Chumashחומש

את מעיל האפוד. שֶׁהָאֵפוֹד נָתוּן עָלָיו לַחֲגוֹרָה:

את מעיל האפוד THE ROBE OF THE EPHOD — i. e. the robe over which the ephod was placed to serve the purpose of a girdle.

כליל תכלת. כֻּלּוֹ תְכֵלֶת, שֶׁאֵין מִין אַחֵר מְעֹרָב בּוֹ:

כליל תכלת signifies THE WHOLE OF IT BLUE PURPLE, meaning that there should be no other material mixed with it (Yoma 71b).

והיה פי ראשו. פִּי הַמְּעִיל שֶׁבְּגָבְהוֹ – הוּא פְּתִיחַת בֵּית הַצַּוָּאר:

והיה פי ראשו AND THE HOLE IN THE HEAD OF IT SHALL BE — the hole of the Robe which is at its top — that is, the opening which serves as a receptacle for the neck,

בתוכו. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ כָּפִיל לְגַוֵּהּ, כָּפוּל לְתוֹכוֹ, לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְשָׂפָה כְּפִילָתוֹ, וְהָיָה מַעֲשֵׂה אוֹרֵג וְלֹא בְמַחַט:

בתוכו IN THE MIDST THEREOF — Understand this as the Targum renders it: כפיל לגויה “turned in towards the inside” — the turn-in shall serve as its seam. It was weaver’s work (woven as such with the Robe) and not made with a needle.

כפי תחרא. לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהַשִּׁרְיוֹנִים שֶׁלָּהֶם פִּיהֶם כָּפוּל:

כפי תחרא AS IT WERE THE HOLE OF A HABERGEON — This informs us that their habergeons had the neck-opening turned in.

לא יקרע. כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִקָּרֵעַ; וְהַקּוֹרְעוֹ עוֹבֵר בְּלָאו, שֶׁזֶּה מִמִּנְיַן לָאוִין שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, וְכֵן וְלֹא יִזַּח הַחֹשֶׁן, וְכֵן לֹא יָסֻרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ הַנֶּאֱמַר בְּבַדֵּי הָאָרוֹן:

לא יקרע means SO THAT IT BE NOT RENT — Indeed, whoever rends it, transgresses thereby a negative commandment because this is among the number of the negative commands contained in the Torah. The same is the case with (v. 28) “that the breast-plate be not loosened”, and similarly, (Exodus 25:15) “they shall not depart from it”, which is said of the staves of the ark (Yoma 72a).

רמני. עֲגֻלִּים וַחֲלוּלִים הָיוּ כְּמִין רִמּוֹנִים הָעֲשׂוּיִים כְּבֵיצַת תַּרְנְגֹלֶת:

רמוני POMEGRANATES — They were round and hollow, similar to that kind of pomegranates which are made like (have the form of) a hen’s egg.

ופעמני זהב. זַגִּין עִם עִנְבָּלִין שֶׁבְּתוֹכָם:

ופעמני זהב AND BELLS OF GOLD — bells, together with the clappers in them.

בתוכם סביב. בֵּינֵיהֶם סָבִיב – בֵּין שְׁנֵי רִמּוֹנִים פַּעֲמוֹן אֶחָד דָּבוּק וְתָלוּי בְּשׁוּלֵי הַמְּעִיל:

בתוכם סביב IN THE MIDST OF THEM ROUND ABOUT — i. e. between them (the pomegranates) all the way round the hem: between every two pomegranates there was one bell attached hanging from the hem of the Robe (cf. Zevachim 88b).

פעמן זהב ורמון פעמן זהב ורמון. אֶצְלוֹ:

פעמן זהב ורמון פעמן זהב ורמון means a golden bell and a pomegranate next to it.

ולא ימות. מִכְּלַל לָאו אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ הֵן – אִם יִהְיוּ לוֹ לֹא יִתְחַיֵּב מִיתָה, הָא אִם יִכָּנֵס מְחֻסָּר אֶחָד מִן הַבְּגָדִים הַלָּלוּ, חַיָּב מִיתָה בִידֵי שָׁמַיִם (סנהדרין פ"ג):

ולא ימות THAT HE DIE NOT — From what is included in this negative statement you may infer the positive: if he has these garments on him he will not incur death; consequently if he enters the Sanctuary lacking one of these garments he incurs death at the hands of God (cf. Sanhedrin 83).

ציץ. כְּמִין טַס שֶׁל זָהָב הָיָה, רֹחַב שְׁתֵּי אֶצְבָּעוֹת, מַקִּיף עַל הַמֵּצַח מֵאֹזֶן לְאֹזֶן:

ציץ — This was a kind of golden Plate, two fingers in breadth, going round the forehead from ear to ear (Shabbat 63b).

