The dedication of the Tabernacle and the priesthood reaches its climax with a concluding sacrifice. This pivotal moment provides Aaron and his sons with their ultimate qualification to stand and serve in the holy sanctuary.
The animal brought forward is identified as the second ram. Numbering the sacrifices establishes a strict, required order. The day's sacrifices depend entirely on one another, meaning this specific ram could not be offered until the first ram, the burnt offering, was completed [רמב״ן, מלבי״ם, אדרת אליהו].
This animal is also known as the ram of ordination. The primary approach among commentators is that the concept of ordination relates to completion and peace offerings. This is the designated sacrifice for appointing the priests and initiating them into their new roles [שטיינזלץ, הופמן]. It earns this title because it fills and completes the priests in their sacred duty [רש״י, שפתי חכמים, גור אריה].
Out of all the sacrifices brought on that day to initiate the priests, this specific ram receives the unique title of ordination for a few reasons. Some explain that since it was the final sacrifice in the sequence, it officially sealed and completed the entire sanctification process [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, הופמן]. Another perspective connects this to the nature of a peace offering. Unlike the sin and burnt offerings that came before it, a peace offering brings a sense of wholeness and peace to the altar, the serving priests, and those who bring the sacrifice [מזרחי, דברי דוד]. Conversely, others emphasize that the ram received a unique name because its rules were completely different from a standard peace offering. The specific acts of placing its blood on the earlobes and toes of the priests, along with the unique way its parts were burned and eaten, were exclusive to the days of ordination [ביאור יש״ר].
As the sacrifice is prepared, Aaron and his sons press their hands upon the ram's head. Interestingly, this action is described in the plural, whereas the original command in the Book of Exodus was given in the singular. While some argue there is no practical difference between the two descriptions [אבן עזרא], others view this shift as proof that Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the animal together, at the exact same moment [מלבי״ם, צפנת פענח, הופמן]. This shared action was driven by immense joy and a festive spirit, celebrating their privilege to complete the day's service [מלבי״ם, אדרת אליהו]. Another reason for this unified action traces back to the sin of the Golden Calf. Because of that event, Aaron's sons also required atonement. Therefore, they humbled themselves before their father and pressed their hands upon the sacrifice alongside him [צפנת פענח].