Rashi on TanakhExodus 29

Take. [לְקַח means] the same as קַח . They are of two different roots one in the form of קִיחָה (i.e., no ל') and the other in the form of לְקִיחָה (with a ל'), [but] both having the same meaning.

One bull — to atone for the act of [worshipping the golden] calf [a calf] being [of the same species as] a bull

Unleavened bread, unleavened loaves mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers. Thus you have here three kinds: scalded dough, loaves, and wafers. לֶחֶם מַצּוֹת is referred to later on in this section as: חַלַּת לֶחֶם שֶׁמֶן — “a loaf of oiled bread,” so called because oil is added to the scalded dough equivalent [to the total oil added to] the loaves and wafers. There were ten loaves brought of each kind.

Mixed with oil. While they were still flour, oil was poured into them and mixed together.

Anointed with oil. After they were baked he anointed them in the form of the Greek letter chi which is formed like our nun.

And bring them — to the courtyard of the mishkon on the day when it will be erected.

And immerse. This [refers to] immersing the entire body.

And gird him. [Meaning:] adorn and arrange the belt and the apron around him.

The sacred diadem. [נֵזֶר הַקֹּדֶשׁ] refers to the צִיץ .

Upon the turban. It is as I explained above: by means of the middle thread and the two threads which are at the ends which are tied behind the neck; he places it over the turban as a sort of hat.

And anoint him. This anointing was also in the form of [the Greek letter] chi. He puts oil on his head and between his eyebrows and connects them with his finger.

And it shall be for them — this procedure of installation, for a priesthood that will last forever.

Thus you shall install (lit. fill) — by means of [following] these things [enumerated here] —

Aharon and his sons. With the installation and the appointment to the priesthood.

At the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. [I.e.] in the courtyard of the mishkon, [all of] which is [considered] in front of the entrance.

On the horn-like elevations. [I.e.] at the top, actually on the “horns.”

All the blood. [I.e.] the remaining blood.

At the base of the altar. A sort of protrusion which was a receptacle was made for it all around after it (the altar) reached the height of an amoh.

The fat that covers the inner organs. It is the membrane that is over the stomach, which is called teile (membrane) [Old French].

The lobe. It is the membrane [that covers] the liver, which is called ebdes [in Old French].

With the liver. He should also take some of the liver with it.

You shall burn with fire. We find no other “outside” sin-offering burnt besides this one.

And sprinkle it — with a vessel. He holds the basin and sprinkles toward the horn-like elevation so that it (i.e., the blood) is visible on two sides. No korbon requires placing the blood with a finger with the single exception of the sin-offering. But other korbonos do not require [the placement of blood at the top, actually on the] “horn” nor the use of the finger, for their placement of blood was at the lower half of the altar without his going up the ramp, but, rather, he stands on the ground and sprinkles.

Around. It is thus explained in Tractate Shechitas Kedoshim, that סָבִיב only means “two sprinklings which were four,” whereby one [is done] in one corner and the other, in the corner diagonally across. [Thus] each sprinkling is visible on two sides of the “horn” in two directions. Consequently the blood was placed around the four sides. It is therefore referred to as סָבִיב — “around.”

With its cut up pieces. [Meaning:] with its cut up pieces, [i.e.] in addition to the other pieces.

A pleasing fragrance. [I.e.] “It is pleasing to Me that I issued a command and My will was done.”

A fire-offering. [אִשֶׁה is derived] from the word אֵשׁ — “fire.” It refers to the burning of the limbs which are placed on the fire [of the altar].

תְּנוּךְ . It is the cartilage — the middle protrusion within the ear, which is called tenrum in Old French.

The thumb of their [right] hand. [בֹּהֶן means:] “the thumb” — and on the middle joint.

The fat. This refers to the fat of the small intestines or [according to another opinion] of the stomach.

The broad tail — the part that is from the kidneys down, as is explained in Vayikra for it is said: “[the entire broad tail] by the (עָצֶה) backbone shall he remove it.” [It is called עָצֶה because] it is the place where the kidney gives (עֵצָה) advice. In the case of the young bull the broad tail is not mentioned because the broad tail is not offered except in the case of a sheep, an ewe and a ram, whereas an ox and a goat do not require [that their] broad tail [be offered].

And the right shoulder. Nowhere do we find the burning of the right shoulder with the other parts to be burnt, except in this case.

