ויקרא, פרק י״ד, פסוק ט״ז

The purification process for a person recovering from a spiritual skin affliction reaches a profound turning point with the ceremonial sprinkling of oil. This physical and precise action represents the transition from impurity and illness toward healing and renewal. The priest begins by literally dipping his finger into a pool of oil gathered in a palm, ensuring the finger is fully immersed rather than merely wiped or moistened [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The oil is held in the left palm, which can even be the hand of a second assisting priest, though this is not strictly required [רלב״ג, פירושי רד״צ הופמן]. The priest then dips a finger of his right hand into the oil. While there is some discussion regarding whether he uses the index finger or another specific finger [פירושי רד״צ הופמן, פרדס יוסף], the requirement to use the right hand establishes a broader principle: any priestly service essential for securing atonement must always be performed with the right hand [תורה תמימה].

Moving the oil from the left hand to the right finger carries deep symbolic weight in the healing process. The left side represents a departure from the natural state, reflecting loss and sickness, whereas the right side embodies perfect form and the robust health that ultimately banishes the affliction [רלב״ג]. With the oil on his right finger, the priest sprinkles it seven times. This action requires him to dip his finger anew for every single drop, rather than relying on a single immersion for all seven sprinklings [מלבי״ם, ביאור יש״ר, חזקוני, רש״ר הירש, פירושי רד״צ הופמן, תורה תמימה]. Emphasizing this repetitive dipping highlights the unique nature of the ritual, as sprinkling oil is quite rare compared to the frequent sprinkling of blood during standard offerings [העמק דבר]. Furthermore, performing the action exactly seven times is meant to awaken the forces of creation and the natural order established by God, drawing upon these divine systems to protect and heal the individual [רלב״ג].

The entire ceremony is conducted in the presence of God, a concept that dictates the priest's physical orientation rather than his exact location. Having moved inward from the courtyard gates where earlier stages of the purification took place, the priest now stands fully inside the Temple courtyard holding the oil and the blood of the guilt offering. He does not enter the Sanctuary itself. The primary approach among commentators is that he stands in the courtyard and faces west toward the Holy of Holies, sprinkling the oil directly onto the floor [רש״י, מזרחי, תורה תמימה, שפתי חכמים, רלב״ג, רש״ר הירש, ביאור שטיינזלץ, גור אריה, פירושי רד״צ הופמן]. Alternatively, another perspective suggests that he simply directs his face toward the entrance of the Tent of Meeting [אבן עזרא].