Leviticus 4:13

13 "'If the entire community of Isra'el inadvertently makes a mistake, with the assembly being unaware of the matter, and they do something against any of the mitzvot of ADONAI concerning things which should not be done, they are guilty.

Leviticus 4:13 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 4:13

And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through
ignorance
That is, all Israel, or the greatest part of them, as Gersom interprets it, through the ignorant teaching of the judges, who by their instruction cause the people to err, and commit sins of ignorance, as Baal Hatturim on the place observes, and Maimonides elsewhere ^F7; wherefore Jarchi, and some others, by the congregation of Israel understand the sanhedrim, or the bench of judges, consisting of seventy one. Ainsworth remarks on the words, that the church may err:

and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly;
congregation or church, so that they do not know that it is a sin which they have committed:

and they have done [somewhat against] any of the commandments of
the Lord, [concerning things] which should not be done;
transgressed negative precepts:

and are guilty;
of sin, though as yet they know it not.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 Hilchot Shegagot, c. 12. sect. 1.

Leviticus 4:13 In-Context

11 But the bull's hide and all its flesh, with its head, the lower parts of its legs, its inner organs and dung -

12 in other words, the entire bull -he is to bring outside the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are emptied out. There he is to burn it on wood with fire; there, where the ashes are emptied out, it is to be burned up.

13 "'If the entire community of Isra'el inadvertently makes a mistake, with the assembly being unaware of the matter, and they do something against any of the mitzvot of ADONAI concerning things which should not be done, they are guilty.

14 When the sin they have committed becomes known, then the assembly is to offer a young bull as a sin offering and bring it before the tent of meeting.

15 The leaders of the community are to lay their hands on the bull's head and slaughter the bull in the presence of ADONAI.