על פתיל תכלת. וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר הוּא אוֹמֵר וַיִּתְּנוּ עָלָיו פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת? וְעוֹד כְּתִיב כָּאן וְהָיָה עַל הַמִּצְנָפֶת, וּלְמַטָּה הוּא אוֹמֵר וְהָיָה עַל מֵצַח אַהֲרֹן? וּבִשְׁחִיטַת קָדָשִׁים שָׁנִינוּ שְׂעָרוֹ הָיָה נִרְאֶה בֵּין צִיץ לַמִּצְנֶפֶת שֶׁשָּׁם מֵנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין? לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהַמִּצְנֶפֶת לְמַעְלָה בְּגֹבַהּ הָרֹאשׁ וְאֵינָהּ עֲמֻקָּה לִכָּנֵס בָּהּ כָּל הָרֹאשׁ עַד הַמֵּצַח, וְהַצִּיץ מִלְּמַטָּה, וְהַפְּתִילִים הָיוּ בִנְקָבִים וּתְלוּיִין בּוֹ בִּשְׁנֵי רָאשִׁים וּבְאֶמְצָעוֹ, שִׁשָּׁה בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת הַלָּלוּ, פְּתִיל מִלְמַעְלָה אֶחָד מִבַּחוּץ וְאֶחָד מִבִּפְנִים כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, וְקוֹשֵׁר רָאשֵׁי הַפְּתִילִים מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הָעֹרֶף שְׁלָשְׁתָּן, וְנִמְצְאוּ בֵין אֹרֶךְ הַטַּס וּפְתִילֵי רָאשָׁיו מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַקָּדְקֹד, וְהַפְּתִיל הָאֶמְצָעִי שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁוֹ, קָשׁוּר עִם רָאשֵׁי הַשְּׁנַיִם, וְהוֹלֵךְ עַל פְּנֵי רֹחַב הָרֹאשׁ מִלְמַעְלָה, נִמְצָא עָשׂוּי כְּמִין כּוֹבַע; וְעַל פְּתִיל הָאֶמְצָעִי הוּא אוֹמֵר וְהָיָה עַל הַמִּצְנָפֶת, וְהָיָה נוֹתֵן הַצִּיץ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ כְּמִין כּוֹבַע עַל הַמִּצְנֶפֶת, וְהַפְּתִיל הָאֶמְצָעִי מַחֲזִיקוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹפֵל וְהַטַּס תָּלוּי כְּנֶגֶד מִצְחוֹ, וְנִתְקַיְּמוּ כָּל הַמִּקְרָאוֹת – פְּתִיל עַל הַצִּיץ, וְצִיץ עַל הַפְּתִיל, וּפְתִיל עַל הַמִּצְנֶפֶת מִלְמַעְלָה:

על פתיל תכלת [AND THOU SHALT PUT IT] ON A BLUE PURPLE STRING — but in another passage (Exodus 39:31) is states, “And they put upon it (upon the Plate) a string of blue purple (so that the Plate was beneath the string, not upon it as is here commanded)! Then again, it is written here, “and it (the Plate) shall be upon the mitre”, whilst further on (v. 38) it says, “And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead”! And in the Treatise on the Slaughter of the Sacrifices (Zevachim 19a) we learn: “His (the High Priest’s) hair was visible between the Plate and the mitre, whereon he placed the Tephillin”, thus informing us that the mitre was above on the crown of the head and was not so deep that the entire head went into it right down to the forehead, and that the Plate was beneath it with a space between them. Consequently the Plate was not on the mitre as seems to be stated in this verse! But I say that (cf. Rashi on Exodus 39:31 ואומר אני וגו׳) the strings were in holes and hung from it (from the Plate) at its two ends and at its middle point, six in these three places (i. e. one string in each hole, the centre of each string resting on the bottom point of the hole, the three thus forming six). Thus, at each hole, there was one string on top of the Plate — outside it, and one inside (between the Plate and the forehead). He tied the ends of the strings, the three of them, behind the neck; it follows therefore that the length of the Plate and the strings that were at its ends together encompassed his skull. The middle string which was on its top edge bound together with the ends of the two which were at the extremities of the Plate, passed over the breadth of the head above (over the crown). Consequently it (the Plate, together with the strings) formed a kind of helmet. It is with reference to the middle string that it states, “And it (the string just mentioned in the verse; not the Plate as was assumed) shall be upon the mitre”, for he placed the Plate, with the strings already tied in this manner, upon his head as a kind of helmet passing it over the mitre, and the middle string held it (the Plate) firm so that it could not fall, and thus the Plate hung in front of his forehead and did not fall lower down. In this way all these verses find their explanation — the string being on the Plate, the Plate on the string, and the string on the mitre above (cf. Chullin 138a).

