Exodus-Chapter-29
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Remember the following truth
from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Exodus Chapter 29 details the intricate process of consecrating Aaron and his sons to the priesthood. This seven-day ceremony was designed to transform them from private citizens into sanctified servants of the community. Through washing, vesting, anointing, and a series of specific sacrifices, the priests were symbolically separated from the mundane world and bound to the service of the Sanctuary. This chapter establishes the rigorous standards of purity and dedication required for those who stand between the people and the Divine Presence.
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Let us read Exodus Chapter 29, verses 1-46: Below the verses are the Explanation’s. (The Chapter is from JPS-1917 version of the Torah).
Verses 1-9: And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto Me in the priest’s office: take one young bullock and two rams without blemish, and unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened mingled with oil, and wafers unleavened spread with oil; of fine wheaten flour shalt thou make them. And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams. And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tent of meeting, and shalt wash them with water. And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the tunic, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the skilfully woven band of the ephod. And thou shalt set the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre. Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him. And thou shalt bring his sons, and put tunics upon them. And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and bind head-tires on them; and they shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute; and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.
Explanation Verses 1-9, the process begins with the preparation of specific offerings, a young bullock, two rams, and various types of unleavened bread. Aaron and his sons are first brought to the door of the tent of meeting to be washed with water, signifying a physical and spiritual cleansing. Following this, Aaron is dressed in the holy garments described previously: the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself, and the breastplate. The headdress is placed upon his head with the holy crown of gold. The pouring of the anointing oil upon his head signifies his special designation and the formal beginning of his sanctification.
Verses 10-18: And thou shalt bring the bullock before the tent of meeting; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock. And thou shalt kill the bullock before יְהוָה - the LORD, at the door of the tent of meeting. And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger; and thou shalt pour out all the remaining blood at the base of the altar. And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the lobe above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and make them smoke upon the altar. But the flesh of the bullock, and its skin, and its dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp; it is a sin-offering. Thou shalt also take the one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of the ram. And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take its blood, and dash it round about against the altar. And thou shalt cut the ram into its pieces, and wash its inwards, and its legs, and put them with its pieces, and with its head. And thou shalt make the whole ram smoke upon the altar; it is a burnt-offering unto יְהוָה - the LORD; it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto יְהוָה - the LORD.
Explanation Verses 10-18, the first sacrifice involves the bullock, upon which Aaron and his sons lay their hands, symbolically transferring their identity to the animal. The blood is applied to the horns of the altar, and the fat is burned as an offering made by fire. This is followed by the sacrifice of the first ram, which is offered as a burnt offering. The sprinkling of its blood round about the altar and the burning of the entire animal represent total devotion and the complete surrender of the individual to the Divine service.
Verses 19-28: And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons
shall lay their hands upon the head of the ram. Then shalt
thou kill the ram, and take of its blood, and put it upon the tip of the right
ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb
of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and dash the
blood against the altar round about. And thou shalt take of
the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it
upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of
his sons with him; and he and his garments shall be hallowed, and his sons and
his sons' garments with him. Also thou shalt take of the
ram the fat, and the fat tail, and the fat that covereth
the inwards, and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that
is upon them, and the right thigh; for it is a ram of consecration; and one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer,
out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before יְהוָה
- the LORD. And thou shalt put the whole upon the
hands of Aaron, and upon the hands of his sons; and
shalt wave them for a wave-offering before יְהוָה
- the LORD. And thou shalt take them from their
hands, and make them smoke on the altar upon the burnt-offering, for a sweet
savour before יְהוָה - the LORD; it is an offering made by fire unto יְהוָה
- the LORD. And thou shalt take the breast of
Aaron's ram of consecration, and wave it for a wave-offering before יְהוָה
- the LORD; and it shall be thy portion. And thou
shalt sanctify the breast of the wave-offering, and the thigh of the
heave-offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of
consecration, even of that which is Aaron's, and of that which is his sons’. And it shall be for Aaron and his sons as a due for ever from the
children of
Explanation Verses 19-28, the second ram, the “ram of consecration”, serves a unique purpose. Its blood is applied to the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot of Aaron and his sons. This ritual sanctifies their hearing, their actions, and their walk in life for the sake of the priesthood. Portions of the ram, along with the unleavened bread, are placed in the hands of the priests and “waved” as a wave-offering. This act of “filling the hands” is the literal meaning of consecration, showing they are now fully authorized to handle the holy things.
Verses 29-37: And the holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, to be anointed in them, and to be consecrated in them. Seven days shall the son that is priest in his stead put them on, even he who cometh into the tent of meeting to minister in the holy place. And thou shalt take the ram of consecration, and seethe its flesh in a holy place. And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, at the door of the tent of meeting. And they shall eat those things wherewith atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them; but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy. And if aught of the flesh of the consecration, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire; it shall not be eaten, because it is holy. And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded thee; seven days shalt thou consecrate them. And every day shalt thou offer the bullock of sin-offering, beside the other offerings of atonement; and thou shalt do the purification upon the altar when thou makest atonement for it; and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it. Seven days thou shalt make atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; thus shall the altar be most holy; whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.
Explanation Verses 29-37, the chapter specifies that the holy garments of Aaron shall pass to his sons after him, ensuring a continuity of the priesthood. The consecration ceremony is not a single event but lasts for seven days, during which the priests remain at the entrance of the tent. Each day, a bullock is offered for atonement to cleanse the altar itself. This repetition emphasizes that the altar must be most holy, and anything that touches it shall become holy, establishing a permanent state of sanctity for the site of sacrifice.
Verses 38-46: Now this is that which thou shalt
offer upon the altar: two lambs of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb
thou shalt offer at dusk. And with the one lamb a tenth
part of an ephah of fine flour mingled with the
fourth part of a hin of beaten oil; and the fourth
part of a hin of wine for a drink-offering. And the other lamb thou shalt offer at dusk, and shalt do thereto
according to the meal-offering of the morning, and according to the
drink-offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto יְהוָה - the
LORD. It shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout
your generations at the door of the tent of meeting before יְהוָה - the LORD, where I will meet with you,
to speak there unto thee. And there I will meet with the
children of
Explanation Verses 38-46, the final section outlines the “continual burnt-offering” the
daily sacrifice of two lambs, one in the morning and one at dusk. These were
accompanied by meal offerings and libations of wine. This constant cycle of
service ensures that the connection between the nation and the Divine is never
interrupted. The chapter concludes with the Divine promise to dwell among the
children of
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My Closing Message:
The rites of Exodus Chapter 29 demonstrate
that the path to service is paved with discipline, purity, and constant
renewal. By sanctifying the priests and the altar through a week-long process,
the text teaches us that true holiness is not instantaneous but is built
through repeated, intentional actions. As the daily offerings rose from the
courtyard, they served as a perpetual sign that the community was dedicated to
a higher purpose, ensuring that the Divine Presence would always find a
dwelling place in their midst.
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