Parashat Tetzaveh.

Clear. without lees; and this was effected not by straining the oil but as we learn in Treatise Menachoth 86a “He lets it (the olive) ripen on the top of the olive-tree etc.”

Beaten. he pounds the olives in a mortar and must not grind them in a mill, so that there may be no lees; and after he has thus extracted the first drop of oil he may bring them into the mill and grind them. The second oil (that obtained by grinding) is unfitted for use in the candelabrum but is permissible for the meal-offerings (which had to be mingled with oil) since it is said here, “Beaten for the light”, and hence it is not essential that it should be beaten for the meal-offerings (Menachot 86a; cf. Rashi on Exodus 29:40).

To cause the light to burn. (lit., to ascend) CONTINUALLY, he must enkindle it until the flame ascends by itself (Shabbat 21a).

Continually. doing something every night, as is described here, may be termed תמיד, continually, just as you speak of (Numbers 27:6) “The continual (תמיד) burnt-offering”, although this was sacrificed only from day to day. So, too, in the case of the meal-offering made in a flat pan it is said, (Leviticus 6:13) that it should be brought continually (תמיד) and yet it was only brought thus: “Half of it in the morning, and half of it at evening”. However, the expression תמיד which is used in connection with the show-bread (Exodus 25:30) denotes the whole period without a break from Sabbath to Sabbath).

From evening to morning. Give it its due measure of oil so that it may burn from evening to morning. Our Rabbis estimated half a log of oil as sufficient for the nights of Tebeth which are long, and they ordained a similar quantity for every night of the year, and if any were left over on the shorter nights it did not matter (Menachot 89a).

And thou take to thee. after the work of the Tabernacle is finished.

To sanctify him, to appoint him as priest to me. to sanctify him, i. e. to instal him into the priesthood by means of the garments here specified, so that he may become priest unto Me. The expression of כהונה denotes service, serventrie in old French

A breast-plate. an ornament borne in front of the heart.

And an ephod. I have heard no tradition nor have I found in the Boraitha any description of its shape, but my own mind tells me that it was tied on behind him; its breadth was the same as the breadth of a man’s back like a kind of apron which is called pourceint in old French which ladies of rank tie on when they ride on horse-back. Such, as mentioned, was the way in which the lower part was made, as it is said, (II Samuel 6:14) “And David was girded with a linen ephod”, this informs us that the ephod was something tied on the body. It is, however, not possible to say that it consisted of a girdle only, because it is said (Leviticus 8:7) “And he put the ephod upon him”, and afterwards it is stated “and he girded him with the חשב of the ephod” and this Onkelos translated by “the girdle of the ephod.” This, therefore, informs us that the חשב is the girdle and the אפור is the name of the ornamental garment itself. Further, it is not possible to assert that it was on account of the two shoulder-straps that it was called אפוד (i. e. that the term אפוד applies to these two straps and the girdle to which they were attached) for it is said, (v. 27) “the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod”, this tells us that the ephod is a separate name, the shoulderpieces a separate name and the girdle a separate name (i. e. each of these is the name of separate articles). Consequently I say that it is called אפוד in reference to the apron-like garment which hung down and that it was so called because they bedecked him (אופדו) and ornamented him with it, as it is said, (Leviticus 8:7) “And he bedecked (ויאפוד) him with it.” The חשב was the girdle which was on the upper portion of it (the ephod), and the shoulder-pieces were attached to it. Further, my own mind tells me that there is evidence that it was a kind of garment, for Jonathan ben Uzziel translates (II Samuel 6:14) “And David was girded with a linen ephod” by “a linen כרדוט” and exactly similarly does he translate מעילים, “robes”, by כרדוטין in the story of Tamar, Absolom’s sister, (II Samuel 13:18) “For with such robes (מעילים) were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled”.

. This was a kind of shirt and so, too, the כתונת, except that the כתונת was worn immediately on the body and מעיל is a term for the outer shirt.

A quilted [inner garment]. made with משבצות as ornaments. These משבצות were a kind of indentations which are made in gold ornaments as a setting in which to fix precious stones and pearls, as it is said of the stones of the ephod, (v. 11) “enclosed in settings (משבצות) of gold.” In old French they call them castons.

. a kind of domed helmet which they call cofea in old French, for in another passage (v. 40) it calls them מגבעות which we translate in the Targum by כובעין, helmets.

. This was a girdle upon the inner-garment, and the ephod was the girdle over the outer-garment, just as we find it stated in the description of the order in which they were donned: (Leviticus 8:7), “And he put upon him the inner-garment (כתנת) and girded him with the belt (אבנט) and clothed him with the mantle (מעיל) and put the ephod (אפוד) upon him.”

. lit., GARMENTS OF THE HOLY THING, i. e. from the heave-offering that is sanctified (מקדשת) to My Name shall they make them (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 1 10).

And they shall take. Those men, wise in heart (cf. v. 3), who are to make the garments shall receive from the donors את הזהב ואת התכלת THE GOLD AND THE BLUE PURPLE, in order to make the garments of them.

