מָסְרוּ לוֹ זְקֵנִים מִזִּקְנֵי בֵית דִּין, וְקוֹרִין לְפָנָיו בְּסֵדֶר הַיּוֹם, וְאוֹמְרִים לוֹ, אִישִׁי כֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, קְרָא אַתָּה בְּפִיךָ, שֶׁמָּא שָׁכַחְתָּ אוֹ שֶׁמָּא לֹא לָמָדְתָּ. עֶרֶב יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שַׁחֲרִית, מַעֲמִידִין אוֹתוֹ בְּשַׁעַר מִזְרָח, וּמַעֲבִירִין לְפָנָיו פָּרִים וְאֵילִים וּכְבָשִׂים, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא מַכִּיר וְרָגִיל בָּעֲבוֹדָה:
The Sages provided the High Priest with Elders selected from the Elders of the court, and they would read before him the order of the service of the day of Yom Kippur. And they would say to him: My Master, High Priest. Read the order of the service with your own mouth, as perhaps you forgot this reading or perhaps you did not learn to read. On Yom Kippur eve in the morning, the Elders stand him at the eastern gate of the courtyard and pass before him bulls and rams and sheep so that he will be familiar with the animals and grow accustomed to the service, as these were the animals sacrificed on Yom Kippur.
כָּל שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים לֹא הָיוּ מוֹנְעִין מִמֶּנּוּ מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה, עֶרֶב יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים עִם חֲשֵׁכָה, לֹא הָיוּ מַנִּיחִים אוֹתוֹ לֶאֱכֹל הַרְבֵּה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַמַּאֲכָל מֵבִיא אֶת הַשֵּׁנָה:
Throughout all the seven days that the High Priest was in the Parhedrin chamber, they would not withhold from him any food or drink that he desired. However, on Yom Kippur eve at nightfall, they would not allow him to eat a great deal because food induces sleep and they did not allow him to sleep, as will be explained.
מְסָרוּהוּ זִקְנֵי בֵית דִּין לְזִקְנֵי כְהֻנָּה, וְהֶעֱלוּהוּ לַעֲלִיַּת בֵּית אַבְטִינָס, וְהִשְׁבִּיעוּהוּ וְנִפְטְרוּ וְהָלְכוּ לָהֶם. וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ, אִישִׁי כֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, אָנוּ שְׁלוּחֵי בֵית דִּין, וְאַתָּה שְׁלוּחֵנוּ וּשְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין, מַשְׁבִּיעִין אָנוּ עָלֶיךָ בְּמִי שֶׁשִּׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ בַבַּיִת הַזֶּה, שֶׁלֹּא תְשַׁנֶּה דָבָר מִכָּל מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְנוּ לָךְ. הוּא פוֹרֵשׁ וּבוֹכֶה, וְהֵן פּוֹרְשִׁין וּבוֹכִין:
The Elders of the court who read the order of the service of the day before the High Priest passed him to the Elders of the priesthood, and they took him up to the House of Avtinas. And they administered him an oath and took leave of him and went on their way. When they administered this oath they said to him: My Master, High Priest. We are agents of the court, and you are our agent and the agent of the court. We administer an oath to you in the name of Him who housed His name in this House, that you will not change even one matter from all that we have said to you with regard to the burning of the incense or any other service that you will perform when alone. After this oath, he would leave them and cry, and they would leave him and cry in sorrow that the oath was necessary.
שִׁבְעַת יָמִים קֹדֶם לִשְׂרֵפַת הַפָּרָה מַפְרִישִׁין כֹּהֵן הַשּׂוֹרֵף אֶת הַפָּרָה מִבֵּיתוֹ לַלִּשְׁכָּה שֶׁעַל פְּנֵי הַבִּירָה, צָפוֹנָה מִזְרָחָה, וּבֵית אֶבֶן הָיְתָה נִקְרֵאת, וּמַזִּין עָלָיו כָּל שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים מִכָּל חַטָּאוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, לֹא הָיוּ מַזִּין עָלָיו אֶלָּא בַשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי בִּלְבָד. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא סְגָן הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹמֵר, עַל הַכֹּהֵן הַשּׂוֹרֵף אֶת הַפָּרָה, מַזִּין כָּל שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים. וְעַל שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, לֹא הָיוּ מַזִּין עָלָיו אֶלָּא בַשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי בִּלְבָד:
Seven days before the burning of the [red] cow they would separate the priest who was to burn the cow from his house to a chamber that was facing the north-eastern corner of the birah, and which was called the Stone Chamber. They would sprinkle upon him throughout the seven days with [a mixture of] all the sin-offerings that were there. Rabbi Yose said: they sprinkled upon him only on the third and the seventh days. Rabbi Hanina the vice-chief of the priests said: on the priest that was to burn the cow they sprinkled all the seven days, but on the one that was to perform the service on Yom Kippur they sprinkled on the third and the seventh days only.
