, קאסוטו]. In a time of immense pressure and haste, Moses likely focuses solely on the instructions concerning the sacrifice itself, as these are the most urgent and practical steps required immediately [חומש קה״ת].

At the core of Moses' directive is a dual command to draw and take the animal. The primary approach among commentators is that this double instruction addresses two different groups. Those who already own flocks are to draw an animal from their own herds, while those without flocks must go and purchase one from the market [רש״י, מזרחי, רלב״ג]. This act of drawing also reflects the formal method of legally acquiring a small animal [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם]. Practically, the command to draw implies physical movement, as the Israelites have to travel all the way to the region of Goshen to retrieve the sheep, given that shepherding is considered an abomination by the Egyptians [רמב״ן]. On a deeper spiritual level, this command represents a profound detachment. The Israelites are instructed to withdraw their hands from idolatry. By taking the very animal the Egyptians worship and designating it as a sacrifice, they make a bold, public declaration of their complete separation from Egyptian idols and their new devotion to God's commandments [תורה תמימה, אלשיך, פרדס יוסף].

The directive ensures that one animal is designated for each specific family, mirroring God's earlier instruction to prepare a lamb for every household [רשב״ם, רש״י, גור אריה]. The specific reference to the Passover offering indicates that the Israelites are already familiar with the concept from his prior explanations [רש״ר הירש, ביאור יש״ר]. This instruction also emphasizes a fundamental requirement: the act must be performed with pure and explicit intent specifically for the Passover sacrifice, without which the offering is rendered invalid [רלב״ג, תורה תמימה].

Interestingly, Moses now introduces practical details that were not explicitly mentioned in God's previous command, such as using a bunch of hyssop, dipping it into a basin of blood, and the strict warning to remain indoors until morning. This confinement is absolutely critical. Once the destructive force is unleashed to strike the firstborn during the night, it does not distinguish between the righteous and the wicked. The only true protection is remaining inside a home marked by the blood of the commandment [רמב״ן, אברבנאל].