Blood on the inside or outside the door...

[visionary]

While research for more information on the Ta'anit B'Khorim, I came across something I had not given much thought about... that is ... which side of the door was the blood, on the outside for all to see, or on the inside for those inside to see?

seliyah.org

This tenth plague differs from the rest not only in its severity but also in the events preceding it. The Israelites no longer sit passively witnessing the mighty hand of God. This time, they must perform the commandment of the Paschal lamb before God's smiting of all the firstborn of Egypt:

"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: ... Speak to the whole community of Israel and say that on the tenth of this month each of them shall take a lamb to a family, a lamb to a household...Your lamb shall be without blemish, a yearling male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep watch over it until the fourteenth day of this month; and all the assembled congregation of the Israelites shall slaughter it towards evening. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they are to eat it. They shall eat the flesh that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw, or cooked in any way with water, but roasted over the fire - its head with its legs and with its entrails. You shall not leave any of it over until morning; if any of it is left until morning, you shall burn it.

"This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly; it is a passover offering to the Lord. For that night, I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and I will mete out punishments to all the gods of Egypt, I the Lord. And the blood on the houses where you are staying shall be a sign for you: when I see the blood I will pass over you, so that no plague will destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:1, 3-13).

"Moses then summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, 'Draw out and take lambs for your families, and slaughter the passover offering. Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and to the two doorposts. None of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning. For when the Lord goes through to smite the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, and the Lord will pass over the door and not let the Destroyer enter and smite your home'" (Exodus 12:21-23).

God commands the Israelites to put blood from the sacrificed lamb on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which the Paschal lamb is eaten. The blood is to serve as a sign protecting the Israelites from the plague of the firstborn. Upon seeing the blood on the homes of the Israelites, God will pass over them and not inflict any harm on those in the home. According to a simple reading of the text it seems as if the blood on the houses is to serve as a sign for God designating the Jewish residences in Egypt. However, such a possibility is philosophically untenable; why would God, the omniscient, need an external sign in order to know which homes are Jewish? Surely everything is revealed before Him! Our sages in the Mekhilta of Rabbi Yishmael (Halakhic midrash of our sages on Exodus) rule out the possibility that the blood is a sign for God on textual grounds:

"And the blood on the houses where you are staying shall be a sign for YOU" (12:13)- "A sign for you but not a sign for Me."

If the blood is not meant to serve as a sign for God, designating Jewish homes, then what is its function? The answer to this question depends on a disagreement amongst our sages regarding the exact location where the blood was applied:

"Rabbi Natan says [that the blood was applied] on the inside [of the houses]...as is stated 'And the blood on the houses where you are staying shall be a sign for you' (12:13) - A sign for you but not a sign for others. Rabbi Isaac says [that the blood was applied] on the outside [of the houses] so that the Egyptians would see [the blood] and their intestines would fail [they would be horrified]" (Mekhilta).

The sages agree that the blood is not a sign for God. However, they disagree whether the blood was applied on the internal part of the door, facing the people inside the house, or on the external part of the door, facing the Egyptians walking outside. The location of the blood affects our understanding of its function and the ultimate purpose of the commandment of the Paschal lamb.

We will begin our analysis of the Paschal lamb with Maimonide's (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, Egypt, 1138-1204) explanation:
"Scripture tells us that the Egyptians worshipped Aries, and therefore abstained from killing sheep, and held shepherds in contempt. Compare 'Behold we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians,' etc. (Exodus 8:26); 'For every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians' (Genesis 46:34). Some sects among the Sabeans worshipped demons, and imagined that these assumed the form of goats, and called them therefore 'goats' [se'irim]. For this reason those sects abstained from eating goats' flesh. Most idolaters objected to killing cattle, holding this species of animals in great estimation. Therefore the people of Hodu [India] up to this day do not slaughter cattle even in those countries where other animals are slaughtered. In order to eradicate these false principles, the Law commands us to offer sacrifices only of these three kinds: 'You shall bring your offering of the cattle, of the herd and of the flock' (Lev. 1:2). Thus the very act which is considered by the heathen as the greatest crime, is the means of approaching God, and obtaining His pardon for our sins.

"This is also the reason why we were commanded to kill a lamb on Passover, and to sprinkle the blood thereof outside on the gates. We had to free ourselves of evil doctrines and to proclaim the opposite, that the very act which was then considered as being the cause of death would be the cause of deliverance from death. Compare 'And the Lord will pass over the door, and will not let the Destroyer to enter your houses to smite you' (Exodus 12:23). Thus they were rewarded for performing openly a service every part of which was objected to by the idolaters" (Guide for the Perplexed, Book 3, chapter 46).

