Вайикра 8:1 Мидраш: Sifra, Shemot Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma & Bamidbar Rabbah

1) (Vayikra 8:1) ("And the L–rd spoke to Moses, saying (Vayikra 8:2): "Take Aaron, and his sons with him, and the garments, and the oil of anointment, and the bullock of the sin-offering and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread.") "Take Aaron and his sons with him": What is the intent of this? Because (Shemoth 32:35): "And the L–rd smote the people with plague because they had made the calf that Aaron had made" implies that Aaron was rejected, from "Take Aaron and his sons with him" all knew that he was (re-) accepted. Whence is it derived that Moses knew that Aaron was rejected? From (Devarim 9:20): "And against Aaron the L–rd was wroth to destroy him, and I prayed also on Aaron's behalf at that time," and it is not written there (as it is in the preceding verse in respect to Moses' prayer on behalf of Israel) "And the L–rd hearkened to me at that time too." From "Take Aaron and his sons with him," Moses knew that Aaron was (re-) accepted. Whence do we derive that it was in Aaron's heart that he had been rejected? It is written at the end of the episode (Vayikra 9:7) ("And Moses said to Aaron) draw near to the altar." (Why was this command necessary?) Had not Moses just presented to him the entire order of sacrifices? (We must say, then, that Moses saw Aaron hesitating, apparently feeling that his service would be rejected, and) to dispel this from his heart, he told him that the L–rd had said to him "Take Aaron and his sons with him," thus apprising Aaron that he had been (re-) accepted.

2) Variantly: "Take Aaron and his sons with him": What is the intent of this? In many places the "taking" of men is mentioned in respect to Moses, viz. (Numbers 3:41): "And you shall take the Levites for Me — I am the L–rd." (Numbers 11:16): "And you shall take them (the seventy elders) to the tent of meeting." (Numbers 1:17): "and Moses… took these men who were designated by name." (Numbers 27:18): "Take for yourself Joshua the son of Nun." Now did Moses "string men over his shoulders"? (The intent is that) the Holy One Blessed be He said to him: "Take" them with words so that their hearts not be tied to other things.

3) "and the garments": These are the garments concerning which I commanded you, viz. (Shemoth 28:4): "And these are the garments that they shall make: a choshen, an ephod, etc." "and the oil of anointment": This is the oil of anointment concerning which I commanded you, viz. (Shemoth 30:25): "And you shall make of it oil of sacred anointment, etc." "and the bullock of the sin-offering": viz. (Shemoth 29:10): "And you shall bring the bullock before the tent of meeting." "and the two rams": viz. (Shemoth 29:15): "And you shall take the one ram … (Shemoth 29:19) and you shall take the second ram." "and the basket of unleavened bread": (Not according to the order that they are mentioned there (Shemoth, Tetzaveh) are they mentioned here.)