Chumashחומש

וימלא כפו. הִיא קְמִיצָה (שם):

וימלא כפו AND HE FILLED HIS HAND [THEREWITH] — this is what is elsewhere termed קמיצה (i. e. this is elsewhere expressed by the phrase … וקמץ מלא קמצו “he shall take a fistful”) (Sifra, Shemini, Mechilta d'Miluim 2 10; cf. Menachot 9b).

מלבד עלת הבקר. כָּל אֵלֶּה עָשָֹה אַחַר עוֹלַת הַתָּמִיד:

מלבד עלת הבקר BESIDE THE BURNT OFFERING OF THE MORNING — all these rites he carried out after the continual burnt offering.

והמכסה. חֵלֶב הַמְכַסֶּה אֶת הַקֶּרֶב:

והמכסה AND THAT WHICH COVERETH — This is elsewhere (e.g., Leviticus 3:3) termed “the fat which covereth the inward parts”.

וישימו את החלבים על החזות. לְאַחַר הַתְּנוּפָה נְתָנָן כֹּהֵן הַמֵּנִיף לְכֹהֵן אַחֵר לְהַקְטִירָם, נִמְצְאוּ הָעֶלְיוֹנִים לְמַטָּה (מנחות ס"ב):

וישימו את החלבים על החזות AND THEY PUT THE FAT UPON THE BREAST — After the waving the priest who waved them gave them to another priest to burn them; consequently what was previously above was now beneath (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 7:30; Menachot 62a).

ויברכם. בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים — יְבָרֶכְךָ, יָאֵר, יִשָּׂא (סוטה ל"ח):

ויברכם AND HE BLESSED THEM with the priestly benediction (Numbers 6:24—26): “May the Lord bless thee … May the Lord cause his face to shine … May the Lord lift up …” (cf. Sifra, Shemini, Mechilta d'Miluim 2 17; Sotah 38a)

וירד. מֵעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ:

‎‏וירד AND HE CAME DOWN from off the altar.

ויבא משה ואהרן וגו'. לָמָּה נִכְנְסוּ? מָצָאתִי בְּפָרָשַׁת מִלּוּאִים, בְּבָרַיְתָא הַנּוֹסֶפֶת עַל תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים שֶׁלָּנוּ, לָמָּה נִכְנַס מֹשֶׁה עִם אַהֲרֹן? לְלַמְּדוֹ עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטֹרֶת, אוֹ לֹא נִכְנַס אֶלָּא לְדָבָר אַחֵר? הֲרֵינִי דָן, יְרִידָה וּבִיאָה טְעוּנָה בְרָכָה, מַה יְּרִידָה מֵעֵין עֲבוֹדָה אַף בִּיאָה מֵעֵין עֲבוֹדָה, הָא לָמַדְתָּ לָמָּה נִכְנַס מֹשֶׁה עִם אַהֲרֹן לְלַמְּדוֹ עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הַקְּטֹרֶת; דָּ"אַ כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אַהֲרֹן שֶׁקָּרְבוּ כָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת וְנַעֲשׂוּ כָל הַמַּעֲשִׂים וְלֹא יָרְדָה שְׁכִינָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הָיָה מִצְטַעֵר וְאוֹמֵר, יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁכָּעַס הַקָּבָּ"ה עָלַי וּבִשְׁבִילִי לֹא יָרְדָה שְׁכִינָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה, מֹשֶׁה אָחִי, כָּךְ עָשִֹיתָ לִי שֶׁנִּכְנַסְתִּי וְנִתְבַּיַּשְׁתִּי? מִיַּד נִכְנַס מֹשֶׁה עִמּוֹ וּבִקְּשׁוּ רַחֲמִים וְיָרְדָה שְׁכִינָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל (ספרא):

ויבא משה ואהרן AND MOSES AND AARON CAME, etc. — Wherefore did they now enter the Tabernacle? I have found the following in the “Mechilta d’Miluim,” in the Boraitha that is appended to our Torath Cohanim (Sifra): Wherefore did Moses enter with Aaron? To instruct him regarding the incense ceremony. Or it may be that he entered for some other reason?! See, I draw a conclusion: the descent from the altar and the entry into the tent of meeting both required to be accompanied by a benediction, as stated in vv. 22 and 23 (and consequently both were, in a measure, of similar character). Now what was the descent from the altar? It was of the nature (it look place in connection with) a sacrificial act! So, also, the entry into the tent took place in connection with a sacrificial act! Thus you may learn: Why did Moses enter with Aaron? To instruct him regarding the incense ceremony which was the only rite performed on that day within the tent! (Cf. Talmud Yerushalmi Taanit 4). Another explanation is: When Aaron perceived that all the sacrifices had been offered and all the rites performed, and yet the Shechinah had not descended for Israel, since the heavenly fire had not fallen to consume the sacrifice, he was uneasy in mind and said: I feel certain that the Holy One, blessed be He, is angry with me and that it is on my account that the Shechinah has not descended for Israel. He therefore said to Moses: “My brother Moses! Do you act thus with me: you know that I have entered into this matter at your bidding and yet I have been put to shame! Moses at once entered the tent with him and they offered prayer and the Shechinah descended for Israel (Sifra, Shemini, Mechilta d'Miluim 2 18).

ויצאו ויברכו את העם. אָמְרוּ וִיהִי נֹעַם ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ, יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָה בְמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיכֶם; לְפִי שֶׁכָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים שֶׁהֶעֱמִידוֹ מֹשֶׁה לַמִּשְׁכָּן וְשִׁמֵּשׁ בּוֹ וּפֵרְקוֹ בְכָל יוֹם לֹא שָׁרְתָה בוֹ שְׁכִינָה, וְהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נִכְלָמִים וְאוֹמְרִים לְמֹשֶׁה, מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ, כָּל הַטֹּרַח שֶׁטָּרַחְנוּ שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָה בֵינֵינוּ וְנֵדַע שֶׁנִּתְכַּפֵּר לָנוּ עֲוֹן הָעֵגֶל, לְכָךְ אָמַר לָהֶם זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' תַּעֲשׂוּ וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה' — אַהֲרֹן אָחִי כְּדַאי וְחָשׁוּב מִמֶּנִּי, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי קָרְבְּנוֹתָיו וַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ תִשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָה בָכֶם וְתֵדְעוּ שֶׁהַמָּקוֹם בָּחַר בּוֹ:

ויצאו ויברכו את העם AND THEY CAME OUT AND BLESSED THE PEOPLE — They said the words that conclude “The Prayer of Moses” (Psalms 90:17): “May the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us” — i. e. May it be God’s will that the Shechinah may rest upon the work of your hands (see Rashi on Exodus 39:43). They invoked just this blessing and not another formula because during the whole seven days of the installation when Moses was setting up the Tabernacle and officiating therein and dismantling it daily the Shechinah had not rested upon it and the Israelites felt ashamed, saying to Moses: “O, our Teacher Moses! All the trouble which we have taken was only that the Shechinah may dwell amongst us, so that we may know that the sin of the golden calf has been atoned for on our behalf!” He therefore had said to them (v. 6): “This is the thing which the Lord commanded that ye should do so that the glory of the Lord may appear unto you” (i. e. only after these offerings will have been brought by Aaron (cf. v. 7) will God’s glory appear unto you). My brother Aaron is more worthy and excellent than I am, so that through his sacrifices and ministration the Shechinah will rest upon you, and ye will thereby know that the Omnipresent God has chosen him to bring His Shechinah upon you.