פרשת שמיני תש"ד - כבוד ה'

He said to Aaron: “Take a calf of the herd...": Our teacher Moses was commanded regarding these sacrifices as was said at the end of the previous section, "This is what the Lord has commanded that you do," even though it was not explicitly mentioned. Likewise, "Moses said, 'This is what the LORD has commanded: Let one omer of it be kept...'" (Exodus 16:32) And likewise, "I am the God of Beth-El..." (Genesis 31:13) Jacob told this [to Rachel and Leah] even though it was not explicitly mentioned. And I already showed this to you in the sections on the commandments of the Pesach offering (Exodus 11:1) - there are many [examples] like this.

And the meaning of "And speak to the Israelites, saying..." is that Aaron should say thus to them. Because God's will was that Aaron be commanded in the name of God, and that he offer sacrifices to magnify God in the eyes of the people. And the correct meaning of "And speak to the Israelites" is - you, and the elders who were mentioned. That thus should they say to Israel, just like "Moses then summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go, pick out..." (Exodus 12:21) Or [another explanation is], he said to each one of the elders: "Speak to the Israelites." And the meaning of the section, "He said to Aaron: 'Take...'" [is that] He said to the elders, "Speak to the Israelites, saying..." Because one who speaks to many addresses each one with his command, as with "At that time I charged you, saying...You must go as shock-troops..." (Deuteronomy 3:18) And there are many examples in Deuteronomy. But R. Ibn Ezra said (in verse 6) that the meaning of, "Moses said: 'This is what the LORD has commanded that you do,'" is that Moses already said to them, "This is what...". But if so, it is possible that the meaning of these verses is thus: "Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel"..."Moses said: 'This is what the LORD has commanded' me'that you do, that the Presence of the LORD may appear to you.'"..."He said to Aaron: 'Take a calf"..."And speak to the Israelites, saying: Take a he-goat." And [he spoke] briefly at the outset, and he explained later. But this is not correct. Rather, after he mentioned the sacrifices to them, and they took what was commanded, Moses returned and said to them, "This is was the LORD has commanded that you do." That they should offer the sacrifices in the order they were commanded. And afterward, the Presence would appear to them. And once he said, "For today the LORD will appear to you," he returned and said that God will appear to them in God's glory. And these sacrifices are not mentioned in the section "This is what you shall do to them in consecrating them to serve Me as priests." (Exodus 29)

And the meaning of "And speak to the Israelites, saying..." is that Aaron should say thus to them. Because God's will was that Aaron be commanded in the name of God, and that he offer sacrifices to magnify God in the eyes of the people. And the correct meaning of "And speak to the Israelites" is - you, and the elders who were mentioned. That thus should they say to Israel, just like "Moses then summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go, pick out..." (Exodus 12:21) Or [another explanation is], he said to each one of the elders: "Speak to the Israelites." And the meaning of the section, "He said to Aaron: 'Take...'" [is that] He said to the elders, "Speak to the Israelites, saying..." Because one who speaks to many addresses each one with his command, as with "At that time I charged you, saying...You must go as shock-troops..." (Deuteronomy 3:18) And there are many examples in Deuteronomy. But R. Ibn Ezra said (in verse 6) that the meaning of, "Moses said: 'This is what the LORD has commanded that you do,'" is that Moses already said to them, "This is what...". But if so, it is possible that the meaning of these verses is thus: "Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel"..."Moses said: 'This is what the LORD has commanded' me'that you do, that the Presence of the LORD may appear to you.'"..."He said to Aaron: 'Take a calf"..."And speak to the Israelites, saying: Take a he-goat." And [he spoke] briefly at the outset, and he explained later. But this is not correct. Rather, after he mentioned the sacrifices to them, and they took what was commanded, Moses returned and said to them, "This is was the LORD has commanded that you do." That they should offer the sacrifices in the order they were commanded. And afterward, the Presence would appear to them. And once he said, "For today the LORD will appear to you," he returned and said that God will appear to them in God's glory. And these sacrifices are not mentioned in the section "This is what you shall do to them in consecrating them to serve Me as priests." (Exodus 29)

Moshe had said I have already explained regarding “I asked her” [Genesis 24:47] that the verb is in the past perfect tense, as it is here. Moshe had already told them what God commanded — that they must offer a goat, and a bullock, and a lamb, and an ox, and a ram — prior to the appearance of the Glory of God (i.e., the fire on the altar).

קח לך עגל TAKE THEE A CALF — This animal was selected as a sin offering to announce to him that the Holy One, blessed be He, granted him atonement by means of this calf for the incident of the golden calf which he had made (Midrash Tanchuma, Shmini 4)

And Moses said unto Aaron: ‘Draw near unto the altar, and offer thy sin-offering, and thy burnt-offering, and make atonement for thyself, and for the people; and present the offering of the people, and make atonement for them; as the LORD commanded.’

And the sons of Aaron presented the blood unto him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar.