April 26, 2026

Shabbos Parshas Achrei Mos – Kedoshim

My Torah Topics

Slaughtering a sacrifice to God outside the Temple Area

Verses 17:1 through 17:10 

The Cohen removing the firepan from inside  is white linen garments and never to be used again 

Verse 16:23

Still in Florida. Got up at 6:00 AM to learn Chumosh.

The following is my attempt at Chiddush.

Torah #1:

Verses 17:1 through 17:10 talk about slaughtering a sacrifice to Hashem outside the Temple Area.  

Verse 17:4 says:

וְאֶל־פֶּ֜תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵד֮ לֹ֣א הֱבִיאוֹ֒ לְהַקְרִ֤יב קׇרְבָּן֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י מִשְׁכַּ֣ן יְהֹוָ֑ה דָּ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֞ב לָאִ֤ישׁ הַהוּא֙ דָּ֣ם שָׁפָ֔ךְ וְנִכְרַ֛ת הָאִ֥ישׁ הַה֖וּא מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמּֽוֹ׃

And to the door of the tent of meeting he did not bring it to present it as an offering to the L-rd before the mishkan of the L-rd — blood shall it be reckoned to that man, [as if he had shed a man’s blood (in which instance he is liable to death)]; he has spilled blood [(to include as thus liable one who sprinkles the blood outside)], and that man will be cut off from his people.

The English translation is from the Rashi Chumash by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein.

Rashi:

דם יחשב. כְּשׁוֹפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם שֶׁמִּתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ:

BLOOD SHALL BE IMPUTED [UNTO THAN MAN] — As though he had shed the blood of a human being, who is guilty of a deadly sin.

The Torah describes slaughtering an animal outside the temple as  דָּ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֞ב לָאִ֤ישׁ הַהוּא֙,  It does not just mean that the Korban is no good and it is as if you spilled an animal’s blood wantonly, but even worse than that.  Rashi says that it is as if you killed a man. Very, very harsh.  The Torah in the same verse repeats it and says דָּ֣ם שָׁפָ֔ךְ seemingly for emphasis.

I was amazed at the harsh language and you are punished with Karas, excommunication.  Okay, you did not do a Mitzvah, but to be so harsh!

What is wrong with slaughtering an animal outside the temple area? Why can’t a person have an altar in his backyard, and when he wants to bring a Korban to Hashem because he has to thank Hashem, let him go outside to his private palace for serving Hashem? The temple is far away.

Verse 7 is seemingly out of left field, wondrous and also has to be understood.

וְלֹא־יִזְבְּח֥וּ עוֹד֙ אֶת־זִבְחֵיהֶ֔ם לַשְּׂעִירִ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥ם זֹנִ֖ים אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֛ם תִּֽהְיֶה־זֹּ֥את לָהֶ֖ם לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃

And they shall sacrifice no more their sacrifices to the satyrs [demons], after which they go astray. An everlasting statute shall this be to them throughout their generations.

Wow.  The Jews were sacrificing to demons?  What!  We know that the Jews in Egypt worshipped idols.  Therefore, is the Torah telling us that they sacrificed to demons?  And by requiring all Korbonos to go to the Mishkan, would this cure the problem?  Isn’t the cure the giving of the Torah, which seems to restore monotheistic belief for the Jewish people leaving Egypt and provides a place for God among them?  Perhaps for the Mishkan it makes sense to forbid שחוטי חוץ, but by the time of the temple when the Jewish people spread out and moved further and further away from Yerushalayim, why not have private Bamos?  Let people express their devotion to Hashem easily.  We can do a barbecue and start it off with holiness. 

This is not to be. 

We also know that throughout the first temple era, slaughtering outside the temple area was a sin that persisted.  Kings could not get rid of private altars, despite it being considered murder by the Torah and attaching Koras as its punishment. 

Obviously, we were not there, and human nature is what it is.  When we revisit history, we cannot judge.  We cannot ask why the majority of Jews do not keep the Torah.