And they shall make the ephod. If I set myself to explain the making of the ephod and the breast-plate in the order of the verses, the description of them would be fragmentary and the reader might err in piecing the details together: therefore I shall write down how they were made, just as each of them was, in order that “he who runs may read” (may have a comprehensive idea of them in their entirety), and afterwards I shall explain it in the order of the verses. The ephod was made like that kind of apron of women who ride on horse-back. He (the priest) tied it on behind him opposite (at the height of) his heart below his elbows. Its breadth was equal to the measure of a man’s back and somewhat more (cf. Rashi, end of v. 26), and it reached to his heels. The belt was attached to its top edge along the whole of its width, being of weaver’s work (i. e. woven in one piece with the ephod) and it extended on both sides beyond the width of the ephod in order that it might go right round the body and gird on the ephod by means of it. The shoulder-pieces were attached to the belt, one on the right and one the left, behind the priest, at the two ends of the width of the apron, and when they were lifted up they stood (we should say “they lay”) upon his two shoulders, so that they were like two straps made of the same material as the ephod itself, and sufficiently long to lift them up to reach to his neck on both sides, and they hung over in front of him a little below his shoulders. The onyx stones were fixed in them, one on his right shoulder and one on his left shoulder, and the settings were placed in their ends in front of his shoulders on his breast. Two cords of gold were inserted through two rings which were on the breastplate at the two ends of its upper width (edge), one on the right and one on the left, and the two ends of the chain (or cord) were fixed in the setting on the right, and similarly the two ends of the left chain were fixed in the setting which was on the left shoulder. Consequently, the breast-plate hung in front of him over his heart from the settings of the ephod. Further, there were two rings at the two ends of the breast-plate on its lower edge, and opposite them two rings below on the two shoulder pieces of the ephod on the lower edge of each where this was joined to the belt. The under two rings on the breast-plate were opposite the rings on the ephod, lying one upon the other, and they fastened them (each pair of rings) together by a blue purple thread which was inserted through the rings in the ephod and breast-plate, so that the lower edge of the breast-plate should lie close to the belt of the ephod and should not move about and come apart from it, swinging to and fro.

Of gold, of blue purple, and of red purple, of crimson and fine twisted linen. The five materials were intertwined in every strand: they beat out the gold into the form of thin plates and from them they cut threads, and they wove that gold thread together with six threads of blue purple and a gold thread with six threads of red purple, and similarly with the crimson and similarly with the fine linen; because all the materials had their threads sixfold and there was a gold thread with each of them. Then they intertwined them all into one thread; it followed, therefore, that their thread was 28-fold. This is how it is explained in Treatise Yoma 72a and it is derived from the following verse: (Exodus 39:3) “And they beat out the gold into thin plates and cut it into threads to work the threads of gold in the blue purple and in the red purple, etc.”, this tells us that a gold thread was intertwined with each material.

The work of an artist. I have already explained (Exodus 26:1) that this was weaving on both sides: that is, that the designs on both sides were not similar one to the other.

Two. SHOULDER-PIECES, etc., The apron was below and the חשב of the ephod was the belt, and this was joined to it on its top edge similar to the apron of ladies who ride on horseback. On the priest’s back there were joined to the belt two pieces like two wide straps, one opposite each shoulder. He lifted these up upon his two shoulders so that they hung down in front of him before his breast, and because they were joined to the rings in the breast-plate they were held fast in front of him upon his heart so that they could not fall off his shoulders backwards, just as is explained in this section (v. 28). Thus they lay on his back in an erect position and then passed over his shoulders and the two onyx stones were fixed on them, one stone upon each shoulder-piece.

At the two extremities thereof. on the width of the ephod; for its width was equal only to that of the priest’s back (and did not go entirely round his body, so that one may well speak of the two extremities of the ephod), and its height was up to the elbows, which they call coudes in old French, and not higher, because it is said (Ezekiel 44:18) “they shall not gird themselves (בַּיָּזַע),” i. e. they shall not gird themselves in the place where one perspires (במקום זיעה) namely, not higher than their elbows and not lower than their loins, but only by their elbows (Zevachim 18b).

It. the ephod, SHALL BE JOINED with the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod: he shall join them below the belt with a needle and he shall not weave them together with it, but he must weave them separately and join them afterwards.

. This signifies, and the girdle by means of which he bedecks it (the ephod) and puts it in order for the priest and adorns him (cf. Rashi on v. 4).

Which was upon it. above on the edge of the apron: this is therefore the girdle.

According to the work thereof. as the weaving of the apron, the work of an artist and of the five materials, so the weaving of the belt, also, was the work of an artist and of the five materials.

It shall be of the same. it shall be woven together with it, and one shall not weave it separately, and join its afterwards.

According to their birth. in the order in which they were born: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali upon one, and upon the other Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin, the last name being written full (plene, with a י before the last letter, thus: בנימין) for that is how it is written in the passage that tells of his birth (Genesis 35:18). This gives twenty-five letters on each stone (cf. Sotah 36a).

. means THE WORK OF AN ARTIFICER IN STONES. This word חרש is in close connection (i. e. in the construct state) with the word that follows it and therefore it is punctuated with Patach in its last syllable. Similar is, (Isaiah 44:13) “The חָרַשׁ עצים stretcheth out a line” i. e. the worker in wood. So, also, (Isaiah 44:12) “the worker in (חָרַשׁ) iron maketh an axe.” All these examples of חָרַשׁ are in close connection with the words that follows them and are therefore punctuated with Patach.

Like the engravings of a signet. Understand this as the Targum renders it: a distinct writing like the engraving of a signet-ring: the letters were incised in them just as one incises the seals of a ring which are used to seal letters, a clear and distinct writing.

. This is the same as בשמות “with the names of”.

