16Moses inquired about the sin-offering he-goat, and discovered that it had been burned. He became angry with Eleazar and Itamar, Aaron’s surviving sons, demanding, |
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טזוְאֵ֣ת | שְׂעִ֣יר הַֽחַטָּ֗את דָּר֥שׁ דָּרַ֛שׁ משֶׁ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה שׂרָ֑ף וַ֠יִּקְצֹ֠ף עַל־אֶלְעָזָ֤ר וְעַל־אִֽיתָמָר֙ בְּנֵ֣י אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן הַנּֽוֹתָרִ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר: |
שְׂעִיר הַֽחַטָּאת - The sin-offering he-goat - i.e., the goat among the additional offerings of Rosh Chodesh. Three sin-offering goats were brought on that day: the young goat of the installation rites, the goat donated by Nachshon, and the aforementioned goat of Rosh Chodesh, and of all of them only this one was burned. The sages of Israel differed regarding this: Some say it was burned because a ritually defiled entity touched it, and others say it was burned because Aaron and his sons were onenim, since it was a sacrifice prescribed for all time. However, regarding the other two goats, which were one-time sacrifices, they relied on Moses, who had told them regarding the grain-offerings: “eat them as unleavened loaves.” |
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שְׂעִיר הַֽחַטָּאת.
שְׂעִיר מוּסְפֵי רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ; וּשְׁלֹשָׁה שְׂעִירֵי חַטָּאוֹת קָרְבוּ בוֹ בַיּוֹם, שְׂעִיר עִזִּים וּשְׂעִיר נַחְשׁוֹן וּשְׂעִיר רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ, וּמִכֻּלָּן לֹא נִשְׂרַף אֶלָּא זֶה; וְנֶחְלְקוּ בַדָּבָר חַכְמֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל, יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים מִפְּנֵי הַטֻּמְאָה שֶׁנָּגְעָה בוֹ נִשְׂרַף, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים מִפְּנֵי אֲנִינוּת נִשְׂרַף, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא קָדְשֵׁי דוֹרוֹת, אֲבָל בְּקָדְשֵׁי שָׁעָה סָמְכוּ עַל מֹשֶׁה שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם בַּמִּנְחָה וְאִכְלוּהָ מַצּוֹת (ספרא; זבחים ק"א):
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דָּרשׁ דָּרַשׁ - Inquired. These two enquiries were: “Why was this sin-offering goat burned?” and: “Why were these other two eaten?” So is it stated in Torat Kohanim. |
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דָּרשׁ דָּרַשׁ.
שְׁתֵּי דְרִישׁוֹת: מִפְּנֵי מָה נִשְׂרַף זֶה? וּמִפְּנֵי מָה נֶאֶכְלוּ אֵלּוּ? כָּךְ הִיא בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים:
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עַל־אֶלְעָזָר וְעַל־אִֽיתָמָר - With Eleazar and Itamar. Out of respect for Aaron, he turned his face towards his sons while displaying anger, even though he was angry mainly at Aaron. |
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עַל־אֶלְעָזָר וְעַל־אִֽיתָמָר.
בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן הָפַךְ פָּנָיו כְּנֶגֶד הַבָּנִים וְכָעַס (ספרא):
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לֵאמֹֽר - means he told them: “Respond to my questions.” |
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לֵאמֹֽר.
אָמַר לָהֶם הֲשִׁיבוּנִי עַל דְּבָרַי (שם):
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17“Why did you not eat the sin-offering? Was it not ever in the holy place—thereby being rendered unfit—for it is a sacrifice of superior holiness? God has given it to you to eat in order to thereby gain forgiveness for the sin of the community, to effect their atonement before God! |
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יזמַדּ֗וּעַ לֹֽא־אֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־הַֽחַטָּאת֙ בִּמְק֣וֹם הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ כִּ֛י קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֖ים הִ֑וא וְאֹתָ֣הּ | נָתַ֣ן לָכֶ֗ם לָשֵׂאת֙ אֶת־עֲוֹ֣ן הָֽעֵדָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֥ר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
מַדּוּעַ לֹֽא־אֲכַלְתֶּם אֶת־הַֽחַטָּאת בִּמְקוֹם הַקֹּדֶשׁ - (lit.) Why did you not eat the sin-offering in the holy place?. Did they then eat it outside the holy place? Had they not burned it? What then is meant by the statement: “in the holy place”? However, he asked them: Perhaps it had been taken outside the crocheted nettings, thereby becoming invalid? |
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מַדּוּעַ לֹֽא־אֲכַלְתֶּם אֶת־הַֽחַטָּאת בִּמְקוֹם הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
וְכִי חוּץ לַקֹּדֶשׁ אֲכָלוּהָ, וַהֲלֹא שְׂרָפוּהָ, וּמַה הוּא אוֹמֵר בִּמְקוֹם הַקֹּדֶשׁ, אֶלָּא אָמַר לָהֶם שֶׁמָּא חוּץ לַקְּלָעִים יָצְאָה וְנִפְסְלָה:
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כִּי קֹדֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁים הִוא - For it is a sacrifice of superior holiness - and is disqualified if taken outside the Courtyard. They told him: “No, it was not taken out.” He then asked them: “If it was in the holy place, why did you not eat it?” |
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כִּי קֹדֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁים הִוא.
