For there is no earlier. The erecting of the Mishkan was on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, and this was on the twenty-third of Adar. The explanation of (v. 35): “At the entrance of the Tent of Meeting you shall sit ... for seven days” is: In the place of the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, since for the entire seven days they would erect it and take it apart [and when it was taken apart there was no entrance’]. On Rosh Chodesh the Mishkan was erected and not taken apart, except during their travels.

With words. This is not from an expression of לקיחה (taking); this has already been explained in Parshas Bereishis (20:15) and other places (Bereishis 43:15, and more).

The things which you will see. [Rashi is answering the question:] Nothing was mentioned earlier that Moshe could be referring to when he said, “This is the edict”! Therefore, Rashi explains: “The things which you will see.”

God commanded me. [Rashi adds this] because in the verse it does not mention Who commanded. [Therefore,] it was necessary to explain: “[Hashem] commanded me...” Although Moshe knew that in the end the honor would come and the Shechinah would dwell in his sacrifices, then, everyone would know as a matter of course that everything was a command of Hashem, nevertheless, he wanted to remove himself from even momentary suspicion (Nachalas Yaakov).

On the turban. See above in Parshas Tetzaveh (Shemos 28:37).

I do not know... The Ramban [suggests that the source of this command is] because it says regarding the altar (Shemos 40:10): “[Sanctify the altar] so that the altar becomes holy of holies,” which indicates that additional sanctification and sprinkling was necessary, more than [the sanctification] for the other vessels. But it appears to me it is because the altar was not like the other vessels of the Mishkan, in that the hollow of the altar was filled with earth and the anointing was for the copper [exterior] alone. However, there was no anointing for the earth that filled its hollow space. Therefore, he sprinkled unto the altar in the place where they were bringing sacrifices after it was filled with earth. It needed anointing because it was no less than other vessels (Gur Aryeh).

Purified it from any strangeness. I.e., [Rashi is answering the question:] Who made the altar impure that it was necessary to purify it? On this he explains: “From any strangeness...”

With this service. Otherwise, with what did he sanctify it?

**From now...**As if it says: He sanctified it so that he could make atonement upon it from now on.

Aside from the liver. Here, the Torah does not say על הכבד, only Rashi writes it here. His proof is from what it says here יותרת הכבד (the lobe of the liver). If so, why does it mention in Parshas Tetzaveh (Shemos 29:13): “על הכבד (the lobe on the liver),” and not יותרת הכבד, as it says here? Rather, the word על mentioned above is to expound that he takes a small part of the liver (Divrei Dovid).

For they fulfill and complete. The word מלואים written here is not an expression of installation, but rather an expression of wholeness: For they fulfill and complete, etc.

Use much oil. Rashi is answering the question: Why is it not written חלת מצה שמן in the earlier part of the verse [and שמן would then refer to everything mentioned in the verse], or at the end: ורקיק שמן, and would then refer to everything mentioned beforehand? He explains: [That is the scalded dough, in which he would use much oil].

**Moshe performed [the Temple service] all seven.**Re’m writes: I do not know why Rashi explains this here and not on (v. 15): “and Moshe took the blood...” where it would imply all the services that followed afterward were performed by Moshe. Perhaps the answer is: Rashi waited until the end of Moshe’s service. Additionally, we can say: Rashi is answering the question: Why did they burn the thigh on the altar? We do not find any thigh of a peaceoffering that was burnt, as Rashi writes nearby. And Rashi answers: “Moshe performed...” Regarding the breast and the thigh it is written that it shall be to Aharon and his sons as a portion (7:33, 34). For this reason Moshe burnt the thigh on the altar and it was not given to him as a portion, and only the breast [was given to him] to distinguish between him and Aharon and his sons, for they were the kohanim, and he was a Levi. He served only during the seven days of installation. Hashem made this distinction between Moshe and the kohanim, the sons of Aharon. Rashi did not write this above because there it was not necessary to say that Moshe served the entire seven days of installation. Rather, [one could say that] he served only on the first day to teach Aharon the details of service. The rest of the days, however, if they wished, Moshe could bring [sacrifices] to be burnt, or someone else, as long as he knew how to bring them [upon the altar] to be burnt. However, it is written here (v. 25-28): “He took the fat and the fat tail... He put them all on Aharon’s palms and on the palms of his sons and he waved... Moshe took them from their palms and he burned them on the altar in addition to the burnt-offering,” and this raises a difficulty: Why did Moshe perform all these services alone? Rashi explained (7:30) that waving requires three kohanim because the glory of the king is with a multitude of people! Therefore, perforce, no one else was fit to serve besides Moshe. Thus, one must say that Moshe served the entire seven days of installation (Gur Aryeh).