ונשא אהרן. לְשׁוֹן סְלִיחָה; וְאַעַפִּ"כֵ אֵינוֹ זָז מִמַּשְׁמָעוֹ – אַהֲרֹן נוֹשֵׂא אֶת הַמַּשָּׂא שֶׁל עָוֹן – נִמְצָא מְסֻלָּק הֶעָוֹן מִן הַקֳּדָשִׁים (חולין קל"ח):

ונשא אהרן AND AARON SHALL BEAR [THE INIQUITY OF THE HOLY THINGS] — The word נשא is an expression of forgiveness, but nevertheless it does not move from (lose) its ordinary meaning of “bearing”: Aaron bears the load of iniquity so that it follows that the iniquity is lifted off the holy things.

את עון הקדשים. לְרַצּוֹת עַל הַדָּם וְעַל הַחֵלֶב שֶׁקָּרְבוּ בְטֻמְאָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ: אֵי זֶה עָוֹן הוּא נוֹשֵׂא? אִם עֲוֹן פִּגּוּל, הֲרֵי כְבָר נֶאֱמַר לֹא יֵרָצֶה (ויקרא י"ט), וְאִם עֲוֹן נוֹתָר הֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר לֹא יֵחָשֵׁב (שם ז') – וְאֵין לוֹמַר שֶׁיְּכַפֵּר עַל עֲוֹן הַכֹּהֵן שֶׁהִקְרִיב טָמֵא, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֲוֹן הַקֳּדָשִׁים נֶאֱמַר וְלֹא עֲוֹן הַמַּקְרִיבִים – הָא אֵינוֹ מְרַצֶּה אֶלָא לְהַכְשִׁיר הַקָּרְבָּן (יומא ז'):

את עון הקדשים [HE SHALL BEAR] THE INIQUITY OF THE HOLY THINGS — atoning for the blood and fat of sacrifices which had been offered when they were unclean, as we have learned (Pesachim 17b; Yoma 7a): What iniquity is it that it (the Plate) bears (atones for)? If you say that it is the iniquity caused by פגול — but it is already said in reference to this, (Leviticus 19:7) “it cannot be atoned for”! If you say it is the iniquity caused by נותר — but it is said in reference to this, (Leviticus 7:18) “It shall not under any circumstances be accounted [unto him] as a sacrifice”! Nor can one say that it (the Plate) atoned for the iniquity of the priest who offered a sacrifice when he was unclean because it is stated here, “[shall bear] the iniquity of the holy things” and it does not state “the iniquity of those who offer the sacrifices” — thus it (the Plate) atones only in so far as to make the sacrifice a fitting one if there had been anything irregular about it.

והיה על מצחו תמיד. אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר שֶׁיְּהֵא עַל מִצְחוֹ תָּמִיד, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵינוֹ עָלָיו אֶלָּא בִשְׁעַת הָעֲבוֹדָה, אֶלָּא תָּמִיד לְרַצּוֹת לָהֶם אֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ עַל מִצְחוֹ – שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה כֹהֵן גָּדוֹל עוֹבֵד בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, וּלְדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר עוֹדֵהוּ עַל מִצְחוֹ מְכַפֵּר וּמְרַצֶּה, וְאִם לָאו אֵינוֹ מְרַצֶּה, נִדְרָשׁ עַל מִצְחוֹ תָּמִיד, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמְּמַשְׁמֵשׁ בּוֹ בְּעוֹדוֹ עַל מִצְחוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יַסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ (שם):

והיה על מצחו תמיד — It is not possible to say that this means that it should be on his forehead continually because, as a matter of fact, it was on it only at the time of the sacrificial service. But the word תמיד is to be connected with the words that follow: “continually to make atonement for them”, even if it be not then upon his forehead, i. e. when the High Priest was not officiating, and therefore was not wearing the Plate, at that time when the unclean animal was being sacrificed by an ordinary priest. But according to the opinion (if we adopt the opinion) of him (Rabbi Judah) who says that only whilst it was on his forehead did it atone and effect pardon, and that if it was not on his forehead it did not effect pardon, the following inference must be derived from the phrase על מצחו תמיד: it informs us that he must constantly touch it whilst it is on his forehead, so that he should not divert his attention from it (Yoma 7b).

ושבצת. עֲשֵׂה אוֹתָם מִשְׁבְּצוֹת מִשְׁבְּצוֹת, וְכֻלָּהּ שֶׁל שֵׁשׁ:

ושבצת means make them with many checkered figures, and entirely of fine linen.

ולבני אהרן תעשה כתנת. אַרְבָּעָה בְגָדִים הַלָּלוּ וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, כֻּתֹּנֶת וְאַבְנֵט וּמִגְבָּעוֹת – הִיא מִצְנֶפֶת – וּמִכְנָסַיִם כְּתוּבִים לְמַטָּה בַּפָּרָשָׁה:

ולבני אהרן תעשה כתנת AND FOR AARON’S SONS THOU SHALT MAKE INNER GARMENTS — these four garments and no more; viz., the three mentioned in this verse, — the inner garment, the girdle and the מגבעות which are identical with what is elsewhere called the mitre, — and the breeches prescribed later in this section (v. 42).