My answer:

I did not see a satisfactory explanation.  I am convinced that the answer is simple.  Every country, every nation, needs a unifying culture, something to unify its people.  What must unify the Jewish people during the Miskan and temple periods is belief in one God, symbolized by a magnificent temple in Jerusalem, and that the high court was right there.  This represented the grandeur of God and the grandeur of his Torah.  When you went to Jerusalem, not only did you see the temple, but also the great leaders.  You saw and went to see Hillel and Shmai.  Like today, there had to be many Yeshivos and it was the place of Torah.  

When you allow for Bamos, שחוטי חוץ, you dilute and eventually dissipate the unity of Klal Yisroel.  This leads to a diminishment of faithfulness to God and a diminishment of Torah.  Once Yerovem ben Nevat cut off going to the Bais Hamikdash, the northern kingdom lost their connection to Hashem and to Torah.  They became idol worshippers.  The same is true for the southern kingdom over time.  This is why the Torah considers it the shedding of blood.  It is the destruction of the unity of the Jewish people.  That is why there is Koras.

This may also be the interpretation of verse seven.  That if you do not bring sacrifices for Hashem to the Miskan and Bais Hamidash, it will morph into sacrificing to demons.

The message of these Pesukim screams at us today.  I look as a Galus Jew and ask, how does Israel survive today when both the right and the left seemingly want to “destroy” Israel.  Yosef Klein Halevi describes it at the end of his book, Like Dreamers.  He said that there are three factions in Israel and they all feel that the others are existential threats to Israel.  Bibi must run the government and make life-altering decisions, but his Knesset cannot agree on how to run the country.  Everyone is selfish.  This phenomenon also seems to be happening in the US.

I sent this Torah to a number of Rabbis and my Shiur, the Leonard Kranzler Memorial Shiur and received five responses. 

1 – Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet April 29, 2026

Dear Mitch,

The lack of unity and the inability to “fargin” is a real problem on the contemporary scene. Russian Jews were shocked when they arrived in Israel in the early 1980’s and saw the attitude toward Menachem Begin. Many good Jews here are trying to build a bridge of understanding. Unfortunately, the atmosphere engendered by the upcoming elections is not helpful. Nevertheless, tone down your conclusion. Honey is more effective than vinegar. 

All Best Regards to Karen,

Aaron Rakeffet via Yosef Mordechai (YoMo)

2 – Rabbi  Breitowitz – April 27, 2026

“Very powerful message and well said.  Thank you for sharing.  Bivracha, yb”

3 – Eva – April 27, 2026

“Wow! Love this and thank you.”

Sent from my iPhone

4 – Rabbi David Wolkenfeld – April 27, 2026

Lovely message. 

(See too the Ramban and Keli Yakar on those pesukim).

Rabbi David Wolkenfeld

Ohev Sholom Congregation

1600 Jonquil St NW

Washington, DC 20012

(202) 882-7225

www.OhevDC.org

5 – Elliot Baral

Mitch,

Good thoughts!

However, I disagree with your comment regarding the purpose of the Mishkan and the Temple merely as “unifying the people”.  

I would have said that the Mishkan and Temple are an expression of G-d’s reality, and His covenant with Klal Yisroel and with each Jew, and the Jewish nation’s role in the universe. As well as the unification of the Jewish people around G-d, yes. To forgo any of the related mitzvos would properly be construed as a denial of all that.  Almost but not quite as severe as idol worship.

By contrast, your comments seem to say that, in and of itself, it’s not so bad, but it leads to terrible things.

Still, your comments, and your concluding paragraph fit so well together, that it would be a shame to change anything.

