Two Passover customs explained in the light of daf TB Pesakhim 96

 Obviously there has to be some differences how the Jewish people celebrated Passover when they left Egypt (Pesakh Mitzrayim-פֶּסַח מִצְרַיִם) and all subsequent Passovers (Pesakh dorot-פֶסַח דּוֹרוֹת). The first Mishnah on our daf TB Pesakhim 96 delineates four major differences.

“What are the differences between the Paschal lamb that the Jewish people offered in Egypt and the Paschal lamb offered in all later generations? The Paschal lamb the Jewish people offered in Egypt had to be taken from the tenth of the month of Nisan and required the people to sprinkle its blood with a bundle of hyssop, unlike the Paschal lamb in all later years, and its blood was also sprinkled upon the lintel and the two doorposts, and it was eaten with haste; in addition, the Paschal lamb in Egypt was only on one night, whereas the Paschal lamb throughout the generations is observed for seven days.” (Sefaria.org translation)

The Gemara lists six laws that applied to both Pesakh Mitzrayim and Pesakh dorot. They are:

1. The korban Pesakh needs to be guarded lest it develops an unqualified blemish.

2. The korban Pesakh needs to be eaten at night and not during the day.

3. Neither an uncircumcised man nor an apostate may participate in the korban Pesakh.

4. A sojourner and a hired servant are not automatically eligible to participate in the korban Pesakh.

5. One is forbidden to break a bone of the korban Pesakh.

6. One is forbidden to eat a raw korban Pesakh.

Obviously this is not an exhaustive list of similarities. I can think of at least one more similarity. The korban Pesakh needs to be roasted.

There was a custom in Italy and some places in Germany to set the Seder table 3 days before the holiday. It has been suggested that our Mishnah is the source of this custom. The three days are in remembrance of the commandment to separate the korban Pesakh on the 10th of Nisan. To reconcile the difference between the three days of this custom and the four days mentioned in the Torah and the Mishnah, a commentator said that there were three complete days and the last day was a partial day because the korban Pesakh was offered up starting in the early afternoon of the fourth day. Personally I don’t understand how they could make the house completely kosher for Passover so far in advance of the holiday. My house is never ready until the very last minute.

The Gemara shows that there is a strong link or connection between the korban Pesakh and circumcision. Perhaps this link provides another explanation why we have an Elijah’s cup. Elijah attends every brit milah. We even designate a special chair for him (כסא של אליהו). At our Seder when we pour wine into Elijah’s cup and expect him to join us, we can happily proclaim that we have scrupulously observed this mitzvah of brit milah.