Sifra 9.0.2

Acharei Mot, Chapter 1

1) (Vayikra 16:3) "With this shall Aaron come to the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin-offering and a ram for a burnt-offering." "With this": What is the intent of this? Because it is written "to the holy place … before the ark cover which is on the ark," I might think that this applies only to a holy place where there is an ark and an ark cover. Whence do I derive the same for a holy place where there is no ark and ark cover? From "With this shall Aaron come to the holy place" — to equate (for this purpose) a holy place where there is an ark and an ark cover to one where there is not.

2) You say that the intent of "to the holy place" is to render a holy place that is not like this (i.e., one that is without ark and ark cover fit for a bullock like this.) But perhaps its intent is rather to render a bullock that is not like this fit for this holy place. And which is that (bullock?) That which is offered for all of the mitzvoth.

3) And would this not follow a fortiori (that he should enter the holy of holies with the blood of this bullock all the days of the year?) viz.: If for the possible (defilement of the sanctuary and its sacred things on the part of the Cohanim) the high-priest enters the holy of holies with his bullock (on Yom Kippur), how much more so should he do so (all the days of the year) for known (transgression) of all of the mitzvoth! It is, therefore, written "With this (Yom Kippur bullock) shall Aaron come to the holy place," to exclude the bullock which is brought for (known transgression of) all of the mitzvoth, that he not enter with it to the holy of holies.

4) "with a young bullock for a sin-offering and a ram for a burnt-offering": I might think that in the place (the inner altar) where he applies the blood of the bullock, there he applies the blood of the ram. R. Yossi says (to show that this is not so): (It is written [Shemoth 30:9]) "You shall not bring up upon it (the inner altar) strange incense, nor burnt-offering nor meal-offering." Which burnt-offering must Scripture exclude (from the inner altar)? This is the ram for a burnt-offering (of Yom Kippur).

5) (Vayikra 16:4) ("A holy linen tunic shall he wear, and linen breeches shall be upon his flesh, and with a linen girdle shall he gird himself, and a linen mitre shall he place upon his head; they are holy garments. And he shall bathe his flesh in water, and he shall put them on.") See Tzav, Chapter 2:1.

6) Why is "linen" mentioned four times (in this verse)? To exclude four garments in respect to which it is written "before the L–rd." Because it is written of the choshen (the breastplate) (Shemoth 28:29) "And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the choshen of judgment upon his heart when he comes into the holy place as a remembrance before the L–rd always," I might think that he could enter with it (even) into the holy of holies"; it is, therefore, written "linen" — and not with the choshen.

7) Because it is written of the ephod (Shemoth 28:12) "And Aaron shall bear their names (on the ephod) before the L–rd on his two shoulders as a remembrance," I might think that he could enter with it (even) into the holy of holies; it is, therefore, written "linen" — and not with the ephod.

8) Because it is written of the robe (me'il) (Shemoth 28:35) "And it shall be upon Aaron to minister; and its sound shall be heard when he comes to the holy place before the L–rd," I might think that he could enter with it (even) into the holy of holies; it is, therefore, written "linen" — and not with the me'il.

9) Because it is written of the tzitz (the frontlet) (Shemoth 28:38) "And it shall be on his forehead always for acceptance for them before the L–rd," I might think that he could enter with it (even) into the holy of holies; it is, therefore, written "linen" — and not with the tzitz.

10) "holy, shall he wear": They must come from Temple funds. This tells me only of these alone. Whence do I derive for inclusion the other high-priestly vestments and those of his brother Cohanim? From "they are holy garments," this being an archetype for (the purchase of) all (priestly) garments from Temple funds.

11) Whence is it derived that he requires immersion? From "And he shall bathe his flesh in water, and he shall put them on."

12) And whence is it derived that when he changes from white garments to gold garments and from gold garments to white garments he must immerse? From "holy garments, and he shall bathe his flesh in water and he shall put them on."

13) I might think that if he changes from gold garments to (other) gold garments or from white garments to (other) white garments he must immerse; it is, therefore, written "holy garments are they" (i.e., all holy garments of one color are considered one and require only one washing). I might think that he requires immersion between breeches and tunic, between tunic and belt and between belt and mitre; it is, therefore, written "and he shall put them on." All as one.

14) Why, then, is it written "shall he wear," "shall he gird himself," and "shall he place upon his head" (instead of including all of them in "shall he wear")? Because he is to change into different garments towards evening, we might think that if he does not have any, he should not don those of the morning in the morning; it is, therefore, written "shall he wear," "shall he gird himself," and "shall he place upon his head."