– Your friend Elliott 

All the verses of Chapter 17:

Verse 1:

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

And the L-rd spoke to Moses, saying:

Verse 2:

דַּבֵּ֨ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְאֶל־בָּנָ֗יו וְאֶל֙ כׇּל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃

Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the children of Israel and say to them: This is the thing that the L-rd commanded, saying:

Verse 3:

אִ֥ישׁ אִישׁ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁחַ֜ט שׁ֥וֹר אוֹ־כֶ֛שֶׂב אוֹ־עֵ֖ז בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה א֚וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשְׁחַ֔ט מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃

A man from the house of Israel who slaughters [(consecrated animals)] an ox or a lamb, or a goat, in the camp [outside of the azarah] or who slaughters outside the camp,

Verse 4:

וְאֶל־פֶּ֜תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵד֮ לֹ֣א הֱבִיאוֹ֒ לְהַקְרִ֤יב קׇרְבָּן֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י מִשְׁכַּ֣ן יְהֹוָ֑ה דָּ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֞ב לָאִ֤ישׁ הַהוּא֙ דָּ֣ם שָׁפָ֔ךְ וְנִכְרַ֛ת הָאִ֥ישׁ הַה֖וּא מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמּֽוֹ׃

And to the door of the tent of meeting he did not bring it to present it as an offering to the L-rd before the mishkan of the L-rd — blood shall it be reckoned to that man, [as if he had shed a man’s blood (in which instance he is liable to death)]; he has spilled blood [(to include as thus liable one who sprinkles the blood outside)], and that man will be cut off from his people.

Verse 5:

לְמַ֩עַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָבִ֜יאוּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶֽת־זִבְחֵיהֶם֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֵ֣ם זֹבְחִים֮ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶה֒ וֶֽהֱבִיאֻ֣ם לַֽיהֹוָ֗ה אֶל־פֶּ֛תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְזָ֨בְח֜וּ זִבְחֵ֧י שְׁלָמִ֛ים לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אוֹתָֽם׃

So that the children of Israel bring their sacrifices, which they are wont to slaughter in the open field, and bring them to the L-rd, to the door of the tent of meeting, to the Cohein, and slaughter them as peace-offerings to the L-rd.

Verse 6:

וְזָרַ֨ק הַכֹּהֵ֤ן אֶת־הַדָּם֙ עַל־מִזְבַּ֣ח יְהֹוָ֔ה פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהִקְטִ֣יר הַחֵ֔לֶב לְרֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַיהֹוָֽה׃

And the Cohein shall dash the blood on the altar of the L-rd at the door of the tent of meeting, and he shall smoke the fat, a sweet savor to the L-rd.

Verse 7:

וְלֹא־יִזְבְּח֥וּ עוֹד֙ אֶת־זִבְחֵיהֶ֔ם לַשְּׂעִירִ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥ם זֹנִ֖ים אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֛ם תִּֽהְיֶה־זֹּ֥את לָהֶ֖ם לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃

And they shall sacrifice no more their sacrifices to the satyrs [demons], after which they go astray. An everlasting statute shall this be to them throughout their generations.

Verse 8:

וַאֲלֵהֶ֣ם תֹּאמַ֔ר אִ֥ישׁ אִישׁ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמִן־הַגֵּ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־יָג֣וּר בְּתוֹכָ֑ם אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲלֶ֥ה עֹלָ֖ה אוֹ־זָֽבַח׃

And to them shall you say: A man from the house of Israel, and from the stranger that dwells in their midst, who shall offer up a burnt-offering or a sacrifice [(to include for liability one who smokes the limbs outside just as one who slaughters outside)]

Verse 9:

וְאֶל־פֶּ֜תַח אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ לֹ֣א יְבִיאֶ֔נּוּ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת אֹת֖וֹ לַיהֹוָ֑ה וְנִכְרַ֛ת הָאִ֥ישׁ הַה֖וּא מֵעַמָּֽיו׃

and not bring it to the door of the tent of meeting to offer it to the L-rd, that man shall be cut off from his people [(His seed shall be cut off and his days shall be cut off)].

Torah #2:

Verse 16:23:

וּבָ֤א אַהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וּפָשַׁט֙ אֶת־בִּגְדֵ֣י הַבָּ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָבַ֖שׁ בְּבֹא֣וֹ אֶל־הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וְהִנִּיחָ֖ם שָֽׁם׃

Simple translation is:

And Aaron shall go into the Tent of Meeting, take off the linen vestments that he put on when he entered the Shrine, and leave them there.

