The Three Passings Over and the Lord Shielding Israel

"And you shall say, It is the sacrifice" (Exodus 12:27) — that all its acts be for the sake of a sacrifice. "of the Passover" — that all its acts be for the sake of the Passover. "it is" — this excludes one slaughtered not for its own sake. "to the LORD" — for the sake of the unique Name. "who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt." Three passings-over are stated in the passage: "who passed over," "and the LORD will pass over," and "I will pass over you." Whence do you say that in a courtyard entirely of Israelites the passing-over was only upon the houses? As it is said, "who passed over the houses of the children of Israel." Where Egyptians and Israelites dwelt in one courtyard, the passing-over was only upon the doorways, as it is said, "and the LORD will pass over the door" (Exodus 12:23). Where an Egyptian and an Israelite lay in one bed, the passing-over was only upon the Israelite, as it is said, "and I will pass over you" (Exodus 12:13). And so it says, "As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts shield Jerusalem; He will shield and deliver, He will pass over and rescue" (Isaiah 31:5). Were it not a matter written in Scripture, it would be impossible to say it: like a beast that bends over its young and suckles it. And so it says, "and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you" (Deuteronomy 1:31). And it says, "A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you" (Psalms 91:7). And it says, "The LORD is your keeper, the LORD is your shade upon your right hand," and so forth, "from this time forth and forever" (Psalms 121:5). "who passed over the houses of the children of Israel" — I have only the houses of Israel. The houses of converts, women, and slaves — whence? Scripture teaches, "and saved our houses." "And the people bowed the head and worshipped" (Exodus 12:27) — this teaches that they rejoiced at the good tidings as at the deed itself.