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Text Excerpt
״ושמרתם את המצות״ — מצה המשתמרת לשם מצה. יצתה זו שאין משתמרת לשם מצה, אלא לשום זבח.
“And you should guard the matzot” (Exodus 12:17). This verse teaches that one may use only matza that has been guarded from becoming leavened for the purpose of matza, i.e., with the intention of fulfilling one’s obligation of matza with it. This explanation excludes this matza, which was prepared for a nazirite or a thanks-offering and which was not guarded for the purpose of matza but for the purpose of a sacrifice.
רב יוסף אמר, אמר קרא: ״שבעת ימים מצות תאכלו״ — מצה הנאכלת לשבעת ימים. יצתה זו שאינה נאכלת לשבעת ימים, אלא ליום ולילה.
Rav Yosef said a different reason: One may not use matza prepared for a nazirite or a thanks-offering because the verse states: “7 days you should eat matzot” (Exodus 12:15), which indicates that one can fulfill his obligation only with matza that can be eaten for all 7 days. This requirement excludes this matza, which is of nazirite’s wafers or the loaves of a thanks-offering and which cannot be eaten for 7 days, but only for one day and one night.
תניא כוותיה דרבה, ותניא כוותיה דרב יוסף. תניא כוותיה דרבה: יכול יצא ידי חובתו בחלות תודה ורקיקי נזיר, תלמוד לומר: ״ושמרתם את המצות״ — מצה המשתמרת לשם מצה. יצתה זו שאינה משתמרת לשם מצה, אלא לשום זבח.
The Talmud comments: It was taught in a baraita in accordance with the opinion of Rabba, and it was taught in a baraita in accordance with the opinion of Rav Yosef. The Talmud elaborates: It was taught in a baraita in accordance with the opinion of Rabba: I might have thought that one can fulfill his obligation to eat matza with the loaves of a thanks-offering or a nazirite’s wafers; therefore, the verse states: “And you should guard the matzot,” indicating that one must use matza that has been guarded from becoming leavened for the purpose of matza on Passover. This requirement excludes this matza, which was not guarded for the purpose of matza but for the purpose of a sacrifice.