(1) [GOD] called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying:

(2) Speak to the Israelite people, and say to them:
When any of you presents an offering of cattle to GOD: You shall choose your offering from the herd or from the flock.

"with regard to any person among you who draws near to draw near to God"...אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יַקְרִ֥יב מִכֶּ֛ם קׇרְבָּ֖ן לַֽיהוה

(3) If it is the anointed priest who has incurred guilt, so that blame falls upon the people, he shall offer for the sin of which he is guilty a bull of the herd without blemish as a purgation offering to GOD.

(1) אם הכהן המשיח יחטא לאשמת העם IF THE PRIEST THAT IS ANOINTED DO SIN לאשמת העם — The Halachic explanation is that he is liable to bring a sin-offering only when there was ignorance of the real matter (of the law in question; i. e. after having considered the case in question he came to a wrong decision) together with a mistaken action (i. e. where he erred in a Halachic decision and as a result of this error acted against the true law), just as it is stated with reference to the guilt of the whole people): (v. 13) “[And if the whole congregation of Israel err] and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly and they have done [somewhat against the commandments of the Lord]" (Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Chovah, Chapter 2 1; Horayot 7a; Rashi on v. 13). Its literal sense is according to the Agadic explanation: When the High-priest sins this is the guilt of the people (i. e. it results in the people remaining under a load of guilt), because they are dependent on him to effect atonement for them and to pray on their behalf, and now he himself has become degenerate and can thus not expiate for them, wherefor they remain under guilt.

(1) TO BRING GUILT ON THE PEOPLE. The kohen gadol taught incorrectly and the people were guilty, all of them having acted inadvertently. On the other hand, the meaning of leashmat ha-am (to bring guilt on the people) might be, because of the guilt of all of the people. It is mentioned here because the kohen is the bearer of the Torah and he is very careful and holy unto God.

TO BRING GUILT ON THE PEOPLE. The kohen gadol taught incorrectly and the people were guilty, all of them having acted inadvertently. *The people inadvertently sinned by following the wrong ruling of the kohen gadol. On the other hand, the meaning of leashmat ha-am (to bring guilt on the people) might be, because of the guilt of all of the people.*The kohen gadol is responsible for the people’s sin. He did not sufficiently admonish the people. It *The phrase le-ashmat ha-am (to bring guilt on the people). According to this interpretation our verse reads: If the appointed priest shall sin because of the people’s guilt. is mentioned here *After the word yechete (shall sin). In other words, le-ashmat ha-am(to bring guilt on the people) qualifies yechete (shall sin). because the kohen is the bearer of the Torah and he is very careful and holy unto God. *He himself would not sin inadvertently.

(1) seeing that sinners are always on different levels morally and ethically, some being more prone to sin than others, the Torah addresses these different groups of people in different ways, each one appropriate to their specific rating in society. The Torah begins with the High Priest, the one who is least likely to commit a sin, and writes: אם הכהן המשיח יחטא לאשמת העם, implying that a sin by the High Priest is most likely the outcome of guilt by the people, their conduct having contributed to his committing such an error. The Talmud (Berachot 34b:29) quotes that if someone makes an error in his private prayer this is a bad omen for him. If, however, the cantor, i.e. the person hired to pray on behalf of the people makes an error, not only he but all those on whose behalf he offered his prayers will suffer the consequences of his error. The sacrifice of a priest who committed an error must be burned and no one derives the slightest benefit from such an offering. Such considerations account for the fact that the Torah did not write here ואשם, “he sinned,” which would have been a warning for the errant person to do teshuvah. Had the Torah phrased its address to the High Priest thus this would not have been appropriate as the error committed by the High Priest did not originate within his heart but his faulty prayer had been due to the sinfulness of the people he represented which had insidiously influenced the words he was uttering.

(13) If it is the whole community of Israel that has erred and the matter escapes the notice of the congregation, so that they do any of the things that by GOD’s commandments ought not to be done, and they realize their guilt— (14) when the sin through which they incurred guilt becomes known, the congregation shall offer a bull of the herd as a purgation offering, and bring it before the Tent of Meeting. (15) The elders of the community shall lay their hands upon the head of the bull before GOD, and the bull shall be slaughtered before GOD.

(22) or by finding something lost and lying about it; if they swear falsely regarding any one of the various things that a person may do and sin thereby— (23) when they have thus sinned and, realizing their guilt, would restore either that which was gotten through robbery or fraud, or the entrusted deposit, or the lost thing that was found, (24) or anything else about which they swore falsely, they shall repay the principal amount and add a fifth part to it. It shall be paid to its owner upon realizing that guilt.

(24) Let justice well up like water, Righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.