Comentario sobre Exodo 29:1

לקח This is the same as קח (the imperative, “Take thou” and must not be regarded as the infinitive). There are two forms of the root: one is קח and the other לקח, both having the same meaning.

וזה הרבר אשר תעשה, "And this is the thing you are to do for them, etc." I have explained in connection with 27,20 that Moses' part in the construction of the Tabernacle was merely that he should instruct the artisans who would perform the work, whereas he personally was not to weave, embroider, or perform any of the various activities required. This rule was broken in the paragraph commencing here, where Moses is instructed to personally perform sacrificial rites as part of conferring the priesthood on Aaron and his sons. This is why the Torah commences the chapter with the words: וזה הדבר, "and this is the thing, etc." He was to offer animal sacrifices for seven days in a row. The word וזה, "and this," is justified seeing Moses had already been commanded to clothe the priests and to anoint them, i.e. physical activities, not just verbal instructions. The Torah therefore says: "You are also to perform this additional task with your hands, etc." If the Torah had not written תעשה, i.e. "you will do it," but had only written: "take one young bullock, etc.," we would have been justified in assuming that Moses was merely to issue a directive to Aaron or his sons to do this. Seeing there was a chance that we would interpret the instruction for Moses to act as priest and offer sacrifices as something applicable only to the inaugural sacrifices recorded here and not to any of the regular public offerings to be offered on those days, the Torah repeats by saying וזה אשר תעשה…כבשים בני שנה in verse 38 of this chapter. The repetition of this phrase indicates that Moses would officiate as priest also for those sacrifices. The Torah repeated the phrase "and this is what you shall do on the altar" (verse 38), so that we should not assume that Moses would be allowed to offer the daily public offerings also after the expiry of the seven inaugural days.

וזה הדבר אשר תעשה להם, “This is the matter that you shall do for them:” Actually, we would have expected the Torah to write: זה אשר תעשה להם, just as the Torah wrote in verse 38: וזה אשר תעשה על המזבח, where the word הדבר does not appear. The reason the word הדבר has been added in our verse is that seeing this paragraph introduces the whole subject of sacrificial offerings and there will be times when such offerings cannot be brought due to the absence of the Temple, the substitute of prayer, i.e. “words” or דבר, is a hint of such future developments. This is what Hoseah 14,3 is all about when he said קחו עמכם דברים ועבדו את ה', “take with you words and serve the Lord.” Another verse conveying a similar message is ונשלמה פרים שפתינו, “and let us substitute with our lips for bulls.”