לֹא הָיְתָה פָרָה רוֹצָה לָצֵאת, אֵין מוֹצִיאִין עִמָּהּ שְׁחוֹרָה, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ, שְׁחוֹרָה שָׁחֲטוּ. וְלֹא אֲדֻמָּה, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ, שְׁתַּיִם שָׁחֲטוּ. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, לֹא מִשּׁוּם זֶה, אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יט), וְהוֹצִיא אֹתָהּ, לְבַדָּהּ. וְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ מַקְדִּימִים בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם לְהַר הַמִּשְׁחָה, וּבֵית טְבִילָה הָיָה שָׁם. וּמְטַמְּאִים הָיוּ אֶת הַכֹּהֵן הַשּׂוֹרֵף אֶת הַפָּרָה, מִפְּנֵי הַצְּדוֹקִים, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ אוֹמְרִים, בִּמְעֹרְבֵי שֶׁמֶשׁ הָיְתָה נַעֲשֵׂית:
If the cow refused to go out, they may not take out with it a black one lest people say, "They slaughtered a black cow" nor another red [cow] lest people say, "They slaughtered two." Rabbi Yose says: it was not for this reason but because it is said "And he shall bring her out" by herself. The elders of Israel used to go first by foot to the Mount of Olives, where there was a place of immersion. The priest that was to burn the cow was (deliberately) made unclean on account of the Sadducees so that they should not be able to say, "It can be done only by those on whom the sun has set."
סָמְכוּ יְדֵיהֶם עָלָיו וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ, אִישִׁי כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, טְבֹל אֶחָת. יָרַד וְטָבַל וְעָלָה וְנִסְתַּפֵּג. וְעֵצִים הָיוּ מְסֻדָּרִים שָׁם, עֲצֵי אֲרָזִים וָאֳרָנִים וּבְרוֹשִׁים וַעֲצֵי תְאֵנָה חֲלָקָה. וְעוֹשִׂין אוֹתָהּ כְּמִין מִגְדָּל, וּמְפַתְּחִין בָּהּ חַלּוֹנוֹת, וַחֲזִיתָהּ מַעֲרָבָה:
They laid their hands upon him and said, "My Lord the high priest, perform immersion once." He went down and immersed himself and came up and dried himself. Different kinds of wood were set in order there: cedar wood, pine, spruce and the wood of smooth fig trees. They made it in the shape of a tower and opened air holes in it; and its foreside was turned towards the west.
בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה כָּל מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִתְרֹם אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, תּוֹרֵם. וּבִזְמַן שֶׁהֵן מְרֻבִּין, רָצִין וְעוֹלִין בַּכֶּבֶשׁ, וְכָל הַקּוֹדֵם אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ בְאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת זָכָה. וְאִם הָיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם שָׁוִין, הַמְמֻנֶּה אוֹמֵר לָהֶם הַצְבִּיעוּ. וּמָה הֵן מוֹצִיאִין, אַחַת אוֹ שְׁתַּיִם, וְאֵין מוֹצִיאִין אֲגֻדָּל בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ:
Initially, the practice among the priests was that whoever wishes to remove the ashes from the altar removes them. And when there are many priests who wish to perform that task, the privilege to do so is determined by a race: The priests run and ascend on the ramp leading to the top of the altar. Any priest who precedes another and reaches within four cubits of the top of the altar first is privileged to remove the ashes. And if both of them were equal and neither preceded the other, the appointed priest says to all the priests: Extend your fingers, and a lottery was performed, as will be explained. And what fingers do they extend for the lottery? They may extend one or two fingers, and the priests do not extend a thumb in the Temple. The reason is that the lottery was conducted by the appointee choosing a number and counting the extended fingers of the priests standing in a circle. As the count progressed, a priest could calculate and manipulate the result in his favor by surreptitiously extending his thumb and an additional finger. Since there is separation between the thumb and the forefinger it could appear as though they belonged to two different priests, skewing the results of the lottery.
מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם שָׁוִין וְרָצִין וְעוֹלִין בַּכֶּבֶשׁ, וְדָחַף אֶחָד מֵהֶן אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ, וְנָפַל וְנִשְׁבְּרָה רַגְלוֹ. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ בֵית דִּין שֶׁבָּאִין לִידֵי סַכָּנָה, הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ תוֹרְמִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶלָּא בְפַיִס. אַרְבָּעָה פְיָסוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם, וְזֶה הַפַּיִס הָרִאשׁוֹן:
Initially, that was the procedure; however, an incident occurred where both of them were equal as they were running and ascending on the ramp, and one of them shoved another and he fell and his leg was broken. And once the court saw that people were coming to potential danger, they instituted that priests would remove ashes from the altar only by means of a lottery. There were four lotteries there, in the Temple, on a daily basis to determine the priests privileged to perform the various services, and this, determining which priest would remove the ashes, was the first lottery.
