אֵין בֵּין כֹּהֵן מָשׁוּחַ בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה לִמְרֻבֶּה בְגָדִים אֶלָּא פַּר הַבָּא עַל כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת. אֵין בֵּין כֹּהֵן מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְכֹהֵן שֶׁעָבַר אֶלָּא פַּר יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וַעֲשִׂירִית הָאֵיפָה:
There is no difference between the (high) priest anointed with the anointing oil and the "many-clothed" (high-priest), but the bullock which is brought for "all the mitzvoth" (Leviticus 4:2). [(the "many-clothed"): These are the priests who officiated in the second Temple and also in the first Temple from Yoshiyahu on. The cruse of anointing oil was secreted in his days, so that high-priests were invested with the donning of (additional) vestments alone. If the anointed high-priest (but not the "many-clothed") rules to be permitted something for which wilful transgression is punishable by kareth, and he acts upon his ruling, he brings a bullock (as an offering), viz. (Ibid. 3): "And if the anointed priest, etc."]. There is no difference between an officiating priest ("cohein meshamesh") and a pre-empted priest ("cohein she'avar") but the bullock of Yom Kippur and the tenth of the ephah. [("cohein hameshamesh":) If the high-priest sustained a blemish, and another were appointed in his stead, and his blemish disappeared, and he returned to his service, and his "stand-in" stepped down — the first is called "meshamesh," and the second, "avar." ("but the bullock of Yom Kippur":) it being impossible to offer two. And, likewise, with the tenth of the ephah, the daily cakes of the high-priest, it being impossible to offer two. But in all other respects, they are alike. If he (the "avar") comes to offer the incense or to perform any service, he wears eight vestments. And both are commanded (to wed only) a virgin, and are exhorted against marrying a widow, and officiate at sacrifices even in mourning.]
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
Rabbi Eliezer said: The five letters of the Torah, which alone of all the letters in the Torah are of double (shape), all appertain to the mystery of the Redemption. With "Khaph" "Khaph" our father Abraham was redeemed from Ur of the Chaldees, as it is said, (Lekh Lekha) "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred… unto the land that I will shew thee" (Gen. 12:1). With "Mem" "Mem" our father Isaac was redeemed from the land of the Philistines, as it is said, "Go from us: for thou art much mightier (Memennu M'ôd) than we" (Gen. 26:16). With "Nun" "Nun" our father Jacob was redeemed from the hand of Esau, as it is said, "Deliver me, I pray thee, (Hazilêne na) from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau" (Gen. 32:11). With "Pê" "Pê" Israel was redeemed from Egypt, as it is said, "I have surely visited you, (Paḳôd Paḳadti) and (seen) that which is done to you in Egypt, and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt" (Ex. 3:16, 17). With "Zaddi" "Zaddi" the Holy One, blessed be He, in the future will redeem Israel from the oppression of the kingdoms, and He will say to them, I have caused a branch to spring forth for you, as it is said, "Behold, the man whose name is (Zemach) the Branch; and he shall grow up (yizmach) || out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord" (Zech. 6:12). These letters were delivered only to our father Abraham. Our father Abraham delivered them to Isaac, and Isaac (delivered them) to Jacob, and Jacob delivered the mystery of the Redemption to Joseph, as it is said, "But God will surely visit (Paḳôd yiphḳôd) you" (Gen. 1. 24). Joseph his son delivered the secret of the Redemption to his brethren. Asher, the son of Jacob, delivered the mystery of the Redemption to Serach his daughter. When Moses and Aaron came to the elders of Israel and performed the signs in their sight, the elders of Israel went to Serach, the daughter of Asher, and they said to her: A certain man has come, and he has performed signs in our sight, thus and thus. She said to them: There is no reality in the signs. They said to her: He said "Paḳôd yiphḳôd"—"God will surely visit you" (ibid.). She said to them: He is the man who will redeem Israel in the future from Egypt, for thus did I hear, ("Paḳôd Paḳadti") "I have surely visited you" (Ex. 3:16). Forthwith the people believed in their God and in His messenger, as it is said, "And the people believed, and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel" (Ex. 4:31).
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