וַיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י קָרָ֣א מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְאַהֲרֹ֖ן וּלְבָנָ֑יו וּלְזִקְנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel.
ולזקני ישראל. לְהַשְׁמִיעָם שֶׁעַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר אַהֲרֹן נִכְנָס וּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּכְהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה וְלֹא יֹאמְרוּ מֵאֵלָיו נִכְנָס (תנחומא):
ולזקני ישראל AND TO THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL, to inform them that it was by the express command of God that Aaron was entering the Sanctuary and ministering in the high-priesthood, so that they might not say: “He is entering on his own authority, unbidden.”
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן קַח־לְ֠ךָ֠ עֵ֣גֶל בֶּן־בָּקָ֧ר לְחַטָּ֛את וְאַ֥יִל לְעֹלָ֖ה תְּמִימִ֑ם וְהַקְרֵ֖ב לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃
He said to Aaron: “Take a calf of the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and bring them before יהוה.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל אַהֲרֹן קַח לְךָ עֵגֶל בֶּן בָּקָר. וְלָמָּה לֹא אָמַר לוֹ פַּר אֶלָּא עֵגֶל. לְפִי שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הָעֵגֶל נִתְפַּקְפְּקָה הַכְּהֻנָּה בְּיָדְךָ, וּבָעֵגֶל הִיא מִתְבַּסֶּסֶת בְּיָדְךָ. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים: יֵשׁ לָהֶם עֲוֹנוֹת מִמַּעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל. לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַף הֵם יַקְרִיבוּ עֵגֶל. וְאֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּדַבֵּר לֵאמֹר קְחוּ שְׂעִיר עִזִּים לְחַטָּאת וְעֵגֶל, שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ הַכֹּל שֶׁנִּתְכַּפֵּר לָהֶם עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה נִתְכַּפֵּר לָהֶם עַל יְדֵי קָרְבָּן. וְלָעוֹלָם הַבָּא אֲנִי מוֹחֶה עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא בְּקָרְבָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אָנֹכִי אָנֹכִי הוּא מוֹחֶה פְשָׁעֶיךָ לְמַעֲנִי (ישעיה מג, כו).
(Lev. 9:2:) “Then he said unto Aaron, ‘Take a calf [of the herd for a sin offering].’” Why was it not told him [to take] a bull instead of a calf? He said to him, “Because through the calf (of Exod. 32) the priesthood was shaken in your hand, through a calf it is being established in your hand.” And not only that, but lest Israel say there are sins [clinging] to them from the deed of the calf, for that reason He said they should offer a calf [for a sin offering]. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 9:3), “And you shall speak unto the Children of Israel, saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering and a calf….’” [These things were said] so that they would know that they had been forgiven for the deed of the calf. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “In this world, they have been forgiven through offerings, but in the world to come I will wipe away their sins without an offering.” It is so stated (in Is. 43:25), “I, even I, will pardon your transgressions for My own sake and will not remember your sins.”
רב אשי אמר מילואים הקריבו בימי עזרא כדרך שהקריבו בימי משה
Rav Ashi says: It is possible to explain that this verse is not referring to the additional offerings sacrificed on the New Moon but rather to the offerings of the inauguration that they sacrificed later in the days of Ezra, similar to the offerings that were sacrificed during the period of inauguration of the Tabernacle in the days of Moses. When the Temple service was restored in the Second Temple, the Jewish people observed eight days of inauguration, initiating the priests in the Temple service, from the twenty-third of Adar through the New Moon of Nisan. During these eight days, they offered a bull for a sin offering in addition to the offerings of the inauguration, just as had been done at the inauguration of the Tabernacle (see Leviticus 9:2).
[ג] "ויאמר אל אהרן קח לך עגל בן בקר לחטאת" – מלמד שאמר לו משה לאהרן "אהרן אחי, אף על פי שנתרצה המקום לכפר על עונותיך, צריך אתה ליתן לתוך פיו של שטן. שלח דורון לפניך עד שלא תכנס למקדש שמא ישנאך בביאתך למקדש. ושמא תאמר "אין צריך כפרה אלא אני" – והלא אף ישראל צריכים כפרה שנאמר "ואל בני ישראל תדבר לאמר קחו שעיר עזים לחטאת" וכי מה ראו ישראל להביא יותר מאהרן? אלא אמר להם "אתם יש בידכם בתחלה ויש בידכם בסוף"; יש בידכם תחלה – "וישחטו שעיר עזים" (בראשית לז, לא), ויש בידכם בסוף – "עשו להם עגל מסכה" (שמות לב, ח). יבא שעיר עזים ויכפר על מעשה עזים; יבא עגל ויכפר על מעשה עגל.
