SALT – PARSHAT BO

By Rav David Silverberg

MOTZAEI

            In the opening verse of Parashat Bo, God speaks to Moshe and reiterates what He has mentioned already on several occasions throughout the Exodus narrative, namely, that He has “hardened” Pharaoh’s heart.  The issue of this “hardening” constitutes among the more famous philosophical discussions among Jewish thinkers regarding the story of the plagues and the Exodus from Egypt.  God’s intervention in Pharaoh’s decision-making abilities, as implied by this term, seems to run in direct opposition to the fundamental doctrine of human free will.  Moreover, as indicated in this first verse of Parashat Bo – “for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order that I may place these miracles of Mine in his midst” – God “hardened” Pharaoh’s heart for the specific purpose of punishing him.  By denying Pharaoh the ability to obey, God makes the king deserving of harsher punishments, which then allow God to present greater displays of His unparalleled might.  Needless to say, this seems hardly just.

            The Rambam (Hilkhot Teshuva 6:3, Shemoneh Perakim, chapter 8) famously answers that God will at times punish a sinner by denying him the ability to repent.  Pharaoh had committed such grave offenses against Benei Yisrael by enslaving and persecuting them, that God saw fit to punish him by “hardening” his heart such that he would continue to stubbornly refuse to free the Hebrew slaves, rather than repenting and earning forgiveness.

            Ibn Ezra, in a terse remark in his commentary later in this parasha (10:20), seems to present a surprisingly simple explanation of God’s “hardening” of Pharaoh’s heart.  He writes, “As the Sages said: ‘One who wishes to be contaminated – he is assisted’.”  According to Ibn Ezra, it appears, there was nothing unusual about God’s treatment of Pharaoh.  The “hardening” of which the Torah speaks was simply an example of the principle taught to us by Chazal that God helps a person follow the direction he wishes to take.  Those who sincerely desire to obey and observe will be helped in their quest for spiritual achievement, whereas those who prefer following the path of sin will find this path easily traversable and free of obstacles.  And this, according to Ibn Ezra, is what happened to Pharaoh.  God did not intervene in any special way; rather, Pharaoh had consciously decided to enslave and torment Benei Yisrael, and the Almighty, true to the fundamental tenet of free will, allowed and helped him execute this decision.  The “hardening” of Pharaoh’s heart was thus simply the normal method by which God assists human beings in fulfilling their goals – in whichever direction they choose.

            It emerges that whereas the Rambam understood this phenomenon as the suspension of free will, Ibn Ezra saw it as facilitating free will.  Free will demands that a person have the opportunity to pursue good or evil, and God therefore assisted Pharaoh in his conscious effort to pursue the path of despotic tyranny, rather than interfering to help him repent.

(See also Rav David Horowitz’s discussion at http://yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/730429/Rabbi_David_Horwitz/Parashat_Va-Era:__the_Antinomy_of_Free_Will_and_God’s_Predestination)

SUNDAY

            The Torah in Parashat Bo presents the basic laws regarding the preparation and consumption of the korban pesach, including the law known as notar, which in fact applies to all sacrifices.  This halakha forbids leaving sacrificial meat over past the final time in which it may be eaten, and requires that if such meat is left over, it must be burned (12:10).

            The Mishna in Masekhet Shabbat (23b) establishes that notar meat (or any other consecrated food that must be burned) may not be burned on Yom Tov, and the Gemara cites a number of different reasons for this halakha.  One view claims that the Sages inferred this law from the aforementioned verse in Parashat Bo, which twice mentions the phrase, “ad boker” (“until morning”).  This indicated to Chazal that one who leaves over meat from the korban pesach must wait until the second morning – that is, the morning of the second day of Pesach – to burn the leftover meat.  The Sages thus deduced that burning notar is forbidden on the first day of Pesach, which is Yom Tov, and must be delayed until Chol Ha-mo’ed.  Another view in the Gemara explains this halakha differently, claiming that the mitzva to burn notar simply cannot override the prohibition against burning items on Yom Tov.  Melakha (forbidden activity) is prohibited on Yom Tov by virtue of both a lo ta’aseh (negative command) as well as a mitzvat asei (affirmative command) to observe a day of rest.  And a basic halakhic principle establishes that although normally a mitzvat asei can override a Torah prohibition, it cannot override a prohibition that entails both an asei and a lo ta’aseh.  As such, the mitzvat asei of notar does not override the mitzvat asei and mitzvat lo ta’aseh of Yom Tov observance.

