במדבר, פרק ז׳, פסוק ט״ז

On the day the Tabernacle was dedicated, the leaders of the tribes brought a male goat as a sin offering [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The primary approach among commentators is that this specific offering was meant to atone for an unknown, hidden source of impurity, often compared to a "grave of the abyss" [רש״י]. This concept refers to a deep, unmarked grave that no one knows exists, creating a situation of doubtful impurity where a person might become impure without ever realizing it [שפתי חכמים, ברכת אשר על התורה]. The goal of the offering was to atone for any uncertain impurity that might have affected those entering the holy space on that day, ensuring their purification [ברכת אשר על התורה].

This raises a logical question among the commentators: why was there a need to bring an atonement for a mere doubt of impurity, when at that time the people were already definitely impure from contact with the dead? The ashes of the Red Heifer, which are required to cleanse such impurity, had not yet been fully prepared [גור אריה, משכיל לדוד, שפתי חכמים].

To resolve this, commentators offer a few perspectives on how purity was handled during the establishment of the Tabernacle. One approach explains that according to Jewish law, a definite state of impurity is actually set aside for a public offering, allowing the service to proceed. However, a doubtful state of impurity is treated differently and requires the special atonement provided by this goat [שפתי חכמים].

Another perspective argues that the strict rules regarding impurity from the dead only went into effect on that very day, coinciding with the new command to prepare the Red Heifer. Until that point, the Israelites cleansed themselves with ordinary water, and the priests were purified through a special, temporary decree from God without needing the ashes. Furthermore, the leaders did not physically enter the Tabernacle on that day, meaning they did not violate any rules against entering in a state of impurity [משכיל לדוד]. Building on this idea, the goat was required specifically for any doubtful impurity that might have occurred on the actual day of the dedication. There was no strict enforcement regarding definite impurity from the days prior, because the people had not yet received the full set of commands regarding these laws [גור אריה].