והלבשת אתם את אהרן. אוֹתָם הָאֲמוּרִין בְּאַהֲרֹן – חֹשֶׁן, וְאֵפוֹד, וּמְעִיל, וּכְתֹנֶת תַּשְׁבֵּץ, מִצְנֶפֶת, וְאַבְנֵט, וְצִיץ, וּמִכְנָסַיִם הַכְּתוּבִים לְמַטָּה בְּכֻלָּם:

והלבשת אתם את אהרן AND THOU SHALT PUT THEM ON AARON — i. e. those which are mentioned in connection with Aaron: the breast-plate, the ephod, the Robe, the inner garment of checker-work, the mitre, the girdle and the Plate, and the breeches which are prescribed later for all of them (for all the priest’s and therefore for Aaron also).

ואת בניו אתו. אוֹתָם הַכְּתוּבִים בָּהֶם:

ואת בניו אתו [AND THOU SHALT PUT THEM ON AARON …] AND ON HIS SONS WITH HIM — i. e. put on them those garments which are prescribed for them.

ומשחת אתם. אֶת אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת בָּנָיו בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה:

ומשחת אתם AND THOU SHALT ANOINT THEM — viz., Aaron and his sons, with the oil of anointing.

ומלאת את ידם. כָּל מִלּוּי יָדַיִם לְשׁוֹן חִנּוּךְ, כְּשֶׁהוּא נִכְנָס לְדָבָר לִהְיוֹת מֻחְזָק בּוֹ מֵאוֹתוֹ יוֹם וָהָלְאָה הוּא: וּבְלְשׁוֹן לַעַז כְּשֶׁמְּמַנִּין אָדָם עַל פְּקִידַת דָּבָר, נוֹתֵן הַשַּׁלִּיט בְּיָדוֹ בֵּית יָד שֶׁל עוֹר, שֶׁקּוֹרִין גאנ"ט בְּלַעַז, וְעַל יָדוֹ הוּא מַחֲזִיקוֹ בַּדָּבָר, וְקוֹרִין לְאוֹתוֹ מְסִירָה רווישט"יר בְּלַעַז, וְהוּא מִלּוּי יָדַיִם:

ומלאת את ידם AND THOU SHALT CONSECRATE THEM (more lit., fill their hand) — wherever the term “filling the hand” is used it denotes the installation ceremony performed when one enters for the first time into an office, as a sign that he is entitled to it from that day and henceforth. And in the old French language — when a person is appointed to the charge of a matter, the Prince puts into his hand a leathern glove which they call “gant” in old French and by that means he gives him a right to the matter, and they term that transmission of the glove and the office, revestir in old French This is the connection between the literal and the metaphorical meaning of “filling the hand”.

ועשה להם. לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו:

ועשה להם AND MAKE FOR THEM — for Aaron and his sons —

מכנסי בד. הֲרֵי שְׁמוֹנָה בְגָדִים לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל וְאַרְבָּעָה לְכֹהֵן הֶדְיוֹט:

מכנסי בד LINEN BREECHES — this makes eight garments for the High Priest and four for the ordinary priest.

והיו על אהרן. כָּל הַבְּגָדִים הָאֵלֶּה, עַל אַהֲרֹן הָרְאוּיִין לוֹ:

והיו על אהרן AND THEY SHALL BE UPON AARON — “they” means all these garments (not only the breeches which are the last-mentioned garments); upon Aaron shall be those which are proper to him,

ועל בניו. הָאֲמוּרִין בָּהֶם:

ועל בניו AND UPON HIS SONS, those prescribed for them.

בבאם אל אהל מועד. לַהֵיכָל, וְכֵן לַמִּשְׁכָּן:

בבאם אל אהל מועד WHEN THEY COME INTO THE APPOINTED TENT — into the Temple, and similarly when they come into the Tabernacle.

ומתו. הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁהַמְשַׁמֵּשׁ מְחֻסַּר בְּגָדִים בְּמִיתָה.

ומתו AND THEY DIE — thus you may learn that he who officiates lacking any of these garments is liable to death (Midrash Tanchuma, Achrei Mot 6).

חקת עולם לו. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר חֻקַּת עוֹלָם הוּא גְּזֵרָה מִיָּד וּלְדוֹרוֹת, לְעַכֵּב בּוֹ (מנחות י"ט):

חקת עולם לו AN ORDINANCE TO HIM FOR EVER — Wherever it is said “an ordinance forever” it is an enactment for the immediate present time and for future generations, and the phrase is used to make invalid thereby (through the fact that this phrase is used) any rite where the details prescribed are not fully carried out (cf. Menachot 19a).