Surrounded with settings [of gold]. Thou shalt make the stones to be surrounded by gold settings: the meaning is that they should make as a setting for each stone a kind of indentation in the gold, of the same size as the stone and sink it in the setting; thus the setting surrounds the stone on all sides. That setting they attached to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod.

For a memorial. so that the Holy One, blessed be He, will see the names of the tribes written before Him and He will remember their righteousness (cf. Exodus Rabbah 38:8).

And thou shalt make settings. two settings, for the minimum number of settings (the plural) is two. In this section it explains to you only part of their purpose, whilst in the section dealing with the breast-plate it completes for you the explanation about them.

. means CHAINS OF GOLD, the word being the same as שלשלאות (the letters ל and ר being interchangeable, as in ארמנות for אלמנות; cf. the Aramaic ארמלתא)

. means AT THE END OF THE BORDER (גבול) of the breast-plate תעשה אותם SHALT THOU MAKE THEM.

Of cord-like work. made of plaited threads and not made of rings and hooks (somewhat like links) like those chains which are made for cisterns (to which the bucket is attached), but like those which are made for censers which are called encensiers in old French (cf. Rashi on Beitzah 22b).

. This means, AND THOU WILT PLACE THE CHAINS OF CORD-WORK, i. e. the chains made of cord-work, upon these settings. This is not the place where the command is laid down about making the chains nor is this the command about fixing them: the word תעשה used here does not express a command, nor does the word ונתת used here express a command, but these express the future tense. For in the chapter about the breast-plate He returns to this, and there He lays down the command about making them (v. 22) and fixing them (vv. 24, 25). This is written here only to point out part of the purpose of the settings which He commanded to be made together with the ephod, and He wrote this here to tell you: these settings you will require, when you will make chains at the ends upon the breast-plate you shall put them upon these settings.

The breast-plate of judgment. it was so called because it atoned for any error in judgment (cf. Zevachim 88b; Jerusalem Talmud Yoma 7:5). Another explanation of why it is called “the breast-plate of משפט”, is because it makes its statements clear (definite, so that there can be no doubt about their meaning) and its promise is true; discerement in old French, (sentence of judgment). Because the word משפט is used in three senses: the contentions of the parties to the law-suit, the pronouncement of the sentence and the punishment attendant on the sentence, whether it be punishment of death or punishment of flagellation or punishment involving a monetary payment; here it is used in the sense of making its statements definite, so that this is the breast-plate with the Urim and Thummim which explains and makes its statement clear.

After the work of the ephod. the work of an artist and of the five materials.

A span in length and a span in width. being double (Exodus 39:9) and it lay on him in front over his heart, as it is said, (v. 30) “And they shall be upon Aaron’s heart.” It was suspended from the shoulder-pieces of the ephod which came from behind him upon his shoulders and hung over and fell down a little way in front of him, and the breast-plate was suspended from them by means of the chains and rings, as is explained in the section (vv. 22, 29).

And thou shalt fill it [with fillings of stones]. Because the stones fill the hollows of the settings which were specially made for them it calls them by the term מלואים “fillings”.

Set in gold shall they. the rows, BE במלאותם IN THEIR SETTINGS, surrounded by gold settings in depth of such a size that each shall be filled by the thickness of the stone. This is the meaning of במלאותם, “in their fillings”: of such a size as will be filled by the thickness of the stones shall be the depth of the settings, neither more nor less.

בְּמִלּוּאֹתָם. מֻקָּפִים מִשְׁבְּצוֹת זָהָב בְּעֹמֶק, שִׁעוּר שֶׁיִּתְמַלֵּא בָּעֳבִי הָאֶבֶן. זֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן בְּמִלּוּאֹתָם, כְּשִׁעוּר מִלּוּי עָבְיָן שֶׁל אֲבָנִים יִהְיֶה עֹמֶק הַמִּשְׁבְּצוֹת, לֹא פָּחוֹת וְלֹא יוֹתֵר.

Every one with his name. As the order in which they were born shall be the order of the stones: a sardius for Reuben, a topaz for Simeon, and so in the case of all of them.

. means [AND THOU SHALT MAKE] FOR THE BREAST-PLATE (not upon it), in order to fasten them (the plaited chains) on its rings, as is explained further on in the section.

. This is the same expression as the roots (שֹׁרֶשׁ) of a tree which hold the tree firm so that it may be held and kept fixed in the ground. Thus, also, these roots, as it were, shall hold the breast-plate firm because from them shall it hang on the ephod. These were really the two plaited chains which are mentioned above in the section on the settings (v. 14). Indeed, Menachem ben Seruk actually explained the word שרשרות as well in the sense of roots and he said that the second ר was redundant, just as the ם in שלשם and the ם in ריקם. I, however, do not agree with his statement, but I am of opinion that שַׁרְשֶׁרֶת in the Hebrew language is the equivalent of שַׁלְשֶׁלֶת in the Mishnaic language (Mishnah Kelim 14:3) (cf. Rashi on v. 14).

. This is the same as מגבלות used above, (v. 14) meaning that thou shalt fix them in the rings which will be on the border (גבול) of the breast-plate. Wherever the word גבול occurs it has the meaning of end; à sommel in old French

. means PLAITED WORK.