After the burnt-offering. It does not literally mean על (upon), for he already burnt the burnt-offering before the slaughtering of this ram.

All seven days. Meaning: This is a truncated verse, and it should have said: “Just as he did on this day, Hashem commanded him to do all seven days.” This is because if the phrase, “Just as he did on this day” was meant to be connected with the verse above: “because for seven days your hands will be filled.” If so, the phrase, “Hashem commanded him to do” would remain by itself, without being understandable. However, our Rabbis expounded: “To do” — this refers to the ritual of the Red Heifer, “to bring about atonement,” — this [refers] to the ritual of Yom Kippur. If so, according to what they expounded, we must say that the phrase, “Just as you have done on this day” is connected with the previous phrase. And the statement, “Hashem commanded him to do” is a separate statement — that Hashem commanded to do the ritual of the Red Heifer; and [commands] the Kohein Godol “to bring about atonement for you” on Yom Kippur by the means of seclusion for seven days.

Seclusion seven days before Yom Kippur. [I.e.,] just as these laws are required here they are also required there.

Thus, if you do not do so. Otherwise, if it were not written to infer from it, why is “and you will not die” written at all? Certainly, they will not die when they observe Hashem’s mitzvos! Rather, it must have been written for the sake of the inference.

**Death.**Meaning: From the negative statement you can infer the positive one. This is because Scripture here only intends to punish someone who will not do so, and not to say that if he will do so he will not die, since the main “cutting” is the death penalty, Rashi found it necessary to say here that from the negative statement you can infer the positive one, as if it says that if you do not do so you will die.

That they did not deviate. Otherwise, why does Scripture write, “[Aharon and his sons] fulfilled”? It is obvious! Would a righteous man such as he not do, Heaven forbid, as he was commanded by Hashem? Re’m writes: Similarly, the Sages expounded in the Mechilta, regarding (Shemos 14:2,4): “Speak to the Bnei Yisroel and have them turn back... They did just that.” And in Parshas Acharei Mos, regarding (16:34): “He did as Hashem commanded Moshe,” and in Parshas Bo, regarding (Shemos 12:28): “The Bnei Yisroel went and did...” and in Parshas Beha’aloscha, regarding (Bamidbar 8:22): “Just as Hashem had commanded Moshe.” However, in Parshas Beha’aloscha, regarding (ibid. 9:5): “So they made the Pesach offering ... [so did the Bnei Yisroel do],” the Sages did not expound. Perhaps this is because they relied on what was expounded concerning the [first] Pesach itself in Parshas Bo. It appears to me: The reason the Sages did not expound in Parshas Beha’aloscha, regarding (ibid.): “So they made the Pesach offering...” was because that entire section speaks of the Jewish people’s degradation, as Rashi explains: The entire forty years they were in the wilderness they made only this one Pesach offering, etc. For this reason the Sages did not expound concerning “So they made...” as they did elsewhere. Furthermore, Re’m writes: “However, in Parshas Korach (Bamidbar 17:26) regarding: ‘Moshe did so, [he did just as Hashem had commanded him],’ concerning the matter of the staffs, the Sages did not expound anything, and I do not know why.” It seems to me the answer is because it is not applicable to expound there: To tell you his praise, etc., since Moshe was the messenger of Hashem, and it is presumed that a messenger fulfills his assignment. It is no praise for a messenger when he does the assignment of the one who sent him. However, the Bnei Yisroel, and Aharon and his sons, did according to the words of Moshe. They made no changes from all that he commanded them, and they believed that Moshe was sent [by Hashem]. For this, it is apropos to expound: “To tell you their praise.” So it appears to me.