מִצְוַת לוּלָב כֵּיצַד. יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חָג שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, מוֹלִיכִין אֶת לוּלְבֵיהֶן לְהַר הַבַּיִת, וְהַחַזָּנִין מְקַבְּלִין מֵהֶן וְסוֹדְרִין אוֹתָן עַל גַּב הָאִצְטַבָּא, וְהַזְּקֵנִים מַנִּיחִין אֶת שֶׁלָּהֶן בַּלִּשְׁכָּה. וּמְלַמְּדִים אוֹתָם לוֹמַר, כָּל מִי שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לוּלָבִי בְיָדוֹ, הֲרֵי הוּא לוֹ בְמַתָּנָה. לְמָחָר מַשְׁכִּימִין וּבָאִין, וְהַחַזָּנִין זוֹרְקִין אוֹתָם לִפְנֵיהֶם. וְהֵן מְחַטְּפִין וּמַכִּין אִישׁ אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ. וּכְשֶׁרָאוּ בֵית דִּין שֶׁבָּאוּ לִידֵי סַכָּנָה, הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהֵא כָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נוֹטֵל בְּבֵיתוֹ:
How is the mitzva of lulav fulfilled in the Temple when the first day of the Festival occurs on Shabbat? If the first day of the Festival occurs on Shabbat, all the people bring their lulavim to the Temple Mount on Friday. The attendants receive the lulavim from them and arrange them on a bench [itztaba], while the Elders place their lulavim in the chamber. They were given permission to do so due to the concern that they would be injured the following morning in the rush of people in search of their lulavim. And the court teaches the people to say: With regard to anyone whom my lulav reaches his possession, it is his as a gift. They did so to avoid the likely situation where people would inadvertently take lulavim that did not belong to them, as on the first day of the Festival one does not fulfill his obligation with a lulav that does not belong to him. The next day everyone rises early and comes to the Temple, and the attendants throw the lulavim before them. And in the confusion, the people snatch the lulavim and in the process strike one another. And when the court saw that they came to potential danger, they instituted that each and every person will take his lulav in his house and fulfill the mitzva there.
שָׁלַח לוֹ רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, גּוֹזְרַנִי עָלֶיךָ שֶׁתָּבֹא אֶצְלִי בְּמַקֶּלְךָ וּבִמְעוֹתֶיךָ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹנְךָ. הָלַךְ וּמְצָאוֹ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מֵצֵר, אָמַר לוֹ, יֶשׁ לִי לִלְמוֹד שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁעָשָׂה רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל עָשׂוּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כג), אֵלֶּה מוֹעֲדֵי יְיָ מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ, אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרְאוּ אֹתָם, בֵּין בִּזְמַנָּן בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא בִזְמַנָּן, אֵין לִי מוֹעֲדוֹת אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ. בָּא לוֹ אֵצֶל רַבִּי דוֹסָא בֶּן הַרְכִּינָס, אָמַר לוֹ, אִם בָּאִין אָנוּ לָדוּן אַחַר בֵּית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, צְרִיכִין אָנוּ לָדוּן אַחַר כָּל בֵּית דִּין וּבֵית דִּין שֶׁעָמַד מִימוֹת משֶׁה וְעַד עַכְשָׁיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כד), וַיַּעַל משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלָמָּה לֹא נִתְפָּרְשׁוּ שְׁמוֹתָן שֶׁל זְקֵנִים, אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד, שֶׁכָּל שְׁלשָׁה וּשְׁלשָׁה שֶׁעָמְדוּ בֵית דִּין עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲרֵי הוּא כְבֵית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה. נָטַל מַקְלוֹ וּמְעוֹתָיו בְּיָדוֹ, וְהָלַךְ לְיַבְנֶה אֵצֶל רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בְּיוֹם שֶׁחָל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים לִהְיוֹת בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ. עָמַד רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וּנְשָׁקוֹ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ, בֹּא בְשָׁלוֹם, רַבִּי וְתַלְמִידִי, רַבִּי בְחָכְמָה, וְתַלְמִידִי שֶׁקִּבַּלְתָּ דְּבָרָי:
Upon hearing that Rabbi Yehoshua had challenged his ruling, Rabban Gamliel sent a message to him: I decree against you that you must appear before me with your staff and with your money on the day on which Yom Kippur occurs according to your calculation; according to my calculation, that day is the eleventh of Tishrei, the day after Yom Kippur. Rabbi Akiva went and found Rabbi Yehoshua distressed that the head of the Great Sanhedrin was forcing him to desecrate the day that he maintained was Yom Kippur. In an attempt to console him, Rabbi Akiva said to Rabbi Yehoshua: I can learn from a verse that everything that Rabban Gamliel did in sanctifying the month is done, i.e., it is valid. As it is stated: “These are the appointed seasons of the Lord, sacred convocations, which you shall proclaim in their season” (Leviticus 23:4). This verse indicates that whether you have proclaimed them at their proper time or whether you have declared them not at their proper time, I have only these Festivals as established by the representatives of the Jewish people. Rabbi Yehoshua then came to Rabbi Dosa ben Horkinas, who said to him: If we come to debate and question the rulings of the court of Rabban Gamliel, we must debate and question the rulings of every court that has stood from the days of Moses until now. As it is stated: “Then Moses went up, and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, and seventy of the Elders of Israel” (Exodus 24:9). But why were the names of these seventy Elders not specified? Rather, this comes to teach that every set of three judges that stands as a court over the Jewish people has the same status as the court of Moses. Since it is not revealed who sat on that court, apparently it is enough that they were official judges in a Jewish court. When Rabbi Yehoshua heard that even Rabbi Dosa ben Horkinas maintained that they must submit to Rabban Gamliel’s decision, he took his staff and his money in his hand, and went to Yavne to Rabban Gamliel on the day on which Yom Kippur occurred according to his own calculation. Upon seeing him, Rabban Gamliel stood up and kissed him on his head. He said to him: Come in peace, my teacher and my student. You are my teacher in wisdom, as Rabbi Yehoshua was wiser than anyone else in his generation, and you are my student, as you accepted my statement, despite your disagreement.
