Comentário sobre Êxodo 30:7

בהטיבו WHEN HE TRIMMETH — This word is an expression for cleansing the bowls of the candelabrum from the ashes of the wicks which had burnt out during the night; and he used to clean them (the lamps) out every morning.

AND AARON SHALL BURN THEREON INCENSE. This commandment [of burning the incense] did not devolve upon the High Priest alone, but was also incumbent upon the common priests, as is the law of the lighting of the lamps mentioned right beside it, [every morning, when he dresseth the lamps], although of that too it says, And when Aaron lighteth the lamps,²⁴³Verse 8. and yet it does not apply to the High Priest alone, as He said above, Aaron and his sons shall set in order.²⁴⁴Above, 27:21. Therefore I do not know why He mentioned Aaron in both of them, and did not say “the priest” [which would signify any — even a common-priest]. Perhaps it is because of Scripture’s statement further, And Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of it once in the year,²⁴⁵Further, Verse 10. which was done by Aaron only, [because the reference there is to the Service on the Day of Atonement which could be performed only by the High Priest — therefore He also mentioned the name of Aaron in the verse before us and in the following verse]. Or it may be that He hinted that it was to be Aaron who [at the first time] was to begin the burning of the incense and the lighting of the lamps. Similarly at the end of Seder Emor el hakohanim He said, Aaron shall set in order,²⁴⁶Leviticus 24:3. and He did not mention his sons, because it was Aaron who performed it first. The phrase a statute forever mentioned there,²⁴⁶Leviticus 24:3. refers to the commandment [of kindling the lamps, and does not mean that it is a statute forever that only the High Priest do it].

והקטיר עליו אהרן קטורת סמים, “Aaron is to burn up on it the incense comprised of a variety of spices.” Nachmanides writes that contrary to first impressions, the command to offer the incense was not addressed to Aaron in his capacity as the High Priest, exclusively, but in his capacity as representative of the priesthood. The same holds true for the lighting of the menorah, which is mentioned immediately after this verse, and where the Torah also mentions Aaron by name, although he was not the only one authorized to perform this service. In that instance, the Torah adds that Aaron’s sons were charged with performing this task. (compare 27,21) I do not know why the High Priest Aaron has been mentioned twice, both with the incense and the lighting of the lamps on the menorah, nor does the Torah refer to him with the definitive article, i.e. הכהן. Perhaps, seeing that in verse 10, where the Torah describes Aaron as bringing atonement by way of the animals’ horns, once a year, only Aaron (i.e. the High Priest) is meant, we might have concluded that the same applies to the burning of incense on the golden altar, seeing the Torah also at the legislation about the kindling of the lamps refers to Aaron without mentioning his sons (Leviticus 24,2). We might have been misled, therefore at the end of that legislation, when the Torah speaks of חוקת עולם, an enduring statute, these words refer to the legislation itself, not to who is to kindle the lamps. Aaron was singled out because he was the first one to ever kindle that menorah, but other priests were allowed to do it subsequently.