Why does the Torah write "Vayedaber Aharon el Moshe" and not "Vayomer"?
Knowing that Moshe's rebuke was not justified.
Rashi: See Chukas Bamidbar, 21:5. and Mikeitz Bereishis 42:3 - Moshav Zekenim.
Seeing as Moshe was angry with Elazar and Isamar, why did Aharon reply?
Rashi: Refer to 10:16:4:1*. Because it would have been disrespectful a. for them to speak before their father, and b. to answer back 1 their Rebbe (Moshe). 2
Refer to 10:19:151:1-2, 10:19:152:1.
And not because Elazar was incapable of answering (See Chukas Bamidbar, 21:31, where he spoke in front of Moshe and the princes (Rashi).
What did Aharon mean when he said to Moshe "Hein ha'Yom Hikrivu ... "?
Rashi (citing Zevachim, 101a): In answer to Moshe's suggestion, that perhaps they had sprinkled the blood even though they were On'nim, Aharon replied that it was not his sons who had sprinkled the blood, but himself - and a Kohen Gadol who is an Onen is permitted to perform the Avodah. 1
Rashbam: With reference to the Chatas and the Olah, he was saying that it was perfectly in order for him to bring the Korbanos with which he was being inaugurated, and for his sons to assist in sacrificing them 2 ...
Seforno: What he was saying was 'Imagine if they would have brought a Chatas Chovah or an Olas Nedavah, even though they are not Kodshei Tzibur le'Doros ... '.
Targum Yonasan: With reference to Yisrael having brought their Chatas and their Olah, Aharon said that now that his two sons had died, he was even forbidden to eat Ma'aser Sheini, 3 how much more so a Chatas!
Riva, citing the Chizkuni: Moshe suggested that they thought that it was disqualified because Aharon was an Onen; to which Aharon replied that as Kohen Gadol, he was permitted to offer Kodshei Sha'ah, but not Kodshei Doros. 4
See Ramban, who asks that they brought all the Korbanos before Nadav and Avihu died, and elaborates.
See Devarim 26:14 (Seforno and Targum Yonasan).
Riva: This is difficult. They were discussing Chatas Rosh Chodesh, and [according to Rashi] Aharon said 'I offered' it and it is Kosher! (The MIshnah in Horiyos 3:5 teaches that a Kohen Gadol offers when he is Onen - even Kodshei Doros! Perhaps the Chizkuni means 'I (Aharon) offered everything, so nothing was disqualified. However, there is no Heter to eat Kodshei Doros. - PF). The Chizkuni however, concludes with the words .'Therefore they were eaten'.
What did Aharon mean when he said "Vatikrenah osi ka'Eileh"?
Rashi: He meant that the same would apply even if it was another relative for whom he was an Onen and not his sons. 1
Targum Yonasan: 'I would deserve that my other two sons should get burned'. 2
Oznayim la'Torah (citing his Rebbe R. Eliezer Gordon): He was rebuming Moshe by asking him indirectly what the Din would be in a paralele case. 3
What are the implications of the word "Vatikrenah Osi ka'Eileh"?
Rashi: 'Even if the deceased were not my sons, but other relatives for whom I would have become an Onen, 1 for which a Kohen is obligated to render himself Tamei (and not mourn) ... '.
Rashbam: Refer to 10:19:3:2. 'and out of the greatness that we attained there came this terrible tragedy, and this happened to us' ...
Rashi: Those mentioned in Emor, Vayikra, 21:2-3. See Oznayim la'Torah, who elaborates to explain the rest of the Pasuk
What did Aharon mean when he added "Ve'achalti Chatas ha'Yom ... "?
Rashi #1 and Seforno: He meant that, had he eaten the Chatas, it would certainly not have been good in the Eyes of Hashem. 1
Rashi #2 (in Mo'ed Katan, 14b): The fact that he said "Ve'achalti Chatas ... " and not "Vehikravti ... " implies that it was in order for him to sacrifice the Chatas even though he was a Onen ? from which we learn that a Kohen who is an Onen is permitted to bring Korbanos. 2
Rashbam: 'Now that our Simchah has been totally disrupted, do you expect me to eat the Chatas of Kodshei Doros,!' 3
Targum Yonasan: 'If I were to forget and eat from the Korban Chatas'. 4
Sifra: "ha'Yom" implies that the day was Asur but not the night ? from which we learn that Aninus Laylah is Mutar min ha'Torah. 5
Oznayim la'Torah: Aharon argued that if the Z'rikas ha'Dam and Hekter Chalavim of the Chatas - the main part of the Kaparah did not attain Hashem's pardon on his sin (to enable him to atone for the people), then it woulf be presumptios on his part to think that eating it would do so. 6
Because, although the Kohen Gadol Onen is permitted to serve, he is not allowed to eat Kodshim - and if Hashem told Moshe that they should eat Kodshei Sha'ah (the special Korbanos of that day), that did not extend to Kodshei Doros - the regular Korbanos ? (Rashi) - seeing as the eating of an Onen even of Kodshim Kalim does not atone (Refer to 10:19:3:4*), certainly not of Kodshei Kodshim (Seforno).
