Study Shevuot folio 14A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
בטומאת מקדש וקדשיו. במה הם מתכפרין? מוטב שיתכפרו בפרו של אהרן, שהרי הותר מכללו אצל ביתו; ואל יתכפרו בשעיר הנעשה בפנים, שהרי לא הותר מכללו.
for their defiling of the Temple or its sacrificial foods. Through which means, then, do they achieve atonement for this? Is it through the internal goat or the bull of Aaron? It is better to say that they achieve atonement through the bull of Aaron, as in any event with regard to his household an exception was made to its rule that it atones only for Aaron. And one should not say that they achieve atonement through the goat whose blood presentation is performed inside the Sanctuary, as it is not found that with regard to Aaron’s household an exception was made to its rule.
ואם נפשך לומר – הרי הוא אומר: ״בית אהרן ברכו את ה׳ וגו׳״.
And if it is your wish to say that this reasoning can be refuted, one can bring another proof, as it states: “House of Aaron, bless YHWH,” which is referring to all priests and not just to Aaron’s immediate household, and so it is reasonable that Aaron’s bull should atone for them.
ומאי ״אם נפשך לומר״? וכי תימא ״ביתו״ כתיב – כולן קרויין ״ביתו״, שנאמר: ״בית אהרן ברכו את ה׳, יראי ה׳ ברכו את ה׳״.
The Talmud clarifies the last part of the baraita: And what possible refutation is the baraita referring to when it says: If it is your wish to say that this reasoning can be refuted? The Talmud explains: And if you would say of the preceding proof that it is incorrect to suggest that all priests achieve atonement from the bull of Aaron, as with regard to it the term: “His household” (Leviticus 16:6), is written, which suggests that it atones only for his immediate family, then this can be refuted, as all of the priests are collectively referred to as his household, as is evident from that which is stated: “House of Aaron, bless YHWH; house of Levi, bless YHWH, those who fear YHWH, bless YHWH.”