“And it was, after the death of the two sons of Aharon … Speak to Aharon, do not come at all times into the Holy Place ….” (Vayikra, 16:1–2) The explanation of “at all times,” “b’col eit,” is like “with all the desires of your soul,” “b’col avat nafsheicha.” (Be careful how you proceed) now that you have seen how all the Kedusha (holiness) of Nadav and Avihu did not save them from something that had the outward appearance of a sin in their coming close before God, for in their hearts there was an overpowering of love more than fear. Concerning this, He warned Aharon not to imagine in his soul that he had the power to save himself from their fate. Rather, he needed to guard himself more than them, to be extremely vigilant of this, and know that he must always look towards divine assistance. “Yet thus shall Aharon go” (next verse) teaches that Aharon should go before God in the same way that Nadav and Avihu did, with Kedusha, purity, and great trepidation.²⁵ or self-guarding. However, in addition to how they went, God advised him to go with, “a bull for atonement.”

footnotes: ²⁵ Shmira

“Thus shall Aharon go ….” (Vayikra, 16:3) It is written in the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabba, Acharei Mot, 21), “If you have made bundles of sins, make bundles of mitzvot corresponding to them. If you have been jealous [“high eyes,” meaning looking at what someone else has with jealousy], than place totafot [tefillin] between your eyes…” It would seem that the mitzvah corresponding to jealousy (“high eyes”) would be tsitsit, of which it is written, “and you shall see them.”²⁶ is itself connected to the word for looking, tsits. However, we have the following saying from our sages. “At the time of the yetser hara [the inclination to evil], no one remembers the yetser tov [the inclination to good].” Even though tsitsit teach of the great fear of God and a constriction of one’s behavior, still, this reminder will be of no use at a time when the yetser hara is in control, for it will be impossible to keep your attention on them. Tefillin, on the other hand, teach of the final good that God will eventually effuse to each and every one of us. So when one puts his full attention on the great good, which is also hidden for him and his portion, then he will not be jealous when he looks on the portion of his neighbor. Then he will certainly refrain from jealousy, for he will be happy with his own portion.

footnotes: ²⁶ And the word tsitsit

“And there shall be no man in the tent of appointed meeting when he goes in to make atonement ….” (Vayikra, 16:17) It is said in the Midrash (Vayikra Rabba, 21:11), “for the high priest is not a man …” The term “man,” adam, teaches of the intensely deep preciousness of man in his understanding and intellect. On the Day of Atonement he enters beyond and within (lifnai and lifnim, to the innermost holy of Holies), which is a completely unique place. This is as it is written in the holy Zohar (Bamidbar, 130b), “for there are two nostrils, one draws in life, and the other draws in the life of all life.” With all of one’s actions it is said (Mishlei, 16:1), “the preparations of the heart are made by man, and the answer of the tongue is from God.” Yet here it is different, as it is said, “and there shall be no man.” Thus when it comes to the service on the day of atonement and the effusion of Divine energy that flows at this time from God, there is absolutely no relevance to the borders of the comprehension of man, in his thought or understanding.

“… and he shall send [the goat] out by the hand of a man appointed for the occasion ….” (Vayikra, 16:21) It is said in the holy Zohar (Vayikra, 63b), “this man would only live after this a short while,” and the proof of this is in the term “appointed for the occasion” (eeti, coming from the word et, a time). With his action on the Day of Atonement he reaches a final state (time) of completion, having nothing more left to complete in this world.

“Do not defile yourselves in any of these things … and the land itself vomits out her inhabitants … That the land should not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you.” (Vayikra, 18:24–28) Even though the language is doubled, the meaning is “it shall not vomit you,” and this is because it says above this, “and the land itself vomits out her inhabitants.” You may think that this will be your only punishment for performing abominations, namely the land vomiting you out as it vomited out the other nations. Therefore it says afterwards, “but the land shall not vomit you out.” Your judgment shall not be the land vomiting you out as was their judgment, but rather (verse 29), “For whoever shall commit any of these abominations, the souls who commit them shall undergo spiritual excision among their people.”

“It shall be a Sabbath of rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls, an eternal statute.” (Vayikra, 16:31) It is because this day is special among all the days of the year, as it is especially prepared for the effusion of goodness from God in the illumination of His countenance. Therefore the advice given is to afflict your souls (a kind of spiritual preparation) in order that your mind is thoroughly settled. This is all so the effusion does not descend only according to your requests, for then it would just descend within the bounds of your comprehension. In this way it will come as an effusion from the side of God, and it will be the full amount of the Holy One, blessed be He, without any measure or limit.