 

[aniello]

As far as which side of their doors to put the blood on, in reference to the following citation:

Exo 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Seems to me 'twould have to be the outside of the door, as prescribed, for the L-RD to see.

 

[pat34lee]

Our sages in the Mekhilta of Rabbi Yishmael (Halakhic midrash of our sages on Exodus) rule out the possibility that the blood is a sign for God on textual grounds:

"And the blood on the houses where you are staying shall be a sign for YOU" (12:13)- "A sign for you but not a sign for Me."

If the blood is not meant to serve as a sign for God, designating Jewish homes, then what is its function?

In this case, as in some others, halakha is wrong. If you get right down to it, why put up the blood at all? YHWH knew who followed the instructions on removing leaven and killing and eating the lamb.

Exodus 12:13, 23
​

13And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

23For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
​

I don't know how many Egyptians or people of other nations were close enough to see the Israelis kill the lambs and put up the blood, but there were probably some. Maybe some of them asked what was going on. Could it be that some of these people were friends with the Israelites and were invited in to be spared the judgment? They could have become part of the mixed multitude that left Egypt. Even if they didn't leave with Israel, how much more likely do you think they would have been to give them whatever they asked as they left?

 

[Avodat]

While research for more information on the Ta'anit B'Khorim, I came across something I had not given much thought about... that is ... which side of the door was the blood, on the outside for all to see, or on the inside for those inside to see?

seliyah.org

This tenth plague differs from the rest not only in its severity but also in the events preceding it. The Israelites no longer sit passively witnessing the mighty hand of God. This time, they must perform the commandment of the Paschal lamb before God's smiting of all the firstborn of Egypt:

"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: ... Speak to the whole community of Israel and say that on the tenth of this month each of them shall take a lamb to a family, a lamb to a household...Your lamb shall be without blemish, a yearling male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep watch over it until the fourteenth day of this month; and all the assembled congregation of the Israelites shall slaughter it towards evening. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they are to eat it. They shall eat the flesh that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw, or cooked in any way with water, but roasted over the fire - its head with its legs and with its entrails. You shall not leave any of it over until morning; if any of it is left until morning, you shall burn it.

"This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly; it is a passover offering to the Lord. For that night, I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and I will mete out punishments to all the gods of Egypt, I the Lord. And the blood on the houses where you are staying shall be a sign for you: when I see the blood I will pass over you, so that no plague will destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:1, 3-13).

"Moses then summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, 'Draw out and take lambs for your families, and slaughter the passover offering. Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and to the two doorposts. None of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning. For when the Lord goes through to smite the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, and the Lord will pass over the door and not let the Destroyer enter and smite your home'" (Exodus 12:21-23).

God commands the Israelites to put blood from the sacrificed lamb on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which the Paschal lamb is eaten. The blood is to serve as a sign protecting the Israelites from the plague of the firstborn. Upon seeing the blood on the homes of the Israelites, God will pass over them and not inflict any harm on those in the home. According to a simple reading of the text it seems as if the blood on the houses is to serve as a sign for God designating the Jewish residences in Egypt. However, such a possibility is philosophically untenable; why would God, the omniscient, need an external sign in order to know which homes are Jewish? Surely everything is revealed before Him! Our sages in the Mekhilta of Rabbi Yishmael (Halakhic midrash of our sages on Exodus) rule out the possibility that the blood is a sign for God on textual grounds:

"And the blood on the houses where you are staying shall be a sign for YOU" (12:13)- "A sign for you but not a sign for Me."

If the blood is not meant to serve as a sign for God, designating Jewish homes, then what is its function? The answer to this question depends on a disagreement amongst our sages regarding the exact location where the blood was applied:

"Rabbi Natan says [that the blood was applied] on the inside [of the houses]...as is stated 'And the blood on the houses where you are staying shall be a sign for you' (12:13) - A sign for you but not a sign for others. Rabbi Isaac says [that the blood was applied] on the outside [of the houses] so that the Egyptians would see [the blood] and their intestines would fail [they would be horrified]" (Mekhilta).

The sages agree that the blood is not a sign for God. However, they disagree whether the blood was applied on the internal part of the door, facing the people inside the house, or on the external part of the door, facing the Egyptians walking outside. The location of the blood affects our understanding of its function and the ultimate purpose of the commandment of the Paschal lamb.

