Commentary for Pesachim 8:3

הָאוֹמֵר לְבָנָיו, הֲרֵינִי שׁוֹחֵט אֶת הַפֶּסַח עַל מִי שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה מִכֶּם רִאשׁוֹן לִירוּשָׁלַיִם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִכְנִיס הָרִאשׁוֹן רֹאשׁוֹ וְרֻבּוֹ, זָכָה בְחֶלְקוֹ וּמְזַכֶּה אֶת אֶחָיו עִמּוֹ. לְעוֹלָם נִמְנִין עָלָיו עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא בוֹ כַזַּיִת לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד. נִמְנִין וּמוֹשְׁכִין אֶת יְדֵיהֶן מִמֶּנּוּ עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׁחֵט. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, עַד שֶׁיִּזְרֹק עָלָיו אֶת הַדָּם:

If one said to his sons: "I am slaughtering the Pesach for the one of you who comes up first to Jerusalem" [This, in order to spur each one to be first (In truth, he numbers all of his sons for the Pesach. It is just that the one who comes up first attains to it first, and all of his brothers attain to it through him)] — as soon as the head and greater part of the first enters, he attains to his portion and all the others attain (to theirs) through him. One can be numbered for it so long as there is an olive-size for each one (who is numbered). One can be numbered for it and withdraw until it is slaughtered. R. Shimon says: until the blood is sprinkled [i.e., one can withdraw even after it is slaughtered so long as the blood has not yet been sprinkled. And R. Shimon concedes that one can be numbered for it only until it is slaughtered.]

Explore commentary for Pesachim 8:3. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.