Commentary for Exodus 30:20
בְּבֹאָ֞ם אֶל־אֹ֧הֶל מוֹעֵ֛ד יִרְחֲצוּ־מַ֖יִם וְלֹ֣א יָמֻ֑תוּ א֣וֹ בְגִשְׁתָּ֤ם אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לְשָׁרֵ֔ת לְהַקְטִ֥יר אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃
when they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to cause an offering made by fire to smoke unto the LORD;
Rashi on Exodus
בבאם אל אהל מועד WHEN THEY COME INTO THE APPOINTED TENT to burn incense in the morning and at evening, or to sprinkle of the blood of the bullock offered by the anointed High-Priest (Leviticus 4:5, 7) and of the he-goats offered as atonement for the sin of idolatry (all of which services were performed in the interior of the Sanctuary) (Zevachim 19b).
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Siftei Chakhamim
The incense, morning and afternoon. . . Rashi [mentions burning the incense because he] holds that there is no death penalty for merely entering [the Tent of Meeting without washing,] if they do not perform service. And so it says in Zevachim 19b, that the words “for Divine service” in our verse refer [also] to “Entering the Tent of Meeting.” (Nachalas Yaakov)
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Chizkuni
ירחצו מים, “they shall wash with water;” this has been repeated as they had to wash themselves both before going in or even when approaching the golden altar to offer incense.
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