            The Chatam Sofer, in his Torah commentary, notes a discrepancy in the Rambam’s discussion of this issue.  In his commentary to the Mishna there in Masekhet Shabbat, the Rambam cites the first explanation given – the inference from the phrase ad boker in this verse.  However, in his commentary to the Mishna in Masekhet Pesachim (83a), which discusses notar in the context of the laws of the korban pesach, the Rambam mentions the second approach, namely, the fact that the notar obligation cannot override the Yom Tov restrictions.

            The Chatam Sofer ultimately leaves this discrepancy unresolved, but he briefly proposes an intriguing theory to explain why the Rambam may have mentioned different reasons in these different contexts.  Tosefot in Masekhet Kiddushin (34a) cite a view claiming that in some situations, a mitzvat asei does have the capacity to override a conflicting mitzvat lo ta’aseh that also entails a mitzvat asei.  Namely, if the individual in question is exempt from the mitzvat asei associated with the mitzvat lo ta’aseh, that lo ta’aseh will give way to the conflicting asei.  For example, women are generally exempt from mitzvot asei she-ha’zeman gerama – “time-bound” affirmative commands.  Hence, if a certain Torah prohibition entails both a mitzvat lo ta’aseh and a time-bound mitzvat asei, as far as a woman is concerned, this prohibition involves only a lo ta’aseh.  As such, for her, this prohibition would indeed give way to a conflicting mitzvat asei.

            Accordingly, as Tosefot note, adherents of this theory would likely allow a woman to burn notar on Yom Tov.  If we accept the second explanation for the prohibition against burning notar on Yom Tov, that the mitzvat asei cannot override the asei and lo ta’aseh of Yom Tov observance, then this prohibition would not apply if we can eliminate the mitzvat asei of Yom Tov observance.  And since this mitzvat asei is clearly a “time-bound” obligation, it could be suggested that women bear only the lo ta’aseh of Yom Tov, and they would therefore be allowed to burn notar on Yom Tov.

            According to this premise (which, incidentally, Tosefot flatly reject), the Chatam Sofer suggests, we can easily resolve the discrepancy between the two contexts in the Rambam’s commentary.  In Masekhet Shabbat, the Mishna deals with the laws of Shabbat candle lighting, which is customarily performed by women (though the obligation applies equally to men and women).  If the Mishna in this context forbids burning notar on Yom Tov, then it must assume the first reason mentioned earlier, namely, the inference from the term “ad boker.”  According to the second reason, as we saw, women would be allowed to burn notar on Yom Tov.  For this reason, the Chatam Sofer suggested, the Rambam there in Shabbat was forced to resort to the second reason.  In Pesachim, however, he cited the first reason, which he apparently preferred.

            As mentioned, the Chatam Sofer eventually dismisses this theory.  Among other arguments, he questions the assumption that women are exempt from the mitzvat asei of Yom Tov observance, and are bound only by the mitzvat lo ta’aseh forbidding melakha.  He contends that the principle exempting women from “time-bound” mitzvot asei should apply only to obligations, and not to prohibitions which the Torah formulates as a mitzvat asei.

MONDAY

            As mentioned yesterday, the Torah in Parashat Bo presents the prohibition against leaving over the meat of the korban pesach until morning, and the obligation to burn any meat that one did leave over (12:10).

            In explaining the reason behind this mitzva, the Sefer Ha-chinukh suggests that it relates to the theme of royalty that runs throughout many of the laws and customs that apply on the night of Pesach.  Leaving food over for the next day signifies poverty, or at least a degree of financial insecurity.  The wealthy person has no qualms about finishing all the food on his table, because he has no reason for concern about the availability of adequate supplies for the following days.  As part of our celebration of freedom, we conduct ourselves in a manner reflecting royal wealth, and we therefore leave nothing behind.  We complete all the meat of the sacrifice, as though we, like kings, have no reason for concern about tomorrow’s meals.

