When Moses Spoke and Aaron Listened as Though from God

"Speak to all the congregation of Israel" (Exodus 12:3). Rabbi Ishmael says: Were the two of them speaking together? Is it not already said, "You shall speak all that I command you" (Exodus 7:2 ["you shall speak all that I command you"])? Then what does Scripture teach by saying "Speak" [in the plural]? Rather, when Moses was speaking, Aaron would incline his ears to listen in awe, and Scripture credits him as though he were hearing from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He. Rabbi Ami bar Yoshiyah says: Were the two of them speaking? Is it not already said, "you" and so forth? Rather, [when Moses was speaking, Aaron stood at his right and Elazar at his left and Itamar at Aaron's right, and the word went forth from between the two of them. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says:] Moses would show honor to Aaron and say to him, "Teach me," and Aaron would show honor to Moses and say, "Teach me," and the word went forth from between them as though both of them were speaking. "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, on the tenth of the month" (Exodus 12:3). The speaking was on the New Moon, and the taking from the tenth, and the slaughtering on the fourteenth. Or perhaps the speaking and the taking were from the tenth and the slaughtering on the fourteenth? Scripture says, "This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2); "speak"—when was the speaking? On the New Moon. Rabbi Acha bar Yoshiyah says: Or perhaps the speaking and the taking were on the New Moon and the slaughtering on the fourteenth? Scripture says, "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying." Scripture need not say "saying" except to interrupt the matter: the speaking on the New Moon, the taking on the tenth, and the slaughtering on the fourteenth. Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: Or perhaps the speaking was on the New Moon and the taking and slaughtering on the tenth? Scripture says, "And it shall be for you as a charge" and so forth (Exodus 12:6); if you say so, you have uprooted the whole verse. "On the tenth of this month, let them take" (Exodus 12:3). I know only that the tenth is fit for the taking; from where do I know the fourteenth? You may argue an a fortiori case [kal va-chomer, reasoning from minor to major]: if the tenth, which is not fit for slaughtering, is fit for the taking, then the fourteenth, which is fit for slaughtering, surely it is right that it be fit for the taking. And from where the thirteenth? You may argue an a fortiori case: if the tenth, which is not close to slaughtering, is fit for the taking, then the thirteenth, which is close to slaughtering, surely it is right that it be made fit for the taking; and the same applies to the twelfth and the eleventh. "On the tenth of this month"—this is to exclude the Passover of later generations, for the Passover of Egypt was taken from the tenth, while the Passover of the generations may be taken at any time.