3) (Vayikra 9:2): "And he said to Aaron: Take for yourself a bull-calf for a sin-offering": We are hereby taught that Moses said to Aaron: Aaron, my brother, even though the Holy One Blessed be He has consented to forgive your sins (in the episode of the golden calf), you must "place something in Satan's mouth." Send your gift before you before entering the sanctuary lest he condemn you upon your entering the sanctuary. And lest you say: Is it only I who need atonement? Israel, too, needs atonement, viz. (Vayikra 9:3): "And to the children of Israel shall you speak, saying: Take a kid of goats for a sin-offering, and a calf, etc." And why was it Israel's lot to bring more than Aaron? He said to them: You are culpable in the beginning and culpable in the end. In the beginning (at the sale of Yosef) — (Bereshith 37:31): "And they slaughtered a kid of goats, etc."; in the end — (Shemoth 32:8): "They have made for themselves a molten calf." Let a kid of goats come and atone for the "act" of goats, let a calf come and atone for the "act" of the calf.
Rabbi Yissocher Frand:
On the eighth day of the consecration of the Miskhan, following the 7 day period of inauguration, the Jewish people were told to bring a number of sacrifices. Included among them was a goat for a sin offering. The Toras Kohanim suggests that this was an atonement for the sin of selling Yosef. To cover up the crime of selling their sibling into slavery, Yosef’s brothers slaughtered a goat and dipped Yosef’s coat into the blood of the goat to make it look like Yosef was killed by a wild animal.
The Oznaim L’Torah from Rav Zalman Sorotzkin asks an obvious question: Why is this symbolism appropriate now at the dedication of the Mishkan? Maybe it would have been appropriate when they left Egypt to have the Paschal Offering be a goat rather than a lamb. After all, they wound up in Egypt because of the sale of Yosef. Now that they were leaving, it would be an appropriate time to lay the matter of their guilt permanently to rest and bring an atonement offering. This was not done at that time. Rather, the symbolic recollection of that earlier event only occurs now, many months later, when the Mishkan is being dedicated. Why?
The Oznaim L’Torah gives a very logical answer. The underlying cause of the sin of Yosef’s sale was unfounded hatred (sinas Chinam). Part of the function of the Mishkan was to act as a unifying force within the Jewish people. That is why emphasis is placed on the fact that it was “in the midst of the camp.” The Mishkan was the focal institution of the nation, geographically as well as spiritually. It served to unify Klal Yisrael.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן קְרַ֤ב אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ וַעֲשֵׂ֞ה אֶת־חַטָּֽאתְךָ֙ וְאֶת־עֹ֣לָתֶ֔ךָ וְכַפֵּ֥ר בַּֽעַדְךָ֖ וּבְעַ֣ד הָעָ֑ם וַעֲשֵׂ֞ה אֶת־קׇרְבַּ֤ן הָעָם֙ וְכַפֵּ֣ר בַּֽעֲדָ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָֽה׃
Then Moses said to Aaron: “Come forward to the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering, making expiation for yourself and for the people; and sacrifice the people’s offering and make expiation for them, as יהוה has commanded.”
את חטאתך. עֵגֶל בֶּן בָּקָר:
את חטאתך THY SIN OFFERING — the young calf (v. 2).
ואת עלתך. הָאָיִל:
ואת עלתך AND THY BURNT OFFERING — the ram (v. 2).
קרבן העם. שְׂעִיר עִזִּים וְעֵגֶל וְכֶבֶשׂ; כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "עֵגֶל" בֶּן שָׁנָה הוּא וּמִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד (שם):
קרבן העם THE OFFERING OF THE PEOPLE — the kid of the goats and the calf and the lamb (v. 3). Wherever the term עגל, “calf” is mentioned without further definition it denotes one in its first year, and it is from this passage that you may derive this rule (cf. Sifra on 4:2; Rosh Hashanah 10a).
וַיִּקְרַ֥ב אַהֲרֹ֖ן אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּשְׁחַ֛ט אֶת־עֵ֥גֶל הַחַטָּ֖את אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ׃
Aaron came forward to the altar and slaughtered his calf of sin offering.
אשר לו. משלו היה וכן פר יום הכפורים:
WHICH WAS FOR HIMSELF. It came from his own property. So too the bullock of the Day of Atonement.
וַיִּשְׁחַ֖ט אֶת־הָעֹלָ֑ה וַ֠יַּמְצִ֠אוּ בְּנֵ֨י אַהֲרֹ֤ן אֵלָיו֙ אֶת־הַדָּ֔ם וַיִּזְרְקֵ֥הוּ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ סָבִֽיב׃
Then he slaughtered the burnt offering. Aaron’s sons passed the blood to him, and he dashed it against all sides of the altar.
וימציאו. כדי שיתחנכו בהתעסקם בקרבן אביהם:
וימציאו, they used this opportunity to become trained in the priestly functions by assisting in their father’s personal sacrifice.