            We may, however, suggest the precise opposite approach – that this halakha relates to a much different theme of Pesach, the theme of haste and the pressure-ridden exit from Egypt.  In the very next verse, God commands Benei Yisrael, “And thus shall you eat it [the paschal sacrifice]: your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in hand; and you shall it hastily…”  This verse explicitly commands Benei Yisrael to eat the korban pesach hastily, with an awareness that at any moment they would be bidden to take leave of Egypt.  God did not want Benei Yisrael to eat in a relaxed setting, as though they had as much time as they needed, but rather with a certain degree of haste and pressure.  Possibly, the command in the previous verse, which forbids leaving meat over until morning, also relates to the need for a hasty meal.  This prohibition forced Benei Yisrael to go about the pesach meal quickly, without dawdling, and thus contributed to the aura of vigor and haste that was to characterize the rituals observed that night.

Although Benei Yisrael were now entering freedom, they were still obliged to act with zeal and alacrity, to keep to a tight schedule and keep things moving – just as they did during their years of servitude.  This theme is further underscored by the obligation of matza and the strict prohibition of chametz, which commemorate the nation’s hasty, even frantic, departure from Egypt.  The reason for this emphasis on speed and haste, perhaps, is to remind Benei Yisrael that they were not leaving Egypt to become “free” in the superficial sense of the term, so that they have the luxury and freedom to act however they please, without commitments or obligations.  The Exodus marked simply the transition from the service of Pharaoh to the service of the Almighty.  Therefore, God saw to it that the meal celebrating this event would be characterized specifically by pressure and vigor, with an eye on the clock and a sense of subservience to our new Master.

TUESDAY

            Parashat Bo introduces the laws of Pesach, foremost among which are the requirement and prohibition, respectively, of matza and chametz.  As we know from the seder, the Haggada explains the matza obligation as intended to commemorate Benei Yisrael’s hasty departure from Egypt, as the Torah famously writes, “They baked the dough which they took from Egypt as unleavened cakes, rather than leaven, for they were driven from Egypt and were unable to delay” (12:39).

            However, as many writers have noted throughout the ages, there appears to be more to matza and chametz than the nation’s hurried departure from Egypt.  For one thing, God had commanded them to partake of matza already before the plague of the firstborn and the Exodus (12:8; granted, as mentioned yesterday, this command, too, could be attributed to the interest in saving time).  Moreover, the especially strict nature of the chametz prohibition would seem to reflect a far more fundamental message than the commemoration of the haste with which the Exodus unfolded.  Indeed, Chazal occasionally speak of the evil inclination as the se’or she-be’isa – “the leaven in the batter” – indicating that they viewed “leaven” as somehow symbolic of the human being’s evil impulses.

            Bread consists of two primary ingredients, flour and water, which correspond to the two components of a person – body and soul.  Independently, neither flour nor water has the capacity to ferment and produce leaven; this possibility arises only when they are mixed, at which point they can result in either matza or leavened bread.  Likewise, body and soul are independently incapable of sin.  A body without a soul is lifeless and cannot act at all, and a soul without a body has no possibility of being tarnished.  But the fusion between body and soul, like the mixture of flour and water, has the potential to produce both “matza” and “leaven.”

Significantly, partaking of matza on Pesach constitutes a Torah obligation.  Seemingly, if the Torah had wanted us to avoid chametz on Pesach, it should have commanded us to avoid mixing water and flour altogether.  Yet, not only does it allow eating unleavened bread – it requires us to do so!  Indeed, the Torah sees the fusion between body and soul as the ideal, not a compromise.  “Who is mighty?  He who restrains his inclination.”  The Torah does not expect us to eliminate our evil inclination, but rather to restrain it, to harness it, to channel our human instincts in the proper direction.  The challenge of Torah Judaism is not to separate the flour and the water – but rather to mix the two together, to live both a physical and spiritual life in a manner that results in “matza,” without any “leaven.”

How does one ensure that this fusion does not result in “leavening,” in inappropriate and sinful excesses?  Halakha teaches that when preparing matza for Pesach, one must ensure not to allow the dough to “rest” without being handled for even a minute.  From the moment the dough is mixed with the water, the batter must be kneaded and worked continuously to avoid fermentation, until it is placed in the oven.  This perhaps reflects how the human being can avoid spiritual “fermentation,” the potential harm caused by his internal mixture of body and spirit: by remaining occupied at all times with constructive activity.  It is when the “kneading” stops, when a person is idle and does not properly fill his time, that the dough can “ferment” and turn into “chametz.”  By assuming challenges and responsibilities, and committing ourselves to meeting those challenges and fulfilling those responsibilities at the very highest standard, we ensure that the “dough” inside us has no opportunity to “rest,” and we thereby avoid the se’or she-be’isa that is the root of sinful behavior.

