IF ANY ONE SHALL SIN. By inadvertently transgressing one of the negative commandments, the penalty for which is excision¹ 1:1. or flogging [for a deliberate act].² The word nefesh³ (any one) takes in Israelites and strangers,⁴ for it is so stated.⁵ is used in reference to a stranger in Ex. 23:9. It is widely used in Scripture to refer to Israelites. See Ex. 12:15. Scripture then goes into detail.⁶ It begins with the kohen gadol, the anointed kohen.

footnotes: ¹ Such as eating leaven on Passover (Ex. 12: 15). There are thirty-six transgressions for which the penalty of excision is prescribed. They are listed in Keritot ² For such a transgression as eating food which is not kosher. ³ Literally, a person or a soul. ⁴ Non-Jews living in the Land of Israel. See notes on I.E. Lev. 13:3. ⁵ The term nefesh ⁶ It goes on to describe the sin offerings to be brought by the various strata of society.

TO BRING GUILT ON THE PEOPLE. The kohen gadol taught incorrectly and the people were guilty, all of them having acted inadvertently.⁷hen gadol. On the other hand, the meaning of leashmat ha-am (to bring guilt on the people) might be, because of the guilt of all of the people.⁸ is responsible for the people’s sin. He did not sufficiently admonish the people. It⁹ (to bring guilt on the people). According to this interpretation our verse reads: If the appointed priest shall sin because of the people’s guilt. is mentioned here¹⁰ (shall sin). In other words, le-ashmat ha-am (to bring guilt on the people) qualifies yechete (shall sin). because the kohen is the bearer of the Torah and he is very careful and holy unto God.¹¹

footnotes: ⁷ The people inadvertently sinned by following the wrong ruling of the ko ⁸ The kohen gadol ⁹ The phrase le-ashmat ha-am ¹⁰ After the word yechete ¹¹ He himself would not sin inadvertently.

FOR HIS SIN. Al chattato (for his sin) means because of his sin.¹² (for his sin) literally means on his sin. Hence I.E.’s comment. Since the kohen gadol is great he must offer a bullock, which is the largest animal of all that are offered on the altar.

footnotes: ¹² Al chattato

AND THE PRIEST SHALL DIP. The anointed kohen himself. You will find the reason for seven times in the Torah portion Va-Yar Balak (Num. 22:2-25:9).¹³ The kohen gadol sprinkles some of the blood of the sin offering in front of the veil of the sanctuary¹⁴) separating the holy from the Holy of Holies. and on the incense altar¹⁵ because of his exalted status.¹⁶ The kohen gadol burns the entire bullock, aside from the various fats,¹⁷ outside [of the camp]¹⁸ because it is not a burnt offering.¹⁹

footnotes: ¹³ See I.E. on Num. 23:1, Vol 4, p. 191. ¹⁴ The veil (parokhet ¹⁵ Which stood in the holy. ¹⁶ In the case of other sin offerings the blood is not sprinkled in front of the veil and on the incense altar. Hence I.E.’s comment. ¹⁷ Which are burned on the altar. See verses 8 and 9. ¹⁸ Verses 11 and 12. ¹⁹ Hence, unlike the burnt offering, it is not burnt on the altar which stood in the temple courtyard. See Lev. 1:13.

WHERE THE ASHES ARE POURED OUT. It should be burned in the place where the ashes of the altar are found.²⁰

footnotes: ²⁰ In the place where the ashes of the altar are put.

WHEN THE SIN WHEREIN THEY HAVE SINNED IS KNOWN. The same law,²¹. even though it is not mentioned,²². applies to the kohen gadol, for if the sin not be known to the kohen gadol, then he does not bring a sin offering. Others say that the kohen gadol shall bring this sacrifice²³ every year because he may have sinned.²⁴. Scripture mentions the sin…is known with regard to the whole congregation of Israel, for it is possible that the kohen will inform them. However, there is no one to inform the kohen; he informs himself.²⁵ realizes by himself that he has sinned. The sin offering of the congregation is the same as that of the kohen gadol in all details. The kohen gadol is thus equivalent to all of Israel.²⁶

footnotes: ²¹ A person shall bring a sin offering only after learning that he has sinned. The same law applies to the kohen gadol ²² Scripture doesn’t state, “when their sin is known” in the law dealing with the kohen gadol ²³ A sin offering. ²⁴ Hence Scripture does not state “when the sin wherein he sinned is known” with regard to the kohen gadol ²⁵ The kohen gadol ²⁶ Hence their sacrifices are equal.

AND THE ELDERS OF THE CONGREGATION. The elders are the leaders. They will lay their hands²⁷ on their behalf and on behalf of all of Israel, for it is impossible for all of Israel to place their hands.²⁸

footnotes: ²⁷ On the head of the bullock. ²⁸ On the head of the bullock.

