Consecration Ceremony – Command and Implementation/2

Consecration Ceremony – Command and Implementation

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Different Narrative Goals

The differences between the chapters relate to the differing narrative goals and context of each unit.

Order of objects brought – R. Hoffman explains that since in Sefer Shemot the previous chapters focused on the clothing of the priests, there was no need to open the discussion of the days of Consecration by mandating their being brought.  Instead the verses highlight the new objects that now needed to be prepared, the various sacrifices.  In Vayikra, in contrast, the order is practical; the objects are  listed according to the order in which they were to be used during the ceremony.  Since the clothing and anointing of Aharon precede the offering of sacrifices, the priests, clothing and oil are mentioned first.¹

Aharon and sons

Urim and Tumim – Ramban explains that the command in Shemot 29 only briefly mentions the Choshen, omitting mention of the Urim and Tumim sicne that had been discussed in the previous chapter whne describing each of the articles of priestly clothing.

Presence of the congregation – As the laws of Shemot 29 are directed only at Moshe and the priests, it is not particularly surprising that there is no mention there of congregating the nation to witness the ceremony.

Laws for future generations – The few laws that relate to future generations and not the Days of Consecration themselves are included only in the directives of Shemot since there is no place for them during the actual ceremony, which focused only on what was taking place at the moment.

Anointing of Mishkan – Since the discussions of Parashat Tetzaveh surround the priests and their clothing, rather than the vessels of the Tabernacle as whole, only the anointing of Aharon is highlighted in Shemot 29. The command to anoint the Tabernacle and its vessels comes instead in Shemot 40, in the fitting context of the erecting the Mishkan, and is learned from there to Vayikra 8.

Order of the Anointing – Ramban suggests that though Shemot 40 mentions clothing Aharon only after anointing the Mishkan, Moshe did the opposite when fulfilling the command since it made sense that the priests be ready to serve when anointed. Shemot 40 only reversed the order for brevity, as this allowed it to group Aharon and sons together rather than elaborating when each was clothed and anointed.

Sprinkling of blood and oil

פַּר הַחַטָּאת

Change of Plan

The differences between the command and its implementation stem from an intervening event, the Sin of the Golden Calf, which caused a change of plan.  The goal of the ceremony was no longer simply to consecrate the Mishkan, the altar and its priests, but also to atone for the sin and highlight that Aharon was forgiven.

Chronology – This position assumes a straightforward chronology of the events of Sefer Shemot, and that the initial commands regarding the building of the Tabernacle preceded the Sin of the Golden Calf, while the directives of Shemot 40 and the fulfillment of the command in Vayikra 8 followed it.

Order of objects brought – In the command, the sacrifices are mentioned first among the objects to be brought, since, at that point, initiating the sacrificial worship through a sampling of offerings and the consecration of the altar and its priests, was the main goal of the ceremony.   Afterwards, though, attaining atonement and highlighting Aharon's priestly status became a primary focus of the ceremony and so the priests are mentioned first.

Aharon and sons – Throughout the commands, Aharon and his sons tend to be grouped together.  In the execution, though, Aharon is differentiated from them.  In the aftermath of the sin, when the people might have questioned Aharon's status, it was important to highlight that not only did he not lose his priestly status, but that his status was even higher than that of his children.

Presence of the congregation – Since part of the goal of the ceremony became to demonstrate that Aharon was forgiven and still consecrated, it was now necessary that the people witness the ceremony. Beforehand, this was inconsequential.

Urim veTumim – Shemot 28 states that when wearing the Urim VeTumim, "Aaron shall bear the judgment of the Children of Israel," suggesting that perhaps it played some sort of role in atonement, bearing the punishment of Israel.  If so, it might be emphasized only in the aftermath of the sin, to show how Aharon was not only forgiven, but that in his role as high priest, he will enable the forgiveness of others.  Alternatively, it is meant as a constant reminder to him of the judgement pending for one's sins.

Choshen before or after the Efod? In Vayikra 8, the Choshen is mentioned after the Efod only because the text wanted to elaborate about the placement of the Urim and Tumim inside without breaking the fow of the narrative.

