Komentarz do Kapłańska 16:32

'וכפר הכהן אשר ימשח וגו‎ AND THE PRIEST WHOM THEY SHALL ANOINT … SHALL MAKE EXPIATION etc. — This expiation on the Day of Atonement is valid only if it is effected by the High-Priest. Because in the whole of this section reference is made to Aaron alone, Scripture was compelled to state here (towards the end) that any High-Priest succeeding him shall be like himself (i. e. shall possess the same power of effecting atonement on Yom-Kippur) (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 8 4).

AND THE PRIEST WHO SHALL BE ANOINTED AND WHO SHALL BE CONSECRATED TO BE PRIEST IN HIS FATHER’S STEAD. “I might think that only [the High Priest] who has been anointed with the oil of anointment [may perform the Service on the Day of Atonement]. Whence do I know that a High Priest who is [inducted into office only] by many garments [i.e., the eight garments which distinguish him from all ordinary priests who wear only four garments, that he too may perform the Service on that day]? Scripture therefore says, and who shall be consecrated, by attiring the [eight] garments. Such were all the High Priests who functioned after the days of King Josiah [until the destruction of the Second Temple], for in his days the flask of anointing oil was hidden.”¹³⁶Josiah did this in order to prevent the desecration of the sacred oil by the hands of the enemy when Israel was to go into exile (Horayoth 12 a). The ark of the covenant was also hidden at that time (ibid.). This is Rashi’s language. Now the Rabbi did not intend to say that it was only from the days of King Josiah that there were High Priests who were [inducted into office only by means of] many garments, for in the Gemara we find that the Rabbis have said:¹³⁷Horayoth 13 a. “Who has precedence over whom [in being redeemed from captivity, etc.], a High Priest anointed with the oil of anointment, or one who was [inducted into office only] by his attiring himself in the many garments?”¹³⁸It is thus clear that both kinds of High Priest can exist simultaneously. Again the Rabbis have said:¹³⁹Makkoth 11 b. “Does he [that killed a person unwittingly] return from the city of refuge [only] at the death of all of them [i.e., the High Priest anointed with the oil of anointment, and the one that was inducted into office only by his attiring himself in the many garments and one that had passed from his High-priesthood], or does he return at the death of one of them?”¹⁴⁰Numbers 35:25. [Thus it is clear] that they can all be found at one time. Rather, [Rashi’s intent was that] if at any time [i.e., even when High Priests were still anointed with the oil of anointment], a priest was inducted [into the High-priesthood] by the many garments [worn by the High Priest], he was eligible to perform the Service of the Day of Atonement. For another priest was always prepared [in the High Priest’s stead] for the Day of Atonement,¹⁴¹“Lest aught befall the High Priest to render him ineligible” (Yoma 2 a). and he was not anointed.¹⁴²See my Hebrew commentary p. 93 for various reasons. Thus if some disqualification occurred to the High Priest [such as by becoming impure etc.], this priest served in his stead, as he was eligible to do so through his induction [to his position] by his attiring himself in the many garments, even if he was not anointed.

ואשר ימלא את ידו...ולבש, also a priest wearing the High Priest’s garments though not having been anointed with the holy anointing oil may be the instrument of the people’s atonement. [The conditions mentioned in our verse are not understood as cumulative and absolute requirements. (compare Rashi who explains that the holy anointing oil ran out already in the days of King Yoshiyahu during the first Temple, never to become available again. Nonetheless, even in the days of the second Temple, when the red cord turned white after the killing of the scape-goat, there was a sign from heaven that the people had been forgiven. Ed.]

וכפר הכהן אשר ימשח אותו, seeing that the Torah had previously stated that the service on the Day of Atonement is to be performed by the High Priest, i.e. בזאת יבא אהרן אל , הקודש, the Torah had to make provision for an alternate to Aaron if he or the High Priest in his generation was not available. The priest who had been anointed as an alternate would then officiate.

Except [when carried out] by a Kohein Gadol. Explanation: “who himself will be anointed” applies only to a Kohein Gadol because it is written later (21:10), “The kohein who is greatest among his brethren [upon whose head was poured the anointing oil].”

ואשר ימלא את ידו AND WHOM THEY SHALL CONSECRATE — Since it is stated "whom they anoint" I might say I have here only the law that he who has been anointed with the oil of anointing is capable of effecting expiation; How do I know that this is also the case with a High- Priest who is distinguished from an ordinary priest only by a larger number of official garments though he may not have been anointed? Because Scripture states "and whom they shall consecrate etc." (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 8 4) — Such (i. e. מרובה בגדים only) were all the High-Priests who held office from Josiah and later, for in his days the flask of anointing oil was concealed (Horayot 12a).

One distinguished only by the greater number of garments from where? You might ask: If so, the verse should not say “who himself will be anointed,” and I would say that if even someone distinguished only by the greater number of garments becomes a Kohein Gadol, how much more so someone anointed with the anointing oil? The answer is: I would then say that even when anointing oil is available one only has to distinguish him by the greater number of garments; so it tells us [that this is not so].

לכהן תחת אביו TO MINISTER AS A PRIEST IN HIS FATHER'S STEAD — The words "in his father's stead” are intended to teach us that if the High-Priest’s son is able to fill his father’s place he has to be given preference to any other man (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 8 5).

And who will be initiated. Explanation: Wearing of clothes is initiation as it is written in parshas Tetzaveh 28:8, 9), “...And clothe them [with undershirts]. Gird them etc. Thus you shall initiate Aharon and his sons.” And Rashi explains, “’Thus you shall initiate,’ by means of [following] these things [enumerated here].”

He has precedence. [The son must be capable of fulfilling his father’s place] because it is adjacently written, “And who will be initiated,” [lit. “whose hand is filled”], meaning, “He who fills his father’s place will serve in his stead.” Even though Rashi above expounded this for something else, nevertheless, because it is adjacent to “to serve in his father’s stead,” it comes to teach this as well. [see Re’m]