Based on Rav Immanuel Bernstein
Moshe, Aharon and the Burned Chatas Offering
וְאֵת שְעִיר הַחַטָאת דָרֹש דָרַש מֹשֶׁה וְהִנֵה שֹרָף וַיִּקְצֹף עַל אֶׁלְעָזָר וְעַל אִיתָמָר בְנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַנוֹתָרִ ם לֵאמֹר. מַדוּעַ לֹא אֲכַלְתֶׁם אֶׁת הַחַטָאת בִמְקוֹם הַקֹדֶׁש... אָכוֹל תֹאכְלוּ אֹתָהּ בַקֹדֶׁש כַאֲשֶׁר צִוֵּיתִי. וַיְדַבֵר אַהֲרֹן אֶׁל מֹשֶׁה... וַתִקְרֶׁאנָה אֹתִי כָאֵלֶׁה וְאָכַלְתִי חַטָאת הַיּוֹם הַיִּיטַב בְעֵינֵי ה'.
Moshe inquired regarding the goat of the sin-offering and behold, it had been burnt, and he was angry with Elazar and Itamar, Aharon’s remaining sons, saying, “Why did you not eat the sin-offering in a holy place?... You should have eaten it in the holy (place) as I commanded!” Aharon spoke to Moshe, “... now that such things befell me, were I to eat this day’s sin-offering, would it be good in HaShem’s eyes?” (10:16-19)
Background: The Chatas Offerings of “the Eighth Day” and their Outcomes
According to the opinion of R’ Nechemiah, as cited by the Toras Kohanim (2:8) and the Gemara (Zevachim 101a) the reason the chatas (sin offering) was burnt was on account of the fact that Aharon and his sons were in the category of onein (bereavement) due to the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, and the Torah forbids korbanos to be consumed by a kohen who is an onein.
In all, three chatas offerings were offered that day:
- The chatas which was part of the special korbanos offered on the opening day of the Mishkan, as mentioned in the beginning of the parsha (9,3).
- Nachshon’s chatas, as part of the korbanos offered by the nesi’im on the first twelve days of the Mishkan’s operation. (Bemidbar 7,16)
- The chatas of Rosh Chodesh. (Opening day of the Mikdash was Rosh Chodesh Nissan)
Of these three chatas offerings:
- The first two are in the category of kodshei sha’ah – korbanos specifically offered on that occasion.
- The third is in the category of kodshei doros – korbanos that are to be offered on an ongoing basis, since every Rosh Chodesh has a goat offered as a chatas.
Indeed, the first two chatas offerings were consumed by Aharon and his sons. It was specifically the third chatas which was burned, and concerning which Moshe and Aharon has their exchange.
In pasuk 18, Moshe states, “You should have eaten it in the holy as I commanded.” Moshe had received a direct command from HaShem, as expressed in pasuk 13, that even though Aharon and his sons were oneinim, they nonetheless should consume the chatas. Aharon’s response to this was to say that this command related only to the chatas offerings (no’s 1 and 2) that were kodshei sha’ah – which they had indeed consumed. However, with regards to kodshei doros (no 3), the normal rule applied that it could not be consumed by an onein, and hence they burned it.
The perek concludes by saying that “Moshe heard this and it was good in his eyes,” i.e. he concurred although he had not made the distinction between kodshei sha’ah and kodshei doros regarding the command to consume the chataos as an onein, that distinction was indeed correct.
When was the Command to Consume the Chataos Given?
The Meshech Chochmah is troubled by the notion that Moshe would receive a special command from HaShem relating to a specific situation and yet not understand to which korbanos that command applied. Rather, he suggests that upon closer inspection, we can see that there was no such special command. Moshe refers to the command to consume the korbanos with the words “כִי כֵן צֻוֵּיתִי – for thus I have been commanded.” If the ruling regarding consuming the korbanos was issued at that time (i.e., following the deaths of Nadav and Avihu), Moshe would have introduced it with the appropriate words “זה הדבר אשר צוה ה' – This is the matter that HaShem has commanded,” as he did regarding the korbanos of the day in the beginning of perek 9,5!
Yet if this command was not given at that time, when, then, was it given? Indeed, how could a command be given regarding Aharon being in a state of aninut before he entered that state? Was Moshe being informed before the fact that Aharon would be bereaved and this halachah would apply to him?!
The Punishment of Nadav and Avihu
The Meshech Chochmah explains that in fact, the only command regarding consuming the korbanos was issued at the beginning of the day. However, Moshe understood that contained within it was a command to consume them even in a state of aninut! Chazal (Toras Kohanim sec. 21) inform us that Nadav and Avihu were scheduled to die on this day based on a liability they had already incurred earlier, at Sinai, were one said to the other, “When will these two elders (Moshe and Aharon) die and you and I will lead the congregation?” As such, if HaShem – knowing that Nadav and Avihu would die on that day – nevertheless commanded Moshe that the korbanos were to be consumed, He was effectively commanding that they be consumed by Aharon and his sons even in a state of aninut!
To this Aharon responded: HaShem’s command at the beginning of the day referred to the korbanos that were exclusive to that day – kodshei sha’ah. However, the obligation to consume kodshei doros derives from the general mitzvah stated regarding them and hence, would not override the fact that Aharon and his sons were oneinim.