. means [AND THOU SHALT MAKE] FOR THE BREAST-PLATE (not upon it), in order to fix them on it. And it would not be correct to say that this means that they should originally be made upon it (על), for if this were so why should it again say in this verse, “And thou shall put the two rings [on the two extremities]”? Would they not already have been lying upon it if they had been made together with the breast-plate? It should rather have written at the beginning of the verse, “And thou shalt make at the ends of the breast-plate two rings of gold.” In the case of chains, also, you must explain it similarly.

On the two extremities of the breast-plate. on its two corners that are close by his neck, on the right and on the left, which come opposite the shoulder-pieces of the ephod.

And thou shalt put the two עבתת of gold. These are the selfsame שרשרת גבלות “chains on the ends” which are written about above (v. 14). There, however, it did not specify the place where they were to be fixed on the breast-plate, stating only that the ends were to be put on the settings; now it tells you that one should insert them in the rings which were on the breast-plate. And you can be certain that these are identical with the former ones, because in the section אלה פקודי they are not mentioned twice (in two separate paragraphs).

. means, AND THE TWO EXTREMITIES OF שתי עבתת THE TWO PLAITED CHAINS, (Rashi points out that קצות is in the construct state), i. e. the two ends of each cord

Thou shalt fasten in the two settings. These are the selfsame settings which are mentioned above in the paragraph that is placed between the section on the breast-plate and the section on the ephod. There it did not explain their purpose and their position; now, however, it explains that he should fix into them the ends of the plaited chains which had been inserted in the rings of the breast-plate on the right and on the left near the neck. The two ends of the right chain he fixed in the setting on the right, and similarly in that on the left he fixed the two ends of the left chain.

And thou shalt put. the settings.

On the. SHOULDER-PIECES OF THE EPHOD, one setting on this shoulder-piece and one on that. Consequently the shoulder-pieces of the ephod hold the breast-plate up so that it may not fall, and from them did it hang. But the lower edge of the breast-plate would still come and go (swing to and fro) and strike against his stomach and would not lie closely upon it; therefore two more rings were needed for its lower edge, as it goes on to explain.

In the forepart thereof. i. e. in the forepart of the ephod. meaning that he should not put the settings on that surface of the shoulder-pieces which faced the מעיל, but on the upper surface which faced the outside. It is that latter surface which is called the forepart of the ephod, because the surface which is not seen, being turned towards the מעיל, cannot be called the פנים, the front.

In the two extremities of the breast-plate. These are its two lower corners on the right and on the left.

On the border thereof which is on the other side of the ephod inward. Here you have two indications of the position of the rings: one, that he should place them on the two ends of the lower edge, for it was this which was over against the ephod, because its upper edge was not over against the ephod since it was close to the neck and the ephod was placed a little above his loins (consequently the upper edge of the breastplate which was near the priest’s neck was nowhere near the ephod which was girded round him just above the loins. See Rashi on v. 7). It gives another indication by the use of the word ביתה : that, he should not fix them on that side of the breast-plate which faced outside, but on that side which faced inward, because it is said ביתה, inward. It was that side which was turned toward the ephod, for the ends of the lower edge of that side of the breast-plate really lay upon the ephod since the priest tied the belt of the ephod around him and the apron was folded over in front of the priest upon his loins and upon a part of his stomach on both sides as far as against the ends of the breast-plate (i. e. the corners of the lower edge), the ends of which lay upon it.

On the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod underneath. underneath because the settings were placed on the upper ends of the shoulder-pieces of the ephod which came upon his shoulders beside his throat and which were folded over his shoulders and fell down in front of him; and the rings mentioned here He commanded to be put on the other end of each shoulder-piece which was joined on the ephod. This is the meaning of what is said לעמת מחברתו, “over against the joining thereof”, i. e. close by the spot where they were joined on to the ephod, namely, a little above the girdle, for the place of joining was over against the girdle. Thus these rings were placed a little above the place where the shoulder-straps began to rise from the girdle, and this is the meaning of what is said, “above the girdle of the ephod”. These were thus opposite (i. e. on a level with) the end (the lower edge) of the breastplate (but, of course, on the priest’s back, whilst the breast-plate lay in front of him). Now they placed a thread of blue purple in those rings and in the rings of the breast-plate and fastened them (the pair of rings) together by means of that thread on the right and on the left so that the lower edge of the breast-plate should not move forward and then return backward (should not move to and fro) and strike against his stomach. It followed, therefore, that it (the breast-plate) lay well upon the “Meil”.

Towards the forepart thereof. i. e. on the outer side.

. This is an expression for joining. Similar in meaning is, (Psalms 31:21) “[Thou hidest them] from the רֻכְסַי of men”, i. e. from the union of companies of wicked people. Similar is, (Isaiah 40:4) “And the רכסים shall become a plain”, i. e. the mountains which are close (almost joined) to one another so that it is not possible to descend into the valley between them except with great difficulty, since, in consequence of their closeness to each other, the valley is precipitous and deep, these רכסים, connected mountains, shall become a level plain and easy to travel upon.

That it may be upon the girdle of the ephod. that the breast-plate (not the ring) may be attached to the girdle of the ephod.

So that [the breast-plate] be not loosened. יזח is an expression for “breaking away”. It is an Arabic expression according to the opinion of Dunash ben Labrat.

