"Inner Sin-Offerings" - Par Kohein Mashiach [2] "G-d spoke to Moshe after the death of Aharon's two sons, when they approached before G-d, and they died. And G-d spoke to Moshe: Speak to Aharon, your brother that he shall not come at all times to the Sanctuary, within the curtain, in front of the cover that is on the Aron, so he should not die…" (Vayikra 16:1,2). Various Midrashim tell us that Moshe, upon receiving this command, was saddened. He asked, "Is it possible that my brother Aharon has fallen into divine disfavor? Maybe G-d will permit him to enter the Kodesh HaKodashim only once in twelve years, or once in seventy years or maybe not at all!" However, G-d calmed Moshe's fears and said that Aharon would enter the Kodesh HaKodashim every year on Yom Kippur to perform the Avoda, but before he did so, he would first have to make certain preparations that would evoke the merits of the Avot, the Imahot and the 12 Tribes, the sons of Ya'akov. Only by depending on the Zechu'yot (merits) of these righteous people could the Kohein Gadol dare enter the Kodesh HaKodashim without fearing the angels who normally filled the holy place. In fact, as Moshe Rabeinu found out, the earthly Kohein Gadol is on a higher level than the archangel Micha'el, the High Priest of the Heavenly Sanctuary! The celestial Kohein Gadol only praises G-d with words; the earthly Kohein Gadol praised G-d with deeds (the Avoda). The Midrash tells us that while Moshe Rabeinu was on Har Sinai, G-d vouchsafed him the privilege of visiting the seven heavens. In his supernal journey, Moshe entered the fourth heaven and actually saw the Celestial Temple! "The pillars thereof were made of red fire, the staves of green fire, the thresholds of white fire, the boards and clasps of flaming fire, the gates of carbuncles and the pinnacles were made of rubies." There he saw the Malachei HaShareit - ministering angels - entering the Sanctuary and intoning praises to G-d. Nevertheless, the angels told him that their prime responsibility was to weave precious garlands before G-d out of the prayers of Am Yisrael and that in reality, even after the "destruction", though invisible, the earthly Beit HaMikdash continues to exist. "When the exiles returned from Bavel and began rebuilding the Mikdash, they did not know where the new Mizbei'ach should be. Said R. Eleazar, 'they (the Nevi'im who were with them) saw (in a vision) the altar rebuilt in its place and Micha'el, the great prince, was standing on it and ministering before G-d.'" (Zevachim 62a). "B'ZOT - With THIS shall Aharon come into the Sanctuary (Kodesh HaKodashim); with a Par - young bullock - for a sin offering and a Ayil - a ram - for a burnt elevation offering" (ibid 3). The bullock of the Kohein Gadol evoked the merit of hospitable Avraham Avinu of whom it is written, "Then Avraham ran to the cattle…"(B'reishit 18:7) to select a tender calf to prepare for his (angelic) guests. Despite his age and weakness, Avraham did not simply give orders to his servants; he personally chose the best animals (Vayikra Rabba 21:10). The Ayil reminds us of Akeidat Yitzchak; Avraham's binding of Yitzchak on the altar, and its joyous conclusion. "Avraham went and took the ram and offered it up as an offering instead of his son (Yitzchak) (B'reishit 22:13). The merit acquired by the Kohein Gadol by offering up these two Korbanot (the Par and the Ayil) made him worthy to enter the Kodesh HaKodashim. The two Korbanot - encapsulated in the one word B'ZOT, reminded the Kohein Gadol (and us) of the merit of the Mitzva of Mila before the G-d, as it is said (referring to Mila), "Zot Briti, (This is My covenant…)". The two Korbanot evoked the merit of Shabbat as it is written. "Happy is the man who will do this (ZOT - referring to the observance of Shabbat). The two Korbanot recall the glory of Jerusalem as it is written "ZOT Yerushalayim…" In fact, the merit of all the Tzadikim and the Mitzvot of the entire Torah is encapsulated within that one short word, as it is written, "v'ZOT HaTorah…" - "And THIS is the Torah…" Since the Kohein Gadol was going to confess his personal sins over this bullock as well as those committed by all the Kohanim, it was necessary that the sacrificial animal be his own personal property. He put his hands between the horns of the bullock, pressed down and made the first of two confessions of sin. He said, "O G-d, I have committed iniquity, transgressed and sinned before Thee,I and my house. O G-d, forgive the iniquities and transgressions and sins which I have committed and transgressed and sinned before Thee, I and my house…" (Yoma 3:8). In this first confession of sin, the Kohein Gadol atoned for himself and his wife and asked forgiveness if they had inadvertently entered the Mikdash, ate or touched Kodashim (e.g. sacrificial meat) while in a state of impurity (Shevu'ot 1:7). Particularly instructive is the fact that the Kohein Gadol's wife is included in this first confession ("I and my house"). The Tanna R. Yehuda interpreted the Pasuk, "He shall make atonement for himself and for his house (Vayikra 16:6); 'his house' - that is his wife" (Yoma 1:1). Surprisingly, the Kohein Gadol's own children are not included in this first confession; they are included in the Kohein Gadol's second confession along with the other Kohanim. The Pasuk in B'reishit 2:24, "Therefore a man … shall cling to his wife and they shall become one flesh. "had "metamorphosed" into Mikdash Halacha! Since they were "one flesh", how could he not include her in his personal confession of sin? After his first confession, the Kohein Gadol proceeded to the eastern gate of the Azara, "and two (identical) he-goats were there and there was also an urn containing two lots." Standing between the goats, "he shook the urn and took the two lots. One lot had written on it LaShem ('To G-d') and on the other was written 'To Azazel." The Kohein Gadol drew the lots simultaneously, placed them on the goats and then "bound a thread of crimson wool on the goat that was to be sent to Azazel." Returning to his bullock, "he laid his hands upon it and made confession" for the second time. "I have committed iniquity I and my house and all the children of Aharon …." The Par (and the Sa'ir) offered by the Kohein Gadol on Yom Kippur fall into the category of Chata'ot Penimi'yot - "inner sin-offerings" - because unlike other Chata'ot, the blood applications were made not on the sacrificial altar but rather in the Bayit itself. The Mishna reads, "…the Par and the Sa'ir offered on Yom Kippur were slaughtered on the north side and their blood was received in a Mikdash vessel - on the north side (of the Mizbei'ach). Their blood was required to be sprinkled between the staves (of the Aron HaBrit. During Bayit Sheini, when there was no Aron, the blood was sprinkled between where the staves of the Aron would have been.) and upon the veil (separating the Heichal from the Kodesh HaKodashim) and upon the Mizbach HaZahav, the golden incense altar). (The omission) of a single act of sprinkling impaired (the validity of the atonement)" (Zevachim 5:1). "He (the Kohein Gadol) slaughtered the bullock and received its blood in a Mizrak (Mikdash bowl) and gave it to one who would stir it… so it would not coagulate." After leaving behind the firepan with Ketoret, (incense) in the Kodesh HaKodashim, he retrieved the Mizrak containing the blood of his slaughtered Par from the Kohein who had been stirring it all this time. <to be continued> Catriel's book in progress: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrim’s Perspective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service [The
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