This Day of Remembrance Becomes a Festival Forever

"And this day shall be for you a memorial, and you shall celebrate it" (Exodus 12:14) - the day that was a memorial for you, you shall celebrate. And which is this? The festival of your going out from Egypt. But the matter still hangs on what is not yet established; therefore Scripture says "On the morrow of the Passover the children of Israel went out" (Numbers 33:3). When did they eat the Passover offering? On the night of the festival day. And so too they did not go out except on the festival day. "And you shall celebrate it" - a festal offering is stated here and a festal offering is stated regarding the wilderness. Just as the festal offering stated regarding the wilderness requires a burnt offering and peace offerings, so the festal offering stated here requires a burnt offering and peace offerings. [The matter is derived by a verbal analogy of "to the LORD" / "to the LORD."] One might think the festal offering may be brought all seven days; therefore Scripture says "it" - one day alone. If so, why is it said "seven days"? To make up [the offering] throughout all seven. From where do we learn that one who did not celebrate on the first day may celebrate all seven? Scripture says "in the seventh month you shall celebrate it" (Leviticus 23:41). One might think that one who did not celebrate on the pilgrimage festival may celebrate after the festival; therefore Scripture says "it" - "it" you may celebrate, but you may not celebrate outside the festival. One might think the offering is held back until the eating of the flesh; therefore Scripture says "it," and elsewhere it says "and he shall sprinkle it" (Leviticus 16:15). Just as the "it" stated there refers to blood, so the "it" stated here refers to blood and not flesh. "Throughout your generations, an everlasting statute" - that the matter shall be practiced for all generations.