A Primer in Commandments

The Torah portion of Bo is the climactic moment in the Exodus narrative, as the Jewish people exit Egypt and being the next phase in our history. Prior to leaving, God commands the nation in the performance of the Pesach sacrifice (korban Pesach). God first lists the details and various instructions to Moshe. Once completed, Moshe and Aharon turn to the nation and convey what God has instructed them. The section concerning this commandment ends with what would appear to be an innocuous verse (Shemot 12:28:

“So the children of Israel went and did; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.”

What could be questionable about this conclusion?

Some of the commentators note an apparent superfluity in the verse: why did the Torah need to mention that the Jewish people “went” and “did”? The fact they completed the task should be the focus. Most answer that there was a separate reward for their “walking” to perform the commandment. In other words, while of course they merited from the actual performance, there was an additional value to the act of going to perform the commandment. Of course, one could easily ask: why would there be a separate reward for this aspect of the commandment? Do we see such a concept by other commandments?

One other seemingly small detail is noted and questioned by some of the commentators. At the end of the verse, we see the words “so they did”. The simple reading of “they” would seem to refer to the Jewish people. However, many learn that “they” is a more inclusive statement; Moshe and Aharon were to be encompassed in the directive. Why would anyone have assumed they would not have been part of the commandment? Would we apply this same presumption to other commandments?

The Netziv notes the issue of the extra reward upon receiving the initial commandment, and offers an interesting insight. He notes that this commandment of acquiring the korban Pesach and its subsequent slaughter includes many preparatory details. When it comes to the actual consumption of said sacrifice, the Torah “merely” records it as “they did”. Being that the Torah lists the specifics in regard to the groundwork required of this commandment, the Netziv deduces that the reward for the preparation is “close” to being equivalent in reward for performance. However, where the details of preparation are not listed, we can determine the preparation necessary for that commandment is not “close” in equivalency to the reward of the performance.

The Netziv helps us categorize the issue by moving the focus from they “went”, implying something physical, to a conceptual relationship to the commandment. However, the explanation still seems to be a bit lacking if left alone. Why should there be a separate reward for the preparatory aspect of the commandment? Why only here, and not by other commandments?

One possible answer may lie a unique feature of the commandment. While the korban Pesach was not the technical first directive given (that would be the Sanctification of the Month), it was the first commandment completed by the Jewish people. As such, the idea of preparation is in fact more than being an involvement in task completion. What makes the commandments given by God so unique is the premise that each one has an important ideational objective attached to it. Each step of the process is replete with God’s wisdom, and it behooves us to investigate and uncover the important concepts related to the commandment. For the first time, the Jewish people would engage in a system of not of laws, but of avenues to understanding God’s infinite wisdom. The involvement in preparation was more than a list; they would study and analyze, understanding the importance of each step. The commandment would elevate from task-centric to conceptual advancement. This would explain the discrete reward for the preparation. The Jews would now understand that the commandments were there to perfect them, rather than be solely acts of servitude.

Another unique aspect of the commandment concerns the possibility of Moshe and Aharon being excluded from the korban Pesach. How could this be imaginable? One answer, given by some commentators, focuses on the role of Moshe and Aharon in comparison to the nation. Moshe and Aharon were tasked with leading the Jews out of Egypt, the messengers of redemption. If so, maybe they should have been excluded from the commandment. However, the verse indicates they were in fact part of the commandment. The Torah Temimah offers a different explanation. He explains that Moshe and Aharon were representative of the tribe of Levi. The Leviim were never forced into servitude during their time in Egypt. Having avoided the slavery their brethren suffered with, there was no need of a transformative “slavery to redemption” experience. Therefore, one might assume there would be no reason for them to be part of the commandment. Yet, we conclude that the entire nation participated in the korban Pesach.

These two answers offer us another important glimpse into the incredible impact of the korban Pesach. The first answer isolates Moshe and Aharon due to their respective roles. It would be difficult to imagine that they were excluded from the commandment in any permanent sense. The next korban Pesach would naturally include the two of them. For the present, though, it is possible to see the commandment classified as a portion of the requirements for the Jewish people to leave Egypt. Prior to taking a trip, one plans an itinerary and assembles a packing list. Moshe and Aharon were constantly conveying to the Jewish people their “travel list”, and the command of korban Pesach would seem to be a part of it. Since the commandment might be viewed as preparatory, rather than discrete, one could see how Moshe and Aharon were excluded. However, while in this instance there may have been more of a functional aspect to the commandment, it did not mean the korban Pesach was fundamentally different than any commandment. Therefore, Moshe and Aharon must have been included.

The second answer offers a different insight, moving away from a technical answer to something a bit more philosophical. The idea of the Leviim being excluded implies that a critical component of this first korban Pesach was its experience. The process of the sacrifice would be the initiation of the redemption. The fulfillment of the commandment would be the first act of throwing off the shackles of bondage, severing the servitude to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Never being part of the slavery meant there was no mechanism in place for an experiential change, and there would be no reason for the Leviim to participate. Yet there is another, even more critical aspect to the commandment. The korban Pesach unites the Jewish nation in a deep and profound manner. Every Jew plays a role in its fulfillment. The effect the practice has on the nation cannot be minimized. While the Leviim may have lacked the individualized experience of leaving slavery, their participation in the korban Pesach was decisive in the unified national expression. The power of the korban Pesach lies in its ability to see the nation as a unit, rather than as a hodgepodge of groups.

There are those who find the idea of sacrificing animals abhorrent to their moral outlook. Others cry out for some bizarre sense of equality. Understanding the idea behind this institution, as demonstrated with the korban Pesach, greatly assists us in moving from the simplistic observation to understanding the incredible wisdom of God’s commandments.