Tafsiran Imamat 9:7: Tze'enah Ure'enah, Rashi, Kli Yakar & Ramban

“Come forward to the altar” [9:7]. The Midrash says that Aaron thought that the altar was like an ox and he was afraid to approach the altar. He saw an ox standing before him. Thus, Moses came and said to Aaron: my dear brother, do not be afraid. Go to the altar. Ramban writes that one should not understand that Aaron had seen an ox, but Aaron was a righteous person and always had before him, in his thoughts, the sin that he committed, and he had committed no sins except for the making of the Golden Calf. Therefore, the Midrash says, that is to say, that Aaron thought that the sin of the Golden Calf was standing before him. Thus, Moses said to Aaron, go to the altar; your sin has been forgiven. “Making expiation for yourself and for the people” [9:7]. You should make expiation for your sins and afterwards for the sins of the people. Each person should first repair himself and afterwards he should punish the people.⁵Bahya, Leviticus, 9:7.

Three sorts of things were offered from the sacrifice. First the fat of the sacrifice, since the fat brings him to all the sins through which he engages in arrogance.

That is to say, when a person is fat, he is quick to commit sins. Then they offered the kidneys, and it is known that the essential advice in the person comes from the kidneys. The person commits sins through the advice of the kidneys. Afterwards, one offers the red meat. This is the blood of the person, which leads the person to sins.⁶Bahya, Leviticus, 9:9.

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).