Vayikra 4:6

6 And the kohen shall dip his forefinger in the dahm, and sprinkle of the dahm seven times before Hashem, before the Parochet (curtain) of the Kodesh.

Vayikra 4:6 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 4:6

And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood
The finger of his right hand, as Gersom observes, and so Maimonides F18; for blood was always taken and sprinkled with the right hand, if done with the left it was wrong, according to the Jewish canons F19 and though it is only said the priest, and not that is anointed, as before, yet it seems to mean him and not another; though if a private priest did this, Gersom says, it would be right, and so Maimonides F20:

and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord;
a figure of the blood of Christ, called, in allusion to this rite, the blood of sprinkling; which being presented before the Lord, calls for pardon from him, and sprinkled on the conscience, speaks peace there, and perfectly cleanses from all sin, which the seven times sprinkling is a symbol of:

before the vail of the sanctuary:
the words may be literally rendered, "the face of the vail of the sanctuary": as if the blood was sprinkled on the outside of the vail. Jarchi's note is,

``over against the place of its holiness, he directed (it) over against between the staves; the blood shall not touch the vail, but if it touches, it touches it;''

that is, it is no matter. And according to Maimonides F21 the blood of bullocks and goats burnt was sprinkled seven times upon the vail, which divided between the and the holy of holies. This typified the vail of flesh, whose blood gives boldness to enter into the holiest of all, ( Hebrews 10:19 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F18 Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 7. Bartenora in Misn. Menachot, c. 3. sect. 4.
F19 Misn. Zebachim, c. 2. sect. 1. & Bartenora in ib.
F20 Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 15.
F21 Ib. sect. 13.

Vayikra 4:6 In-Context

4 And he shall bring the young bull unto the entrance of the Ohel Mo’ed before Hashem; and shall lay his hand upon the young bull’s head, and slaughter (shachat) the young bull before Hashem.
5 And the Kohen HaMoshiach shall take of the young bull’s dahm, and bring it to the Ohel Mo’ed;
6 And the kohen shall dip his forefinger in the dahm, and sprinkle of the dahm seven times before Hashem, before the Parochet (curtain) of the Kodesh.
7 And the kohen shall put some of the dahm upon the horns of the Mizbe’ach Ketoret HaSammim (Altar of Fragrant Incense) before Hashem, which is in the Ohel Mo’ed; and shall pour the rest of the dahm of the young bull at the base of the Mizbe’ach HaOlah which is at the entrance of the Ohel Mo’ed.
8 And he shall take off from it all the chelev (fat) of the young bull for the chattat (sin offering); the chelev (fat) that covereth the innards, and all the chelev (fat) that is upon the innards,
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.