We will begin our analysis of the Paschal lamb with Maimonide's (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, Egypt, 1138-1204) explanation:
"Scripture tells us that the Egyptians worshipped Aries, and therefore abstained from killing sheep, and held shepherds in contempt. Compare 'Behold we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians,' etc. (Exodus 8:26); 'For every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians' (Genesis 46:34). Some sects among the Sabeans worshipped demons, and imagined that these assumed the form of goats, and called them therefore 'goats' [se'irim]. For this reason those sects abstained from eating goats' flesh. Most idolaters objected to killing cattle, holding this species of animals in great estimation. Therefore the people of Hodu [India] up to this day do not slaughter cattle even in those countries where other animals are slaughtered. In order to eradicate these false principles, the Law commands us to offer sacrifices only of these three kinds: 'You shall bring your offering of the cattle, of the herd and of the flock' (Lev. 1:2). Thus the very act which is considered by the heathen as the greatest crime, is the means of approaching God, and obtaining His pardon for our sins.

"This is also the reason why we were commanded to kill a lamb on Passover, and to sprinkle the blood thereof outside on the gates. We had to free ourselves of evil doctrines and to proclaim the opposite, that the very act which was then considered as being the cause of death would be the cause of deliverance from death. Compare 'And the Lord will pass over the door, and will not let the Destroyer to enter your houses to smite you' (Exodus 12:23). Thus they were rewarded for performing openly a service every part of which was objected to by the idolaters" (Guide for the Perplexed, Book 3, chapter 46).

You imply, by the use of speech marks, that the second part of this portion of your post is from Scripture. It's not, as far as I can see. What it does say is that the blood will be a sign to the Israelites (that G_d has made a covenant with them to take them out of Egypt) and that it will be a sign for G_d (the other half of the covenant) because when he sees it he will pass over the homes of the obedient Israelites, not killing their first born. That is very obviously a sign both for the Israelites AND for G_d as The Book says.

A more intriguing question might be whether any Israelites disobeyed the instruction and their first born died? It is not clear from Scripture, but I do wonder.

 

[yedida]

I've always been an over-compensator type - unless specifically intsructed as to exactly what to do and not do, I would have covered the inside, the underside and the outside, jjust to be sure it wouldn't take much looking to see I'm one of the ones planning on leaving soon. Where it's important, I try not to leave much tp chance misinterpretation or misunderstandings!

 

[visionary]

In that article I posted there is more.. It is indicating that just as the other plagues were against the Egyptian gods, so was this one. This time the Israelites were participating in the insult to injury..

---------------------------------------------
The sheep were taken four days before their slaughter in order that the Egyptians would know in advance what was being done to their gods.

The Chizkuni also explains the time designated for slaughtering the sheep, "towards evening" (12:6), as follows:

"At the hour in which people congregate, when the laborers return from their work."
The lamb was to be slaughtered in full view of the public's eye, at "rush hour" when all the Egyptians are returning to their homes. The Chizkuni also explains the sprinkling of the blood on the doorposts and the lintel of the houses in a similar manner:

"In case certain Egyptians couldn't come at the hour of slaughtering, they would, nevertheless, see the blood of their gods there [on the doorposts]" (12:7).

It is clear from this interpretation that the Chizkuni accepts Rabbi Isaac's position that the blood was applied on the outside of the houses. The blood is aimed at the Egyptians and not, as implied in Maimonide's interpretation, at the Israelites. The Chizkuni continues his line of explanation also with regard to the laws pertaining to the preparation of the lamb for consumption. He explains the prohibition of eating any of the meat raw as follows:

"Do not eat any of it raw" (12:9) - "If an Egyptian shall come into your home while you are roasting the lamb, do not in fear and remove it hastily from the fire claiming that it is well roasted when it is still actually raw...but you should not fear them [the Egyptians]."

The Chizkuni offers a similar interpretation regarding the manner in which the lamb is to be roasted:

"...roasted over the fire; its head with its legs and with its entrails" (12:9) - "Even as it is roasting it must be whole, so that it shall be noticeable that it is their [the Egyptians'] god."

The shape of the lamb must be kept while it is being prepared so that the Egyptians will know that the Israelites are roasting their gods.

The impression one gets from reading the Chizkuni's interpretation is that the Paschal lamb in Egypt was primarily directed at the Egyptians. The sacrifice is part of God's war against Egyptian idolatry, "I will mete out punishments to all the gods of Egypt" (12:12). In contrast to Maimonides, it is not so much the Israelites as it is the Egyptians who must realize the uselessness of their gods and the absurdity of their beliefs. However, there is an additional dimension to the Chizkuni's interpretation.