For it is a ram of a completion-offering. [מִלֻּאִים is the same as] שְׁלָמִים, meaning: “perfection” for it is “perfect” in every way. Scripture thereby teaches that the completion-offerings were שְׁלָמִים -sacrifices, for they bring about (שָׁלוֹם) peace to the altar, and to the one who performs the service and to the “owners” (i.e., those who bring the korbon). “I [God], therefore, require that the breast go to the one who performed the service as his portion who [in this case] is Moshe who performed the service of the installation-sacrifices. And the rest was eaten by Aharon and his sons who were the owners as is explained in this section.

One bread-cake — of the loaves (above v. 2).

And one loaf of oiled bread — from the scalded kind.

And one wafer — of the wafers; one each out of the ten of each kind. Nowhere do we find that a terumah of bread brought together with an animal korbon, is burnt [on the altar], except for this one, because the terumah of the breads of a thanksgiving-offering, and of a ram brought by a Nazir, was given to the kohanim along with the breast and shoulder, whereas from this one, Moshe received as his portion only the breast alone.

Upon the hands of Aharon, etc. and you shall wave. Both participated in the waving — the “owner” and the kohein. How is this done? The kohein places his hand beneath the hand of the “owner” and waves. In this case Aharon and his sons were the “owners,” and Moshe [was] the kohein.

A wave-offering. He brings it back and forth [in all four directions] to the One to Whom the four sides of the world belong. Waving served to prevent and nullify misfortune and harmful winds. Then he brings it up and down to the One to Whom heaven and earth belong. which serves to prevent harmful dews.

After the burnt-offering. [Meaning:] after the earlier ram which you had already brought up as a burnt-offering.

As a pleasing fragrance. [I.e.], as something pleasing to He Who commanded and His will was done.

A fire-offering. [I.e.] it is put on the (אֵשׁ) fire.

To Adonoy. [I.e.] for the sake of the Name of God.

Sanctify the breast of the wave-offering and the shoulder of the terumah-offering. [By the performance of what is set forth here] you sanctify them (i.e., these portions) for generations so that there will continue to be practiced the terumos and the waving of the breast and shoulder of the שְׁלָמִים -offerings. However, not insofar as burning them is concerned but, instead: “They shall be Aharon’s and his sons’” to eat.

A wave offering. [תְּנוּפָה is] a term for back and forth movement wenteler (horizontal movement) in Old French.

Uplifted. [הוּרם is] a term for up and down movement.

By statute forever from the B’nei Yisrael — that the שְׁלָמִים -offerings to go to the “owners” and that the breast and shoulder be given to the kohein.

For it is a terumah-offering — this breast and shoulder.

His son’s after him. [I.e.] whoever follows him in his exalted position.

To be uplifted through them. [Meaning:] to be put in a high position by them. For the term מְשִׁיחָה is sometimes used in the sense of a high position, as in: “to you have I given them as a high position,” [or:] “Do not touch My anointed ones.”

And be installed through them. By means of the garments he became invested with the high-priesthood.

Seven days. [They must be] consecutive.

Shall they be worn ... the kohein. The one of his sons who will rise up in his place to the high priesthood when he will be appointed to be the kohein godol.

Who will come into the Tent of Meeting. [I.e.] that kohein who has been prepared to enter the innermost part [of the mikdosh or mishkon] on Yom Kippur and that is the kohein godol without whom the Yom Kippur service is unfit.

By one of his sons who serves in his place. This teaches that if the kohein godol has a son who can fill his position they should appoint him kohein godol in his place.

הַכֹּהֵן תַּחְתָּיו מִבָּנָיו . From here there is evidence that every use of the word כֹּהֵן is a participle — the one actually doing service. [Furthermore,] it is for this reason that the mark of the intonation [of the word הַכֹּהֵן] is a תְּבִיר, which connects it to the next word.

In a sacred place. [I.e.], in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting for these shlomim were Holy of Holies.

At the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. The entire courtyard is referred to in this way.

They are to eat those things. [This refers to] Aharon and his sons for they are their “owners.”

Through which atonement was achieved — for them, from being “strange” and objectionable.

To install them — by means of the ram and these breads.

To sanctify them. I.e., that by means of these מִלּוּאִים -offerings they were installed and sanctified to the priesthood.

For they are sacred. Holy of Holies. it is from here that we derive the admonition against a “stranger” (a non-kohein) eating from [korbonos that are] Holy of Holies, since Scripture gives the reason for this thing: “for they are sacred.”

So shall you do for Aharon and his sons. Scripture now repeats [to indicate that everything above is] critical, i.e., that if there is lacking any one thing from all that is mentioned in this section they will not have been installed to be kohanim and their korbonos-service will be invalid.

You. [אֹתָכָה is] the same as אוֹתָךְ .

