Yoma 39a-b

Talmud - Yoma=20 39a - 39b

The most pertinent portions of these passages are shown in=20 bold. The grayed out section just below = has no=20 bearing on this discussion.

Talmud - Mas. Yoma=20 39a

: If [a = purchaser] comes to=20 measure naphtha, he [the shopkeeper] says to him: Measure it out = for=20 yourself; but to one who would measure out balm he says: Wait, = till I=20 measure together with you, so that both I and you, may become=20 perfumed.

    The school of R. Ishmael = taught: Sin=20 dulls the heart of man, as it is said: Neither shall ye make = yourselves=20 unclean with them, that ye should be defiled=20 thereby.¹ Read not we-nitmethem [that = you should=20 be defiled], but u-netamothem [that you should become=20 dullhearted].² Our Rabbis taught: = =A2Neither shall=20 you make yourselves unclean that you should be defiled thereby.=A2 = If a man=20 defiles himself a little, he becomes much defiled: [if he defile = himself]=20 below, he becomes defiled from above; if he defile himself in this = world,=20 he becomes defiled in the world to come. Our Rabbis taught: = Sanctify=20 yourselves, therefore, and be ye holy:³ = If a man=20 sanctify himself a little, he becomes much sanctified. [If he = sanctify=20 himself] below, he becomes sanctified from above; if he sanctify = himself=20 in this world, he becomes sanctified in the world to = come.

    C H A P T E R I=20 V

    MISHNAH. HE SHOOK⁴ THE URN AND BROUGHT UP = THE TWO=20 LOTS. ON ONE WAS INSCRIBED: =A2FOR THE LORD=A2, AND ON THE OTHER: = =A2FOR=20 AZAZEL=A2. THE DEPUTY HIGH PRIEST WAS AT HIS RIGHT HAND, THE HEAD = OF THE=20 [MINISTERING] FAMILY AT HIS LEFT. IF THE LOT [HAVING] =A2FOR THE = LORD=A2=20 [INSCRIBED THEREON] CAME UP IN HIS RIGHT HAND, THE DEPUTY HIGH = PRIEST=20 WOULD SAY TO HIM: SIR HIGH PRIEST, RAISE THY RIGHT HAND! AND IF = THE LOT=20 [WITH THE INSCRIPTION] =A2FOR THE LORD=A2 CAME UP IN HIS LEFT = HAND, THE HEAD=20 OF THE FAMILY WOULD SAY: SIR HIGH PRIEST, RAISE THY LEFT HAND! = THEN HE=20 PLACED THEM ON THE TWO HE-GOATS AND SAID: A SIN-OFFERING =A2UNTO = THE LORD!=A2=20 R. ISHMAEL SAID: HE DID NOT NEED TO SAY: A SIN-OFFERING, BUT = =A2UNTO THE=20 LORD=A2. AND THEY ANSWERED AFTER HIM: BLESSED BE THE NAME OF HIS = GLORIOUS=20 KINGDOM FOR EVER AND EVER!⁵

   =20 GEMARA. Why was it necessary to shake the urn? =BE Lest = he take one=20 intentionally.⁶ Raba=20 said: The urn was of wood and profane and could hold no more than = the two=20 hands [at its mouth]. =BE Rabina demurred to this: It is quite = right that=20 [its mouth] could contain no more than his two hands, i.e., to = prevent his=20 taking one intentionally [through manipulation] but why should it = be=20 profane? Let it be sanctified? =BE That would result in our having = a=20 ministering vessel of wood, and we do not make ministering vessels = of=20 wood. Then let it be made of silver, or of gold? =BE =A2The Torah = has=20 consideration for the money of Israel=A2.⁷

