Comentário sobre Levítico 21:17

לחם אלהיו THE BREAD OF HIS GOD — This means, any food of his God (not “bread” only); any meal is termed לחם, as e. g., (Daniel 5:1) “he made a great banquet (לְחַם)” (cf. Rashi on Genesis 31:54).

SPEAK UNTO AARON, SAYING: WHOSOEVER HE BE OF THY SEED THROUGHOUT THEIR GENERATIONS. He does not state here “speak unto Aaron and his sons” as He does in all [other] sections,⁵⁵Above, 6:2, etc. because there in the Scriptural portions He commanded the laws of the offerings: This is the law of the burnt-offering;⁵⁵Above, 6:2, etc. This is the law of the sin-offering,⁵⁶Ibid., 6:18. and of the guilt-offering,⁵⁷Ibid., 7:1. and so on [and these laws apply to all priests — Aaron and his sons alike]. But here, if He were to have said “Speak unto Aaron and his sons,” He would have had to continue by saying: “Whosoever of you be throughout your generations” [which would have included Aaron among priests that might have a blemish, which this section discusses], and He did not want to warn Aaron himself about the law of blemishes, because Aaron the holy one of the Eternal⁵⁸Psalms 106:16. is all fair⁵⁹Song of Songs 4:7. And there is no blemish in thee. and there shall be no blemish in him. Instead He admonished him concerning his seed, that he is to teach them these laws and warn them throughout their generations. In the section on impurity immediately following, however, He does say: Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel,⁶⁰Further, 22:2. because it is possible that even Aaron might happen to become impure by touching a corpse or a dead swarming thing.⁶¹Above, 11:29-31. But when He comes to mention the impurity of leprosy or a flux, He again says, What man soever of the seed of Aaron,⁶²Further, 22:4. because this would not happen to the body [of Aaron], for he is the messenger of the Eternal of hosts.⁶³Malachi 2:7. At the end of this section He states, So Moses spoke unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel,⁶⁴Further, Verse 24. [although Moses had been told, Speak unto Aaron, saying, etc.], because Moses wanted to warn Aaron’s sons as well in order that they should receive the instruction directly from his mouth. He also said so to the children of Israel, which means that he warned the court of Israel on this matter.
Now in the Torath Kohanim I have found this text:⁶⁵Torath Kohanim, Emor 3:5. “Whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish.⁶⁶Verse 18. Why is this said [since it has already been mentioned in the preceding verse]? But because it says the seed of Aaron,⁶⁷In Verse 17 before us: Speak unto Aaron … Whosoever he be of thy seed. Also in Verse 21: of the seed of Aaron. I would only know that this law [of blemishes] applies to Aaron’s offspring. How do I know that it applies to Aaron himself? From the verse which states, For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish.”⁶⁶Verse 18. Similarly it has been taught there:⁶⁸Torath Kohanim, Emor 4:1. “The seed of Aaron.⁶⁷In Verse 17 before us: Speak unto Aaron … Whosoever he be of thy seed. Also in Verse 21: of the seed of Aaron. I would only know that this law [of blemishes] applies to Aaron’s offspring. How do I know that it applies to Aaron himself? From the verse which states, For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish. ”⁶⁶Verse 18. Similarly it has been taught there:⁶⁸Torath Kohanim, Emor 4:1. “The seed of Aaron.⁶⁷In Verse 17 before us: Speak unto Aaron … Whosoever he be of thy seed. Also in Verse 21: of the seed of Aaron. I would only know that this law applies to Aaron’s seed. How do I know that it applies to Aaron himself? From the verse and he is a leper, or hath an issue.”⁶²Further, 22:4. Now [that which the Torath Kohanim states] “Aaron himself,” means [any] High Priest that shall be in his stead among his sons,⁶⁹Above, 6:15. [but it does not mean Aaron personally, since, as explained above, Scripture does not mention Aaron’s name with reference to having a blemish or suffering from leprosy or an issue. It did, however, have to include the High Priest in the law of blemishes], because having permitted the High Priest [to officiate] whilst he is an onen, one might perhaps think that it also permits him [to officiate] although he has a blemish or leprosy. For this reason it became necessary to include him in this law. Or it may be that [the Torath Kohanim] is alluding to the law about Aaron himself, for the Torah in its prohibitions does not rely on a miracle. However, it concealed it [the prohibition] in connection with Aaron, in his honor, thus hinting that this would [in fact] not happen to him.

דבר אל אהרון לאמר, "speak to Aaron to say: etc." The reason the Torah added the word לאמר once more, is to tell him that Aaron in his capacity as High Priest is charged with the task to see to it that no physically blemished priests perform service in the Tabernacle. He has to warn all the priests to be careful to abide by this commandment. The result of this wording is that the priests themselves are commanded to observe this directive and Aaron is commanded to see that the priests abide by this directive.