IT IS THE SIN-OFFERING. The bullock.²⁹ is in the masculine. Hence it refers to the bullock, not to the sin offering. Thus our text is to be understood as follows: The bullock is the sin offering of the assembly. If Israel errs and they do not do one of the positive commandments, then they shall bring a bullock as a burnt offering and a he-goat as a sin offering.³⁰ while Num. 15:22 reads, and not observe all these commandments.

footnotes: ²⁹ The verse reads, chattat ha-kahal hu. Hu ³⁰ Our text tells us that if the congregation sins in error they then bring a bullock as a sin offering. However, Num. 15:22-24 tells us that if the congregation sins in error they shall bring a bullock as a burnt offering and a he-goat as a sin offering. Hence I.E. points out that our text deals with the violation of a negative precept while Numbers deals with the violation of a positive precept, for the text reads, and do any of the things which the Lord hath commanded not to be done

WHEN A RULER SINNETH. The words are inverted.³¹ (when a ruler sinneth). Our verse should be read as if written, when the sinner is the ruler.³². I.E. interprets thus because he believes that asher (when) is connected to the verb (yechete), not to the noun (nasi). It is connected to that which is written above,³³ (and if) but with asher (the one who). that is, And if the whole congregation of Israel… (v. 13). Our verse, as it were, states, and if the one who sins is the ruler of a tribe or the ruler of a father’s house.

footnotes: ³¹ Our verse reads, asher nasi yechete ³² In other words, our text should be interpreted as if written, asher yechete nasi ³³ Hence our verse does not open with ve-im

IF HIS SIN…BE KNOWN TO HIM.³⁴ (literally, or if someone made known to him his sin). Scripture employs an abridged style.³⁵ It is similar to the verse dealing with the kohen.³⁶. There too Scripture employs an abridged style. See I.E.’s first comment on verse 10. Its meaning is, if the ruler knows on his own that he has sinned or someone else who has seen him³⁷ makes it known to him.³⁸ The following is the grammatical explanation of hoda elav (be known to him): Hoda (be known) is a verb³⁹. in the perfect.⁴⁰ (he made known). Compare, ve-hetzar⁴¹ is a hifil. It is a variant of hetzir. The same is true of hoda, hodi’a. lekha (and he shall besiege thee) (Deut. 28:52). The one who informs is omitted.⁴² is omitted. Scripture does not read, o hoda ish elav chattato. Compare, whom she bore⁴³ (Num. 26:59).⁴⁴ Rabbi Moses the Kohen says that hoda (be known) is a hofal,⁴⁵ should be rendered, be known. for the cholam and the shuruk interchange.⁴⁶ for this word is huda. Hence I.E. notes that hoda is a variant of huda. Hoda follows the paradigm of hurad⁴⁷. (was brought down) in And Joseph was brought down to Egypt (Gen. 39:1). The ruler offers a he-goat as a sacrifice in keeping with The greyhound; the he-goat also (Prov. 30:31).⁴⁸. The verse speaks of those who walk haughtily. The he-goat walks with its head held high, as does the king. Hence a goat was chosen as the animal to be offered by the ruler (the king) as a sin offering. The latter is in accordance with the interpretation of the Gaon in the Book of Proverbs. The offering consists of a male, in keeping with the status of the ruler. However, its blood is not brought inside of the sanctuary.⁴⁹ and the congregation. The kohanim, as is stated in Scripture,⁵⁰ eat of the ruler’s sin offering to atone for the ruler. The kohen gadol does not eat of his sin offering.⁵¹

footnotes: ³⁴ Hebrew, o hoda elav chattato ³⁵ Or, indicates a second possibility. However, Scripture does not record the first possibility. Hence I.E. assumes that Scripture omits the first possibility. It must be supplied by the reader. ³⁶ The kohen gadol ³⁷ Sin. ³⁸ Our verse is to be interpreted as if written: The ruler realizes that he has sinned or if someone makes his sin known to him. ³⁹ A hifil ⁴⁰ It is a variant of hodi’a ⁴¹ Hetzar ⁴² The subject governing hoda ⁴³ Translated according to I.E. ⁴⁴ Scripture does not identify who did the bearing. ⁴⁵ A passive. In other words, hoda ⁴⁶ The usual form of the hofal ⁴⁷ Which is a hofal ⁴⁸ The complete verse reads: The greyhound; the he-goat also; And the king, against whom there is no rising up ⁴⁹ In contrast to the blood of the bullock brought by the kohen gadol ⁵⁰ See Lev. 6:19. ⁵¹ See I.E. on Lev. 6:16.

OF THE COMMON PEOPLE. The reference is to all of Israel, the ordinary kohanim and the Levites.

AND BE GUILTY. Ashem (guilty) is a verb in the perfect. It is like zaken (was old) in when Isaac was old (Gen. 27:1).

A GOAT, A FEMALE. For his status is lower than that of the ruler.⁵²

footnotes: ⁵² Hence the sinner brings a female goat, which is on a lower level than a he-goat.

I will explain the meaning of ve-nislach lo (and he shall be forgiven) (v. 26) in the Torah portion Send Thou (Num. 13:1).⁵³

footnotes: ⁵³ See I.E. on Num. 14:19 (Vol. 4, p. 110).

AND IF HE BRING A LAMB. If he brings a sin offering from the lamb species then he shall bring a female, as in the case of the she-goat.⁵⁴

footnotes: ⁵⁴ When one brings a goat as a sin offering, he brings a she-goat. Similarly, when one chooses to bring a lamb as a sin offering he must bring a female.

[AS THE FAT OF THE LAMB IS TAKEN AWAY.] Scripture states the aforementioned because it wants to indicate that one is to offer the fat tail,⁵⁵ for a she-goat has no fat tail.⁵⁶

footnotes: ⁵⁵ When a lamb is offered. ⁵⁶ Hence Scripture omits the law of the fat tail when it deals with the offering of a she-goat, which does not have a fat tail.