משך חכמה — ויאפד לו בו

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."