גְּמָ׳ בִּשְׁלָמָא שֶׁמָּא שָׁכַח — לְחַיֵּי. אֶלָּא שֶׁמָּא לֹא לָמַד — מִי מוֹקְמִינַן כִּי הַאי גַוְונָא?
GEMARA: The Gemara wonders about the depiction in the mishna of the Elders questioning the High Priest as to whether he forgot this reading or perhaps did not learn to read. Granted, perhaps he forgot, that is fine, as it is conceivable that he is not accustomed to reading the Torah and might have forgotten this portion. However, is it conceivable that perhaps the High Priest did not learn to read? Do we appoint a High Priest of that sort who never learned the Bible?
וְהָתַנְיָא: ״וְהַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל מֵאֶחָיו״, שֶׁיְּהֵא גָּדוֹל מֵאֶחָיו בְּכֹחַ, בְּנוֹי, בְּחָכְמָה, וּבְעוֹשֶׁר. אֲחֵרִים אוֹמְרִים: מִנַּיִן שֶׁאִם אֵין לוֹ, שֶׁאֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים מְגַדְּלִין אוֹתוֹ — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וְהַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל מֵאֶחָיו״ — גַּדְּלֵהוּ מִשֶּׁל אֶחָיו.
But wasn’t it taught in a baraita that it is stated: “And the priest who is greater than his brethren” (Leviticus 21:10); this teaches that he must be greater than his priestly brethren in strength, in beauty, in wisdom, and in wealth. Aḥerim say: Wealth is not a prerequisite for selecting a High Priest, but from where is it derived that if he does not have property of his own that his brethren the priests elevate him and render him wealthy from their own property? The verse states: “And the priest who is greater [haggadol] than his brethren”; elevate him [gaddelehu] from the property of his brethren. In any event, there is a consensus that wisdom is a prerequisite for his selection.
אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: לָא קַשְׁיָא, כָּאן בְּמִקְדָּשׁ רִאשׁוֹן, כָּאן בְּמִקְדָּשׁ שֵׁנִי. דְּאָמַר רַב אַסִּי: תַּרְקַבָּא דְּדִינָרֵי עַיִּילָא לֵיהּ מָרְתָּא בַּת בַּיְיתּוֹס לְיַנַּאי מַלְכָּא עַל דְּאוֹקְמֵיהּ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן גַּמְלָא בְּכָהֲנֵי רַבְרְבֵי.
Rav Yosef said: This is not difficult. There, the baraita that lists wisdom among the attributes of the High Priest is referring to the First Temple, where this halakha was observed and the High Priests possessed those attributes listed. Here, the mishna is referring to the Second Temple, where this halakha was not observed, so a situation where the High Priest was not well-versed in the Bible was conceivable. As Rav Asi said: The wealthy Marta, daughter of Baitos, brought a half-se’a of dinars in to King Yannai for the fact that he appointed Yehoshua ben Gamla as High Priest. This is an example of the appointment of High Priests by means of bribery and gifts. Since that was the practice, a totally ignorant High Priest could have been appointed.
עֶרֶב יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שַׁחֲרִית וְכוּ׳. תָּנָא: אַף הַשְּׂעִירִים. וְתַנָּא דִּידַן מַאי טַעְמָא לָא תְּנָא שְׂעִירִים? כֵּיוָן דְּעַל חֵטְא קָא — אָתוּ חָלְשָׁא דַּעְתֵּיהּ.
§ It was taught in the mishna: On Yom Kippur eve in the morning, the elders pass different animals before the High Priest. A tanna taught in the Tosefta: Even goats were brought before him. The Gemara asks: And the tanna of our mishna, what is the reason that he did not teach that goats were among the animals that passed before the High Priest? The Gemara answers: Since goats come as atonement for sins, passing them before the High Priest will evoke transgressions and he will become distraught.
אִי הָכִי, פַּר נָמֵי עַל חֵטְא הוּא דְּאָתֵי! פַּר, כֵּיוָן דְּעָלָיו וְעַל אֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים הוּא דְּאָתֵי, בְּאֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים, אִי אִיכָּא אִינִישׁ דְּאִית בֵּיהּ מִילְּתָא — מִידָּע יָדַע לֵיהּ וּמַהְדַּר לֵיהּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה. בְּכוּלְּהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל — לָא יָדַע.
The Gemara asks: If so, a bull should not be passed before him, as it too comes to atone for sin. The Gemara answers that there is a difference in the case of a bull, since it is to atone for his sins and for the sins of his brethren the priests that it comes; among his brethren the priests, if there is a person who has a sinful matter, the High Priest would know about it and lead him back to the path of righteousness through repentance. Therefore, passing a bull before the High Priest will not render him distraught, as it will merely remind him of his responsibility toward his priestly brethren. On the other hand, with regard to the entire Jewish people, he does not know of their sinful matters and is unable to facilitate their repentance. Passing goats before the High Priest will evoke their sins as well as his inability to correct the situation, leaving him distraught.