However, as Rashi states based on the Gemara Yuma, this is not how to read the verse.  

Translation per the Rashi Chumosh by Rabbi Sharage Silverstein.

[This verse is understood as following after verse 28.] And Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting [to take out from the holy of holies the spoon and the coal pan in which he offered the incense], and he shall take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place, and he shall leave them there [(They require genizah (secreting) and are not used on another Yom Kippur.) And then he dons the golden garments for the daily afternoon burnt-offering. (Now, verse 29)]

Why the Torah puts this verse out of order, I do not know.  How do we know that the verses are not in order?  It must be that if the Pesukim were in order, you initially had the Cohen Gadol do the morning tamid in gold clothes, switched to white clothes for the Yom Kippur day service, and at its conclusion took out the firepan—the Torah does not say, but this is assumed—and then finished the Musaf sacrifices.  Three changes.  However, there had to be a tradition that there were five.  Therefore, to get to five changes of clothes, you have to take verse 23 and move it to be right after verse 28 (or even 25) and explain verse 23 that he went back in after the Korban Musef donned for a second time the white linen clothes to take out the firepan.

 The Ramban says the Torah’s custom is to finish a topic, even if it’s out of order, which explains why verse 23 is out of order.  Therefore, the Torah discusses the services performed in white garments, all done in one sequence, even though the last action of the Cohen took place later.  The retrieval of the firepan, according to the Ramban, has to be the meaning of verse 23, even though it does not directly say this. The Ramban says we must say that he had gone onto the holy of holies to remove the firepan, which was the final usage for the white linen fragments.  Then in Verse 24 and forward, the Torah mentions that when changing garments, the Cohen had to go to the mikvah and use the other services in the golden garments for the rest of the day.

The question on the Ramban is that this discussion is a movement of a verse from 23 to verse 29, only five verses.  I understand where the Torah finishes a topic and the Torah never goes back to it, such as with the death of Terach in the end of Parshas Noah.  The Torah gives you the rest of the story, but here, it is within eyesight; why not be clear.  Why befuddle? 

My thoughts.  In reality this verse based on the Gemora’s understanding should really be after verse 25.  Why the Gemora says after verse 28 is not clear to me. 

It would be clearer that either after verse 25 or 28  the Torah should have said that Aaron went back into the Holy of Holies, removed the firepan, came out, took off his white linen garments, and left them there.   Verse 23 should have been stated without the last two words, וְהִנִּיחָ֖ם שָֽׁם, and these two words should have been appended to a new verse saying that Aaron went back to retrieve the firepan.  My ultimate answer is that this is דרכּו בקדש and it is for the oral Torah to tweak this out.  We could even argue with the flow of logic of the Ramban; however, it is hard, if not impossible, for me to argue with him.

The Ramban is at https://www.sefaria.org/Leviticus.16.23?lang=bi&with=Ramban&lang2=en

Additional Study:

The words of the Ramban:

