לאשמת העם - חכמים דרשו: הרי משיח כציבור בהוריות. אך לפי הפשט: משמע לפי שבכהנים נאמר: יורו משפטיך ליעקב ותורתך לישראל - וכל שכן כהן גדול שהוא מומחה לרבים. אם כהן משיח יחטא, בהוראתו גם להחטיא את העם עמו, והקריב על חטאתו וגו'. לאשמת העם, our sages in Horiyot 7 state that these words are restrictive and mean that in this instance the High Priest’s error is treated in the same way as the public’s error, i.e. that he had first ruled (in error) that something was permitted, and had then acted in accordance with his ruling. However, if we were to go by the plain meaning of the text, the message is that if the priests who are charged with teaching the Torah to the people are liable for mistakes they make handing down rulings, then the High Priest who is regarded as the expert for everyone, and whose faulty ruling causes the entire people to commit a sin, is most certainly held to account for his error. As a result, 'והקריב על חטאתו וגו, he will have to bring an offering for his sin.