Mesorat%20hashas for Shevuot 1:3

אֵין בָּהּ יְדִיעָה בַתְּחִלָּה אֲבָל יֶשׁ בָּהּ יְדִיעָה בַסּוֹף, שָׂעִיר הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בַחוּץ וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כט) מִלְּבַד חַטַּאת הַכִּפֻּרִים, עַל מַה שֶּׁזֶּה מְכַפֵּר, זֶה מְכַפֵּר. מַה הַפְּנִימִי אֵין מְכַפֵּר אֶלָּא עַל דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יְדִיעָה, אַף הַחִיצוֹן אֵין מְכַפֵּר אֶלָּא עַל דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יְדִיעָה:

If there were no awareness in the beginning [(i.e., If he never knew of this uncleanliness, this never becomes subject to an offering, an offering obtaining only where there was awareness in the beginning)], but there was awareness in the end, the kid presented outside [on the outer altar, with the additional Yom Kippur offerings] and Yom Kippur [itself] atone [with the kid], it being written (Numbers 29:11): "…aside from the offering of atonement." Whatever the latter atones for, the former atones for. Just as the inner (altar sacrifice, "the latter") atones only where there was awareness, so the outer (altar sacrifice, "the former") atones only where there was awareness. [It is written of the kid presented outside: "One kid of goats as a sin-offering, aside from the sin-offering of atonement." The sin-offering of atonement is the kid presented within. Scripture likens them to teach us that what one atones for, the other atones for, viz.: Just as the inner is presented only where there was awareness, (in that instance,) awareness in the beginning, as derived from (Leviticus 16:16): "…for all of their sins," the implication being: for all that would be subject to a sin-offering if there were awareness at the end; and there is no sin-offering without awareness in the beginning — so the kid presented outside does not atone unless there was awareness, (in this instance,) awareness at the end, but not in the beginning, where it would never be subject to a sin-offering. And this atonement is absolute, without "suspension" (see 1:2)].

Explore mesorat%20hashas for Shevuot 1:3. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.