וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם. אל נכחם וקדמוננו העתיקו מכאן צורת נשיאות כפים: AND AARON LIFTED UP HIS HANDS TOWARD36Hebrew, el (literally, to). THE PEOPLE. Toward them.37In other words, el ha-am means towards the people. We have followed the reading in Vat. Ebr. 38. The Mikra’ot Gedolot editions of I.E. read, ra’a nikhecham. The word ra’a has not been explained. It appears to be a copyist’s error. See Filwarg and Weiser. From here our ancients transmitted to us the form taken by the “raising of the hands.”38According to the sages we learn here that the kohanim lift their hands when bestowing the priestly benediction. See Sotah 38a.
וירד. כאשר הראיתיך רבים וכבר ירד מעשות חטאת העם ועולתם והשלמים: AND HE CAME DOWN. Va-yered (and he came down) is to be understood in accordance with what I have previously pointed out to you many times.39That the vav often introduces the pluperfect. See I.E. on verse 6. It means that Aaron had already come down40Before blessing the people. from offering the people’s sin offering, burnt offering, and peace offering.
וטעם וירד. בעבור המזבח שהיה שלש אמות קומתו ואחר כן באו משה ואהרן אל אהל מועד ויתכן שבאו להתפלל על האש שתצא ובצאתם ברכו שניהם את העם: Scripture reads came down because the altar was three cubits in height.41See Ex. 27:1. After this,42After the offering of the sacrifices and the blessing. Moses and Aaron came to the tent of meeting. It is likely that they came to pray that a fire would come forth. When they came out43Out of the tent of meeting. both of them blessed the people.