Commentaire sur Le Lévitique 9:7

קרב אל המזבח [AND MOSES SAID TO AARON] GO TO THE ALTAR, for Aaron was diffident and feared to go there. Moses therefore said to him “Wherefore art thou diffident? For this purpose hast thou been selected!” (cf. Sifra, Shemini, Mechilta d'Miluim 2 8).

DRAW NEAR UNTO THE ALTAR. 8. AND AARON DREW NEAR UNTO THE ALTAR AND SLEW THE CALF. It seems to me in accordance with the plain meaning of Scripture that Moses said to Aaron: “Draw near to the north side of the altar and offer there the sin-offering and the burnt-offering, for they are to be slaughtered on the north side of the altar.”²⁵Above, 1:11; 6:18. Moses, however, said it briefly since Aaron already knew [that these offerings were to be slaughtered on the north side of the altar].
Our Rabbis in the Torath Kohanim were, however, prompted by [the use of] these expressions to draw a parable [and to say]:²⁶Torath Kohanim, beginning of Shemini 8. The Rabbis were prompted by the use of the phrase “draw near,” which Ramban explained to mean “draw near to the north side of the altar.” “To what can this be compared? To a human king who married a woman, who in her shyness [did not dare to enter] before him. Her sister then approached her, saying, ‘My sister, why did you enter this matter? Was it not in order that you serve the king? Embolden yourself and go in to serve the king!’ Similarly did Moses say to Aaron: ‘My brother! Why were you chosen to be the High Priest? Was it not so that you minister before G-d? Embolden yourself and come and do your priestly activities.’ Some Rabbis say that Aaron saw the [horned] altar in the form of the bull [which — as stated in Psalms 106: 20 — Israel had worshipped], and he was frightened by it. Then Moses came near and said to him, ‘My brother, Aaron, do not be afraid of that which you fear. Embolden yourself and come near it.’ This is why he said, draw near unto the altar, and [Aaron] drew near unto the altar — with zeal.” The reason for this [apparition which Aaron saw in the altar] was that since Aaron was the holy one of the Eternal,²⁷Psalms 106:16. having no sin on his soul except for the incident of the golden calf, therefore that sin was firmly fixed in his mind, something like that which is said, and my sin is ever before me.²⁸Ibid., 51:5. It thus appeared to him as if the form of the calf was there [in the altar] preventing his [attaining] atonement [through the offerings he was to bring]. That is why Moses said to him, “Embolden yourself so that you should not be of such humble spirit,” for G-d has already accepted his works.²⁹See Ecclesiastes 9:7. Other scholars explain that it was Satan who showed him this apparition, just as they have said there in the Torath Kohanim:³⁰Torath Kohanim, beginning of Shemini 3. “My brother Aaron, although G-d has agreed to grant atonement for your sin, you must nonetheless close the mouth of Satan [through your offerings], lest he accuse you when you enter the Sanctuary etc.” And the expression, and make atonement for thyself, and for the people means as follows: “draw near unto the altar to bring all the offerings, and offer first thy sin-offering, and thy burnt-offering, and make atonement for thyself first with thy offerings, and for the people afterwards, through bringing their offering and atoning for them by means thereof.” Thus Moses taught Aaron that the guiltless should come and effect atonement for those who are guilty.³¹Yoma 43 b.

וכפר בעדך ובעד העם. "and make atonement for yourself and for the people." We learn from this that Aaron's own atonement effected the atonement of the people. This is because Aaron's sin was brought about through the Israelites. Had they not demanded from Aaron that he make a deity for them, none of all this would have happened. As long as Aaron had not obtained atonement for his part in that sin, both the sinner and the one who had been the prime cause of that sin still remained guilty. As soon as Aaron obtained atonement, so did the people. We derive all this from the linkage of the two atonements in this verse i.e. "on your behalf and on behalf of the people."

Aharon was ashamed. [Rashi knows this] because it is not written: “Moshe said to Aharon: ‘Perform [the services of] your sin-offering...’” Why did Moshe need to say: “Approach the altar”? Furthermore, it already said (v. 2): “And bring them before Adonoy.” Rather, “[It was because Aharon was ashamed], etc.”

קרב אל המזבח, “approach the altar;” why did Moses have to command Aaron to do this? Satan at the time had appeared to Aaron in the guise of a calf, and he had become afraid that he no longer was qualified to serve as priest, or certainly as High Priest. Moses reassured him that he had nothing to fear.

קרב אל המזבח, “come close to the altar;” seeing that during all of the seven days of the consecration Moses was performing all the duties in the Tabernacle and around it, he had to tell Aaron on the eighth day that the time had come for him and his sons to take over.

את חטאתך THY SIN OFFERING — the young calf (v. 2).