(Based on an article by Rav Yaakov Filber)

WEDNESDAY

            Parashat Bo introduces the basic laws relevant to the korban pesach (paschal offering), including the obligation to eat the meat of the sacrifice: “They shall eat the meat on this night” (12:8).  The Talmud (Berakhot 9a) records a famous debate as to whether this verse allows partaking of the korban pesach throughout the night, or only until chatzot (midnight as defined by Halakha).  According to all views, however, the korban pesach differs in this respect from other kodashim kalim – sacrifices of which the one bringing the offering may partake.  Generally, when a person brings a sacrifice of which he is allowed to partake, he may eat the sacrificial meat immediately that day, and thereafter, until the end of the next day.  The exception to this rule is the korban toda (thanksgiving offering), of which one may partake only during that day and through the night.  The korban pesach, however, is not eaten on the day of its offering – the 14^th of Nissan – but rather that night, and, according to one view, it may be eaten only until midnight.

            This extraordinary feature of the korban pesach gives rise to the question of whether it nevertheless belongs to the category of kodashim kalim, or if it constitutes an entirely separate and independent kind of sacrifice.  One might conclude on the basis of the unique time restrictions that korban pesach stands separate and apart from the standard framework of sacrifices, and should be classified as such.  Alternatively, one may view these restrictions as an exceptional feature that does not undermine this korban’s status as a sacrifice like other kodashim kalim.

Rav Menachem Kasher addresses this question in his Torah Sheleima (vol. 12, appendix 7), where he cites a number of sources indicating that indeed, the korban pesach has the status of kodashim kalim, despite the unusual time restrictions that apply.  First, the Mikhelta De-Rashbi explains the verse, “You shall say [to your son], ‘It is a paschal offering [zevach pesach]” (12:27) as referring to the proper intention one must have as he prepares the sacrifice.  The Mekhilta comments, “All one’s actions [in preparing the sacrifice] shall be for the sake of an offering [zevach]…all one’s actions shall be the for the sake of a pesach.”  In other words, the Mekhilta requires one to have two intentions while tending to the sacrifice: “for the sake of an offering” and “for the sake of a pesach.”  Rav Kasher suggests that the Mekhilta refers to the two aspects of the korban pesach.  In addition to its unique quality as serving to commemorate the Exodus, the korban pesach is also a zevach, a standard kodashim kalim sacrifice.  This duality is reflected in the halakhic requirement (according to the Mekhilta De-Rashbi) to have both statuses is mind while offering the korban pesach.

Another indication to this effect is a comment of the Sifrei in Parashat Korach (to 18:17).  The verse there in Korach establishes the sacred status of the firstborn of certain animals, requiring that it be offered as a sacrifice with its fats offered upon the altar.  The Sifrei infers from a phrase in that verse that it refers also to the korban pesach.  (The Sifrei mentions ma’aser beheima in this context, as well.)  According to the Sifrei, the Torah there in Parashat Korach – amidst its discussion of the sacrifice of firstborn cattle – establishes the requirement to offer the fats of the korban pesach upon the altar, a detail that the Torah does not mention here in Sefer Shemot.  This association implicitly drawn between the korban pesach and other sacrifices strongly suggests that the korban pesach – despite its unique features – indeed belongs to the standard rubric of kodashim kalim.

Finally, the Tosefta (Pesachim 4:7) addresses the case of one who slaughters the korban pesach with the intention of eating its meat already on the day of the fourteenth, without waiting until that night.  Generally, when any stage of the sacrifice is performed with the intention of eating its meat at a time when this is forbidden, this intention invalidates the sacrifice – a law known as pigul.  At first glance, we would apply this halakha to a korban pesach that was slaughtered with the intention of eating its meat before it becomes suitable for consumption.  Interestingly enough, however, the Tosefta rules that the korban pesach is not invalidated through this intention.  This halakha, as Rav Kasher explains, beautifully reflects the dual nature of the korban pesach.  The provision that it must be eaten specifically at night stems from its unique status as a paschal offering.  Its second status, however, as kodashim kalim, allows – in principle – partaking of its meat already during the day of the 14^th of Nissan.  The law of pigul applies to the korban pesach only with respect to its second status – as regular kodashim kalim – and according to this status, the meat may eaten during the day of the 14^th.  Therefore, if the sacrifice is slaughtered with the intention of eating its meat during the day, it does not become invalidated, even though, practically speaking, one may not partake of the sacrificial meat until nighttime.

