And he brought forward the sons of Aharon, and Moshe put from the blood on their right earlobe and on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot, and Moshe cast the blood on the altar all around. Rabbi Benamozegh delves into the significance of the anointing of certain body parts during the consecration of priests, offering insights into the symbolism behind these rituals. He starts by examining the anointing of the earlobe, suggesting it symbolises liberation from physical labour and servitude. This contrasts with the practice of piercing a servant’s ear, signifying perpetual servitude, a custom also observed in ancient Greece. He then turns to the anointing of the right thumb, highlighting its significance in consecrating the priests’ hands, their primary tool for performing sacred services. He emphasises the thumb’s crucial role in the hand, without which the other fingers would be ineffective. He contrasts the anointing of the thumb to the practice of Adoni-Bezeq in Sefer Shofetim, who cut off the thumbs and big toes of kings whom he had conquered. This point is also illustrated with a historical reference to the Athenians, who punished the rebellious by amputating their thumbs, thereby rendering their hands useless. The commentary then addresses the anointing of the big toe, interpreted as a way to sanctify the priests’ movements towards the Holy Temple. Rabbi Benamozegh argues that this act ensures their walk is peaceful and purposeful. He notes that the Tanakh often uses foot and walking metaphors to represent the integrity, or the lack thereof, in actions. Rabbi Benamozegh thus concludes his explanation for the selection of these specific organs for anointing. However, he admits uncertainty about why the right side was chosen over the left side, other than the general sacredness attributed to the right side in Jewish tradition. He concludes by drawing a parallel between the wisdom of Ḥazal and the teachings of the Torah about giving precedence to the right side over the left, suggesting they are inherently connected and bear the same mark of Divine truth.

And from the entrance of the Tent of Meeting you shall not go out seven days, until the day of completion of the days of your installation, for seven days shall your initiation be. Rabbi Benamozegh delves into the concept of “filling of hands” (ימלא את ידכם) which connotes a form of ‘consecration’, ‘ordination’, or ‘initiation’. He critiques the explanation given by Rabbi Naftali Wessely, an 18th century German Hebraist, who posited that the “filling of hands” means to imbue a person with strength, in opposition to the phrases ‘lack of hand’ or ‘short-hand’, both idioms for weakness. Rabbi Benamozegh argues that this interpretation does not fully capture the essence of the phrase. He suggests that ‘strength of hand’ would be a more appropriate contrast to ‘lack of hand’ rather than “filling of hand”. Rabbi Benamozegh then presents his understanding of the phrase, connecting it to the initiation or installation into a sacred service. He explains that before initiation, a person’s hands are metaphorically empty. It is only when one starts serving and engaging with the holy vessels or sacrifices that their hands are considered ‘full’. This filling of the hands (ימלא את ידכם) symbolises an ordination or initiation, the moment one’s hands transition from emptiness to being filled with sacred tasks. He supports his interpretation with other verses that state how Aharon and his sons began their service by physically handling sacred objects and performing rituals as commanded by God, as recorded in Vayiqra 8:27, “[Moshe] put everything on the palms of Aharon and on the palms of his sons, and elevated them as an elevation offering before YHWH.”