Kid. Re’m writes: Rashi needs to explain that the people’s offering is the kid of goats, young calf, and lamb, to exclude the additional offerings of Rosh Chodesh that are also called “the people’s offering.” Because of these, he explains “your sin-offering and your burnt-offering...” as well. You might ask: Why does Rashi need to explain this? Obviously, it definitely refers to the previously mentioned matter. Furthermore, Rashi explains, “wherever it states [עגל (a calf), it refers to a yearling] ...” raises a difficulty: Why did he not explain this previously in verse (3) where it mentions “calf”? Re’m, too, points this out. There is another difficulty: We should also derive כבש (lamb) from here; why did Rashi not say: “wherever it states עגל או כבש (a calf or a lamb)”? The answer is: I might have an erroneous assumption from the fact the verse uses a different expression, for with regard to Aharon it is written, “your sin-offering and your burnt-offering,” in a specific fashion, whereas regarding the people it is written, “the people’s offering,” in a general fashion, without specifying “their sin-offerings and their burntofferings.” Thus, it certainly [appears as though it] does not refer to the offerings mentioned previously. For this reason Rashi needs to explain that despite this, it does refer to the offerings mentioned previously. Rashi held the view that different expressions in the verse do not pose a difficulty at all. This is because regarding Aharon Scripture could not write the general term “your offerings,” since I would say it refers to the regular sin-offering brought by the kohein godol, which is a bullock, for instance, the bullock of the anointed kohein or the bullock of Yom Kippur. Therefore, it needs to specify “your sin-offering” — a young calf, etc. However, regarding the people there is no room for error, for their sin-offering was a kid goat, and also the regular communal sin-offering is a kid goat.

וכפר בעדך ובעד העם, “and make atonement for yourself as well as for the people.” This verse requires further study, as this offering was only on behalf of Aaron, not the people. We read further on in verse 15 and 16 of this chapter about the offering presented on behalf of the people. Seeing that this was so, why did the Torah in our verse include “the people?” We may answer that the Torah mentioned this in order to explain why Aaron first had to offer his personal sin offering, before being able to act as the agent of the people. As long as he had not obtained atonement for his part in the golden calf, he could not function as the people’s agent in this respect.

וכפר בעדך, “and (commence) by obtaining atonement for yourself,” and subsequently,“for the people,” so that someone free from guilt performs these rites. After all, both Aaron as well as the people had born a share of the guilt associated with the sin of the golden calf.

ואת עלתך AND THY BURNT OFFERING — the ram (v. 2).

Wherever it states עגל (a calf) it refers to a yearling. Rashi needs to explain, so that you will not say since it is written regarding Aharon, “עגל בן בקר” and not just עגל, that it means to say an עגל בן בקר is the same as a bullock (פר), i.e., an עגל בן בקר is also three years old. [You might assume this] because the undesignated term עגל in the Torah refers to a two year old, except where it explicitly says “one year old.” Thus, as a matter of course, here, where it is written עגל בן בקר, it is three years old [(עגל = 2 years) + (בן בקר = 1) = 3]. If so, the aforementioned difficulty remains: Why does Scripture change the expression regarding Aharon, and does not write “your offerings” in an unspecified fashion? Because of this, Rashi explains: “Wherever it states עגל it refers to a yearling...” You can learn, as a matter of course, that where it written בן בקר it is two years old. For this reason, Scripture could not write without being specific regarding Aharon, “your offerings,” for one would err and say that עגל בן בקר is the same as a פר [three years old]. Rather, wherever it says פר it is three years old, עגל בן בקר is two years old, and עגל undesignated is one year old, even if it does not specify clearly that it is one year old. “And from here you learn [this rule].” I.e., since Scripture uses a different term regarding Aharon, etc. as I explained. With this, Re’m’s difficulties are resolved, for he posed the difficulty: Why did Rashi not write this on the verse (v. 3): “and a calf and a lamb, both one year old”? Why did he wait until now? Similarly, why did he not say: “Wherever it states עגל בן בקר it refers to a two year old,” for both are true in Rashi’s view? Also, [this answers] that which Re’m asks: How does he know there is a בניין אב (comparison)? Perhaps, wherever it does not specify, it is two years old, except where Scripture clearly states otherwise.

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).

וכפר בעדך ובעד העם, ועשה את קרבנך ואת קרבן העם, “and make atonement for yourself and for the people, and prepare your offering and that on behalf of the people.” The sequence of the words may mean that Aaron was first to initiate atonement for his own sin before bringing about atonement for the people, or it might mean that the words “and for the people,” are a reference to his immediate family, i.e. the members of the house of Levi. In that event the words קרבן העם, “the offering for the people,” would refer to the people at large.