וְנִפְסֶלֶת בְּיוֹצֵא, וְהֵם אָמְרוּ לוֹ לָאו. אָמַר לָהֶם הוֹאִיל וּבִמְקוֹם הַקֹּדֶשׁ הָיְתָה, מַדּוּעַ לֹא אֲכַלְתֶּם אוֹתָהּ:
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וְאֹתָהּ נָתַן לָכֶם לָשֵׂאת וגו' - [God] has given it to you to gain forgiveness…. that the priests eat of the sacrifice and its owners thereby gain atonement. |
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וְאֹתָהּ נָתַן לָכֶם לָשֵׂאת וגו'.
שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹכְלִים וּבְעָלִים מִתְכַּפְּרִים:
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לָשֵׂאת אֶת־עֲוֹן הָֽעֵדָה - To gain forgiveness for the sin of the community. From here we derive that the goat referred to was that of Rosh Chodesh, which atones for unintentional ritual defilement of the Sanctuary and the sacrifices, for the eighth-day sin-offering and Nachshon’s sin-offering were not brought for atonement. |
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לָשֵׂאת אֶת־עֲוֹן הָֽעֵדָה.
מִכָּאן לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁשְּׂעִיר רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ הָיָה, שֶׁהוּא מְכַפֵּר עַל עֲוֹן טֻמְאַת מִקְדָּשׁ וְקָדָשָׁיו, שֶׁחַטַּאת שְׁמִינִי וְחַטַּאת נַחְשׁוֹן לֹא לְכַפָּרָה בָּאוּ:
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18Behold, its blood was not brought into the Sanctuary, so you should have surely eaten it within holy precincts, as I commanded you!” |
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יחהֵ֚ן לֹֽא־הוּבָ֣א אֶת־דָּמָ֔הּ אֶל־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ פְּנִ֑ימָה אָכ֨וֹל תֹּֽאכְל֥וּ אֹתָ֛הּ בַּקֹּ֖דֶשׁ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוֵּֽיתִי: |
הֵן לֹֽא־הוּבָא וגו' - Behold, [its blood] was not brought…. for were the blood brought inside the Sanctuary you would indeed have had to burn it, as it says: “But any sin-offering some of whose blood was brought into the Tent of Meeting…must be burned in fire.” |
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הֵן לֹֽא־הוּבָא וגו'.
שֶׁאִלּוּ הוּבָא, הָיָה לָכֶם לְשָֹרְפָהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ו'), וְכָל חַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר יוּבָא מִדָּמָהּ וְגוֹ' (פסחים פ"ב):
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אכל תֹּֽאכְלוּ אֹתָהּ - (lit.) You should surely eat it - means: you should have eaten it and not burned it, even though you are onenim. |
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אכל תֹּֽאכְלוּ אֹתָהּ.
הָיָה לָכֶם לְאָכְלָהּ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאַתֶּם אוֹנְנִים:
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כַּֽאֲשֶׁר צִוֵּֽיתִי - As I commanded - you concerning the grain-offering. |
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כַּֽאֲשֶׁר צִוֵּֽיתִי.
לָכֶם בַּמִּנְחָה:
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19Aaron said to Moses, “Did they offer up their sin-offering or their ascent-offering today before God? Inasmuch as tragic events like these befell me, if I had eaten a sin-offering today, would it have pleased God?” |
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יטוַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה הֵ֣ן הַ֠יּ֠וֹם הִקְרִ֨יבוּ אֶת־חַטָּאתָ֤ם וְאֶת־עֹֽלָתָם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַתִּקְרֶ֥אנָה אֹתִ֖י כָּאֵ֑לֶּה וְאָכַ֤לְתִּי חַטָּאת֙ הַיּ֔וֹם הַיִּיטַ֖ב בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
וַיְדַבֵּר אַֽהֲרֹן - Aaron said. The term דִּבּוּר “speaking” always denotes harsh speech, in the same way as it says: וַיְדַבֵּר הָעָם “The people spoke against….” Is it possible that Moses was angry with Eleazar and Itamar, and Aaron spoke up in response? You must conclude that it was only out of respect that the sons did not answer. They said: “It would not be correct that our father sit here and we speak in his presence, nor would it be correct that a disciple contradict his teacher.” I might think that Eleazar did not answer because he did not have the ability to respond; Scripture therefore states elsewhere: “Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers….” We thus see that when he wished, he spoke in the presence of Moses and in the presence of the leaders. I found this explanation in Sifrei shel Panim Sheni. |
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וַיְדַבֵּר אַֽהֲרֹן.