אָמַר רָבִינָא, הַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: אִי בַּר אֲחָתָיךְ דַּיָּילָא הָוֵי חֲזִי, בְּשׁוּקָא קַמֵּיהּ לָא תַּחְלֵיף.
Apropos the High Priest being privy to the sinful behavior of his fellow priests, Ravina said that this explains the folk saying that people say: If the beloved son of your beloved sister becomes a policeman [dayyala], see to it that in the marketplace you do not pass before him. Be wary of him because he knows your sins.
כׇּל שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים לָא הָיוּ מוֹנְעִין וְכוּ׳. תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן נָקוֹסָא אוֹמֵר: מַאֲכִילִין אוֹתוֹ סְלָתוֹת וּבֵיצִים כְּדֵי לְמַסְמְסוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: כׇּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁאַתָּה מְבִיאוֹ לִידֵי חִימּוּם.
§ We learned in the mishna: Throughout all the seven days that the High Priest was in the Parhedrin chamber, they would not withhold from him any food or drink that he desired. It was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yehuda ben Nekosa says: On Yom Kippur eve they feed him fine flour and eggs in order to loosen his bowels, so that he will not need to relieve himself on Yom Kippur. They said to Rabbi Yehuda ben Nekosa: In feeding him those foods, all the more so that you bring him to a state of arousal. Feeding him those foods is antithetical to the efforts to prevent the High Priest from becoming impure, as they are liable to cause him to experience a seminal emission.
תַּנְיָא סוֹמְכוֹס אָמַר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי מֵאִיר: אֵין מַאֲכִילִין אוֹתוֹ לֹא ״אב״י״, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: לֹא ״אבב״י״, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: אַף לֹא יַיִן לָבָן. לֹא ״אב״י״ — לֹא אֶתְרוֹג, וְלֹא בֵּיצִים, וְלֹא יַיִן יָשָׁן. וְאָמְרִי לַהּ לֹא ״אבב״י״ — לֹא אֶתְרוֹג, וְלֹא בֵּיצִים, וְלֹא בָּשָׂר שָׁמֵן, וְלֹא יַיִן יָשָׁן. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: אַף לֹא יַיִן לָבָן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַיַּיִן לָבָן מֵבִיא אֶת הָאָדָם לִידֵי טוּמְאָה.
It was taught in a baraita that Sumakhos said in the name of Rabbi Meir: One does not feed him foods represented by the acrostic: Alef, beit, yod; and some say that one does not feed him foods represented by the acrostic: Alef, beit, beit, yod; and some say neither does one feed him white wine. The Gemara elaborates: Not alef, beit, yod means neither etrog, nor eggs [beitzim], nor old wine [yayin]. And some say: Not alef, beit, beit, yod means neither etrog, nor eggs [beitzim], nor fatty meat [basar], nor old wine [yayin]. And some say neither does one feed him white wine because white wine brings a man to the impurity of a seminal emission.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: זָב תּוֹלִין לוֹ בְּמַאֲכָל, וְכׇל מִינֵי מַאֲכָל. אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פִּנְחָס אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתֵירָא: אֵין מַאֲכִילִין אוֹתוֹ לֹא ״חגב״י״ וְלֹא ״גב״ם״, וְלֹא כׇּל דְּבָרִים הַמְּבִיאִין לִידֵי טוּמְאָה. לֹא ״חגב״י״ — לֹא חָלָב, וְלֹא גְּבִינָה, וְלֹא בֵּיצָה, וְלֹא יַיִן. וְלֹא ״גב״ם״ — מֵי גְרִיסִין שֶׁל פּוֹל, וּבָשָׂר שָׁמֵן, וּמֻרְיָיס.
Similarly, the Sages taught: If a man experienced an emission that could render him a zav, one attributes the emission not to his being a zav but perhaps to a different cause, e.g., to food, or to all kinds of food, i.e., he may have eaten too much food, which could have caused the emission. Elazar ben Pineḥas says in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira: During the days that a zav is examining himself to determine whether or not he is impure, one feeds him neither foods represented by the acrostic: Ḥet, gimmel, beit, yod, nor foods represented by the acrostic: Gimmel, beit, mem, nor any food items that might bring him to impurity caused by an emission. The Gemara explains: Not ḥet, gimmel, beit, yod means neither milk [ḥalav], nor cheese [gevina], nor egg [beitza], nor wine [yayin]. And not gimmel, beit, mem means neither soup of pounded beans [mei gerisin], nor fatty meat [basar], nor small fish pickled in brine [muryas].
וְלֹא כׇּל דְּבָרִים הַמְּבִיאִין לִידֵי טוּמְאָה, לְאֵתוֹיֵי מַאי? לְאֵתוֹיֵי הָא דְּתָנוּ רַבָּנַן: חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים מְבִיאִים אֶת הָאָדָם לִידֵי טוּמְאָה, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: הַשּׁוּם
The Gemara asks about the phrase: Nor any food items that might bring him to impurity; what does it come to include? It comes to include that which the Sages taught: Five food items bring a man to a state of impurity due to emission. And these are: Garlic,
וְהַשַּׁחֲלַיִם וַחֲלֹגְלוֹגוֹת וְהַבֵּיצִים וְהַגַּרְגִּיר. ״וַיֵּצֵא אֶחָד אֶל הַשָּׂדֶה לְלַקֵּט אוֹרוֹת״, תָּנָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר: זֶה גַּרְגִּיר. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָן ״אוֹרוֹת״ — שֶׁמְּאִירוֹת אֶת הָעֵינַיִם. אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: הַמּוֹצֵיא גַּרְגִּיר, אִם יָכוֹל לְאׇכְלוֹ אוֹכְלוֹ, וְאִם לָאו — מַעֲבִירוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי עֵינָיו. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: בְּגַרְגִּירָא מַצְרָנְאָה.