Seven days shall you install, etc. — in this manner and with these korbonos every single day.

For atonement. [Meaning:] for atonement to atone for the altar from being “strange” and objectionable. Having said [in the previous verse]: “seven days you shall install them,” I would know only [that the rule that omission of any procedure invalidates the installation applies to] something that is offered for their (i.e., the kohanim’s) sake, for example the rams and the bread; but that which is offered for the sake of the altar, for example, the young bull which is for the atonement of the altar, we may not infer [that it is critical]. Therefore this verse becomes necessary. A Midrash in Toras Kohanim states: an atonement for the altar was necessary lest a person donated a stolen item for the work of the mishkon and the altar.

Purify. [As Onkelos translates it:] וּתְדַכֵּי — “purify it.” The term for the placing of blood with the finger is called חִטּוּי .

You shall then anoint it — With the anointing oil. All anointings are in the form of the Greek letter chi.

The altar shall be holy [of holies]. In what way does its holiness manifest itself? Anything that touches the altar shall become holy. Even if an invalid korbon is placed on it the altar sanctifies it to validate it [to the degree] that it is not removed. Since it is said, “Anything that touches the altar shall become holy,” This might lead me to think [that this applies] whether it is fit or unfit, for example, something whose disqualification did not occur within the holy place, such as an animal used for bestiality, or one set aside [as a korbon for an idol], or one worshipped [as an idol], or one that is injured in a critical organ, and the like. The Torah therefore states: “And this is what you shall offer [on the altar],” which follows immediately after this; Just as the burnt-offering [of the next verse] is fit, so, too, [in this verse] only that which is fit [i.e.] that it was fit earlier on and became unfit only after being brought into the courtyard [of the Beis Hamikdosh or mishkon], for example, [parts to be burnt that were off the altar] overnight, or if they [the parts to be burnt] were taken out [of their designated place], or if they [the parts to be burnt] became ritually unclean, or if it was slaughtered with the thought [of eating it] outside the time allotted for it or outside the place allotted for it and the like.

וְעִשָׂרוֹן סֹלֶת . A tenth of an eipha — [equivalent to] forty three and one-fifth eggs.

Pressed [olive] oil. It is not said here so as to make it mandatory but, rather, only to teach that it is fit [for menachos]. [This needs to be said] since it had said: “crushed for lighting,” and it might, therefore, be inferred [that it is fit] “for lighting but not for menachos,” and one might rule it unfit for menachos. Therefore, the Torah states here: “pressed.” The only reason that it stated “pressed for lighting” was to exclude menachos [in the sense] that pressed [oil] is not mandatory for also [oil derived] by grinding [olives] in a mill is fit for them (the menachos).

One fourth of a hin. — three logs.

And a libation — for the bowls, as we learned in Tractate Succah: There were two silver bowls on top of the altar which were punctured forming two thin “nostrils.” He pours the wine in and it runs out throughout the “nostril” and falls on the roof of the altar. From there it runs down [a hole] into the crevices. In the case of the altar of the Beis Hamikdosh, and in the case of the copper altar [of the mishkon] it ran down from the altar to the ground.

For a pleasing fragrance. This refers to the minchah [as well] because the minchah of the libations is entirely consumed on the altar. The order of their sacrifice is as follows: first the limbs [of the animal] followed by the minchah for it states: “the burnt-offering and the minchah.”

Continual — on a daily basis without ever interrupting for a day.

Where I will meet with you — “when I will set a time of meeting to speak to you that is where I will set it.” Some of our Sages derive from here that it was from the copper altar that God spoke to Moshe once the mishkon was erected. Others, however, say that it was from above the Ark-Cover as it is said: “I will speak with you from above the Ark-Cover,” “[and] where I will meet with you,” which is said here does not refer to the altar but, rather, to the Tent of Meeting which is mentioned [as well] in this verse.

It is there that I will meet. [I.e.] “I will meet with them by speaking,” as a king who sets a meeting place where he will speak with his servants.

And it will be sanctified. [I.e.,] the mishkon —

with My Glory — for My Shechinah will rest in it. A midrashic explanation: Do not read it בִּכְבוֹדִי — “with My Glory” but, rather בִּכְבוּדַי — “by those honored by Me.” Here He intimated to him regarding the death of Aharon’s sons on the day it (the mishkon) was erected. This is what Moshe referred to when he said: “That is what God said, ‘through those who are near to me will I be sanctified.’” Where did He say this? [When he said,] וְנִקְדַּשׁ בִּכְבוֹדִי”

To dwell among them. I.e., with the stipulation that I dwell among them.