Friday, January 19, 2024

Better Not Butcher This One

There are two very similar words that appear in the passages dealing with the קרבן פסח but they must certainly be differentiated and depending on how well a בעל קריאה enunciates his vowels, it might be difficult to discern:
י"ב:ו וְשָׁחֲט֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ כֹּ֛ל קְהַ֥ל עֲדַֽת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בֵּ֥ין הָעַרְבָּֽיִם
This form is third-person plural future (via ו"יו ההיפוך), I.e. "they shall slaughter it."

י"ב:כ"א וְשַׁחֲט֥וּ הַפָּֽסַח
This is a second-person imperative command, I.e. "you, slaughter it!"

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