Comentário sobre Levítico 10:17

מדוע לא אכלתם את החטאת במקום הקדש WHEREFORE HAVE YE NOT EATEN THE SIN OFFERING IN THE HOLY PLACE? — But had they eaten it outside the holy place? Had they not burnt it? What then did he mean when he said “in the holy place”? But he said to them in effect: Had it perhaps gone forth (been taken forth) outside the hangings of the court and so become invalid?

ואותה נתן לכם לשאת את עוון העדה, even though it had been given to you, personally, this did not mean that you are free to burn it. It was only given to you to eat, thereby לשאת את עוון העדה, to assume the burden of the guilt (sin) of the congregation.

לשאת את עוון העדה. Sins accruing through entering holy precincts in a state of ritual impurity or eating sacred meat in a state of ritual impurity. All this is explained in detail in (Shevuot 9).

ואותה נתן לכם לשאת את עון העדה לכפר עליכם, “seeing that He gave it to you to bear the guilt of the community, and to obtain atonement for them!” The wording here proves that the sacrificial animal of which Moses spoke was the male goat offered as sin offering on the day of the New Moon. (Compare Numbers 28,15) The function of that offering was to obtain atonement for trespasses committed involving entering or being in the holy precincts while in a state of ritual impurity, or trespasses involving consumption of parts of such offerings which had become ritually impure for some reason after their being slaughtered. Although the expression לכפר, which means “to initiate an atonement process,” is mentioned here in conjunction with the daily communal sin offering,” it occurs also with the sin offering on that occasion (Leviticus 9,7), (וכפר בעדך ובעד העם) and it also occurs in connection with the he-goat offered in order to mark this day, seeing that the atonement spoken of in the he-goat offering of the New Moon is something that repeats itself month after month throughout the ages, our sages preferred to draw upon that verse for their interpretation. Alternately, the additional words לכפר לפני ה', “to initiate atonement before the Lord,” suggest that the subject must be sins committed in connection with the holy precincts. [After all, any atonement is automatically one in which our ability to stand and face of Hashem again is involved. Ed.]

Did [they then eat it] outside? Meaning: You would assume the question “why” refers to the phrase “in the sacred place,” as if Moshe asked: Why did you not eat it in the sacred place?” For this reason, Rashi is answering the question: Did they then eat it outside the sacred place? Rashi answers: The word “why” refers to “did you not eat it,” and the meaning of “in the sacred place” is: Since it was in the sacred place, and did not go out [from its permitted boundaries] to become invalid. However, it would be impossible to make this statement if Moshe did not ask them first whether it went out [from its boundaries] and they answered him that it did not. Therefore, Rashi inserts: “Perhaps it went out ‘beyond the curtains’ and became invalid?” The statement, “for it is holy of holies” is the reason for the statement, “Perhaps it went out beyond the curtains...” (Re’m).

לכפר עליכם, “to obtain atonement for you.” This refers to the he goat of the new Moon. We have read in connection with the New Moon at the month of Tishrey: ושעיר עזים אחד לחטאת לכפר עליכם, and one male goat as a sin offering to atone on your behalf. (Numbers 29,5)

כי קדש קדשים הוא FOR IT IS HOLY IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE, and such sacrifices become invalid through being taken outside the hangings? If this was so you have done right in burning it! But they replied to him, “No, it has not been taken forth!” He thereupon said to them, “Since it remained in the holy place (במקום הקדש), wherefore have ye not eaten it (מדוע לא אכלתם)?!” (Sifra, Shemini, Chapter 2 4; cf. Zevachim 101a.)

Did not [come] for atonement. You might ask: In the beginning of the parshah it is written (9:7): “and atone on your behalf,” which refers to the sin-offering of the eighth day. Perforce, these also came for [the purpose of] atonement. The answer is: When it is written “and atone on your behalf” it does not really mean atonement, but rather it is only an expression of cleansing and preparation. Similarly, we find regarding the person with tzora’as, where it is written (14:19): “and atone (וכפר) for the person undergoing purification from his impurity.” What was his sin for which he needs atonement? Rather, it must be that there as well it is an expression of becoming fit.

'ואתה נתן לכם לשאת וגו‎ AND HE HATH GIVEN IT TO YOU TO BEAR [THE INIQUITY] etc., — for only if the priests eat it are the owners of the sin-offering (the entire Congregation in the case of the goat for the New Moon) atoned for (Sifra, Shemini, Chapter 2 4).

לשאת את עון העדה TO BEAR THE INIQUITY OF THE CONGREGATION — From this we learn that it must have been the goat for the New Moon about which he made the enquiries, for it was this that made atonement for iniquity involved in causing uncleanness to the Sanctuary and holy food (cf. Shevuot 2a), whilst the sin-offering for the eighth day of the installation ceremony and the sin-offering of Nachshan did not come (were not intended) for the purpose of atonement (Zevachim 101b).