Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 16:32/רמב"ן על ויקרא ט״ז:ל״ב
אוַאֲשֶׁר יְמַלֵּא אֶת יָדוֹ שֶׁיָּכוֹל אֵין לִי אֶלָּא הַמָּשׁוּחַ בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה, מְרֻבֶּה בִּבְגָדִים מִנַּיִן, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר "וַאֲשֶׁר יְמַלֵּא אֶת יָדוֹ (ללבוש את הבגדים)", וְהֵן כָּל הַכֹּהֲנִים הַגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁעָמְדוּ מִיֹּאשִׁיָּהוּ וְאֵילָךְ, שֶׁבְּיָמָיו נִגְנְזָה הַצְּלוֹחִית שֶׁל שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על ויקרא ט"ז:ל"ב). וְאֵין הַכַּוָּנָה לָרַב שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מְרֻבֶּה בִּבְגָדִים אֶלָּא מִיֹּאשִׁיָּהוּ וְאֵילָךְ, שֶׁהֲרֵי בַּגְּמָרָא (הוריות יג) אָמְרוּ מָשׁוּחַ בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וּמְרֻבֶּה בִּבְגָדִים אֵיזֶה מֵהֶן קוֹדֵם, וְאָמְרוּ (מכות יא), בְּמִיתַת כֻּלָּן הוּא חוֹזֵר אוֹ בְּמִיתַת אֶחָד מֵהֶן הוּא חוֹזֵר - שֶׁכֻּלָּן נִמְצָאִים בִּזְמַן אֶחָד. אֲבָל בְּכָל הַזְּמַנִּים אִם נִתְרַבָּה בִּבְגָדִים כָּשֵׁר לַעֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי לְעוֹלָם מְתַקְּנִין כֹּהֵן אַחֵר בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים (יומא ב) וְאֵין מוֹשְׁחִין אוֹתוֹ, וְאִם אֵרַע פְּסוּל בְּכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל מְשַׁמֵּשׁ זֶה תַּחְתָּיו, שֶׁהוּא כָּשֵׁר בְּרִבּוּי הַבְּגָדִים בְּלֹא מְשִׁיחָה:
1AND THE PRIEST WHO SHALL BE ANOINTED AND WHO SHALL BE CONSECRATED TO BE PRIEST IN HIS FATHER’S STEAD. “I might think that only [the High Priest] who has been anointed with the oil of anointment [may perform the Service on the Day of Atonement]. Whence do I know that a High Priest who is [inducted into office only] by many garments [i.e., the eight garments which distinguish him from all ordinary priests who wear only four garments, that he too may perform the Service on that day]? Scripture therefore says, and who shall be consecrated, by attiring the [eight] garments. Such were all the High Priests who functioned after the days of King Josiah [until the destruction of the Second Temple], for in his days the flask of anointing oil was hidden.”136). This is Rashi’s language. Now the Rabbi did not intend to say that it was only from the days of King Josiah that there were High Priests who were [inducted into office only by means of] many garments, for in the Gemara we find that the Rabbis have said:137 “Who has precedence over whom [in being redeemed from captivity, etc.], a High Priest anointed with the oil of anointment, or one who was [inducted into office only] by his attiring himself in the many garments?”138 Again the Rabbis have said:139 “Does he [that killed a person unwittingly] return from the city of refuge [only] at the death of all of them [i.e., the High Priest anointed with the oil of anointment, and the one that was inducted into office only by his attiring himself in the many garments and one that had passed from his High-priesthood], or does he return at the death of one of them?”140 [Thus it is clear] that they can all be found at one time. Rather, [Rashi’s intent was that] if at any time [i.e., even when High Priests were still anointed with the oil of anointment], a priest was inducted [into the High-priesthood] by the many garments [worn by the High Priest], he was eligible to perform the Service of the Day of Atonement. For another priest was always prepared [in the High Priest’s stead] for the Day of Atonement,141 and he was not anointed.142 Thus if some disqualification occurred to the High Priest [such as by becoming impure etc.], this priest served in his stead, as he was eligible to do so through his induction [to his position] by his attiring himself in the many garments, even if he was not anointed.