פַּר הַחַטָּאת – It is only in Vayikra 8 that the cow is consistently referred to as "the cow of the sin offering" (פַּר הַחַטָּאת), perhaps because here it is coming not just as an example of a sin offering,² but to actually atone for the sin of the Calf.³

"שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תְּכַפֵּר עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ" vs. "לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם" – In Shemot 29, there is am emphasis on bringing the "פַר חַטָּאת" for seven days so that it will atone for the altar. The purpose of the ceremony is portrayed as mainly a consecration and purifying of the altar. In Vayikra 8, in contrast, there is the added emphasis on "atoning for you".  It is no longer enough to purify the altar, the priests themselves need atonement.

Not leaving the Tent of Meeting – As the priests are no longer just one of a list of items that need to be consecrated together with the altar⁴ but independently need atonement, Hashem emophasizes how they need to be present at the Tent of Meeting throughout the seven day period.⁵

The eighth day – Ramban suggests that maybe the entire ceremony of the eighth day was not part of the original plan, and was added only to provide atonement for the sin.⁶ Several aspects of the day's protocol might support this:

• Both Aharon and the nation are told to bring a calf specifically (as a Chattat and Olah respectively).  Nowhere else is it mandated that a calf be brought as a sacrifice, suggesting that the choice is significant and perhaps related to the sin.
• Ramban further points out that Aharon's two offerings and the nation's Chattat are identical to that which they bring on Yom HaKippurim, a day instituted to re-enact the original atonement achieved for the Sin of the Calf, further suggesting that they are commanded so as to attain atonement.
• ChizkuniVayikra 8:14Vayikra 8:30Vayikra 9:2-3About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach, instead, compares the nation's offerings to those prescribed for inadvertently worshiping idolatry.⁷

Anointing of Mishkan – This approach would likely suggest that the omission of this directive in Shemot 29 is technical in nature. Since the discussions of Parashat Tetzaveh surround the priests and their clothing, rather than the vessels of the Tabernacle as whole, only the anointing of Aharon is highlighted.  The command to anoint the Tabernacle and its vessels comes instead in Shemot 40, in the fitting context of the erecting the Mishkan.⁸

Were Aharon's sons anointed? Neither Shemot 29 nor Vayikra 8 mention the anointing Aharon's sons, only of sprinkling them with the blood from the altar mixed with the oil. Shemot 40, though, does include them among the objects anointed, leading to debate regarding either they were in fact anointed or not.

Sprinkling of blood and oil – In Shemot 29 this sprinkling is

Laws for future generations

¹ One might compare this to the differing order regarding the making of vessels of the Mishkan as described in the command and its fulfillment.  While in the command the objects are listed in accord with their importance (beginning with the Ark and vessels and moving to the structure of the Tabernacle), in the fulfillment they are listed in the order in which they were crafted, an order based on practical concerns. [The vessels could not be built until there was a Tabernacle in which to house them.]

² In Shemot 29, it is first in verse 14 that the reader even knows that the cow is meant to be a Chattat offering.  After detailing its sacrificial procedure, the verse declares, "חַטָּאת הוּא".

³ See Malbim.

⁴ In other words, initially the priests were viewed like any other vessel that played a role in the cultic service; each needed to be anointed and consecrated, but only as part of the consecration of the altar as a whole. Now the priests required their own atonement, unconnected to the general purification process.

⁵ It is also possible that this is a corrective for the nation not having waited for Moshe to come down the mountain and prematurely assuming he died, prompting the making of the Calf. The priests, thus, are commanded to wait at the Tent of the Meeting, day and night.

⁶ See also Sifra Vayikra9:2About the Sifra Vayikra, Targum Pseudo-JonathanVayikra 8:2Vayikra 9:2About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan and Ibn EzraVayikra 9:2About R. Avraham ibn Ezra who speak only about the calf serving as atonement for the sin.

⁷ See Bemidbar 15:24, that the nation must bring a goat for a sin offering and a cow as an Olah (here replaced by a calf).  [In Vayikra, though, they must additionally bring a sheep as an Olah, and other animals for a Shelamim]

⁸ The order of the anointment in the Shemot 40 nonetheless does not match that in Vayikra 8.