Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 29:14/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ט:י״ד
אתִּשְׂרֹף בָּאֵשׁ לֹא מָצִינוּ חַטָּאת חִיצוֹנָה נִשְׂרֶפֶת אֶלָּא זוֹ. לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות כ"ט:י"ד). וְהוֹרָאַת שָׁעָה הָיְתָה כְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ. וְהַטַּעַם בָּזֶה, שֶׁהַכֹּל גָּלוּי לְפָנָיו, וְהָיָה פַּר חַטָּאת זֶה לְכַפֵּר עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, וְקָרְבָּנוֹ שֶׁל כֹּהֵן מָשִׁיחַ הוּא (ויקרא ד ג). וְשָׁם (שם ד ו) יְצַוֶּה לְהָבִיא אֶת דָּמוֹ אֶל מִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת, וְלֹא רָצָה עַתָּה לְהַכְנִיסוֹ שָׁם לִפְנִים, כִּי שָׁם (ד ו) אָמַר בַּטַּעַם אֶת פְּנֵי פָּרֹכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וְכָאן עֲדַיִן לֹא נִתְקַדֵּשׁ וְלֹא שָׁרְתָה עָלָיו שְׁכִינָה שֶׁיִּקָּרֵא פָּרֹכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וְהִנֵּה הַחִיצוֹן כַּפְּנִימִי. וְהַסְּמִיכָה בְּבָנָיו, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִתְאַנַּף עַל אַהֲרֹן לְהַשְׁמִידוֹ (דברים ט כ) וְהוּא כִּלּוּי בָּנִים (ויק"ר ז א), הֻצְרְכוּ גַּם הֵם לְהִתְכַּפֵּר בּוֹ. וְטַעַם הַשְּׂרֵפָה כְּטַעַם שְׂרֵפַת פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה, וְסוֹדָהּ יָדוּעַ מִן הַשָּׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ:
1THOU SHALT BURN WITH FIRE WITHOUT THE CAMP; IT IS A SIN-OFFERING. “We do not find any outside190 sin-offering was one the blood of which was sprinkled within the Sanctuary — upon the veil in front of the Holy of Holies and the golden altar; that kind of a sin-offering was burnt completely outside the camp (Leviticus 6:23). Such a sacrifice, for example, was the sin-offering of the High Priest (ibid., 4:3-12). An outside sin-offering was one the blood of which was sprinkled upon the outer altar that stood in the court of the Tabernacle [or Sanctuary]. Of such a sin-offering only certain fats were burnt on the altar, and the meat eaten by the priests. Since the sin-offering mentioned here was an outside sacrifice, and yet it was to the burnt wholly outside of the camp, it must have been a temporary, special legislation. sin-offering that was to be burnt except this.” Thus is Rashi’s language. It was a temporary, special legislation, according to the words of our Rabbis.191 The reason for this is, that everything being foreseen by Him, this sin-offering was to effect forgiveness for the making of the golden calf, and it was the sacrifice of the anointed priest;192 and there [in the Book of Leviticus] He was to command that the blood of the sin-offering [of the High Priest] be brought within [the Tent of Meeting and sprinkled in front of] the veil,193 [and the sacrifice be burnt outside the camp194, Verse 12. Hence He commanded here — in advance — that that sin-offering was to be burnt.]. At present, however, He did not wish to mention that [the blood be brought] within the Tent, for there [in the Book of Leviticus] He says in discernment, [that he sprinkle the blood] in front of the holy veil,193 and at this point [the Tabernacle] had not yet been sanctified, and the Divine Glory did not yet dwell upon it, that it be called “the holy veil.” Thus the outside sin-offering [mentioned here] was like the inner one [of the anointed priest]. The laying of hands was [also] by Aaron’s sons, [although if it was deemed to be Aaron’s sin-offering the laying of hands should have been done only by Aaron], because He was angry with Aaron to have destroyed him,195 which means the extermination of his children, therefore they too needed atonement by this sin-offering. The reason for burning [such a sin-offering outside the camp] is the same as the reason for burning the Red Heifer there,196 and the secret thereof is known from [the text concerning] the goat sent to Azazel.197