    = Our=20 Mishnah is not in accordance with the following Tanna, for it was = taught:=20 R. Judah said in the name of R. Eliezer: The deputy high priest = and the=20 high priest put their hand into the urn. If the lot [=A2For the = Lord=A2] comes=20 up in the hand of the high priest, the deputy high priest said to = him: Sir=20 high priest, raise thy hand! And if it came up in the right hand = of the=20 deputy high priest, the head of the [ministering] family says to = him: Say=20 your word!⁸ = -Let the=20 deputy high priest address him? =BE Since it did not come up in = his hand, he=20 might feel discouraged.⁹ In what [principle] do = they¹⁰ = differ? =BE One=20 holds, the right hand of the deputy high priest is better than the = left=20 hand of the high priest, the other holding, they are of even = importance.=20 Who is the Tanna disputing R. Judah? =BE It is R. Hanina, deputy = high=20 priest. For it was taught: R. Hanina, deputy high priest, says: = Why does=20 the deputy high priest stand at the right? In order that if an=20 invalidating accident should happen to the high priest, the deputy = high=20 priest may enter [the Sanctuary] and officiate in his = stead.¹¹

   =20 Our Rabbis taught: Throughout the forty years that Simeon = the=20 Righteous ministered, the lot [=A2For the Lord=A2] would always = come up in the=20 right hand; from that time on, it would come up now in the right = hand, now=20 in the left. And [during the same time] the crimson-coloured=20 strap¹² = would become=20 white. From that time on it would at times become white, at others = not.=20 Also: Throughout those forty years the westernmost = light¹³ was shining, from = that time on,=20 it was now shining, now failing; also the fire of the pile of wood = kept=20 burning strong,¹⁴ so=20 that the priests did not have to bring to the pile any other wood = besides=20 the two logs,¹⁵ in=20 order to fulfil the command about providing the wood = unintermittently;=20 from that time on, it would occasionally keep burning strongly, at = other=20 times not, so that the priests could not do without bringing = throughout=20 the day wood for the pile [on the altar]. [During the whole = period] a=20 blessing was bestowed upon the =A2omer,¹⁶ the two = breads,¹⁷ and the shewbread, so = that=20 every priest, who obtained a piece thereof as big as an olive, ate = it and=20 became satisfied with some eating thereof and even leaving = something over.=20 From that time on a curse was sent upon =A2omer, two breads, and = shewbread,=20 so that every priest received a piece as small as a bean: the=20 well-bred¹⁸ = ones=20 withdrew their hands from it, whilst voracious folk took and = devoured it.=20 Once one [of the latter] grabbed his portion as well as that of = his=20 fellow, wherefore they would call him=20 =A2ben
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(1)=20 Lev. XI, 43.
(2) o,nybu for o,nybu MS.M. = cur. ed.=20 oynybu.
(3) Lev. XVI, 44.
(4) Continuing the = account of=20 Mishnah (supra 37a); or =A2shook hastily=A2 (because of eagerness, = anxiety).
(5) The J.T. states that when the high priest = pronounced the=20 Ineffable Name those near prostrated themselves, those afar = responding=20 with =A2Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and=20 ever=A2.
(6) It was considered a happy omen when it came up in = the right=20 hand, and the temptation was as great as near to improve upon = chance by=20 dexterous manipulation.
(7) V. infra 44b.
(8) Viz., =A2A = sin-offering=20 unto the Lord=A2.
(9) If the deputy high priest, in whose hand = it came=20 up, gave him the command, he might easily read into his words the=20 arrogance of the successful.
(10) R. Judah and the Tanna of our = Mishnah.
(11) Nazir 47b, which implies that as long as the high = priest=20 is fit for service the deputy high priest performs no priestly = service=20 whatsoever, in opposition to R. Judah.
(12) Which was tied = between the=20 horns of the bullock. If that became white, it signified that the = Holy=20 One, blessed be He, had forgiven Israel's sin. Cf. Though your = sins be as=20 scarlet, they shall be as white as snow (Isa. I, 18, = Rashi).
(13) The=20 westernmost light on the candlestick in the Temple, into which as = much oil=20 was put as into the others. Although all the other lights were=20 extinguished, that light buried oil, in spite of the fact that it = had been=20 kindled first. This miracle was taken as a sign that the Shechinah = rested=20 over Israel. V. Shab. 22b and Men. 86b.
(14) On the altar, on = which it=20 was kindled in the morning.
(15) V. supra 26b.
(16) V. = Glos.
(17)=20 V. Lev. XXIII, 17ff
(18) Lit., =A2modest=A2, =A2decorous=A2.=20