See Torah Temimah, note 51.
It can be compared to a Kalah who sinned during her Chupah (Rashbam, citing Gitin, 36b).
See Torah Temimah, note 52.
See Oznayim la'Torah DH 'ha'Yom Hikrivu ... Vatikrenanh ... ', who elaborates.
What are the implications of "Ve'achalti Chatas ha'Yom"?
Rashi #2: Since Aharon said "Ve'achalti Chatas ha'Yom" and not 'Vehikravti Chatas ha'Yom', we learn that a Kohen Gadol Onen is permitted to bring Korbanos.
Rashi #1: It is on the day of the burial that he becomes an Onen that he is forbidden to eat Kodshim, but not on the following night. 1
Rashi: When it is only Asur mi'de'Rabanan. Ramban (on Pasuk 16) - Rashi made this statement according to the opinion that they burned the Chatas on account of Tum'ah (Otherwise, rather than burn it, they should have waited to eat it at night, since Animus Laylah is permitted).
According to the opinion that it was burned due to Tum'ah, they were all Tamei Meis, since the Parah Adumah had not yet been brought?
Moshav Zekenim: A ben Noach is not subject to Tum'ah, 1 and from Matan Torah (when they left the realm of B'nei No'ach) until now they were not exposed to Tum'as Meis - PF)
As the Gemara states in Nazir 61b.
Why does the Torah write "ve'Achalti Chatas" and not It should say "v'Ochel"!
Moshav Zekenim: Aharon said, I already ate two Chata'os, and I am satiated. 1 And now occurred that two of my sons sons died who would have helped me to eat it.
Aharon and his sons were so satiated that to eat it now would have been Achilah Gasah (overeating) which is not a Mitzvah. This implies that they burned it close to dawn; otherwise, why did they not take into account that their appetite may return later.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that it would have been disrespectful for Aharon's son to answer their Rebbe. But Aharon too, was Moshe's Talmid?
Maskil le'David (Sh'mos 17:9): Initially Aharon was his Talmid, but later 1 he grew in Chochmah and became a Talmid Chaver.
Tosfos Yom Tov (Avos 4:12): Since there is a Mitzvah to honor an older brother, they are considered equal.
This was only 10 months after Matan Torah! (PF)
Rashi writes that it would have been disrespectful for Aharon's son to answer his Rebbe. But Moshe asked them to answer him (refer to 10:16:5:1)?
Maskil le'David: Since Aharon could answer, and he was not considered a Talmid (refer to 10:19:151:1-2), he answered in place of his sons.
Rashi writes that if Hashem commanded to eat Kodshei Sha'ah, can we apply this to Kodshei Doros? Why did Moshe not ask Hashem, like he did about every doubt!
Rosh (citing Zevachim 101a): Moshe had heard, and forgot, and after Aharon made his statement, he recalled what Hashem had told him. (Refer to 10:20:152:1).
Rashi writes 'my sons did not offer, rathe, I, the Kohen Gadol, did, and a KOhen Gadol is permitted to offer ba'Aninus.' But they finished offering the Korbanos before Nadav and Avihu died?
Ramban and Moshav Zekenim #1: Perhaps Moshe did not see the Hakravah, and did not know that they finished before Nadav and Avihu died.
Moshav Zekenim #2 citing the Rosh: "Va'Yered me'Asos?" refers to the Korbanos mentioned in this Parshah, and they had not yet offered the Sa'ir Musaf of Rosh Chodesh.
Rashi writes 'My sons did not offer, rather I, the Kohen Gadol, did, and a Kohen Gadol is permitted to offer b'Aninus.' But also his children were like Kohanim Gedolim on that day?
Riva, Moshav Zekenim: They were like Kohanim Gedolim only regarding stringencies, but not with regard to leniencies.
Refer to 10:6:1:2**.
Rashi writes that if Hashem commanded to eat Kodshei Sha'ah, wecannot extend it to Kodshei Doros?' But the Gemara in Chagigah, 6a, learns Chagigah from the Nesi'im, which is Doros from Sha'ah?
Moshav Zekenim: That is a mere Giluy Milsa, since there was a tradition for [spending for Chagigah and Olas Re'iyah] two [Ma'ah of] Kesef and [one] Ma'ah, and we would not know which [is for which. And this we can learn from the Nesi'im (who brought more Shelamim than Olos). 1
This requires investigation, however.
