To not sacrifice the Pesach sacrifice on the bamah (altar) of an individual: That we were prevented from sacrificing the Pesach lamb on the bamah of an individual, and even during the time that [a bamah was] permissible. And the matter of the bamah is that before the building of the Choice House, each and every individual from Israel who wanted to offer a sacrifice would build an edifice in any place he wanted and offer his sacrifices there to God, may He be blessed. And even at that time when it was permitted for them to do so, [that was] specifically with the other sacrifices. But we always only offer the Pesach sacrifice on the community altar, and that is the place where there was the tabernacle there. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 16:5), “You may not slaughter the Pesach in one of your gates.” And likewise they, may their memory be blessed, said at the end of the first chapter of Megillah 9b, “There is no difference between a large (communal) bamah and a small (private) bamah besides Pesach sacrifices.”
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] to fix the greatness of the matter of the Pesach [sacrifice] and the preciousness of the commandment in our souls, from the reason that I wrote many times about it. And in truth, there is more glory for the commandment when they would do it all together in a specific place, and not each and every individual in the area he desires.
And this prohibition is practiced at the time of the [Temple] — as then do we offer the Pesach sacrifice — by males and females, as [females] are also obligated in the Pesach sacrifice, and as I wrote on the commandment of the Pesach in the Order of Bo, on [Commandment] 5. And it is possible to say that even at this time, one who transgresses and consecrates a lamb as a Pesach and offers it on a private bamah has violated this negative commandment and is liable for lashes.
שֶׁלֹּא לְהַקְרִיב קָרְבַּן פֶּסַח בְּבָמַת יָחִיד – שֶׁנִּמְנַעְנוּ מֵהַקְרִיב שֵׂה הַפֶּסַח בְּבָמַת יָחִיד, וַאֲפִלּוּ בִּשְׁעַת הֶתֵּר הַבָּמוֹת. וְעִנְיַן הַבָּמוֹת הוּא, שֶׁהָיָה כָּל יָחִיד וְיָחִיד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁרְצוֹנוֹ לְהַקְרִיב קָרְבָּן בּוֹנֶה בִּנְיָן בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיִּרְצֶה וּמַקְרִיב שָׁם קָרְבְּנוֹתָיו לַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ קֹדֶם בִּנְיַן בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה, וַאֲפִלּוּ בַּזְּמַן הַהוּא שֶׁהָיָה מֻתָּר לָהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, דַּוְקָא בִּשְׁאָר הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, אֲבָל קָרְבַּן הַפֶּסַח אֵין מַקְרִיבִין אוֹתוֹ לְעוֹלָם אֶלָּא בְּבָמַת רַבִּים, וְהוּא הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה הַמִּשְׁכָּן שָׁם, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים טז ה) לֹא תוּכַל לִזְבֹּחַ אֶת הַפָּסַח בְּאַחַד שְׁעָרֶיךָ. וְכֵן אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּסוֹף פֶּרֶק רִאשׁוֹן מִמַּסֶּכֶת מְגִלָּה (ט, ב) אֵין בֵּין בָּמָה גְּדוֹלָה לְבָמָה קְטַנָּה אֶלָּא פְּסָחִים.
To not sacrifice the Pesach sacrifice on the bamah (altar) of an individual: That we were prevented from sacrificing the Pesach lamb on the bamah of an individual, and even during the time that [a bamah was] permissible. And the matter of the bamah is that before the building of the Choice House, each and every individual from Israel who wanted to offer a sacrifice would build an edifice in any place he wanted and offer his sacrifices there to God, may He be blessed. And even at that time when it was permitted for them to do so, [that was] specifically with the other sacrifices. But we always only offer the Pesach sacrifice on the community altar, and that is the place where there was the tabernacle there. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 16:5), “You may not slaughter the Pesach in one of your gates.” And likewise they, may their memory be blessed, said at the end of the first chapter of Megillah 9b, “There is no difference between a large (communal) bamah and a small (private) bamah besides Pesach sacrifices.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לִקְבֹּעַ בְּנַפְשֵׁנוּ גֹּדֶל עִנְיַן הַפֶּסַח וִיקָר הַמִּצְוָה מִן הַטַּעַם שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בּוֹ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים, וּבֶאֱמֶת כִּי כְּבוֹד הַמִּצְוָה וּפִרְסוּמָהּ יוֹתֵר כְּשֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּהָ בְּמָקוֹם מְסֻיָּם הַכֹּל יַחַד, וְלֹא כָּל יָחִיד וְיָחִיד בִּמְחוֹז חֶפְצוֹ.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] to fix the greatness of the matter of the Pesach [sacrifice] and the preciousness of the commandment in our souls, from the reason that I wrote many times about it. And in truth, there is more glory for the commandment when they would do it all together in a specific place, and not each and every individual in the area he desires.
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. בִּמְגִלָּה פֶּרֶק רִאשׁוֹן (שם).
The laws of the commandment are in the first chapter of Megillah.
וְנוֹהֵג אִסּוּר זֶה בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת כִּי אָז נַקְרִיב קָרְבַּן הַפֶּסַח בִּזְכָרִים, וּנְקֵבוֹת, שֶׁאַף הֵן חַיָּבוֹת בְּקָרְבַּן הַפֶּסַח, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בְּמִצְוַת הַפֶּסַח בְּסֵדֶר בֹּא בְּסִימָן ה'. וְאֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר שֶׁאַף בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה הָעוֹבֵר וְהִקְדִּישׁ שֶׂה לְפֶסַח וְהִקְרִיבוֹ בְּבָמַת יָחִיד עָבַר עַל לָאו זֶה וְחַיָּב מַלְקוּת.
And this prohibition is practiced at the time of the [Temple] — as then do we offer the Pesach sacrifice — by males and females, as [females] are also obligated in the Pesach sacrifice, and as I wrote on the commandment of the Pesach in the Order of Bo, on [Commandment] 5. And it is possible to say that even at this time, one who transgresses and consecrates a lamb as a Pesach and offers it on a private bamah has violated this negative commandment and is liable for lashes.