וּבָא אַהֲרֹן אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁאֵין זֶה מְקוֹמוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא זֶה, וְנָתְנוּ טַעַם לְדִבְרֵיהֶם בְּמַסֶּכֶת יוֹמָא (יומא ל”ב) וְאָמְרוּ, כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה כֻּלָּהּ נֶאֶמְרָה עַל הַסֵּדֶר חוּץ מִבִּיאָה זוֹ, שֶׁהִיא אַחַר עֲשִֹיַּת עוֹלָתוֹ וְעוֹלַת הָעָם וְהַקְטָרַת אֵמוּרֵי פַּר וְשָֹעִיר שֶׁנַּעֲשִׂין בַּחוּץ בְּבִגְדֵי זָהָב, וְטוֹבֵל וּמְקַדֵּשׁ וּפוֹשְׁטָן וְלוֹבֵשׁ בִּגְדֵי לָבָן, וּבָא אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לְהוֹצִיא אֶת הַכַּף וְאֶת הַמַּחְתָּה שֶׁהִקְטִיר בָּהּ אֶת הַקְּטֹרֶת לִפְנַי לִפְנִים, וּפָשַׁט אֶת בִּגְדֵי הַבָּד אַחַר שֶׁהוֹצִיאָם וְלוֹבֵשׁ בִּגְדֵי זָהָב לְתָמִיד שֶׁל בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ”י (רש”י על ויקרא ט”ז:כ”ג). וּבֶאֱמֶת שֶׁהַכָּתוּב הַזֶּה אוֹמֵר לָנוּ דָּרְשֵׁנִי, שֶׁלֹּא יִתָּכֵן בְּשׁוּם פָּנִים שֶׁיְּצַוֶּה שֶׁיָּבֹא אַהֲרֹן אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לְלֹא דָּבָר, רַק לִפְשֹׁט שָׁם בְּגָדָיו וְלִהְיוֹתוֹ עָרֹם בְּהֵיכַל ה’ וּלְהַנִּיחָם שָׁם לְרִקָּבוֹן. אֲבָל עַל כָּרְחֵנוּ “וּבָא אַהֲרֹן אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד” לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָה לֹא הֻצְרַךְ הַכָּתוּב לְהַזְכִּירָהּ, וְהִיא הוֹצָאַת הַכַּף וְהַמַּחְתָּה. וְטַעַם הַכָּתוּב כִּי הִזְכִּיר בַּתְּחִלָּה “וְנָתַן אֶת הַקְּטֹרֶת עַל הָאֵשׁ לִפְנֵי ה’ וְכִסָּה עֲנַן הַקְּטֹרֶת אֶת הַכַּפֹּרֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל הָעֵדוּת וְלֹא יָמוּת” (ויקרא ט”ז:י”ג), לוֹמַר שֶׁיִּתֵּן הַקְּטֹרֶת עַל הָאֵשׁ עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עֲנַן הַקְּטֹרֶת וְיֵצֵא מִיָּד, וְהִנִּיחַ הַכַּף וְהַמַּחְתָּה שָׁם, וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים יִצְטָרֵךְ לְהוֹצִיא. וּלְכָךְ אָמַר “וּבָא אַהֲרֹן אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד”, לָבֹא מִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת לְמָה שֶׁהִנִּיחַ שָׁם. וְהִנֵּה הַפָּרָשָׁה לֹא הִזְכִּירָה כָּל מַה שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הַכֹּהֵן בַּתְּחִלָּה בְּבִגְדֵי זָהָב, כְּגוֹן תָּמִיד שֶׁל שַׁחַר, אֲבָל הִתְחִילָה בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַיּוֹם בְּבִגְדֵי לָבָן, וְסִדְרָה הַפָּרָשָׁה שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה בָּהֶם קְטֹרֶת שֶׁלִּפְנַי לִפְנִים וּפַר שָׂעִיר הַפְּנִימִי וְעִנְיַן הַשָּׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ, וְכָל זֶה עָשׂוּי בְּסֵדֶר אֶחָד, וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר לַעֲשׂוֹת בַּבְּגָדִים הָאֵלּוּ לְבַד הוֹצָאַת הַכַּף וְהַמַּחְתָּה. וְדֶרֶךְ הַכְּתוּבִים בְּכָל מָקוֹם לְהַשְׁלִים הָעִנְיָן אֲשֶׁר הִתְחִיל בּוֹ, אע”פ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ קְצָת עִנְיָן מְאֻחָר לְמָה שֶׁיַּזְכִּיר אַחַר כֵּן. וּלְכָךְ אָמַר “וּבָא אַהֲרֹן אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד” בַּבְּגָדִים הָאֵלֶּה, לְהַשְׁלִים עֲבוֹדוֹתָיו בָּהֶם, וְהִיא הוֹצָאַת הַכַּף וְהַמַּחְתָּה שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לְהוֹצִיאָם מִשָּׁם. וּפָשַׁט אַחֲרֵי צֵאתוֹ אֶת בְּגָדָיו אֲשֶׁר לָבַשׁ בַּבֹּקֶר בָּעֵת בֹּאוֹ אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וְהִנִּיחָם שָׁם בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יַפְשִׁיטֵם, לְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא יִלְבַּשׁ אוֹתָם בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים אַחֵר. וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁלַם כָּל הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בְּבִגְדֵי לָבָן בְּכָל הַיּוֹם בְּסֵדֶר אֶחָד. וְחָזַר וְאָמַר “וְרָחַץ אֶת בְּשָׂרוֹ בַמַּיִם וְגוֹ’ וְלָבַשׁ אֶת בְּגָדָיו” הַיְּדוּעִים לוֹ, שֶׁבָּהֶם יַעֲבֹד כָּל הַשָּׁנָה, לְלַמֵּד שֶׁהוּא טָעוּן טְבִילָה בֵּין בְּגָדִים לִבְגָדִים, וְאָמַר “וְיָצָא וְעָשָׂה אֶת עֹלָתוֹ”, כִּי כָל הַנַּעֲשֶׂה קֹדֶם לָזֶה בְּבִגְדֵי הַלָּבָן הַכֹּל מַעֲשֵׂה פְּנִים, וְאֵילוֹ וְאֵיל הָעָם שֶׁיַּזְכִּיר הֵם נַעֲשִׂים עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ הַחִיצוֹן. וְהִנֵּה הִזְכִּירָה הַפָּרָשָׁה (ויקרא ט”ז:ד’) הַלְּבִישָׁה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל בִּגְדֵי הַלָּבָן וְהִצְרִיךְ בָּהּ טְבִילָה, וְהִזְכִּירָה (ויקרא ט”ז:כ”ד) הַפְּשִׁיטָה הָאַחֲרוֹנָה וְהִצְרִיךְ בָּהּ טְבִילָה, וְלָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהוּא טָעוּן טְבִילָה בְּכָל חֲלִיפוֹת בְּגָדִים. וְעַל דַּעַת רַשִׁ”י תִּהְיֶה הַטְּבִילָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁל הוֹצָאַת כַּף וּמַחְתָּה אַחֲרֵי אֵילוֹ וְאֵיל הָעָם, בֵּין הַמּוּסָפִין לְתָמִיד שֶׁל בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם. וְכֵן דַּעַת כָּל הַגְּאוֹנִים, וְכֵן יֵרָאֶה מִן הַבָּרַיְתָא הַשְּׁנוּיָה בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (פרק ו ה) כִּפְשׁוּטָהּ. אֲבָל אָנוּ מָצָאנוּ בַּיְּרוּשַׁלְמִי (יומא פ”ז ה”ב), אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, הַכֹּל מוֹדִים בְּהוֹצָאַת הַכַּף וְהַמַּחְתָּה שֶׁהִיא לְאַחַר תָּמִיד שֶׁל בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם. וְכֵן כָּתַב הָרַב ר’ מֹשֶׁה (הל’ עבודת יום הכפורים פ”ב ה”ב), וְכֵן הַסֵּדֶר הַשָּׁנוּי בְּמִשְׁנָתֵנוּ (יומא ע), קִדֵּשׁ וּפָשַׁט וְיָרַד וְטָבַל, הֵבִיאוּ לוֹ בִּגְדֵי זָהָב, נִכְנַס לְהַקְטִיר אֶת הַקְּטֹרֶת. אֶלָּא כָּךְ הוּא הַסֵּדֶר: סֵדֶר הַיּוֹם בְּבִגְדֵי לָבָן, וְאֵילוֹ וְאֵיל הָעָם וְהַמּוּסָפִין וְאֵמוּרֵי הַחַטָּאת וְתָמִיד שֶׁל בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם בְּבִגְדֵי זָהָב בִּטְבִילָה שְׁלִישִׁית, וְהוֹצָאַת כַּף וּמַחְתָּה בְּבִגְדֵי לָבָן בִּטְבִילָה רְבִיעִית, קְטֹרֶת חֲבִתִּים וּנְסָכִים וְנֵרוֹת בְּבִגְדֵי זָהָב בִּטְבִילָה חֲמִישִׁית. וְהַטַּעַם בָּזֶה, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָהּ עֲבוֹדָה, וְאִחֲרוּ אוֹתָהּ לְאַחַר כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה הַיּוֹם וּבִלְבַד שֶׁנְּקַיֵּם בָּהּ חָמֵשׁ טְבִילוֹת. וּלְכָךְ הִפְסִיק בְּסֵדֶר הַתָּמִיד שֶׁל בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם, וּמוֹצִיאִין כַּף וּמַחְתָּה בֵּין הַתָּמִיד לִקְטֹרֶת:

AND AARON SHALL COME INTO THE TENT OF MEETING. “Our Rabbis have said that this is not the proper place of this verse [which ought rather to follow Verse 25], and they explained the reason for their saying so in Tractate Yoma, stating: The whole section is written according to the procedure [which was actually followed in the Service on the Day of Atonement], except for this ‘coming’ [of the High Priest into the Holy of Holies] which was actually done after he offered his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people [stated in Verse 24], and after the burning of the fats of the bullock [of Aaron] and the goat [of the sin-offering of the people], which rites were performed outside the Sanctuary [proper, as stated in Verse 25, i.e., in the Sanctuary Court, and therefore done by the High Priest dressed] in golden garments. [It was only after he had done these things that] he immersed himself [in a ritual pool] and washed his hands and feet and took them [the golden garments] off, and put on the linen garments, and then he came into the Tent of Meeting [as mentioned in our verse] to take out [from the Holy of Holies] the spoon and the censer in which he had burnt the incense in the innermost part of the Sanctuary. And then he shall put off the linen garments after he had taken them [the spoon and the censer] out, and attires himself in his golden clothes for the Daily burnt-offering brought in the afternoon.” All this is Rashi’s language.

Now this is truly a case where the verse calls aloud for elucidation. For it is not at all conceivable that [the verse] should command that Aaron come into the Tent of Meeting for no purpose whatsoever other than that of taking off his garments *The verse as stated reads: And Aaron shall come into the Tent of Meeting, and shall put off the linen garments … and shall leave them there. Under no circumstances, as Ramban points out, can this be taken literally. It must then mean etc. and being naked in G-d’s temple, and that he should leave the garments there to decay! Rather, we must perforce interpret the verse thus: And Aaron shall come into the Tent of Meeting to do some act of the Service which Scripture found it unnecessary to mention, that is, the removal of the spoon and the censer [which he had left in the Holy of Holies when he had burnt the incense there]. The explanation of the [order of the] verses is thus as follows. Having mentioned at first, And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Eternal, that the cloud of the incense may cover the ark-cover that is upon the testimony, that he die not, *Verse 13. meaning to say that he is to place the incense upon the fire until the cloud of the incense goes up, and then he is to go out immediately, leaving there the spoon [in which he had carried the incense] and the censer [which contained the coals of fire, and upon which the incense was now burning], and which he would in any case have to remove later on from there, Scripture therefore says, and Aaron shall come into the Tent of Meeting in order to enter within the Veil [and to bring out] the things he had left there. Now the Scriptural section here did not mention all that the priest did at the beginning when [attired] in the golden garments, such as the [offering of the] Daily burnt-offering of the morning, but rather it began with the [special] Service performed on the Day of Atonement, which was done in the white [linen] garments, and it arranged the following procedure [of things to be done in these garments]: burning of incense within the Holy of Holies, the [rites of the] bullock [of Aaron] and of the goat [whose blood was sprinkled] within [the Holy of Holies], and the matter of the goat that was sent away to Azazel. All these rites were done in one order, and there was nothing left to be performed in these [white linen] garments except for the bringing out of the spoon and the censer [from the Holy of Holies]. Now it is always the custom of Scripture to finish a subject which it began, although there may be some matters which took place after that which it mentions later [as here, where the removal of the spoon and censer took place after the events of Verses 24-28, but is referred to before, in Verse 23, to finish the subject of the events done in the white garments]. Therefore Scripture states, and Aaron shall come into the Tent of Meeting in these [white linen] garments, to complete his Service, namely, the bringing out of the spoon and the censer which he has to remove from there, and after he came out from there he shall put off his garments which he put on in the morning at the time when he went into the holy place, and he shall leave them there where he took them off, thus teaching us that he is not to use them again on a subsequent Day of Atonement. Therefore Scripture completed in one sequence everything that was to be done during the whole day in the white garments. [Thus Scripture mentions the removal of the spoon and censer here in Verse 23, although it actually took place only later after the events mentioned in Verses 24-28, in order to complete in one sequence all the events done in the white garments]. Then it went back and said, and he shall bathe his flesh in water … and put on his other vestments, *Verse 24. i.e., those garments which are known to him from his ministry during the whole year, thus teaching that [whenever he changes on that day] from one set of garments to another, he had to immerse himself [in a ritual pool]. Then Scripture states, and ‘he shall come forth,’ and offer his burnt-offering, for everything that had been done hitherto in the white garments is considered “the Service within [the Sanctuary],” while his ram and the ram of the people [which are the burnt-offerings] that He mentions [here in Verse 24: and he shall come forth, and offer his burnt-offering of the people], were done on the outer altar. Thus the section mentioned the High Priest’s first attirement in the white garments, and required him to immerse himself [first in a ritual pool], and then it mentioned the final removal of these garments [after taking out the spoon and censer from the Holy of Holies], and required him to immerse himself [before he puts on the golden garments for the performance of the Daily burnt-offering of the afternoon]. Thus we learn that he had to immerse himself [in a ritual pool] whenever there was a change of the garments.

