Derasha 5 on Vayikra 4:26

Parashas Vayikra · Aliyah 5 · Passuk 26 · Unit 5 of 7

The Complete Passuk

וְאֶת־כׇּל־חֶלְבּוֹ֙ יַקְטִ֣יר הַמִּזְבֵּחָ֔ה כְּחֵ֖לֶב זֶ֣בַח הַשְּׁלָמִ֑ים וְכִפֶּ֨ר עָלָ֧יו הַכֹּהֵ֛ן מֵחַטָּאת֖וֹ וְנִסְלַ֥ח לֽוֹ׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Toras Kohanim (Sifra), Vayikra Dibbura DeChovah, on 4:26 (ve-chipper alav — one person, kohen himself) (unit 5; single primary locus per emergency Core plan).

Sefaria — Sifra / Toras Kohanim, Vayikra Dibbura DeChovah

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Toras Kohanim (Sifra), Vayikra Dibbura DeChovah, on 4:26 (ve-chipper alav — one person, kohen himself)
״וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו״ — עָלָיו לְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא יְכַפֵּר לִשְׁנַיִם כְּאֶחָד וְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה כֹּהֵן מְכַפֵּר עַל יְדֵי עַצְמוֹ.

English: “And he shall atone for him” — “for him” teaches that he does not atone for two at once, and that the kohen atones by his own hand.

In the midrash: The singular “alav” and the assignment of the act to the kohen are read as two separate limitations on how kapparah is effected.

Type of Learning

One person; kohen performs the avodah — kapparah is for a single designated person, and the kohen himself must perform it.

What Is Learned

A single chatas cannot be used to effect kapparah for two people simultaneously. In addition, the kohen must perform the atoning acts himself; the service cannot be delegated in a way that removes the kohen’s personal agency from the kapparah.