The urim and the thummim. This was an inscription of the Proper Name of G-d which was placed between the folds (i. e. the two pieces forming the front and back) of the breast-plate through which it (the breast-plate) made its statements clear (lit., illuminated its words; מאיר from אור, light, this being an allusion to the אורים) and its promises true (מתמם from the root תמם, an allusion to תמים) (Yoma 73b). In the second Temple there was certainly the breast-plate (although other objects employed in the Temple Service were missing) for it was impossible that the High Priest should have lacked a garment, but that Divine Name was not within it. It was on account of the inscription which constituted the Urim and Thummim and which enabled it to give decisions that it was called “judgment”, as it is said, (Numbers 27:21) “And he shall enquire for him by the judgment of the Urim” (Numbers 27:21).

[and Aaron shall bear] the judgment of the children of Israel. the object by means of which they are judged and admonished whether they should do a particular thing or whether they should not do it. But according to the Midrashic statement (Zevachim 88b) that the breast-plate atoned for those who pervert judgment it was called “judgment” in allusion to the pardon thus given for perverse judgment.

The robe of the ephod. i. e. the robe over which the ephod was placed to serve the purpose of a girdle.

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

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

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.

As it were the hole of a habergeon. This informs us that their habergeons had the neck-opening turned in.

. 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).

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

And bells of gold. bells, together with the clappers in them.

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).

. means a golden bell and a pomegranate next to it.

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 G-d (cf. Sanhedrin 83).

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

[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).

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.

[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.

. 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).

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

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).

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).

[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.

And thou shalt anoint them. viz., Aaron and his sons, with the oil of anointing.

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”.

And make for them. for Aaron and his sons

Linen breeches. this makes eight garments for the High Priest and four for the ordinary priest.

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

עַל אַהֲרֹן. הָרְאוּיִין לוֹ.

And upon his sons. those prescribed for them.

When they come into the appointed tent. into the Temple, and similarly when they come into the Tabernacle.

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).

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).

. This is the same as קח (the imperative, “Take thou” and must not be regarded as the infinitive). There are two forms of the root: one is קח and the other לקח, both having the same meaning.

One bullock. to atone for the incident of worshipping the golden calf which is of the bullock species (cf. Sifra on Leviticus 9:2).

And unleavened bread, and pierced cakes unleavened … and wafers unleavened. Here you have these three kinds: “satured” with scalding water, and pierced cakes, and wafers. The לחם מצות, “unleavened bread” mentioned here is that which is termed further on in this section (v. 23) חלת לחם שמן, “pierced cake of oiled bread”, being so termed because they put unto the saturated dough as much oil as they put into the pieced cakes and wafers together (Menachot 89a). Of each of these kinds there were brought ten cakes (Menachot 76a).

[cakes] mingled with oil. whilst they were still meal they poured oil into them and mixed them up (Menachot 75a).

Anointed with oil. after they were baked they anointed them in the form of a Greek Chi (X), which is formed like our נ (Menachot 74b and Rashi thereon; Menachot 75a).

And thou shalt offer them. (lit., bring them near) to the court of the Tabernacle on the day when it will be first erected.

And thou shalt wash [them]. This signifies the immersion of the entire body (cf. Targum Jonathan).

And thou shalt fasten [the ephod on]. adorn and arrange the girdle and the apron around him.

The diadem of holiness. This refers to the Plate.

Upon the mitre. as I have explained above (Exodus 28:37), by means of the middle string and the two strings at its (the Plate’s) ends which were, the three of them, tied together behind his neck he placed it upon the mitre as a kind of helmet.

And thou shalt anoint him. This anointing also, was in the form of a X: he put a drop of oil on his head and another drop between his eyebrows and joined them with his finger into this shape (Keritot 5b).

And shall be unto them. This “filling of hands” shall be for an everlasting priesthood.

And thou shalt. “FILL” by means of these following matters

Aaron’s hand and his sons’ hands. in the appointment and assigment to the priesthood.

By the entrance of the appointed tent. i. e. in the court of the Tabernacle which was in front of the entrance.

Upon the horns. on top of the horns actually (the blood was not to be sprinkled from below so as to reach the horns but was to be placed by the finger actually upon the horns) (Zevachim 53a).

And all the blood. i. e. all the remainder of the blood (that which is left after some of it had been placed upon the horns of the altar as just stated).

At the bottom of the altar. A kind of projection that formed a receptacle was made right round it after it had risen to a height of one cubit from the ground (Sukkah 45a).

The fat that covereth the inwards. this is the membrane upon the maw (Tosefta Chullin 9:3) which is called tele in old French

. This is the lobe of the liver which is called abris in old French

. Take with it (with the lobe) some of the liver also (cf. Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Section 14 8).

Shalt thou burn with fire. We do not find that any “outside” sin offering was to be burnt except this (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 9:11).

And thou shalt sprinkle it. with a vessel: he held the basin and cast blood from it towards the horn in such a manner that it (the blood) showed on both sides of it. No offering except the sin-offering alone required that its blood should be smeared with the finger, but other sacrifices required neither “horn” nor “finger” (did not require that the blood should be placed on the horn of the altar by the fingers), for the sprinkling of their blood had to be upon the lower half of the altar, and he (the priest) therefore did not mount the ascent leading to the top of the altar but he stood on the ground and sprinkled the blood (Zevachim 53b).

Round about. This is how it is explained in the Treatise on Slaughtering the Sacrifices (Zevachim 53b): that סביב, “round about” signifies nothing more than that there were to be two sprinklings so made that they should constitute four, one on this corner and one at that which was diagonally opposite it, and so that each sprinkling showed on both sides of the corner, on this and on that side; it followed therefore that the blood was placed on the four sides round about, and for this reason it is here termed סביב.