Now in the opinion of Rashi this immersion of the High Priest for the bringing out of the spoon and the censer, took place after he had offered his ram and the ram of the people; [that is to say], between the Additional Offerings and the Daily burnt-offering of the afternoon. This is also the opinion of all the Gaonim, and it would likewise so appear from the plain meaning of a Beraitha taught in the Torath Kohanim. But we have found in the Yerushalmi: “Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘All Sages agree that the taking out of the spoon and the censer [from the Holy of Holies] was done after [the slaughtering of] the Daily burnt-offering of the afternoon.’” And so did Rabbi Moshe [ben Maimon] write. So also is the procedure taught in our Mishnah [following the High Priest’s removal of the spoon and the censer]: “He washed his hands and feet, took off [his white garments], went down and immersed himself, and they brought him the golden garments … and he went into [the Sanctuary] to burn the [daily] incense of the afternoon.” Rather, the order was as follows: The [special] Service of the Day of Atonement was performed in the white garments; his [the High Priest’s] ram and the ram of the people, the Additional Offerings, the [burning of the] fats of the sin-offering, and [the slaughtering of] the Daily burnt-offering of the afternoon were all done in the golden garments following the [High Priest’s] third immersion; the taking out of the spoon and censer [from the Holy of Holies] was done in the white garments following the fourth immersion, while the [daily] burning of the incense of [the afternoon], the [daily] offering of the High Priest’s cakes, the libations and [the kindling of] the lamps [in the candelabrum], were done in the golden garments following the fifth immersion. The reason for this [delaying of the removal of the spoon and censer until after the slaughtering of the Daily burnt-offering of the afternoon] is because it [the removal of the spoon and censer] is not in itself a rite of Service, therefore they delayed it until all the acts of the day were done, as long as the five [required] immersions were fulfilled. Therefore they interrupted the regular order of rites in the Daily burnt-offering of the afternoon, and [the High Priest] took out the spoon and censer [from the Holy of Holies] between the slaughtering of the burnt-offering and the burning of the incense.