cress, purslane, eggs, and arugula. Apropos the arugula plant, the Gemara cites a verse: “And one of them went out into the fields to collect orot” (II Kings 4:39). It was taught in the name of Rabbi Meir with regard to orot in this verse: This is the plant called arugula. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Why are these arugula plants called orot? It is because they enlighten [me’irot] the eyes. Rav Huna said: With regard to one who finds arugula, if he can eat it, he eats it, and if not, he passes it over his eyes, as that too is beneficial. Rav Pappa said: Arugula is most effective when it grows on the border of the field, where it is unadulterated by other plants.
אָמַר רַב גִּידֵּל אָמַר רַב: אַכְסְנַאי לֹא יֹאכַל בֵּיצִים, וְלֹא יִישַׁן בְּטַלִּיתוֹ שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת. רַב כִּי מִקְּלַע לְדַרְשִׁישׁ, מַכְרֵיז: מַאן הָוְיָא לְיוֹמָא. רַב נַחְמָן כַּד מִקְּלַע לְשַׁכְנְצִיב, מַכְרֵיז: מַאן הָוְיָא לְיוֹמָא.
Rav Giddel said that Rav said: A guest should neither eat eggs, because they lead to a seminal emission, nor sleep in a garment belonging to the homeowner, his host, because if he experiences a seminal emission and it gets on the garment, he will be diminished in the estimation of his host. Apropos conduct of a guest, the Gemara relates: When Rav would happen to come to Darshish he would declare: Who will be married to me for the day that I am here so that I will not be unwed in this place, after which I will divorce her? Similarly, when Rav Naḥman would come to Shekhantziv he would declare: Who will be married to me for the day that I am here?
וְהַתַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: לֹא יִשָּׂא אָדָם אִשָּׁה בִּמְדִינָה זוֹ, וְיֵלֵךְ וְיִשָּׂא אִשָּׁה בִּמְדִינָה אַחֶרֶת, שֶׁמָּא יִזְדַּוְּוגוּ זֶה אֵצֶל זֶה וְנִמְצָא אָח נוֹשֵׂא אֲחוֹתוֹ (וְאָב נוֹשֵׂא בִּתּוֹ), וּמְמַלֵּא כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ מַמְזֵרוּת, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: ״וּמָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ זִמָּה״. אָמְרִי: רַבָּנַן — קָלָא אִית לְהוּ.
But wasn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: A man should not marry a woman in one state and go and marry another woman in a different state, lest a match be arranged between the child of this wife with the child of that wife who are unaware of their relationship. This would lead to a brother marrying his sister or a father marrying his daughter, filling the whole world in its entirety with mamzerim. And concerning this it is stated: “And the land became filled with lewdness” (Leviticus 19:29). The Sages say in response: The Sages generate publicity. Since they were well-known, the identity of their children was also undoubtedly known. Therefore, there was no concern that errors of this kind would befall their children.
וְהָאָמַר רָבָא: תְּבָעוּהָ לְהִנָּשֵׂא, וְנִתְפַּיְּיסָה — צְרִיכָה לֵישֵׁב שִׁבְעָה נְקִיִּים? רַבָּנַן אוֹדוֹעֵי הֲווֹ מוֹדְעוּ לְהוּ, מִקְדָּם הֲווֹ קָדְמִי וּמְשַׁדְּרִי שְׁלוּחָא.
The Gemara raises a different problem with the practice of Rav and Rav Naḥman. But didn’t Rava say: With regard to one who proposed marriage to a woman and she agreed, she is required to sit seven clean days, as perhaps due to the anticipatory desire she might not notice that she experienced menstrual bleeding and she is therefore impure. How, then, could these amora’im marry a woman on the day that they proposed? The Gemara answers: The Sages would inform them by sending messengers before their arrival. The messenger would announce that the amora sought to marry a local woman. The woman who agreed would in fact wait seven clean days before marrying him.
וְאִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא יַחוֹדֵי הֲווֹ מְיַחֲדִי לְהוּ, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ פַּת בְּסַלּוֹ לְמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ פַּת בְּסַלּוֹ.
And if you wish, say instead that these Sages were not actually proposing marriage; rather, they proposed so that they could be in seclusion with the women, without consummating the relationship. Since the women knew that the marriage would not be consummated, they did not experience anticipatory desire. There is no similarity between one who has bread in his basket and one who does not have bread in his basket. One who does not have access to bread experiences hunger more acutely than one for whom bread is available and can eat whenever he chooses. Similarly, an unmarried man experiences a more acute desire. In order to mitigate that desire, these Sages made certain that women would be designated for them.
