There is an interesting and important machlokes between Rashi and the Chizkuni in our sedra regarding when the festival that we call ‘Pesach’ starts. The strict reading of 23:5-6 would have us believe that ‘Pesach’ is actually a one-day festival on the 14th Nissan, and the next seven days welcome a festival called ‘Chag Hamatzos.’ These are the psukim: ‘on the first month on the 14th day of the month in the afternoon is Pesach for HaShem (5). ‘And on the 15th day of this month is Chag Hamatzos for HaShem; for seven days you shall eat matzos’ (6). The Chizkuni indeed understands the psukim this way; according to him, there is a festival in the afternoon of the 14th Nissan called Pesach. Indeed, the Gra is of the same opinion – thus, when the 14th Nissan falls on a Friday, the Gra writes that we do not say viyhi no’am on the preceding motzai Shabbos (an omission reserved for when a festival falls during the following week). However, Rashi 23:5 is of the opinion that the Torah does not mean to institute a festival on the 14th called Pesach. Rather, ‘Pesach for HaShem’ in the pasuk simply means that we are to offer the korban pesach on the 14th. [The Gra asks on Rashi that the psukim here are dealing with the Mo’adim, and not korbanos]. That’s a decent machlokes for you to impress your friends with then!
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