📜 Daily Chumash & Rashi Acharei Mos Kedoshim Rishon: The Avoda of Yom Kippur

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Rishon

  1. Death of Aaron’s sons:
  • The Torah recounts the death of Aaron’s sons and the commands Hashem told Moshe as a result.
  1. The Avoda of Yom Kippur:
  • Aaron may only enter the Kodesh when the cloud is on the Kapores.
  • The offerings: Aaron is to bring a bull as a Chatas offering and a ram as an Oleh offering when he enters the Kodesh. He is to wear four linen garments during the service and is to immerse in a Mikveh prior to doing so. The nation is to bring to Aaron two goat offerings as a Chatas and a single ram as an Oleh.
  • Aaron is to offer his bull as a Chatas and atone for himself and family.
  • The service done with the two Chatas goats: The two goats are to be placed before the Ohel Moed. A raffle is to be made and one of the goats is to go to Hashem and the second is to go to Azazel. The goat which came out to Hashem is to be offered as a Chatas. The Azazel goat is to be sent to the desert.
  • The bull of Aaron is to be offered.
  • The Ketores: Coals and Ketores are to be brought to the Paroches. The Ketores is to be placed on the coals before Hashem.
  • Sprinkling the blood in the Kodesh: The blood of the bull is to be sprinkled with his finger seven times onto the Paroches. The goat which came out to Hashem is to be offered as a Chatas and its blood sprinkled seven times by the Paroches. This procedure is followed in order to purify Bnei Yisrael and atone for their sins. No person is to be in the Ohel Moed when the Kohen enters into the Kodesh.
  • Sprinkling the blood on the altar: The blood of the goat and bull is to be placed on the corners of the Mizbeiach. The blood is to be sprinkled seven times on the Mizbeiach.
  • The live goat: The live goat is to be brought to Aaron. He is to lean on it and confess. The goat is then sent with an escort to the desert. The goat carries all the sins of the Jewish people.
  • The Olah: Aaron is to change his clothing and offer his Olah offering, and the Olah offering of the nation.

📘 Rashi Q&A — Vayikra 16:1–24

 

16:1 — After the Death of Aaron’s Sons

Q1. Why does the Torah emphasize “after the death of Aaron’s two sons”?

A: To warn Aaron more strongly, like a doctor who says, “Do not act this way so that you do not die as so‑and‑so did,” which is more motivating than a general warning.

 

16:2 — Restriction on Entry

Q2. What warning is conveyed by “וְאַל־יָבֹא” (he must not come)?

A: Aaron must not repeat the mistake of his sons, lest he die as they did.

 

Q3. What does “וְלֹא יָמוּת” imply?

A: If he does enter unlawfully, he will die.

 

Q4. What is meant by “כִּי בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה”?

A: God’s Presence is constantly revealed there in a cloud; therefore entry is dangerous.

 

Q5. How do the Sages interpret “כִּי”?

A: He may enter only when he produces a cloud of incense, i.e., on Yom Kippur.

 

16:3 — “With This” Aaron Enters

Q6. What is the significance of the word “בְּזֹאת”?

A: Its numerical value is 410, alluding to the years the First Temple stood.

 

Q7. Does Aaron enter regularly even with these offerings?

A: No—only on Yom Kippur, as stated later.

 

 

 

16:4 — Linen Garments

Q8. Why does the High Priest wear only linen garments inside?

A: Because gold recalls the Golden Calf, and an accuser cannot be a defender.

 

Q9. How many garments does he wear inside?

A: Four linen garments, like an ordinary priest.

 

Q10. What does “קֹדֶשׁ יִלְבָּשׁ” teach?

A: These garments must be purchased with Temple funds.

 

Q11. What does “יִצְנֹף” mean?

A: He places the turban on his head.

 

Q12. How many immersions does the High Priest perform that day?

A: Five immersions and ten washings of hands and feet.

 

16:6 — The Bull for Aaron

Q13. What does “אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ” teach about the bull?

A: It must come from Aaron’s own funds, not communal funds.

 

Q14. Who is included in “בֵּיתוֹ”?

A: All the priests, called “the house of Aaron.”

 

16:8–10 — The Two Goats

Q15. How were the lots placed on the goats?

A: Aaron drew lots with both hands and placed them on the goats.

 

Q16. What is meant by “עֲזָאזֵל”?

A: A harsh, rocky precipice.

 

Q17. How is the goat designated a sin‑offering?

A: Aaron verbally declares: “For God, a sin‑offering.”

 

Q18. Why does Scripture say the Azazel goat must remain “alive”?

A: To teach that it remains alive until sent away, implying it is then sent to death.

 

16:11 — Second Confession

Q19. What does the repetition of “וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ” teach?

A: Aaron makes a second confession, this time including the priests.

 

Q20. For which sins do the priests receive atonement?

A: For entering the Sanctuary or eating sacred items while defiled.

 

16:12–13 — Incense

Q21. From where are the coals taken?

A: From the Outer Altar, west side.

 

Q22. Why is the incense described as “דַּקָּה”?

A: It must be extra‑fine, reground on Yom Kippur eve.

 

Q23. Why is preparing the incense so critical?

A: Failure to prepare it correctly brings death.

 

16:14–15 — Blood Service

Q24. How many times is the blood dashed?

A: One upward and seven downward.

 

Q25. Which goat’s blood is brought inside?

A: The goat designated for God, not for Azazel.

 

16:16 — Scope of Atonement

Q26. What sins are included under “טֻמְאֹת”?

A: Unaware entry into the Sanctuary while defiled.

 

Q27. What sins are included under “פִּשְׁעֵיהֶם”?

A: Intentional entry while defiled.

 

Q28. What does “השוכן איתם בתוך טומאותם” teach?

A: God’s Presence remains with Israel even amid defilement.

 

16:18–19 — The Golden Altar

Q29. Which altar is “the Altar before God”?

A: The Golden Altar inside the Sanctuary.

 

Q30. Why does the verse say “וְיָצָא”?

A: Because Aaron moves eastward beyond the Altar to begin its atonement.

 

Q31. How is the blood applied to the Altar?

A: Blood of the bull and goat are mixed, placed on the protrusions, then dashed seven times on top.

16:21–22 — Confession on the Living Goat

Q32. What sins are confessed over the Azazel goat?

A: All willful, rebellious, and unintentional sins of Israel.

 

Q33. What is an “אִישׁ עִתִּי”?

A: A man appointed the day before to lead the goat.

 

Q34. Where is the goat sent?

A: To a precipitous desert land, to its death.

 

16:23 — Removing the Linen Garments

Q35. Why is this verse considered out of sequence?

A: Because removing the garments occurs after additional services, not immediately.

 

Q36. What is the real purpose of entering the Tent here?

A: To remove the incense pan and spoon from the Holy of Holies.

 

Q37. What is learned from “וְהִנִּיחָם שָׁם”?

A: The linen garments are stored away permanently and never reused.

 

16:24 — Returning to Golden Garments

Q38. What does this immersion correspond to?

A: Changing from white garments back to golden garments requires immersion.

 

Q39. Where were most immersions performed?

A: In a sanctified place, on the roof of the Parvah House.

 

Q40. Which offerings are brought now?

A: Aaron’s ram and the people’s ram as ascent‑offerings.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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