Netziv — Exodus 12:8

“Roasted with fire and unleavened bread, with bitter herbs.” In the section Beha'alotcha, regarding the eating of the Passover offering in later generations, it is written: “they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.” From this we learn that the Passover offering itself is the primary commandment, while the matzah and the bitter herbs are secondary to it. Therefore there is a mitzvah to wrap them together (korekh), as stated in tractate Pesachim 115 according to the opinion of Hillel the Elder. Even the Rabbis who disagree there concede that it is a proper practice to do so.

However, here it says “roasted with fire and unleavened bread.” This implies that both are equal in the commandment, and only the bitter herbs are secondary to them. From here we learn that for later generations as well, it is valid post facto even without wrapping them together, as stated there.

One might have thought that they should wrap them all together and eat them as Hillel would eat them; therefore the verse says: “And they shall eat the meat on that night, roasted with fire, and unleavened bread.” [This is the correct reading, as explained in the commentary of Rashbam on the phrase “and they shall eat it,” that each one is eaten separately, as it had already said earlier: “and they shall eat the meat.” However, Rashbam understood that the derivation comes from the word yochlehu (“they shall eat it”), but in fact it is derived from the wording “roasted with fire and unleavened bread.”]

Although the Gemara explains this regarding a post facto situation, that applies to later generations. But in the Passover of Egypt it was certainly a commandment to eat the Passover offering separately and the matzah separately. Only the Passover offering itself had the commandment to be eaten wrapped together with bitter herbs.

And the reason this distinction is not taught in our Mishnah in the discussion of “what is the difference between the Passover of Egypt and the Passover of later generations” is because our Mishnah holds not like Hillel. Rather, it maintains that even for later generations we learn from this verse that there is no commandment to wrap them together, even ab initio.

This is what is stated there: Rabbi Yehudah said that his colleagues disagreed with Hillel, as Rashbam explains on the phrase “and now.” According to the Rabbis, the practice of wrapping them together does not apply at all.

Nevertheless, the wording of the verse is unusual: regarding the Passover of Egypt it says “and unleavened bread,” whereas regarding the Passover of later generations it says “with unleavened bread,” which implies that it is secondary in some respect. This difference is not without significance.

Rather, the matter is as we explained in the book of Deuteronomy in the section “Observe the month of Aviv.” In the commandment of telling the story of the Exodus there is a difference between the time when the Temple stood and the present time.

When the Temple existed, the commandment of the narration focused on the passing over the doorway, which alluded to the eating of the Passover offering. People would investigate and expound on this at length.

But regarding the commandment of eating matzah they did not expound extensively. It served primarily as an expression of gratitude for the redemption, like the loaves of a thanksgiving offering, or for the broader purpose of the entire seven days, as explained there.

In contrast, nowadays the commandment of the narration focuses on the theme of haste, which is indicated by the commandment to eat matzah. About this we elaborate at length, as it is written after the commandment of eating the bread of affliction: “for in haste you went out…” and there its explanation was given, with God’s help.

Thus, the Passover in Egypt marked the beginning of both periods: the time when Israel ate the Passover offering and also the time of exile. Therefore the commandment was that discussion should include both themes. For this reason each element is written separately in the verse.