Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 12:24/רמב"ן על שמות י״ב:כ״ד
אוּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה הוּא דְּבַר הַפֶּסַח עַצְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה (שמות י"ב:כ"א) "וְשַׁחֲטוּ הַפָּסַח", וְאִם הוּא רָחוֹק, לֹא מַתַּן הַדָּמִים הַסָּמוּךְ לוֹ, כִּי בְּפֶסַח מִצְרַיִם בִּלְבַד נִצְטַוּוּ בְּכָךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (שמות י"ב:כ"ג) "וְעָבַר ה' וְרָאָה אֶת הַדָּם" וְגוֹ', וְכֵן "וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הָעֲבֹדָה הַזֹּאת" (שמות י"ב:כ"ה), זֶבַח פֶּסַח, וְכָמוֹהוּ (דברים טו יז) "וְאַף לַאֲמָתְךָ תַּעֲשֶׂה כֵּן":
1AND YE SHALL OBSERVE THIS THING. This refers to the Passover-offering itself, concerning which He had said above, and slaughter the Passover lamb,266 even though it is removed [by two verses from here]. It does not refer to the putting of the blood [upon the lintel and on the two side-posts, mentioned above] in the verse nearby, since only in the Passover of Egypt were they commanded to do so, [i.e., to put the blood upon the lintel, etc.], as it is said, For the Eternal will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He seeth the blood upon the lintel, etc.267 as an ordinance forever, when it applied only to the Passover of Egypt? Hence we must say that the expression, this thing, refers to the Passover-offering itself, mentioned above in Verse 21, which we are commanded to observe forever, i.e., whenever the Sanctuary is in existence. Verse 11, which states, And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, etc., also applied only to the Passover of Egypt (Pesachim 96 a). Similarly, the expression, and ye shall keep this service,268 means the offering of the Passover. A similar case [of a Scriptural expression that is connected with one that is far removed and not with the one nearby], is the verse, And also unto thy bondwoman thou shalt do likewise.269