WHEN A RULER SINNETH, ETC. R. Isaac pointed out that the corresponding clauses referring to the high priest and the congregation begin with the word “if,-“if the anointed priest shall sin, etc.” (Lev. 4, 3). “if the whole congregation of Israel shall err, etc.” (Ibid. 13).
The reason is’, he said, ‘that it is exceptional for the High Priest to sin, since he feels his responsibility to his Master and to Israel and to each individual. Similarly, it is very exceptional for the whole congregation to commit one and the same sin, for if some commit it, others will not. But a prince’s heart is uplifted because of his power, and therefore he is almost bound to sin; hence it says here, “when”, and not “if’.’
R. Judah illustrated from the verse: “And the princes brought the onyx stones and the stones to be set for the ephod and the breastplate” (Ex. 35, 27). ‘Why’, he asked, ‘should it have been left for the princes to bring these things, seeing that the order had gone forth that “everyone willing of heart should bring the Lord’s offering” (Ibid. 4), including “onyx stones and stones to be set for the ephod and the breastplate” (Ibid. 9)?
The reason is that God said: Although the free-will offering is requested from all, yet leave these things to the princes. Why? Because they are borne on the breast of the High Priest. Let the princes whose heart is uplifted bring these stones which are worn on the heart of the High Priest, so that he may make atonement for their pride of heart.
AND HE SHALL DO UNWITTINGLY ONE OF THE THINGS WHICH THE LORD HIS GOD HATH COMMANDED NOT TO BE DONE: that is, as stated elsewhere, if he transgresses a negative precept. IF HIS SIN BE MADE KNOWN TO HIM: because in the pride of his heart he did not notice his sin, but afterwards it was pointed out to him and he repented.
R. Judah and R. Jose were sitting and studying the Torah one night. Said R. Judah: ‘I observe that the Torah seems clearer by night than by day: how is this?’ He replied: ‘It is because the Written Law is explained by the Oral Law, and the Oral Law has sway by night and is more active then than by day. When, therefore, it holds sway, the Torah is clearer.’
(ויקרא ד׳:כ״ב) אֲשֶׁר נָשִׂיא יֶחטָא וְעָשָׂה אַחַת וְגוֹ' בִּשְׁגָגָה וְאָשֵׁם. תָּאנֵי רִבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי שְׁנָא בְּכָל אֲתַר דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ וְאִם, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר אִם הַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ יֶחטָא. וְאִם כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁגּוּ, וְהָכָא אֲשֶׁר נָשִׂיא יֶחטָא, וְלָא כְּתִיב ואִם נָשִׂיא יֶחֱטָא, מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי.
WHEN A RULER SINNETH, ETC. R. Isaac pointed out that the corresponding clauses referring to the high priest and the congregation begin with the word “if,-“if the anointed priest shall sin, etc.” (Lev. 4, 3). “if the whole congregation of Israel shall err, etc.” (Ibid. 13).
אֶלָּא, אִלֵּין כַּהֲנַיָא לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי הָכִי בְּחַטָּאָה, דְּהָא כֹּהֵן נָטִיר גַּרְמֵיהּ תְּדִירָא, בְּגִין דְּמָטוּלָא דְּמָארֵיהּ עָלֵיהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וּמָטוּלָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ, וּמָטוּלָא דְּכָל חַד וְחַד, וְעַל דָּא תַּוָּוהָא אִיהוּ כַּד יֶחטָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ וְאִם כְּתִיב. וְכֵן וְאִם כָּל עֲדַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁגּוּ, תַּוָּוהָא הוּא דְּכֻלְּהוּ יִשְׁתַּכְחוּ בְּחוֹבָה חַד, דְּאִי אִלֵּין יֶחֶטְאוּן, אִלֵּין לָא יֶחֶטְאוּן, וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ וְאִם כְּתִיב. אֲבָל הָכָא אֲשֶׁר נָשִׂיא יֶחטָא, וַדַּאי, בְּגִין דְּלִבֵּיהּ גַּס בֵּיהּ, וְעַמָּא אַזְלִין אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וְאִתְמְנוּן תְּחוֹתוֹי. וְעַל דָּא אֲשֶׁר נָשִׂיא יֶחטָא. כְּגוֹן דְּעָבַר עַל מִצְוֹת לא תַּעֲשֶׂה, וְהוּא עָבִיד חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְעַל דָּא לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ וְאִם, דְּהָא מִלּוֹי לָא בְּסִפְקָא הֲווֹ.
The reason is’, he said, ‘that it is exceptional for the High Priest to sin, since he feels his responsibility to his Master and to Israel and to each individual. Similarly, it is very exceptional for the whole congregation to commit one and the same sin, for if some commit it, others will not. But a prince’s heart is uplifted because of his power, and therefore he is almost bound to sin; hence it says here, “when”, and not “if’.’
רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, (שמות ל״ה:כ״ז) וְהַנְּשִׂיאִים הֵבִיאוּ אֵת אַבְנִי הַשֹּׂהַם וְאֵת אַבְנֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים לָאֵפוֹד וְלַחֹשֶׁן. מַאי שְׁנָא דְּמִלִּין אִלֵּין אַקְרִיבוּ נְשִׂיאִים, וְלָא בַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא, וְהָא כְּתִיב (שמות ל״ה:ה׳) כֹּל נְדִיב לִבּוֹ יְבִיאֶהָ אֵת תְּרוּמַת יְיָ', וּכְתִיב (שמות ל״ה:ט׳) וְאַבְנֵי שֹׂהַם וְאַבְנִי מִלּוּאִים לָאֵפוֹד וְלַחֹשֶׁן.
R. Judah illustrated from the verse: “And the princes brought the onyx stones and the stones to be set for the ephod and the breastplate” (Ex. 35, 27). ‘Why’, he asked, ‘should it have been left for the princes to bring these things, seeing that the order had gone forth that “everyone willing of heart should bring the Lord’s offering” (Ibid. 4), including “onyx stones and stones to be set for the ephod and the breastplate” (Ibid. 9)?
אֶלָּא, אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַף עַל גַּב דִּבְכֹלָּא תַּלְיָא הַאי נְדָבָה, סְלִיקוּ אִלֵּין אֲבָנִים לַנְּשִׂיאִים. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּעַל לִבָּא דְּכַהֲנָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ. אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לֵיתוּ נְשִׂיאִים דְּלִבַּיְיהוּ גַּס בְּהוּ, וְיֵיתוּן אִלֵּין אֲבָנִים דְּאִינּוּן מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי עַל לִבָּא דְּכַהֲנָא, וְיִתְכַּפֵּר עָלַיְיהוּ מִגַּסוּת לִבַּיְיהוּ, וּכְתִיב (שמות כ״ח:ל׳) וְהָיוּ עַל לֵב אַהֲרֹן בְּבֹאוֹ לִפְנֵי יְיָ', וְעַל דָּא וְהַנְּשִׂיאִים הֵבִיאוּ אֵת אַבְנֵי הַשֹּׁהַם וְאֵת אַבְנֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים לְכַפְּרָא עָלַיְיהוּ.
The reason is that God said: Although the free-will offering is requested from all, yet leave these things to the princes. Why? Because they are borne on the breast of the High Priest. Let the princes whose heart is uplifted bring these stones which are worn on the heart of the High Priest, so that he may make atonement for their pride of heart.
וּבְגִין כָּךְ אֲשֶׁר נָשִׂיא יְחֱטָא וַדַּאי. וְעָשָׂה אַחַת מִכָּל מִצְוֹת יְיָ' אֱלֹהָיו אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֵעָשֶׂנָּה, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ, דְּעָבַר עַל מִצְוַת לא תַּעֲשֶׂה. אוֹ הוֹדַע אֵלָיו חַטָּאתוֹ. דִּבְגִין דְּלִבֵּיהּ גַּס בֵּיהּ, לָא אַשְׁגַּח בַּחֲטָאֵיהּ, וּלְבָתַר אִתְיְידַע לֵיהּ, וְעָבִיד מִנֵּיהּ תְּשׁוּבָה.
AND HE SHALL DO UNWITTINGLY ONE OF THE THINGS WHICH THE LORD HIS GOD HATH COMMANDED NOT TO BE DONE: that is, as stated elsewhere, if he transgresses a negative precept. IF HIS SIN BE MADE KNOWN TO HIM: because in the pride of his heart he did not notice his sin, but afterwards it was pointed out to him and he repented.
רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווֹ יַתְבֵי חַד לֵילְיָא, וְלָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי, חֲמֵינָא דְּצָחוּתָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּלֵילְיָא, הוּא יַתִּיר מִבִּימָמָא, אֲמַאי. אָמַר לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּצָחוּתָא דְּתוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב, תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה הוּא. וְתוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, בְּלֵילְיָא שַׁלְטָא וְאַתְעֲרַת יַתִּיר מִבִּימָמָא, וּבְזִמְנָא דְּאִיהִי שַׁלְטָא, כְּדֵין אִיהוּ צָחוּתָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא.
R. Judah and R. Jose were sitting and studying the Torah one night. Said R. Judah: ‘I observe that the Torah seems clearer by night than by day: how is this?’ He replied: ‘It is because the Written Law is explained by the Oral Law, and the Oral Law has sway by night and is more active then than by day. When, therefore, it holds sway, the Torah is clearer.’