שמות, פרק י״ב, פסוק מ״ח

The integration of a newcomer into the Israelite nation rests on a profound foundation of absolute equality, balanced by strict physical and spiritual prerequisites. When a person arrives from a foreign place with the desire to enter into the covenant, they are recognized as a convert even prior to undergoing circumcision [שד״ל, שטיינזלץ]. Their shared presence with the Israelites in Egypt underscores this integration [אבן עזרא], though some suggest that God only accepted converts from the mixed multitude out of respect for Moses's personal desire to welcome them [אור החיים].

The desire to participate in the Passover offering reflects a deep intention rather than an immediate action [אבן עזרא, קאסוטו, שטיינזלץ, ביאור יש״ר]. A convert does not bring the offering the moment they join the faith. Instead, they must wait for the universally appointed time on the fourteenth of Nissan, aligning their observance perfectly with the rest of the nation [רש״י, משכיל לדוד, בכור שור].

Before participating, a strict physical condition must be met. Just as a native Israelite is barred from partaking if his sons or slaves remain uncircumcised, the convert is required to ensure the circumcision of all males in his household [אור החיים, רלב״ג, מלבי״ם, שטיינזלץ]. This absolute requirement establishes that if there is a conflict in timing, the commandment of circumcision takes precedence over the slaughter of the Passover offering [תורה תמימה]. Furthermore, this standard grants a rabbinic court the authority to convert and circumcise a minor, even without the child's conscious consent [העמק דבר].

Once the physical conditions are met, the convert is invited to approach the offering. The primary approach among commentators is that a Passover group should not be composed entirely of converts, out of concern that they might lack precision in the intricate laws. Therefore, the convert must approach and integrate into an existing group of native Israelites [העמק דבר, הכתב והקבלה]. Conversely, another perspective maintains that following circumcision, the convert is fully qualified to approach and perform the offering independently, without needing others to slaughter it on his behalf [אור החיים].

Upon fulfilling these requirements, the convert achieves a status identical to that of a native resident. To be considered a native means being deeply rooted in the land, clearly referring to an Israelite and rejecting any notion that it refers to local Canaanites [רש״ר הירש, אם למקרא]. This total equality extends into practical law [רלב״ג, שטיינזלץ]. For instance, if a person converts between the first Passover and the second supplementary Passover, they are treated exactly like a native; having been exempt during the first, they carry no obligation to observe the second [מלבי״ם, חזקוני].

To safeguard the sanctity of the offering, a definitive warning dictates that no uncircumcised person may partake. The primary approach among commentators is that this specifically targets an uncircumcised Israelite, meaning someone who could not be circumcised for medical reasons, such as a family history of fatal complications, or those born during the desert journey [רש״י, רשב״ם, אבן עזרא, ביאור יש״ר, שטיינזלץ]. Even though such an individual is deeply devoted to God and is not an apostate, they remain forbidden from eating the offering [תורה תמימה, מזרחי, דברי דוד]. A minority view, however, argues that someone exempt for medical reasons is legally considered circumcised and thus permitted to partake; in this view, the restriction only applies to someone who actively refuses the procedure out of fear of pain [העמק דבר].

The necessity for a distinct prohibition against the uncircumcised, separate from the ban on an apostate, highlights a fundamental difference. An apostate is disqualified because his heart is turned away from heaven, whereas an uncircumcised individual is disqualified due to a physical state that is considered flawed and repulsive [מלבי״ם, חזקוני, בכור שור]. On a spiritual level, an uncircumcised person consuming holy meat introduces impurity into holiness, creating a barrier to clinging to the Divine Presence [רקנאטי, נחלת יעקב]. Ultimately, this strict physical boundary teaches that all Israelites in Egypt were required to circumcise themselves before they could partake in the very first Passover [רבנו בחיי].