[and put them] to its pieces. i. e. together with (על) its pieces, added to the other pieces.

As a pleasing odour. as a gratification of spirit before Me, that I commanded and My will was carried out (Zevachim 46b).

An offering made by fire. a term connected with the word אש, fire: it denotes the burning of the parts which had been placed on the fire (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 1:9).

. This is the inner cartilage which is within the ear, which they call tendrons in old French (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 14:14).

. i. e. the thumb; and the blood was placed on the middle joint (Chullin 11a).

The fat. This means the fat of the gut, or, (according to the opinion of Rabbi Ishmael) of the maw (Chullin 49b; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 3:3).

And the fat tail. This is the portion of the animal from the kidneys and lower down, as is explained in Leviticus, (3:9) because it is said, “[the whole fat tail], he shall take it off hard by the back bone (עָצָה)” i. e. by the place where the kidneys give counsel (עָצָה) (Chullin 11a). In the case of the fat portions of the bullock the “fat tail” is not mentioned, for the “fat tail” was offered only in the case of a male or female lamb and a ram, but an ox and a goat do not require the “fat tail” to be offered.

And the right shoulder. We do not find that burning if prescribed for the right shoulder together with the fat parts except in the case of this alone.

For it is a ram of מלאים. of שלמים (usually translated peace-offerings): מלואים has the meaning of “perfection” (מלא meaning “full”, so that מלואים is synonymous with שלמים), something that is perfect in all respects. Scripture informs us that the מלואים (consecration sacrifices) are to be regarded as שלמים-sacrifices, in that they, like the שלמים, promote peace (שלום) between the altar and him who carries out the sacrifical rite (the priest) and the owner of the animal (the worshipper who brings the sacrifice”). Therefore, says G-d, in this case I make it a condition that the breast shall belong as a portion to him who performs the sacrificial rite, viz., Moses, who officiated at the installation into office (cf. v. 26)., The remainder, Aaron and his sons ate because they were the “owners”, as is expressly set forth in this section (cf. Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Chapter 16 2; Midrash Tanchuma, Tzav 4).

And one loaf of bread. of the cakes (mentioned in Exodus 29:2) (Menachot 78a).

And one pierced cake of oiled bread. of the “saturated" kind.

And one wafer. of the wafers there mentioned: i. e. one out of the ten which were comprised in each of these different kinds of bread (Menachot 76a; cf. Rashi on Exodus 29:2). We do not find that any heave-offering of bread brought with a sacrifice was burnt except this alone, for the heave-offering of the bread brought with the thanksgiving offering and with the ram of the Nazarite was given to the priest (and therefore not burnt) together with the breast and the shoulder, whilst of this the breast alone was given as a portion to Moses, as the officiating priest.

… והנפת [and thou shalt put all] in the hands of Aaron … and thou shalt wave them. The rule is that both of them take part in the waving ceremony, the “owner” and the priest. How is this done? The priest places his hand beneath the “owner’s” hand, and thus does the waving (Menachot 61b), and in case of this offering Aaron and his sons were the “owners” and Moses the priest, and therefore Scripture enacts as stated here.

A wave offering. He moved it about horizontally in all directions to the glory of Him to Whom belong the four quarters of the world. This waving was symbolical of preventing and making of none effect misfortune and destructive winds. Then he moved it upwards and downward to the glory of Him to Whom belong heaven and earth and this was symbolical of keeping away injurious dews (Menachot 62a).

Besides the burnt offering. besides the first ram which you had already offered up as a burnt offering.

As a pleasing odour. as a gratification of spirit to Him Who gave the command and found that His will was carried out (cf. Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Chapter 6 10).

An offering made by fire. given over to the fire.

To the Lord. to the Name of the Omnipresent.

תְּנוּפָה. לְשׁוֹן הוֹלָכָה וְהוֹבָאָה, (וינטילי"ר) בְּלַעַז.

And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering and the shoulder of the heave offering. etc., Declare these portions of the animal to have a sacred character for future generations in that the heaving of them and the waving of them shall be practised in respect of the breast and the shoulder of all peace-offerings, but the similarity between the שלמים and the מלואים shall not extend to burning the shoulder as was done in the case of the מלואים but (v. 28) “it shall be for Aaron and his sons” to be eaten.

Which was heaved. an expression for moving up and down.

As an assigned portion from the children of Israel. because peace-offerings belong to the “owner”, and the breast and the shoulder shall they give to the priest.

For it is a heave offering. i.e. the breast and the shoulder form a heave-offering.

[shall be] for his sons after him. for him who comes after him in this high office.

. means to be raised to dignity by means of them. For sometimes the word משח is used in the sense of “dignity”, as in (Numbers 18:8), “to thee I have given them as a dignity (למשחה)”, and (I Chronicles 16:22) “Touch ye not my nobles (משיחי)” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 30:29).

And to be consecrated by them. through these garments he is to be invested with the high-priesthood (cf. Rashi on Yoma 73a).

Seven days. in succession, on such a High Priest’s installation

The priest shall put them on. i. e. he who, from among his sons, will rise up in his stead in the high-priesthood at the time when they will appoint him to be High Priest.

Who will come into the appointed tent. These words qualify the word הכהן so that it refers to that priest who is designated to enter into the innermost part (the words לפני ולפנים in the Rashi text correspond to בקדש in the Biblical text) of the Sanctuary on the Day of Atonement, and this must mean the High Priest, since the sacrificial service on the Day of Atonement was not valid unless performed by him (Yoma 73a).

