parshaמפרשי הפרשה

משך חכמה — ויאפד לו בו

In Tzaveh the verse says "ואפדת לו בחשב האפד" (referring to the choshen), but in our verse "ויאפד לו בו" must refer to Aharon being girded — why the deliberate change in wording?

אפוד מכפר על עבודה זרה, ובזה היה גם אהרן צריך כפרה על אשר עשה העגל; לכן אמר 'ויאפד לו בו', שרמז בזה שגם עליו בעצמו כיפר.

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משך חכמה

משך חכמה, צו מ״ט

Meshekh Chokhmah, Tzav:49

Tzav

Q — In Tzaveh the verse says "ואפדת לו בחשב האפד" (referring to the choshen), but in our verse "ויאפד לו בו" must refer to Aharon being girded — why the deliberate change in wording?

A — The Gemara teaches that the eifod atones for עבודה זרה — and Aharon needed personal atonement for his role in the עגל. The unusual phrasing hints that the same avodah of putting on the eifod atoned for Aharon HIMSELF — "שגם עליו בעצמו כיפר."

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