(Mishnah): The Pesach offering is slaughtered in three groups, as the pasuk states (Shemos 12,6), "...and "Kol Kahal Adas'' - all of the assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it'' - these three words necessitate three groups.

The first group entered and filled the Azara (Temple courtyard) and the doors were closed.

They sounded Tekiyah, Teru'ah, Tekiyah on the trumpets.

The Kohanim stood in rows and in their hands were ladles of silver and gold (in which to receive the blood of the Korban). One row held only silver vessels and one row held only gold.

The ladles did not have flat bases in order to prevent the Kohanim from putting down the blood and allowing it to congeal.

(Gemara - R' Yaakov bar Acha quoting R' Yasa): Hash-m strengthened the voice of Moshe and it travelled throughout Egypt, a distance of a 40 day walk. (The Pesach was also brought in three groups in Egypt, despite Bnei Yisrael dwelling throughout the land. Moshe's voice was amplified in order to give the command for this to take place).

Question: What did he say? From this place to that place will be one group and from that place to another place will be one group.

You should not be surprised about this miracle that happened to Moshe's voice - if about dust that does not travel (far when thrown), the pasuk states (Shemos 9, 9), "And the dust shall be throughout the land of Egypt''; a voice that does travel should certainly be able to travel throughout the land!

(R' Levi): Just as Moshe's voice was strengthened, so the voice of Paroh was strengthened, that his voice also travelled throughout Egypt, a distance of a 40 day walk. What was he saying? (Shemos 12, 31) "Arise and go out from amongst my people''. In the past you were the slaves of Paroh, from this point onwards you are the slaves of Hash-m. At that time, Bnei Yisrael said (Tehillim 113, 1), "Haleluyah, the slaves of Hash-m shall praise'' - but they are not the slaves of Paroh.

(Beraisa): For the Tamid that includes wine libations, they sounded the trumpets during the libations. For the Pesach that does not include wine libations, they sounded the trumpets during the slaughtering.

R' Zeira, R' Yaakov bar Acha and R' Avina were once sitting together. R' Avina explained that the reason that the Mishnah says that one row was entirely silver vessels and one was entirely gold, was to prevent one of the Kohanim from stealing a gold vessel and replacing it with a silver one.

Response (R' Yaakov bar Acha): Are you saying that with all of your mouth (i.e. Do you really believe that)?!

Response (R' Zeira to R' Yaakov): Ask R' Avina about half of his mouth, but do not rebuke him, as R' Yochanan also explained the Mishnah this way.

A Yisrael would slaughter it and a Kohen would receive the blood. He passed it to another and another to another; each would receive a full vessel and give back an empty one. The Kohen who was close to the altar threw it once on a side above the Yesod.

Question (Gemara): One pasuk states (Bamidbar 18, 17), "However, one cannot redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep or a goat - they are Kodesh and their blood must be thrown on the altar''. Another pasuk states (Devarim 12,27), "And the blood of your sacrifice shall be spilled on the altar of Hash-m your G-d''. If one must throw, why does the pasuk mention spilling; if one must spill, why does the pasuk mention throwing?

Answer (Beraisa): "Spilled'' teaches that it should not drip out slowly; "spilled'' teaches that it should not be sprinkled; "spilled'' teaches that it should not be thrown. The Holy Writings teach (Divrei HaYamim 2,30,16) that the Kohanim accepted the blood from the hands of the Levi'im and threw it (from a vessel rather than with their hands).

All agree that spilling (Shefichah) is valid and that sprinkling (Hazaya) is invalid. They disagree about throwing (Zerika) - R' Mana said that throwing is like spilling and R' Chananya said that throwing is like sprinkling.

Support for R' Chananya (R' Yochanan bar Marye): The pasuk states (Bamidbar 19, 13), "...as purification water was not thrown upon him; he will be Tamei'' - this procedure was only done through sprinkling and the pasuk refers to it as throwing.

(Mishnah): The first group exited and the second group entered. The second group exited and the third group entered.

The service was performed for the second and third groups in the same way as the first group.

They recited Hallel - if they completed it (before the service was complete) they repeated Hallel. If they completed the second reading, they recited it a third time, although it never occurred that they needed to recite it a third time.

R' Yehudah says that the third group never reached the section of "Ahavti ki yishma Hash-m es koli'' as they were so few in number.

(Gemara): The Mishnah (in Ta'anis) teaches - (There was a public fast due to a drought and the rain began to fall before noon) - They exited and ate and drank and in the afternoon they came (to the Beis HaKnesses) to recite Hallel HaGedolah.

Question: What is Hallel HaGedolah?

Answer (R' Parnach quoting R' Chanina): (Tehillim 136,2) "Hodu L'Elokei Ha'elohim''.

(R' Yochanan): However, they must begin with "She'omdim Be'beis Hashem'', as it is the preceding chapter in Tehillim.

Question: Why say these two chapters?

Answer (R' Zeira/R' Abahu quoting R' Shmuel bar Nachman): As they include a reference to the rain falling.

According to R' Yochanan it is fine, as the pasuk states (Tehillim 135, 7), "He raises up clouds from the edge of the earth''

But according to R' Chanina, what is the reference?

Answer: As the pasuk states (Tehillim 136, 25), "He gives bread to all flesh, as His kindness is eternal''.

(R' Ba and R' Simon): Hallel HaGedolah refers to the Hallel that we say (on Yom Tov, Chol HaMoed and Rosh Chodesh)

R' Yehoshua ben Levi said that it refers to our Hallel and so did Bar Kafra.

Bar Kafra follows his opinion, as our Mishnah teaches, "...the third group never reached the section of "Ahavti ki yishma Hash-m es koli'' as they were so few in number''. Bar Kafra taught that this is Hallel HaGedolah.

Objection: Chad bar Aviya came forward to be the Sheliach Tzibur (on a fast day when the rain had fallen). He asked the congregation to respond with the same words that he would recite. This proves that Hallel HaGedolah cannot be our Hallel (as they would not need to be prompted by the Sheliach Tzibur in order to know the correct words).

Answer (R' Mana): It does in fact refer to our Hallel. However, as it was such a great miracle, he wanted the entire congregation to respond in unison.

(Beraisa): The third group was referred to as the lazy group, as they were the last to bring the Pesach offering.

(R' Abun): If the service was supposed to be performed this way (in three groups) and nonetheless the last group was called lazy, certainly one should not refrain from performing a Mitzvah as a result of laziness!