מַתְנִי׳ מְסָרוּהוּ זִקְנֵי בֵית דִּין לְזִקְנֵי כְהוּנָּה וְהֶעֱלוּהוּ בֵּית אַבְטִינָס, וְהִשְׁבִּיעוּהוּ, וְנִפְטְרוּ וְהָלְכוּ לָהֶם. וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ: אִישִׁי כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל! אָנוּ שְׁלוּחֵי בֵּית דִּין, וְאַתָּה שְׁלוּחֵנוּ וּשְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין. מַשְׁבִּיעִין אָנוּ עָלֶיךָ בְּמִי שֶׁשִּׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה שֶׁלֹּא תְּשַׁנֶּה דָּבָר מִכׇּל מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְנוּ לָךְ. הוּא פּוֹרֵשׁ וּבוֹכֶה, וְהֵן פּוֹרְשִׁין וּבוֹכִין.
MISHNA: The Elders of the court who read the order of the service of the day before the High Priest passed him to the Elders of the priesthood, and they took him up to the House of Avtinas. And they administered him an oath and took leave of him and went on their way. When they administered this oath they said to him: My Master, High Priest. We are agents of the court, and you are our agent and the agent of the court. We administer an oath to you in the name of Him who housed His name in this House, that you will not change even one matter from all that we have said to you with regard to the burning of the incense or any other service that you will perform when alone. After this oath, he would leave them and cry, and they would leave him and cry in sorrow that the oath was necessary.
אִם (הוּא) הָיָה חָכָם — דּוֹרֵשׁ, וְאִם לָאו — תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים דּוֹרְשִׁים לְפָנָיו. וְאִם רָגִיל לִקְרוֹת — קוֹרֵא, וְאִם לָאו — קוֹרִין לְפָנָיו. וּבַמֶּה קוֹרִין לְפָנָיו: בְּאִיּוֹב וּבְעֶזְרָא וּבְדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים. זְכַרְיָה בֶּן קְבוּטָל אוֹמֵר: פְּעָמִים הַרְבֵּה קָרִיתִי לְפָנָיו בְּדָנִיֵּאל.
They kept him occupied throughout the night to prevent him from sleeping. If he was a scholar, he would teach Torah. If he was not a scholar, Torah scholars would teach Torah before him. And if he was accustomed to read the Bible, he would read; and if he was not, they would read the Bible before him. And what books would they read before him to pique his interest so that he would not fall asleep? They would read from Job, and from Ezra, and from Chronicles. Zekharya, son of Kevutal, says: Many times I read before him from the book of Daniel.
גְּמָ׳ תָּנָא: לְלַמְּדוֹ חֲפִינָה. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: שְׁתֵּי לְשָׁכוֹת הָיוּ לוֹ לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, אַחַת לִשְׁכַּת פַּרְהֶדְרִין וְאַחַת לִשְׁכַּת בֵּית אַבְטִינָס. אַחַת בַּצָּפוֹן וְאַחַת בַּדָּרוֹם. אַחַת בַּצָּפוֹן, דִּתְנַן: שֵׁשׁ לְשָׁכוֹת הָיוּ בָּעֲזָרָה, שָׁלֹשׁ בַּצָּפוֹן וְשָׁלֹשׁ בַּדָּרוֹם,
GEMARA: A tanna taught: The Sages took the High Priest to the House of Avtinas, where the incense was prepared, to teach him the method of taking handfuls of incense, which is a difficult and complex skill. Rav Pappa said: The High Priest had two chambers. One was the Parhedrin chamber and one was the Chamber of the House of Avtinas. One of them was in the north of the courtyard, and one was in the south. The Gemara explains: One was in the north, as we learned in the mishna: There were six chambers in the Israelite courtyard, three in the north and three in the south.
שֶׁבַּדָּרוֹם: לִשְׁכַּת הַמֶּלַח, לִשְׁכַּת הַפַּרְוָה, לִשְׁכַּת הַמְּדִיחִין. לִשְׁכַּת הַמֶּלַח — שֶׁשָּׁם הָיוּ נוֹתְנִין מֶלַח לַקׇּרְבָּן, לִשְׁכַּת הַפַּרְוָה — שֶׁשָּׁם הָיוּ מוֹלְחִין עוֹרוֹת קָדָשִׁים. וְעַל גַּגָּהּ הָיְתָה בֵּית טְבִילָה לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. לִשְׁכַּת הַמְּדִיחִין — שָׁם הָיוּ מְדִיחִין קִרְבֵי קָדָשִׁים. וּמִשָּׁם מְסִיבָּה עוֹלֶה לְגַג בֵּית הַפַּרְוָה.
The chambers in the south were the Chamber of the Salt, the Chamber of the Parva, and the Chamber of the Rinsers. The Gemara explains the function performed in each chamber. The Chamber of the Salt was where the priests would place the salt for the offering in storage The Chamber of the Parva, the hides, was where they salted the consecrated hides that belonged to the priests, to prevent them from spoiling. And on the roof of that chamber was the Hall of Immersion for the High Priest for Yom Kippur. The Chamber of the Rinsers was where they would rinse the innards of consecrated animals, which were not taken up to the altar while dirty or with undigested food remaining in them. From there a circular staircase ascended to the roof of the Chamber of the Parva.