THURSDAY

            As we mentioned yesterday, the Talmud in Masekhet Berakhot (9a) records a famous debate concerning the obligation to partake of the korban pesach, a mitzva which the Torah introduces in Parashat Bo: “They shall eat the meat on this night” (12:8).  According to Rabbi Akiva, this verse – as the straightforward reading suggests – allows partaking of the sacrificial meat all night, until morning.  Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, however, rules more stringently, claiming that one may eat the meat of the korban pesach only until chatzot (midnight as defined by Halakha).

            Tosefot raise an obvious question regarding the view of Rabbi Elazar.  The Torah writes explicitly in this context, “You shall not leave over from it until morning, and that which is leftover until morning – you shall burn by fire” (12:10).  In this verse, the Torah clearly designates the morning of the fifteenth of Nissan as the “deadline” for partaking of the korban pesach meat, as it forbids leaving meat over until morning.  If, as Rabbi Elazar contends, the meat becomes forbidden for consumption already at chatzot, then the verse should forbid leaving meat over until at chatzot, and not until morning.

            Tosefot’s answer to this question perplexed later writers.  Tosefot suggest that Rabbi Elazar read this verse as follows: “Do not do anything such that it would become leftover by morning, for if it is not eaten by chatzot, you will be unable to eat it or burn it at night…and it will therefore remain until morning.”  In other words, the Torah here forbids allowing the meat to become notar (“leftover”) in the morning.  One violates this prohibition by failing to eat the meat by chatzot, which then inevitably results in the meat’s obtaining the status notar in the morning.  Since one may not eat the meat past chatzot, and Halakha allows burning leftover meat only in the morning, meat that was not consumed before chatzot will invariably become notar in the morning and will require burning.

            Many later writers challenged Tosefot’s reading of the verse in light of the halakha discussed earlier this week, which forbids burning notar on Yom Tov (Shabbat 23b).  As we saw, although the meat becomes notar in the morning after the pesach ritual, the burning may take place only on the morning of the next day – the 16^th of Nissan.  If so, then Tosefot’s proposed reading of this verse seems very difficult to accept.  According to Tosefot, when the Torah says, “You shall not leave over from it until morning,” it means, “You shall not leave over from it past chatzot – because you will then have to burn it by morning.”  The Torah, however, could not make such a statement – because even in the morning the meat may not be burned.  (Instinctively, we might have responded that Tosefot perhaps interpret the term “morning” in this phrase as a reference to the morning of the next day – the16^th of Nissan.  However, from the Gemara’s discussion of this verse, it emerges clearly that Rabbi Elazar understood “morning” to mean the morning of the 15^th.)

            The Melo Ha-ro’im commentary advanced a novel theory to explain Tosefot’s comments, one which relates to a separate issue regarding the observance of Pesach at the time of the Exodus.  This verse appears amidst God’s instructions to Benei Yisrael in preparation for their departure from Egypt.  It is quite possible, the Melo Ha-ro’im suggests, that the restrictions of Yom Tov did not apply that year, as Benei Yisrael had yet to receive the Torah.  Hence, they were, indeed, permitted to burn their leftover sacrificial meat on the morning of the 15^th of Nissan.  Since they were not yet bound by the Yom Tov prohibitions, no halakhic violation was entailed in burning meat on Yom Tov, and they were therefore allowed to burn leftover meat from the korban pesach already the next morning.  If so, then Tosefot are quite correct in saying that by leaving the meat over past chatzot one would cause the meat to become notar and subject to burning immediately in the morning.

            It should be noted that this theory rests upon a certain exegetical assumption.  As the Melo Ha-ro’im himself acknowledged, God’s instructions to Benei Yisrael for the night of the Exodus are followed by a discussion of the Pesach observance for all times (12:14-20).  This section includes the prohibition against performing melakha (forbidden activity) on the first and seventh days of Yom Tov (12:16).  The Melo Ha-ro’im’s hypothesis presumes that this discussion was intended only for subsequent generations, and not for the year of the Exodus.

