The consecration of the priests reaches its climax not with a grand ceremony, but with a deeply sacred meal. Aaron and his sons partake in sacrificial meat and bread, an act that goes far beyond physical nourishment. Eating this food is a holy requirement, serving as an integral part of completing their initiation into the priesthood. During these days of inauguration, the priests are considered the owners of the sacrifice. Therefore, they eat the ram's meat just as future individuals will eat the meat of their own peace offerings [ביאור שטיינזלץ].
The meal consists of the entire ram, including the thigh, naturally excluding the breast and inner parts that were already offered on the altar [אבן עזרא הקצר]. Given that five men cannot possibly consume a whole ram in a single sitting, it is expected that meat will be left over [ברכת אשר על התורה]. Alongside the meat, they eat bread from a basket. This does not include all the bread originally brought to the ceremony, but only what remains after the designated portions were already offered to God [אבן עזרא, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
The location of this sacred meal holds specific significance, though its exact boundaries are a matter of discussion. The primary approach among commentators is that the eating does not need to take place literally at the doorway of the Tabernacle. Instead, the designated area refers broadly to the entire courtyard enclosed within the curtains. There is no fundamental reason to treat this meal differently from other highly holy sacrifices, which are permitted to be eaten anywhere within the Tabernacle courtyard [מזרחי, שפתי חכמים].
Conversely, another perspective takes the location literally, suggesting a unique requirement for this specific event. According to this view, the meal must take place exactly at the entrance, and the doors of the Tabernacle must remain open while they eat. Although future generations were not required to eat holy sacrifices in front of an open entrance, this was a temporary, special command unique to the days of inauguration [העמק דבר].
Beyond the physical location, the specific mention of where this meal takes place serves a broader legal purpose. Since the priests were already standing in the proper area, repeating their location seems unnecessary. However, this repetition establishes a vital principle regarding God's instructions: any specific details mentioned when a Commandment is initially given, even if omitted when the action is later carried out—or vice versa—remain absolute requirements for fulfilling the Commandment properly [תורה תמימה].