שָׁלֹשׁ שֶׁבַּצָּפוֹן: לִשְׁכַּת הָעֵץ, לִשְׁכַּת הַגּוֹלָה, לִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית. לִשְׁכַּת הָעֵץ, אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב: שָׁכַחְתִּי מֶה הָיְתָה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת. אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר: לִשְׁכַּת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל הָיְתָה אֲחוֹרֵי שְׁתֵּיהֶן, וְגַג שְׁלׇשְׁתָּן שָׁוֶה.
The three chambers in the north of the courtyard were the Chamber of the Wood, the Chamber of the Exile, and the Chamber of Hewn Stone. With regard to the Chamber of the Wood, Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov, who is the tanna of the mishnayot in tractate Middot in which this mishna appears, said: I forgot what purpose that chamber would serve. Abba Shaul says: The High Priest’s chamber was behind the two chambers, the Chamber of the Exile and the Chamber of Hewn Stone, and the roofs of all three of them were level. As the three were attached, they shared a roof.
לִשְׁכַּת הַגּוֹלָה — שָׁם הָיָה בּוֹר הַגּוֹלָה, וְהַגַּלְגַּל נָתוּן עָלָיו, וּמִשָּׁם מַסְפִּיקִין מַיִם לְכׇל הָעֲזָרָה. לִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית — שָׁם הָיְתָה סַנְהֶדְרִין שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹשֶׁבֶת וְדָנָה אֶת הַכֹּהֲנִים, וּמִי שֶׁנִּמְצָא בּוֹ פְּסוּל, הָיָה לוֹבֵשׁ שְׁחוֹרִים וּמִתְעַטֵּף שְׁחוֹרִים וְיָצָא וְהָלַךְ לוֹ. וְשֶׁלֹּא נִמְצָא בּוֹ פְּסוּל, הָיָה לוֹבֵשׁ לְבָנִים וּמִתְעַטֵּף לְבָנִים וְנִכְנָס וּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ עִם אֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים.
In the Chamber of the Exile there was the well excavated by those returning from exile, for which the chamber was named, and the wheel with which water was drawn was positioned over it. And from there, they would supply water for use in the entire Temple courtyard for washing and rinsing. In the Chamber of Hewn Stone, there the great Sanhedrin of Israel convened and judged whether the priests were fit for service. A priest in whom a disqualification was detected due to a blemish or lineage would wear black and would wrap himself in black in a display of sorrow and mourning and would emerge from the Temple and go on his way, because he was not fit for service as a priest. And any priest in whom a disqualification was not found would wear white and wrap himself in white in a display of joy and would enter and serve with his fellow priests.
אַחַת בַּדָּרוֹם, דִּתְנַן: שִׁבְעָה שְׁעָרִים הָיוּ בָּעֲזָרָה, שָׁלֹשׁ בַּצָּפוֹן וְשָׁלֹשׁ בַּדָּרוֹם וְאֶחָד בַּמִּזְרָח. שֶׁבַּדָּרוֹם: שַׁעַר הַדְלָקָה, שֵׁנִי לוֹ — שַׁעַר הַקָּרְבָּן, שְׁלִישִׁי לוֹ — שַׁעַר הַמַּיִם. שֶׁבַּמִּזְרָח: שַׁעַר נִקָּנוֹר, וּשְׁתֵּי לְשָׁכוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם אַחַת בִּימִינוֹ וְאַחַת בִּשְׂמֹאלוֹ, אַחַת לִשְׁכַּת פִּנְחָס הַמַּלְבִּישׁ, וְאַחַת לִשְׁכַּת עוֹשֵׂי חֲבִיתִּין.
In any event, it was taught that there was a chamber of the High Priest in the north of the courtyard, and there is proof that he also had one chamber in the south of the courtyard, as we learned in a mishna: Seven gates were in the Temple courtyard, three in the north and three in the south and one in the east. The gates in the south were the Gate of Fire; second to it was the Gate of the Offering; third to it was the Gate of the Water. The gate that was in the east was called the Gate of Nicanor, and two chambers were there next to the Gate of Nicanor, one to its right and one to its left. One was the Chamber of Pineḥas the Dresser, where the priestly vestments were stored, and one was the Chamber of the Preparers of the Griddle-Cake Offering, where the daily griddle-cake offering was prepared on behalf of the High Priest.
שֶׁבַּצָּפוֹן: שַׁעַר נִיצוֹץ, בִּנְיַן אַכְסַדְרָה הָיָה, וַעֲלִיָּיה בְּנוּיָה לוֹ עַל גַּבָּיו, וְשָׁם כֹּהֲנִים שׁוֹמְרִים מִלְמַעְלָה, וּלְוִיִּם מִלְּמַטָּה. וְשֶׁלִּפְנִים הֵימֶנּוּ הַחֵיל. שֵׁנִי לוֹ — שַׁעַר הַקָּרְבָּן, שְׁלִישִׁי לוֹ — שַׁעַר בֵּית הַמּוֹקֵד.
The gates that were in the north: The first was the Gate of the Spark, which was a portico building, meaning it had a roof but was not completely closed on every side. And there was a second story built atop it, and there the honor guard of the Temple stood, with the priests guarding from above and the Levites from below. Inside of this gate was the rampart, and an opening led from the gate to the rampart. Second to this gate was the Gate of the Offering; third to it was the Gate of the Hall of the Hearth.