Halakhah for Pesachim 239:15

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> ישנו מקצתן יאכלו כולן לא יאכלו

Because it is something which was included in the general law and then excluded from the general law, in order to illumine [other cases], [which means that] it was excluded not in order to throw light upon itself, but in order to throw light upon the entire general law.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is a principle of exegesis. Now the general rule is stated: seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread (Ex. XII, 15) ; when the seventh is excluded by the verse, 'six days' etc, this throws light not on the seventh alone, but upon the whole period, teaching that the eating of unleavened bread therein is voluntary.');">¹³</span> You might think that on the first night too it is [merely] voluntary; therefore is stated, 'they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.' I know this only when the Temple is in existence; whence do we know it when the Temple is not in existence? From the verse, 'at even ye shall eat unleavened bread': thus the Writ made it a permanent obligation. <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>IF SOME OF THEM<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. of a company at a Passover meal.');">¹⁴</span> FELL ASLEEP, THEY MAY EAT [WHEN THEY AWAKE]; IF ALL OF THEM FELL ASLEEP THEY MUST NOT EAT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the latter case they have a ceased to think about the Paschal lamb; when they awake it is as though they would eat in two different places, sleep breaking the continuity of action and place, and thus it is forbidden.');">¹⁵</span>

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