וְאֵ֣ת ׀ שְׂעִ֣יר הַֽחַטָּ֗את דָּרֹ֥שׁ דָּרַ֛שׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה שֹׂרָ֑ף וַ֠יִּקְצֹף עַל־אֶלְעָזָ֤ר וְעַל־אִֽיתָמָר֙ בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֔ן הַנּוֹתָרִ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃

Moses inquired about the goat of the sin offering, which was supposed to have been eaten by the priests as part of their service, after the removal of the portions designated for burning on the altar. And Moses discovered that behold, it was burned; and he was angry with Elazar and with Itamar, the surviving sons of Aaron. Perhaps Moses did not express his anger toward Aaron out of respect for his older brother, or because he held Aaron’s sons responsible, since they performed this part of the service. Therefore, Moses addressed Elazar and Itamar, saying:

מַדּ֗וּעַ לֹֽא־אֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־הַֽחַטָּאת֙ בִּמְק֣וֹם הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ כִּ֛י קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֖ים הִ֑וא וְאֹתָ֣הּ ׀ נָתַ֣ן לָכֶ֗ם לָשֵׂאת֙ אֶת־עֲוֺ֣ן הָעֵדָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֥ר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the holy place, as it is a sacred sacrament, and it should have been eaten there? Furthermore, while the breast and haunch are gifts bestowed upon the priests as ministers of the Tabernacle that may be consumed by the members of their households, the sin offering is consumed because He gave it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to atone for them before the Lord. The consumption of the sin offering by the priests is part of the atonement process, together with the sprinkling of the blood and the sacrifice of the offering. Since its consumption is a part of the service and does not depend on your wishes or your appetite, why have you not eaten the sin offering?

הֵ֚ן לֹא־הוּבָ֣א אֶת־דָּמָ֔הּ אֶל־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ פְּנִ֑ימָה אָכ֨וֹל תֹּאכְל֥וּ אֹתָ֛הּ בַּקֹּ֖דֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוֵּֽיתִי׃

Behold, its blood was not brought to the Sanctuary within. Moses already taught that the flesh of a sin offering whose blood is brought inside the Sanctuary may not be eaten; rather, it is burned (6:23). In this case, however, the blood was not brought inside the Sanctuary. Therefore, you should have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded. Since I instructed you to eat the sin offering, why did you burn it?

וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אַהֲרֹ֜ן אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה הֵ֣ן הַ֠יּוֹם הִקְרִ֨יבוּ אֶת־חַטָּאתָ֤ם וְאֶת־עֹֽלָתָם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַתִּקְרֶ֥אנָה אֹתִ֖י כָּאֵ֑לֶּה וְאָכַ֤לְתִּי חַטָּאת֙ הַיּ֔וֹם הַיִּיטַ֖ב בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

Aaron spoke to Moses. Out of respect for his brother, Moses rebuked Aaron’s sons rather than Aaron himself. It is clear, however, that Aaron was involved in this incident, and it is even likely that his sons acted on instructions from him. Consequently, Aaron accepted responsibility for their actions and replied to Moses: Indeed, today they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord,

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיִּיטַ֖ב בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ (פ)

Moses heard; it was satisfactory in his eyes. Although Moses did not instruct Aaron in this manner, he agreed that Aaron and his sons acted properly, which means that their behavior was satisfactory in the eyes of the Lord as well.