Leviticus Chapter 8

קח את אהרן TAKE AARON — This section was spoken seven days before the final erection of the Tabernacle and so should have been placed before Exodus XL., but a transposition of this kind is quite customary in the Bible, because there is no “earlier” or “later” (no chronological order) in the Torah.

קח את אהרן means win him over with fine words and draw him on (cf. Rashi on Exodus 14:6) (Sifra, Tzav, Mechilta d'Miluim 1 2)).

ואת פר החטאת וגו'‏‎‎‎‎‎ AND THE BULLOCK FOR THE SIN OFFERING [AND THE TWO RAMS] etc. — These are the sacrifices mentioned in the section containing the command about the installation ceremony — in the Scriptural Reading beginning with the words, ואתה תצוה (see Exodus 29) and now, on the first day of the installation ceremony He again admonished him (Moses) regarding this when the time for performing the command arrived.

הקהל אל פתח אהל מועד AND ASSEMBLE THOU [THE WHOLE CONGREGATION), UNTO THE ENTRANCE OF THE TENT OF MEETING — This is one of the instances where the lesser comprised the greater (the small area accommodated the whole congregation) (Leviticus Rabbah 10 9).

זה הדבר THIS IS THE THING [WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED ME TO DO] — The things you will see me doing in your presence has the Holy One, blessed be He, bidden me do, and do not think I am doing them for my own glory and for my brother’s glory. — The whole of this matter treated in the present chapter I have already explained in the Scriptural Reading beginning with the words, ‎‏ ואתה תצוה ‏‎(Exodus ch. XXIX.).

את האורים THE URIM — an inscription bearing the Proper Name of the Lord (cf. Rashi on Exodus XXV 3:30).

וישם על המצנפת UPON THE MITRE … DID HE PUT [THE GOLDEN PLATE] — Threads of blue purple that were: fastened on the Plate he put over the mitre, consequently the Plate hung from the mitre mid would be “against his face” (upon his forehead) as stated here (cf. Rashi on Exodus 28:37).

ויז ממנו על המזבח AND HE SPRINKLED THEREOF UPON THE ALTAR — I do not know where he was given any command about these sprinklings (cf., however Nachmanides).

וימשח … ‎‏ ויצק‎ AND HE POURED [THE ANOINTING OIL UPON AARON'S HEAD] AND ANOINTED |HIM| — First he poured some oil upon his head and afterwards he put a drop between his eyebrows, and he drew the oil with his finger from this place to that (this drawing the oil from one place to the other was the anointing here spoken of) (Keritot 5b; Horayot 12a; cf. also Rashi on Exodus 29:7).

ויחבש — This is a term meaning binding.

ויחטא את המזבח AND HE PURIFIED THE ALTAR — He cleansed and purified it from anything “strange” (alien to the sacred purpose for which the altar was intended) that may have happened to it, so that it might enter into a state of holiness (cf. Rashi on Exodus 19:36).

ויקדשהו AND HE SANCTIFIED IT by this rite.

לכפר עליו THAT ONE MIGHT MAKE EXPIATION UPON IT from that time onward with all atonement sacrifices (i. e. that all atonement sacrifices might henceforth be offered upon it; the meaning is not that he sanctified it so that he might now offer an atonement offering for it or upon it).

הכבד [AND THE LOBE OF] THE LIVER — i. e. he took it (the lobe) besides some of the liver — it means that he took a little of the liver with it (the lobe).

איל המלאים — This means the same as איל השלמים, for the word מלואים is synonymous with the word שלמים; this term is used to describe the ram because by means of it they set the priest fully (ממלאין) and completely (משלימין) in their priestly office (cf. Sifra, Tzav, Mechilta d'Miluim 1 20).

וחלת לחם שמן AND A CAKE OF OILED BREAD — This was a scalded cake, and it is called “oiled bread” because he used a large quantity of oil for it, equal to that which he used for the cakes and wafers together. So is it explained in Treatise Menachot 78a (also Menachot 89a).

ויקטר המזבחה [AND MOSES TOOK THEM FROM OFF THEIR HANDS] AND CAUSED THEM TO ASCEND IN FUMES AT THE ALTAR — Moses (though a non-priest) was officiating during the seven days of installation [in a white garment] (Avodah Zarah 34a).

על העלה [AND MOSES … CAUSED THEM TO ASCEND IN FUMES] על העלה — after the burnt offering (על is taken in the sense of besides, in addition to the burnt offering. Hence he burnt it after the burnt offering). We do not find in any passage, that the shoulder of peace-offerings was burnt except in the case of this alone (cf. Rashi on Exodus 29:22).

צוה ה' לעשת [AS HE HATH DONE THIS DAY, SO] THE LORD HATH COMMANDED TO DO all the seven days). But our Rabbis explained as follows: לעשת, “so hath the Lord commanded to do” — this refers to the “Red Heifer” (Numbers ch. XIX.); and לכפר, “to perform a cleansing ceremony” — this refers to Yom-Kippur. And thus these words, they say, are intended to intimate that the High Priest requires separating from his family during seven days before Yom-Kippur, and similarly the priest who burns the Red Heifer (Sifra, Tzav, Mechilta d'Miluim 1 37; Yoma 2a; Yoma 3b).

ולא תמותו [THEREFORE SHALL YE ABIDE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE APPOINTED TENT DAY AND NIGHT. SEVEN DAYS] … THAT YE DIE NOT — Consequently if you will not do thus, you become liable to the death penalty.

ויעש אהרן ובניו SO AARON AND HIS SONS DID [ALL THE THINGS] — This is stated to tell their praise — that they did not turn to the right nor to the left (cf. Sifra, Tzav, Mechilta d'Miluim 1 38).