            We should also note that this discussion relates to the issue of why Halakha forbids burning sacrificial meat on Yom Tov.  The Melo Ha-ro’im’s theory presumes the position (that we encountered earlier this week) which claims, quite simply, that the mitzva of burning notar does not have the halakhic weight to override the prohibition against burning materials on Yom Tov.  However, according to another view (in Masekhet Shabbat 23b), the Sages inferred this halakha from this very verse in Parashat Bo that deals with the burning of leftover korban pesach meat.  This view quite clearly assumed that even in the year of the Exodus it was forbidden to burn notar on the morning of the 15^th of Nissan, as it infers this prohibition from this verse, which deals with the night of the Exodus itself.  Thus, the Melo Ha-ro’im’s contention, that Benei Yisrael were allowed that year to burn leftover meat on the 15^th of Nissan, presumes the other possibility, that attributes the prohibition against burning notar on Yom Tov to the relative strength of the Yom Tov prohibitions.

FRIDAY

            Yesterday, we discussed the ruling of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, as recorded in the Gemara (Berakhot 9a), that the meat of the korban pesach may not be eaten past chatzot (midnight as defined by Halakha) on the night of Pesach.  This view is in contrast to Rabbi Akiva’s position, which allows partaking of the sacrificial meat until morning.  As we saw, Tosefot questioned Rabbi Elazar’s view in light of the Torah’s command in Parashat Bo concerning the korban pesach, “You shall not leave over from it until morning, and that which is leftover until morning – you shall burn by fire” (12:10).  The Torah forbids leaving meat over “until morning,” clearly implying that one may partake of the meat throughout the night.

            The Or Samei’ach (end of Hilkhot Chametz U-matza) suggested a possible answer to this question based upon the dual nature of the korban pesach, which we discussed earlier this week.  As we saw, while the paschal offering certainly features a number of unique qualities, it also belongs to the general rubric of kodashim kalim – sacrifices of which the one bringing the offering may partake.  The Or Samei’ach thus suggests that as far as the pesach’s status as kodashim kalim is concerned, its meat may be eaten until morning – even according to Rabbi Elazar.  From this perspective, the korban pesach resembles the korban toda (thanksgiving offering), which may be eaten on the day of its offering and throughout the following night.  (Other kodashim kalim may be eaten also on the following day.)  It is only the second aspect of the korban pesach – its unique status as a paschal sacrifice – that requires its consumption before chatzot.  Accordingly, the Or Samei’ach proposes, we might claim that while Rabbi Elazar requires eating the sacrifice before chatzot, it does not technically become notar – leftover meat – until morning.  Since from the perspective of the standard kodashim kalim status the meat may be eaten until morning, the meat does not assume the formal status of notar until that point – despite the fact that, as a practical matter, one may not eat the meat past chatzot.  Therefore, the Torah speaks of the meat becoming notar only in the morning.

            However, the Or Samei’ach immediately dismisses this possibility, noting the Gemara’s comment in Masekhet Pesachim (71a) which states explicitly that korban pesach meat becomes notar already at chatzot according to Rabbi Elazar.

            The Rashash (Rav Shmuel Strashon), in his commentary to Masekhet Berakhot, suggests a much different approach to reconcile Rabbi Elazar’s view with this verse.  Quite simply, the Rashash contends that at times the word boker (“morning”) can refer to chatzot.  He draws proof to this otherwise dubious theory from the Gemara’s discussion in Masekhet Yoma (20b) concerning the terumat ha-deshen ritual – the cleaning of the altar each morning in the Beit Ha-mikdash.  The Torah (Vayikra 6:2) indicates that this should take place in the “boker,” and the Gemara claims that the period to which the Torah refers begins already at chatzot.  Conceivably, then, we may similarly interpret the word boker in the context of notar as referring to chatzot.  It is thus possible that Rabbi Elazar understood this verse to mean, “You shall not leave over from it until chatzot.”

            Interestingly enough, and unbeknownst to the Rashash, there is a Midrashic source supporting his contention.  Rav Menachem Kasher, in his Torah Sheleima to this verse, cites a passage from a manuscript entitled “Yalkut Albichani” that writes explicitly that “boker” in this verse refers to chatzot.  Rav Kasher notes that this interpretation likely reflects the view of Rabbi Elazar, who forbade eating meat of the korban pesach past chatzot, and it thus easily resolves the difficulty posed by this verse.

David Silverberg