פרה י״א:ט׳ - י״ב:א׳

שלשה קלחים ובהן שלשה גבעולים (three stalks and on them are three buds) – one bud on each stalk (see Rashi’s commentary on Talmud Sukkah 13a). But we require three stalks, we derive [by analogy/Gezerah Shavah] "לקיחה לקיחה"/taking, taking from the bunch of hyssop (see Exodus 12:22: "ולקחתם אגדת אזוב וטבלתם בדם אשר-בסף"/Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin) from the Egyptian Passover/פסח מצרים, just as there [it requires] three, and in this it is called an אגודה/bunch, even here, it is called a bunch/אגודה, even here it is three (and see Numbers 19:18: “A person who is pure shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle on the tent and on all the vessels and people who were there, or on him who touched the bones or the person who was killed or died naturally or the grave.” – and just as it is a Mitzvah to take them as a bunch for the Exodus from Egypt, so here as well).

מפסגו ואוגדו (he severs the stalks of hyssop and ties them) – he separates it and divides it so that there will the three stalks that are separated one from the other.

ר' יוסי אומר מצות אזוב שלשה – Rabbi Yossi is more stringent that the first Tanna/teacher [of the Mishnah] (see Talmud Sukkah 13a), for according to Rabbi Yossi, at the beginning, two stalks [and two buds] are invalid, but according to the first Tanna/teacher two are fit/appropriate, and it is not invalid until there would be at the outset that its remnants are one. But when the first Tanna/teacher says that the Precept of the hyssop is three stalks, it is for the mere commandment, and it is not to be indispensable. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yossi.

וגרדומיו כל שהוא (but its stump is any size at all) – the stumps of the buds is any size at all. But its remnants and stumps are two words, for its remnants are the remnants of the three stalks, which are two stalks, and its stumps is the bud itself, that I comb and is broken and there remains from it just a little bit.

האזוב הקצר מספקו – he lengthens it in order to make It sufficient:

And with a reed used as a spindle. It is the spindle/distaff that the women spin on it.

וטובל ומעלה – and even though it is written (Numbers 19:18): “A person who is pure shall take hyssop, dip it in the water,” and he takes the spindle that the hyssop was placed on its head, it is well that we call it, “[A person who is pure] shall take hyssop,” that taking by means of another thing which is called “taking.”

ואוחז באזוב ומזה – that with sprinkling we require that he holds the hyssop in his hand.

ר' יהודה ור' שמעון אומרים כו' – But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Shimon.