"All the assembled congregation of the Israelites shall slaughter it [the lamb]" (12:6) - "So that no Jew could cast the blame [for slaughtering the lamb] on his friend stating: 'I did not do this, somebody else did it,' because everybody was party to it."

The whole nation had to take part in the slaughtering of the lambs, the Egyptian gods. This requirement insures that nobody could evade taking responsibility for the act. The Israelites, as a whole, had to take this rebellious and potentially life- threatening initiative. In order to be worthy of redemption, every Israelite must evince courage in defying his Egyptian slavemaster; he must slaughter the Egyptian god before his very eyes. Once the Israelite has mentally freed himself from his subordination and submission to his taskmasters, then he is ready for physical redemption. Thus, there are two distinct and yet intertwined functions in the Paschal lamb. The sacrifice proves to the Egyptians that their gods are worthless, and at the same time obliges the Israelites to prove their courage in defying the Egyptians. Both these goals require that the sacrifice be performed in sight of the Egyptians, outside of the houses.

Our sages, as cited by Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzchak, France, 1040-1105), advance a third approach to understanding the Paschal lamb in Egypt:

"For what reason did God command that the lamb be taken four days prior to its slaughtering, a requirement which does not pertain to the Paschal lamb of future generations? Rabbi Matiah the son of Heresh used to say '...the time has come to fulfill the oath which I [God] swore to Abraham that I will redeem his children. But they were not engaged in any commandments for which they could merit being redeemed as is stated, 'and you were naked and bare' (Ezek. 16:7). Therefore He gave them two commandments, the blood of the Paschal lamb and the blood of circumcision."

 

[yedida]

Thanks Vissy, makes a lot of sense.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

In that article I posted there is more.. It is indicating that just as the other plagues were against the Egyptian gods, so was this one. This time the Israelites were participating in the insult to injury..

Concerning that, didn't the first 3 plagues fall on the whole land of Egypt, where even the Hebrew Israelites were?
Btw, where was/is the land of Goshen?

NKJV) Exodus 8:22 "And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms [of flies] shall be there, in order that you may know that I [am] the LORD in the midst of the land.

 

[yedida]

Concerning that, didn't the first 3 plagues fall on the whole land of Egypt, where even the Hebrew Israelites were?
Btw, where was/is the land of Goshen?

NKJV) Exodus 8:22 "And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms [of flies] shall be there, in order that you may know that I [am] the LORD in the midst of the land.

Here's a very technical answer to where Goshen was/is: it's very close to the little strip of land that had to be used to get out of Egypt. I don't know the actual directives but looking at the map as most of us would see it, it would be in the very upper right hand tip (north-west maybe?). I'm terrible with geography.
And you are right about the 1st 3 plagues. Those fell on everyone.

 

[yonah_mishael]

Isn't it indeed in the north-eastern corner of the land, just before the Sinai Peninsula? Here's Wikipedia's article on the Land of Goshen.

 

[yedida]

It probably is north eastern, I probably had my own direction in mind. But it was just by that little strip of land that leads out of Egypt. A very good place to be when planning on leaving quickly enmasse....

 

[visionary]

The other thing about the door, there are two views, and both could be covered in blood, both for those who are looking in, and for those looking out. Both see the blood and are reminded of the sacrifice to save. Those who do not have it think it is foolishness, those who are inside covered by the blood are doing so by faith, and the outcome comes too late for those who thought it was foolishness.

 

[yedida]

there you go.....

 

[Lulav]

Something comes to my mind, we celebrate the Passing over, in Temple times the passover was still slain, but the blood was not applied anywhere.

Also the sacrifice can be either a lamb or a kid (goat), so why was the lamb always chosen?

 

[yedida]

I had always wondered that myself. It was a ram that was substituted for Isaac wasn't it?

 

[etZion]

I had always wondered that myself. It was a ram that was substituted for Isaac wasn't it?

Yup, which makes the story interesting, because Abraham said God will provide a lamb and stuck in the bushes was a ram. Of course for those who believe in Messiah, this is a clear reference, when he said lamb, what he was referring to.

 

[yedida]

But wouldn't consistency be nice?

 

[Avodat]

But wouldn't consistency be nice?

If it was we'd have nothing to argue about!

 

[yedida]

Oh and that would indeed be wonderful. I hate confrontations.

 

[visionary]

While we are on the subject of the Passover.. Can anyone tell me.. What was it about this particular spring time feasts that Yeshua knew were going to be His prophetic reality? What did Yeshua know about these feasts and their timing, that He knew it was His appointed time?