Chametz and Matzah on Pesach Sheni

Pesachim (9:3) | Yisrael Bankier | 12 years ago

This week we continue our learning about Pesach Sheni. The Mishnah (9:3) discusses the similarities and differences between Pesach and Pesach Sheni. With respect to chametz, even though the korban must also be eaten with matzah and marror, there is no prohibition of finding or possessing chametz on Pesach Sheni. We shall look into this point.

The Minchat Chinnuch (383:3) explains that the pesach,matzah and marror on Pesach Sheni may either be eaten together and separately. He continues explaining that there is no prohibition of chametz whatsoever on Pesach Sheni. Consequently, once the first kezayit, the obligatory amount, of the korban pesach is consumed, the rest may be eaten along with chametz. The only reason why the first kezayit cannot be eaten with chametz is because since there is no mitzvah to eat chametz, the chametz which is a reshut would mevatel the pesach. However, once the mitzvah of eating korban pesach is fulfilled, there is no problem with eating the rest with chametz.  

The Minchat Chinnuch is therefore surprised with a Rashi on Chumash (Bamidbar 9:10) who writes: “On Pesach Sheni one may have matzah and chametz together in his house; there is no yom tov and there is no prohibition of chametz except for with it [the korban pesach] in its consumption.” The Minchat Chinnuch does not know where the source for the prohibition of eating chametz with the korban pesach would come from. Even if one wanted to explain that Rashi was referring to the first kezayit and it was due to the reshut being mevatel the mitzvah, then it would apply to all other foods that were not a mitzvah to eat with the korban pesach!

The footnotes on the Minchat Chinnuch direct us to the Meshech Chochma who explains that the prohibition is not explicit, but rather a prohibition that is derived from a positive commandment – lav ha’ba michlal aseh. The positive instruction is to eat the korban with matzah and marror – “al matzot u’marrorim yochluhu” – implying that it should not be eating with chametz.

I later saw¹ that Rav Shach ztz”l explains in his Avi Ezri that we have misread Rashi. When he says that that there is no prohibition of chametz “ela imo b’achilto”, it does not mean except for with the korban pesach in its consumption. Instead it means “rather it may be with him when he eats it [the korban pesach]”. This reading would mean the Rashi is really teaching the Minchat Chinnuch’s exact point.

¹ Cited in the Daf Yomi Advanced Forum http://www.dafyomi.co.il/pesachim/insites/ps-dt-095.htm

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