Pisqa’ 132¹

1

“You will not be able to slaughter the Paschal lamb in one of your gates” (Dt.16:5).

R. Judah says:

How do I know that

one who slays the Paschal lamb

on behalf of [a party of] one

transgresses a proscription?

The Teaching states:

“In one of your gates” (Dt.16:5)—

[implying a minimum of two persons].²

R. Yose says:

At times you may slay it on behalf of [a party of] one,

and at times you may not slay it on behalf of a party of ten.

So how does this work?

If you have an individual who can eat it all,

you may slay it on his behalf.

If you have ten who cannot eat it all,

you may not slay it on their behalf—

so as to avoid disqualifying the Paschal lamb

[by leaving left-overs till morning].

2

R. Elazar b. Matityah says:

Since we find that

a community may offer the Paschal lamb

in conditions of uncleanness

when the majority of individuals is unclean,

is it possible to say that

a single individual tips the balance?

The Teaching states:

“You may not slaughter the Paschal lamb on account of one”³ (Dt.16:5)—

[a majority of one, for cleanness or uncleanness,

is not decisive].⁴

R. Shimon says:

One who slaughters the Paschal lamb

on behalf of [a party of] one—

at a private cultic site,

when such sites are forbidden—

transgresses a proscription

[against slaughtering on behalf of a party of one].

But is it possible to say that

the same applies

when private cultic sites are permitted?

The Teaching states:

“You will not be able to slaughter . . . in one of your gates” (Dt.16:5)—

[individuals may offer the Paschal lamb]

when Israel is gathered together in one place,

and when private cultic sites are forbidden.

But not when such sites are permitted.⁵

1. H:175-176; JN1:321-322.
2. //M. Pes. 8:7.
3. The entire verse of Dt.16:5 reads: “You will not be able to slaughter the Paschal lamb in one of your gates (be’ekhad sha`areicha).” The intentional truncation of the verse omits “your gates” from the text, thus opening space for the exegete’s midrashic reading, which now prohibits a single diner from eating the Paschal lamb.
4. //T. Pes. 6:2.
5. //T. Zev. 13:16.