In his stead from among his sons. This informs us that if the High Priest has a son who can fill his place they shall appoint him High Priest in his stead (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 8 5; cf. Rashi on Yoma 72b).

. [הכהן תחתיו מבניו, From here (from this phraseology) we have a proof that the word הכהן is everywhere a participle, meaning “he who is actually acting as the officiant”; therefore the tonic accent תביר on the word הכהן connects it with the word following it.].

In a holy place. in the court of the tent of meeting because these peace-offerings were holy in the highest degree (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 6:9).

By the entrance of the appointed tent. the whole court is thus named (cf. Rashi on Exodus 29:11).

And they shall eat those things. i. e. Aaron and his sons because they are the “owners” of them (cf. Pesachim 59b).

Through whom there was expiated. everything that was strange and objectionable.

To initiate them into office. by means of this ram and bread.

To sanctify them. for by means of this initiation-sacrifice they were installed and sanctified to the priesthood.

Because they are holy. i. e. holy in the highest degree. From this we derive the prohibition against a “stranger” (a non-priest) eating anything that is holy in the highest degree (Makkot 18b), since Scripture assigns a reason for the matter (why a stranger may not eat of these), viz., because they are holy in the highest degree (cf. Pesachim 24a).

And thus shalt. (i. e. must) THOU DO TO AARON AND HIS SONS, Scripture recites a second time in this general statement all that has been already commanded in order to impede the validity of the rites; i. e. that if they do not do this and a single thing is omitted of all that is prescribed in this section their initiation to be priests must be regarded as not having taken place and their act of sacrifice is consequently invalid (Yoma 5a).

. is the same as (another form of): אוֹתָך “thee”.

Seven days shalt thou consecrate them. in this manner and by means of these sacrifices on each day.

. means for the purpose of expiation, to expiate for the altar for all that is “strange” (not holy) and objectionable that may happened to it. Now since it is said. (v. 35) “Seven days shalt thou consecrate them” after having stated that if a single thing is omitted the ceremony is invalid, I can infer nothing more than that this alludes to a thing that is offered on account of them personally as, for example, the rams and the bread, but as regards anything that is offered on account of the altar as, for example, the bullock, which is intended to serve as expiation for the altar, we cannot infer from that verse that if this is omitted the ceremony of initiation is invalid; consequently this verse is necessary to inform us of this. An explanation in Torath Cohanim (the Sifra) states: atonement for the altar was necessary because perhaps a man had donated for work in connection with the construction of the Tabernacle or the altar something which he had stolen (Sifra, Tzav, Mechilta d'Miluim 1 15).

. The Targum translates this by ותדכי AND THOU SHALT PURIFY [THE ALTAR]; the expression for placing upon the altar the blood that is placed there with the finger is called חַטַּא (hence it is followed by the preposition על “upon”).

And thou shalt anoint it. with the oil of anointing: every anointing was done in the form of a Greek Chi (X).

And the altar shall be [most] holy. and in what consists its holiness? In this: כל הנגע במזבח יקדש that WHATSOEVER TOUCHETH THE ALTAR SHALL BECOME HOLY, that even a sacrifice which is really invalid that has been brought upon it, even that does the altar sanctify making it a valid sacrifice in so far that it must not be taken down from the altar. Now since it is said, “Anything that toucheth the altar shall become holy”, I might infer that this applies to a thing whether it was fitting to be an offering at the time when it was brought into the Sanctuary or whether it was not so fitting as, for example, in the latter case, something the disqualification of which did not happen within the Sanctuary itself but had happened before it was brought there, such as, an animal, male or female, with which sexual sin had been committed, or an animal which had been set aside as a sacrifice to an idol, or one which had been worshipped as a god, or one which showed signs of incapacity to live owing to certain diseases (technically termed טרפה) and animals similar to these (with similar disqualifications); consequently it states, “Now this is that which thou shalt offer [upon the altar]”, which follows immediately after this (in v. 38). Now how is it in the case of the burnt-offering which is mentioned in the next verse as something commanded to be brought upon the altar? It must be fitted to be brought upon the altar! So, also, the preceding statement, “Whatever [touches the altar shall become holy]”, refers only to whatever was fitting, i. e. what was already fitting to be brought upon the altar and became disqualified only after it had been brought into the fore-court of the Sanctuary, as, for example, that which had been left over night (the blood or fat of a sacrifice which had been left until the morning without having been placed upon the altar), or that which, before it had been placed upon the altar, had been taken (lit., had gone forth) outside the forecourt, or that which had become unclean, or an animal which had been slaughtered with the intention to sprinkle the blood or to burn the fat or to eat the flesh outside the prescribed period or outside the prescribed place, and animals similar to these (Zevachim 83b).

A tenth deal of flour. i. e. a tenth part of an ephah: a capacity of forty three and a fifth eggs (cf. Rashi on Exodus 16:36).

[mingled] with oil, beaten. Not to make this obligatory is it stated “beaten” but to make it lawful if such oil be at all used. Since it is stated, (Exodus 27:20) “beaten for the light” and the implication is that for the light it must be beaten and not for the meal-offerings, one might think that this is expressly stated in order to declare it unfitting for the meal-offerings; therefore it states here “beaten”, meaning that for the meal-offerings beaten oil may be used if one so wishes. And it is stated “beaten for the light”, only to exclude the meal-offerings from the command: that beaten oil is not obligatory for them, that oil obtained from olives ground in a mill is also permissible for them (Menachot 86b).

