אחרי מות, שלישי

ואת חלב החטאת. אֵמוּרֵי פַּר וְשָׂעִיר:

ואת חלב החטאת AND THE FAT OF THE SIN OFFERING [SHALL HE CAUSE TO ASCEND IN FUMES] — i. e. the fat parts of both the bullock and the goat.

יקטיר המזבחה. עַל מִזְבֵּחַ הַחִיצוֹן, דְּאִלּוּ בַּפְּנִימִי כְתִיב לֹא תַעֲלוּ עָלָיו קְטֹרֶת זָרָה וְעֹלָה וּמִנְחָה (שמות ל'):

יקטיר המזבחה SHALL HE CAUSE TO ASCEND IN FUMES ON THE ALTAR — i. e. on the outer altar, for if you say that it was burnt on the inner altar you are wrong, for it is written (Exodus 30:9) "Ye shall not bring up strange incense thereon, (i. e. on the inner altar) nor burnt offering, nor oblation".

אשר הובא את דמם. לַהֵיכָל וְלִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים:

אשר הובא את דמם WHOSE BLOOD WAS BROUGHT into the Heichal and the Innermost (the Holy of Holies).

וכפר הכהן אשר ימשח וגו'. כַּפָּרָה זוֹ שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים אֵינָהּ כְּשֵׁרָה אֶלָּא בְּכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל (יומא ע"ג); לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרָה כָל הַפָּרָשָׁה בְּאַהֲרֹן, הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר בְּכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל הַבָּא אַחֲרָיו שֶׁיְּהֵא כָמוֹהוּ:

'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).

ואשר ימלא את ידו. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא הַמָּשׁוּחַ בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה, מְרֻבֵּה בְגָדִים מִנַּיִן? תַּ"ל וַאֲשֶׁר יְמַלֵּא אֶת יָדוֹ וְגוֹמֵר; וְהֵם כָּל הַכֹּהֲנִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁעָמְדוּ מִיֹּאשִׁיָּהוּ וָאֵילָךְ, שֶׁבְּיָמָיו נִגְנְזָה צְלוֹחִית שֶׁל שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה (הוריות י"ב):

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).

לכהן תחת אביו. לְלַמֵּד שֶׁאִם בְּנוֹ מְמַלֵּא אֶת מְקוֹמוֹ, הוּא קוֹדֵם לְכָל אָדָם (ספרא):

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).

ויעש כאשר צוה וגו'. כְּשֶׁהִגִּיעַ יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים עָשָֹה כַּסֵּדֶר הַזֶּה; וּלְהַגִּיד שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה לוֹבְשָׁן לִגְדֻלָּתוֹ אֶלָּא כִּמְקַיֵּם גְּזֵרַת הַמֶּלֶךְ (שם):

'ויעש כאשר צוה וגו AND HE DID AS [THE LORD] COMMANDED [MOSES] etc. — When the next Day of Atonement arrived he (Aaron) did everything as is here set forth in order. And Scripture only states this in order to declare the praise of Aaron — that he did not attire himself with them (the official garments) for his own aggrandisement, but as one who was executing the ordinance of his King (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 8 10).