Commentaire sur Le Lévitique 16:3

בזאת WITH THIS [SHALL AARON COME] — The numerical value of this word is 410, being an allusion to the 410 years during which the First Temple existed (cf. Leviticus Rabbah 21 9).

The secret of ‘b’zoth’ (With this) shall Aaron come into the holy place,²¹Verse 3 here. is analogous to the secret of ‘zoth’ (this is) the token of the covenant which I have established.²⁵Genesis 9:17. I have already explained it.²⁶“And you will find it in the covenant of the Sabbath” (Ma’or V’shamesh). See Ramban, Exodus 31:13, Vol. II, p. 548. Our Rabbis alluded to it in saying in Vayikra Rabbah:²⁷Vayikra Rabbah 21:5. “Rabbi Yudan explained the verse [‘With this’ shall Aaron come into the holy place] with reference to the High Priest when entering the Holy of Holies: he came with many bundles of commandments [fulfilled by Israel] in his possession. He came in there by merit of [their studying] Torah, as it is said, and ‘this’ is the law;²⁸Deuteronomy 4:44. by merit of circumcision, as it is said, ‘This’ is My covenant, which ye shall keep;²⁹Genesis 17:10. by merit of keeping the Sabbath, as it is said, Happy is the man that doeth ‘this’ [… that keepeth the Sabbath];³⁰Isaiah 56:2. by the guarding influence of Jerusalem, as it is said, ‘This’ is Jerusalem;³¹Ezekiel 5:5. by the guarding influence of the [twelve] tribes, as it is said, and ‘this’ is that their father spoke unto them;³²Genesis 49:28. by the guarding influence of Judah, as it is said, And ‘this’ [Moses said] for Judah;³³Deuteronomy 33:7. by the guarding influence of the congregation of Israel, as it is said, ‘This’ thy stature is like to a palm-tree;³⁴Song of Songs 7:8. by merit of [Israel having observed the law of] the heave-offering, as it is said, And ‘this’ is ‘ha’terumah’ (the offering);³⁵Exodus 25:3. The word terumah is here understood in the wider sense of “something set apart.” The portion given to the priest from the produce of the corn, etc. is therefore terumah. In this particular verse it refers to that which was set apart as a freewill gift for the erection of the Tabernacle. by the merit of [Israel giving] the tithes, as it is said, and try Me now with ‘this;’³⁶Malachi 3:10. The verse begins: Bring ye the whole ‘tithe’ into the store-house, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now with this … If I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing. by the merit of bringing the offerings, as it is said, With ‘this’ shall Aaron come.” This text requires a lengthy exposition, but it is all explained in our commentary [in various places].³⁷These explanations are found mostly on the Scriptural verses mentioned above, and the meaning of those left unexplained can be surmized from those explained (Kur Zahav).

בזאת יבא...בפר בן בקר, by sanctifying the bull as a sin offering, and the ram as a burnt offering, and by donning the appropriate priestly garments, the linen ones which had no decorative additions and consisted only of white linen. On the one hand, that High Priest was not to enter the sanctuary until after the burnt offering had been sacrificed, but he was allowed to enter for the purpose of offering the incense as soon as the sin offering had been slaughtered.