Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 8:30/רמב"ן על ויקרא ח׳:ל׳
אוַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה מִשֶּׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וּמִן הַדָּם אֲשֶׁר עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אִם מְעָרְבָן לַהַזָּאוֹת הַלָּלוּ, כְּמוֹ "וְלָקַח מִדַּם הַפָּר וּמִדַּם הַשָּׂעִיר וְנָתַן עַל קַרְנוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ" (ויקרא ט"ז:י"ח). וְכֵן לֹא נִתְבָּרֵר לִי מָה טַעַם אִחֵר הַזָּאוֹת הַלָּלוּ לְאַחַר הַקְטָרָה שֶׁל מִלּוּאִים, כִּי בַּצַּוָּאָה (שמות כט כא) הִקְדִּים הַהַזָּאוֹת וְאח"כ אָמַר "וְלָקַחְתָּ מִן הָאַיִל הַחֵלֶב וְהָאַלְיָה" (שם פסוק כב). וְאוּלַי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאָמַר שָׁם (ויקרא ח':כ"א) "וְקָדַשׁ הוּא וּבְגָדָיו וּבָנָיו וּבִגְדֵי בָנָיו אִתּוֹ" לָמַד מֹשֶׁה כִּי הוּא הַדָּבָר הַמְאֻחָר הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בָּהֶם שֶׁבּוֹ יִהְיוּ קְדוֹשִׁים לְגַמְרֵי, כִּי לֹא הִזְכִּיר שָׁם בַּמְּשִׁיחָה (שם ז) קִדּוּשׁ וְלֹא בְּמַתַּן בְּהוֹנוֹת (שם כ), וְכָאן אָמַר "וַיִּמְשַׁח אוֹתוֹ לְקַדְּשׁוֹ" (ויקרא ח':י"ב), לֹא שֶׁיִּקְדַּשׁ לְגַמְרֵי, עַד שֶׁעָשָׂה הַהַזָּאוֹת וְאָמַר בָּהֶן (כאן) "וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת בָּנָיו". וְהִנֵּה הִשְׁלִים קְדֻשַּׁת הָאָב וְהַבָּנִים כְּאַחַת בַּהַזָּאוֹת הַלָּלוּ. וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ בְּת"כ (צו מלואים לד) "וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת אַהֲרֹן", הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁלֹּא שָׁלַם קִדּוּשׁ אַהֲרֹן וְהַבָּנִים אֶלָּא בְּהַזָּאַת דָּם:
1AND MOSES TOOK OF THE ANOINTING OIL, AND OF THE BLOOD WHICH WAS UPON THE ALTAR [AND SPRINKLED IT UPON AARON etc.]. I do not know whether he mixed [the oil with the blood] for these sprinklings, something like that which it says, and he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar.214 Nor has it become clear to me why Moses performed these sprinklings after the burning of the ram of consecration, for in the section containing the command about the consecration Services He mentioned first the sprinklings,215 and only afterwards He said, And thou shalt take of the ram the fat, and the fat tail.216, Verse 22. Perhaps since He said there [in the same verse where He mentioned these sprinklings], and he [Aaron] and his garments shall be hallowed, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him,215 Moses deduced that these sprinklings were the last things to be done to them, through which they would become completely holy, for in connection with anointing the priests He did not mention the term “hallowed,” nor in connection with the placing of the blood upon their thumbs.217, Verse 20. [Therefore, since it is only stated in connection with the sprinklings of the oil and the blood that the priests are to become hallowed, Moses deduced that this was to be done after the burning of the ram of consecration.] And when it says here [immediately following Moses’ pouring the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head], and he anointed him, to sanctify him,218 it was not a complete sanctification until Moses had done the sprinklings, even as it says [in the verse before us, after he had done the sprinklings], and he sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons. Thus he completed the sanctification of the father and sons together by means of these sprinklings. The Rabbis have also said so in the Torath Kohanim:219 34. “And he sanctified Aaron. From here you learn that the sanctification of Aaron and his sons was completed only with the sprinkling of the blood.”