וַיַּקְרֵ֕ב אֵ֖ת קׇרְבַּ֣ן הָעָ֑ם וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׂעִ֤יר הַֽחַטָּאת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָעָ֔ם וַיִּשְׁחָטֵ֥הוּ וַֽיְחַטְּאֵ֖הוּ כָּרִאשֽׁוֹן׃
Next he brought forward the people’s offering. He took the goat for the people’s sin offering, and slaughtered it, and presented it as a sin offering like the previous one.
[ט] "ויקרב אהרן אל המזבח" – בזריזות. "וישחט את עגל החטאת אשר לו" (ויקרא ט, ח) – בקרבנו התחיל תחלה. "ויקרב את קרבן העם" (ויקרא ט, טו) – משנפנה מקרבנותיו בא לו לקרבן העם. תדע שקרבנו מכפר יותר מקרבן העם; שקרבן העם אינו מכפר על הכהנים, וקרבנו מכפר על ידו ועל יד העם שנאמר "ועשה את חטאתך ואת עולתך וכפר בעדך ובעד העם ועשה את קרבן העם וכפר בעדם". "וישחטהו ויחטאהו כראשון". מה הראשון טעון חיטוי אף זה טעון חיטוי. מה הראשון טעון על ד' קרנות אף זה טעון על ד' קרנות.
9) (Vayikra 9:8): "And Aaron drew near to the altar": with zeal! "and he slaughtered the calf of the sin-offering which was his": He started with his offering. (Vayikra 9:15): "And he presented the offering of the people": When he finished with his offerings, he came to the offering of the people. Know that his offering atones more than does the offering of the people. For the offering of the people atones only for themselves, whereas his offering atones both for himself and for the people, viz.: (Vayikra 9:7): "And offer your sin-offering and your burnt-offering and make atonement for yourself and for the people; and offer the offering of the people and make atonement for them." (Vayikra 9:15): "And he slaughtered it (the sin-offering of the people) and he offered it as a sin-offering, like the first (his calf)": Just as the fist required chitui (application of the blood on the horn with the finger), so this required chitui. Just as the first required four applications, this, too, required four applications.
וַיִּשָּׂ֨א אַהֲרֹ֧ן אֶת־יָדָ֛ו אֶל־הָעָ֖ם וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֑ם וַיֵּ֗רֶד מֵעֲשֹׂ֧ת הַֽחַטָּ֛את וְהָעֹלָ֖ה וְהַשְּׁלָמִֽים׃
Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them; and he stepped down after offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the offering of well-being.
וַיָּבֹ֨א מֹשֶׁ֤ה וְאַהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וַיֵּ֣צְא֔וּ וַֽיְבָרְכ֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיֵּרָ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־כׇּל־הָעָֽם׃
Moses and Aaron then went inside the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the Presence of יהוה appeared to all the people.
ויצאו ויברכו וגו'. אולי כי כן נצטוו בנבואה. או ברכה זו במקום תפלה היתה כדי שתשרה שכינה. והגם שכבר בירכם אהרן, טובים השנים לצד הסכמת ב' מדרגות הרמוזים בב' בחינות האחים כהונה ולויה שהם חסד וגבורה:
ויצאו ויברכו את העם, They emerged from the Tabernacle and blessed the people. Perhaps they had been commanded to do so by a prophetic vision. It is also possible that the Torah substitutes the word "blessing" here for the word "prayer." The prayer may have been that G'd's Presence should continue to manifest itself in the camp. Even though the people had already been blessed by Aaron, it was good to be blessed by both brothers each of whom represented a different nuance of spirituality, one that is unique to the Levite and the other the spirituality unique to the priesthood. In kabbalistic terms the two brothers Aaron and Moses represented the emanations חסד וגבורה respectively.
וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי ה', וַתֹּאכַל עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶת הָעֹלָה וְאֶת הַחֲלָבִים.וַיַּרְא כָּל הָעָם את האש השורפת את הקרבנות, שהיא אות להיענותו של ה' לעבודה ולתפילה
, וַיָּרֹנּוּ, שרו, או: הריעו
וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל פְּנֵיהֶם מחמת המראה שהתגלה להם
.
עתה ידעו שהמשכן הושלם כראוי, ואלוקים שוכן בו.
Fire emerged from before the Lord and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fats; all the people saw it, the fire consuming the offerings, which was a sign that God accepted their service and their prayers, and sang praise, or shouted, 9 and fell upon their faces due to this revelation. 10 Now the people knew that the Tabernacle was properly constructed and that the presence of God dwelled within it.
וַתֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַחֲלָבִ֑ים וַיַּ֤רְא כׇּל־הָעָם֙ וַיָּרֹ֔נּוּ וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃
Fire came forth from before יהוה and consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar. And all the people saw, and shouted, and fell on their faces.