אֵין לְשׁוֹן דִּבּוּר אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן עַז, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְדַבֵּר הָעָם וְגוֹ' (במדבר כ"א), אֶפְשָׁר מֹשֶׁה קָצַף עַל אֶלְעָזָר וְעַל אִיתָמָר וְאַהֲרֹן מְדַבֵּר? הָא יָדַעְתָּ שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה אֶלָּא מִדֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד; אָמְרוּ: אֵינוֹ בַדִּין שֶׁיְּהֵא אָבִינוּ יוֹשֵׁב וְאָנוּ מְדַבְּרִים לְפָנָיו, וְאֵינוֹ בַדִּין שֶׁיְּהֵא תַלְמִיד מֵשִׁיב אֶת רַבּוֹ; יָכוֹל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בְאֶלְעָזָר לְהָשִׁיב? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וַיֹּאמֶר אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֶל אַנְשֵׁי הַצָּבָא וְגוֹמֵר (שם ל"א), הֲרֵי כְּשֶׁרָצָה, דִּבֵּר לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה וְלִפְנֵי הַנְּשִֹיאִים, זוֹ מָצָאתִי בְּסִפְרֵי שֶׁל פָּנִים שֵׁנִי:
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הֵן הַיּוֹם הִקְרִיבוּ - Did they offer up…today. What does this mean? This implies that Moses had asked them: “Perhaps you dashed its blood while you were onenim?” for the rule is that an onen who officiates profanes that service. Aaron replied to him: “Was it they – who are ordinary priests, who profane their service if they perform it while onenim – who offered up the blood? It was I who offered it up, and I, being the high priest, may offer sacrifices while being an onen.” |
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הֵן הַיּוֹם הִקְרִיבוּ.
מַהוּ אוֹמֵר? אֶלָּא אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה: שֶׁמָּא זְרַקְתֶּם דָּמָהּ אוֹנְנִין, שֶׁאוֹנֵן שֶׁעָבַד חִלֵּל? אָמַר לוֹ אַהֲרֹן וְכִי הֵם הִקְרִיבוּ שֶׁהֵם הֶדְיוֹטוֹת? אֲנִי הִקְרַבְתִּי שֶׁאֲנִי כֹהֵן גָּדוֹל וּמַקְרִיב אוֹנֵן (זבחים ק"א):
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וַתִּקְרֶאנָה אֹתִי כָּאֵלֶּה - (lit.) And if it happened to me like these - means: even if the dead were not my sons but other relatives for whom I am obligated to mourn in the same way as for these, i.e., all those regarding whom it is stated in the passage about priests that a priest must ritually defile himself for them. |
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וַתִּקְרֶאנָה אֹתִי כָּאֵלֶּה.
אֲפִלוּ לֹא הָיוּ הַמֵּתִים בָּנַי, אֶלָּא שְׁאָר קְרוֹבִים שֶׁאֲנִי חַיָּב לִהְיוֹת אוֹנֵן עֲלֵיהֶם כְּאֵלּוּ, כְּגוֹן כָּל הָאֲמוּרִים בְּפָרָשַׁת כֹּהֲנִים שֶׁהַכֹּהֵן מִטַּמֵּא לָהֶם (ספרא).
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וְאָכַלְתִּי חַטָּאת - (lit.) And I ate [of] a sin-offering - means: “and if I would have eaten, would it have pleased…?” |
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וְאָכַלְתִּי חַטָּאת.
וְאִם אָכַלְתִּי הייטב וגו':
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הַיּוֹם - Today - but in the state of mourning during the following night it would have been permitted, for the state of onen only applies on the day of burial. |
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הַיּוֹם.
אֲבָל אֲנִינוּת לַיְלָה מֻתָּר, שֶׁאֵין אוֹנֵן אֶלָּא יוֹם קְבוּרָה (ספרא; זבחים ק'):
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הַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵי ה' - Would it have pleased God? - i.e., though you have heard that the prohibition against mourners eating of sacrifices is suspended regarding one-time sacrifices, you cannot infer from this to be lenient also regarding sacrifices prescribed for all time. |
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הַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵי ה'.
אִם שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקָדְשֵׁי שָׁעָה אֵין לְךָ לְהָקֵל בְּקָדְשֵׁי דוֹרוֹת:
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20Moses heard, and it pleased him. |
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כוַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע משֶׁ֔ה וַיִּיטַ֖ב בְּעֵינָֽיו: |
וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינָֽיו - And it pleased him - i.e., he admitted that Aaron’s reasoning was superior to his own and was not ashamed to say publicly: “I did not hear it.” |
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וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינָֽיו.
הוֹדָה וְלֹא בוֹשׁ לוֹמַר לֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי (זבחים ק"א):
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