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Week 28 - Shabbat - 10 June 2000

YOMA: CHAPTER 1 : MISHNA 2

All the seven days he sprinkles the blood, and burns the incense, and dresses the lamps, and offers the head and the leg; and all the other days, if he wished to offer - he offers, for the High Priest has first right in offering a portion, and has first right in taking a portion.

Kehati

All the seven days - preceding Yom Kippur, he - the High Priest, sprinkles the blood - of the morning and evening tamid sacrifices; and burns the incense - for a portion of incense was burned each day on the gold altar (Ex. 30:1-8), half in the morning service, and half in the afternoon service; and dresses the lamps - of the menorah, removing the ashes of the burnt wicks and the residue of the oil, and putting in them oil and wicks, as was done each day, as it is written, "every morning, when he dresses the lamps" (Ex. 30:7); according to Rambam, the lighting of the lamps was also included in the "dressing";

And offers the head and the leg - of the tamid sacrifice; these are the portions which are offered up on the altar first, and likewise with the other parts of the animal, (Tosefot Yom Tov). Thus also, Rambam "And he offers the parts of the tamid on the altar" (Hil. Avodat Yom ha-Kippurim 1:5), and all the other days - of the year, if he - the High Priest, wished to offer - any sacrifice he wishes, he offers - and the members of the Temple Guard may not prevent him, for the High Priest has first right in offering a portion - to offer whatever he pleases, for the other priests would offer by lot, while if the High Priest wished to offer, he preceded all of them,

And has first right in taking a fine portion - that he chooses, from the sacrifices which are eaten, even though he did not offer the sacrifice. To what does this refer? To the sacrifices eaten in the Temple, but other holy food such as terumah, hallah, and the priestly gifts (the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach) the High Priest and the common priests share alike (Tosefta).

YOMA: CHAPTER 1 : MISHNA 3

They delivered to him elders from the elders of the Court, and they read before him from the order of the day, and they said to him, "My lord High Priest, you read with your own mouth, in case you forgot or did not learn." On the eve of Yom Kippur in the morning - they make him stand in the Eastern Gate and they pass before him oxen, rams, and sheep, so that he would know and be familiar with the service.

Kehati

This mishnah continues to teach the preparations of the High Priest for the Yom Kippur service.

They delivered him - the High Priest, on each of the seven days, elders from the elders of the Court - the Sages of the Sanhedrin, to teach him the laws of the service, and they - these elders of the Court, read before him - each day, from the order of the day - the Yom Kippur service in the Torah, in the portion of Aharei Mot (Lev. 16), and they said to him, "My lord High Priest, you read with your own mouth - the order of the service in the Torah, in case you forgot or did not learn" - and you are liable to act improperly. The Gemara explains that although it was said that the High Priest must exceed his brother priests in strength, beauty, wisdom, and in wealth, (and if he was not rich, his fellow priests make him rich, for it is written, "And the priest that is highest among his brothers" (Lev. 21:10), from which it is learned - make him higher than his brothers, nevertheless during the time of the Second Temple, the office of High Priest was filled by people unworthy of this high office, who were close to the government or who purchased the office (see mishnah 1), or who were not versed in the Torah; it is therefore that the mishnah says that they said to him, "in case you did not learn."

On the eve of Yom Kippur in the morning - they make him - the High Priest, stand in the Eastern Gate and they pass before him oxen, rams, and sheep - that would be offered on the following day, Yom Kippur, so that he would know - the animals and the order of the sacrificial ritual, and be familiar with the service - his service on Yom Kippur. They would not, however, pass goats before him, so that he would not be discouraged, because the latter animals are offered to atone for the sins of Israel.

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