The fourth part of a hin. three logs.

And a libation. for the bowls, as we learn in Treatise Sukkah 48a: there were two silver bowls above the altar pierced with holes, as it were like two slender nostrils. He poured the wine into these and it ran through and gushed forth by way of this “nostril”, falling upon the top of the altar. Thence it ran down into the subterranean channels in the case of the altar in the Temple, but in the case of the copper altar in the Tabernacle it ran down from the altar to the ground.

For a pleasing odour. This is said in reference to the meal-offering just mentioned and not only to the lamb mentioned in the first half of the verse, for also the meal-offering brought with the libation was all of it entirely burnt, unlike other meal-offerings. The order when offering them was: first the limbs of the animal and afterwards the meal-offering, since it is said (Leviticus 23:27) “burnt-offering and meal-offering”.

A continual. [BURNT-OFFERING] i.e. from day to day: there shall not be an interval of a day between them (between two successive morning or afternoon offerings; cf. Rashi on Exodus 27:20).

Where i shall be met by you. when I shall appoint a place of meeting to speak unto you I shall appoint it there (at the entrance of the tent of meeting) as the spot to which to come. Some of our Rabbis learn from this that it was from above the copper altar that the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with Moses after the Tabernacle was erected, for this was at the entrance; but some say that He spoke from above the cover of the Ark (the כפרת), as it is said, (Exodus 25:22) “And I will speak to thee from above the cover”, and that the words “where I shall be met by you” which are said here are not used in reference to the altar which was at the entrance of the tent of meeting, but in reference to the tent of meeting itself which is mentioned in this verse (so that the meaning is: “at the entrance of the tent of meeting where, viz., in the tent of meeting, I shall be met by you”; cf. ברייתא דמלאכת המשכן at the end).

And i will be met there. I will come together with them in a conversation as a king who appoints a place of meeting where he will speak with his subjects.

And it. the Tabernacle, SHALL BE SANCTIFIED

By my glory. for my Shechina shall rest there. A Midrashic comment is: Read not here בִּכְבוֹדִי “by My Glory”, but בִּכְבוּדַי, “through My honoured ones”. Here He gave him some slight intimation of the death of Aaron’s sons on the day when it (the Tabernacle) would be erected. This is the meaning of what Moses then said, (Leviticus 10:3) “That is what the Lord said, Through those that draw near to Me will I be sanctified”. But where had he said this? Here, in the words, “and it shall be sanctified through My honoured ones” (Zevachim 115b).

. means under the condition that I may dwell in the midst of them.

For the burning of incense. to raise smoke (קיטור) on it, viz., the smoke of incense.

The roof thereof. This altar had a top but the altar of burnt-offering had no top, but they filled in the hollow space enclosed by its sides with earth wherever they encamped (cf. Mekhilta).

A crown of gold. an emblem of the crown of priesthood (Yoma 72b).

. Here this word must signify “corners” (not “sides” as Rashi explains in Exodus 25:12), as it is translated in the Targum, since it is stated afterwards, על שני צדיו, “upon the two sides of it”, so that the phrases mean, “the two corners that are on its two sides”.

. (lit., “and it shall be”, not “they shall be”), i. e. the making of these rings (this ring-work) shall be (shall serve)

For places for the staves. i.e. the ring shall serve as a place for the stave (cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:27).

Before the partition veil. But this vail was drawn across the entire width of the Tabernacle, and you may perhaps say that the altar was not to be placed exactly before (exactly in a straight line with) the Ark but might be withdrawn from the straight line to the North or to the south since in that position, too, it would be before the partition vail; therefore it states further, “before the covering of the Ark”, i. e. exactly in front of the Ark but outside the veil.

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.

The lamps. luces in old French And this is the meaning of נרות whenever it is mentioned in connection with the candelabrum, except in any passage where the term העלאה “causing to ascend” (any verbal form which is the Hiphil of עלה), which denotes lighting is used, and there it signifies “lights”, (The translation here is therefore: “when he cleans out the lamps”, not “when he trims the lights”).

. means when he kindles them by making their flame ascend (cf. Rashi on Exodus 27:20 and on Numbers 8:2).

He shall burn it [a continual incense]. תמיד, “continual”, means every day regularly: a half he burnt in the morning and a half he burnt in the evening (Keritot 6b).

Ye shall not offer on it. on it, i. e. on this altar, but you may offer on the copper altar (cf. Menachot 50b)

Strange incense. any incense brought as a freewill offering; all of them (all offerings of incense) are “strange” to it (to the altar) except this prescribed here.

. means, nor burnt offering nor meal-offering. The עולה is an offering of an animal or bird; מנחה is one of bread.

And Aaron shall make expiation. This refers to the placing of the blood upon the horns of the altar.

Once in the year. On the Day of Atonement. This is what is said in the section אחרי מות, which describes the sacrificial service on that day, (Leviticus 16:18) “And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord and make an expiation upon it”.

Sin-offering of expiation. These are the bullock and goat of the Day of Atonement which atone for the uncleanness of the Sanctuary and its holy offerings (Shevuot 2b; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 16:11).

[it is] most holy. the altar is sanctified for offering on it these things alone and not for any other sacrificial service.