Talmud - Mas. Yoma=20 39b

hamzan=A2 [grasper] until his = dying=20 day. Rabbah b. R. Shela said: What Scriptural basis = [is=20 there for this appellation]? =BE O my God, rescue me out of the = hand of the=20 wicked, out of the grasp of the unrighteous and homez [ruthless]=20 man.¹ Raba = said, From=20 here [is the basis obtained]: Learn to do well, seek justice, = strengthen=20 hamoz [the oppressed]² i.e., strengthen him = hamoz [who=20 is oppressed], but strengthen not homez [the = oppressor].³

    = Our=20 Rabbis taught: In the year in which Simeon the Righteous died, he = foretold=20 them that he would die. They said: Whence do you know that? He = replied: On=20 every Day of Atonement an old man, dressed in white, wrapped in = white,=20 would join me, entering [the Holy of Holies] and leaving [it] with = me, but=20 today I was joined by an old man, dressed in black, wrapped in = black, who=20 entered, but did not leave, with me. After the festival [of = Sukkoth] he=20 was sick for seven days and [then] died. His brethren [that year] = the=20 priests forbore to mention the Ineffable Name in pronouncing the=20 [priestly] blessing.⁴=20 Our Rabbis taught: During the last forty years before the=20 destruction of the Temple the lot [=A2For the Lord=A2] did not = come up in the=20 right hand; nor did the crimson-coloured strap become white; nor = did the=20 westernmost light shine; and the doors of the Hekal would open by=20 themselves, until R. Johanan b. Zakkai rebuked them, saying: = Hekal, Hekal,=20 why wilt thou be the alarmer thyself?⁵ I know about thee that = thou wilt=20 be destroyed, for Zechariah ben Ido has already prophesied = concerning=20 thee:⁶ Open = thy=20 doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.⁷

  &= nbsp;=20 R. Isaac b. Tablai said: Why is its⁸ name called Lebanon? = Because it=20 makes white the sins of Israel. R. Zutra b. Tobiah said: Why is it = called=20 =A2Forest=A2, as it is written: The house of the forest of=20 Lebanon?⁹ = To tell you=20 that just as a forest produces sprouts, so does the Temple. For R. = Hosea=20 said:¹⁰ = When Solomon=20 built the Sanctuary, he planted therein all sorts of precious = golden=20 trees, which brought forth fruit in their season. When the wind = blew=20 against them, their fruits would fall down, as it is said: May his = fruit=20 rustle like Lebanon.¹¹ They were a source of = income=20 for the priesthood. But as soon as the idolaters entered the = Hekal, they=20 dried up, as it is said: And the flower of Lebanon=20 languisheth.¹² And=20 the Holy One, blessed be He, will restore it to us, as it is said: = It=20 shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice, even with joy and singing, = the=20 glory of Lebanon shall be given to it.¹³ Our Rabbis = taught:¹⁴ Ten times did the = high priest=20 pronounce the [Ineffable] Name on that day: Three times at the = first=20 confession, thrice at the second confession, thrice in connection = with the=20 he-goat to be sent away, and once in connection with the lots. And = it=20 already happened that when he pronounced the Name, his voice was = heard=20 even unto Jericho.¹⁵=20 Rabbah b. Bar Hana said: From Jerusalem to Jericho it is a = distance of ten=20 parasangs. The turning hinges of the Temple doors were heard = throughout=20 eight Sabbath limits.¹⁶ The goats in Jericho = used to=20 sneeze because of the odour of the incense. The women in Jericho = did not=20 have to perfume themselves, because of the odour of the incense. = The bride=20 in Jerusalem did not have to perfume herself because of the odour = of the=20 incense. R. Jose b. Diglai said: My father had goats on the = mountains of=20 Mikwar¹⁷ = and they=20 used to sneeze because of the odour of the incense. R. Hiyya b. = Abin said=20 in the name of R. Joshua b. Karhah: An old man told me: Once I = walked=20 towards Shiloh¹⁸ and=20 I could smell the odour of the incense [coming] from its=20 walls.

    R. Jannai said: To bring the lot = up out=20 of the casket is indispensable,¹⁹ but to place [it on = the=20 bullock's head] is not.²⁰ R. Johanan said: Even = to bring=20 up the lot is not indispensable.²¹ On the opinion of R. = Judah who=20 said that services performed in the white garments outside the = Holy of=20 Holies are not indispensable there is no dispute, [all agreeing] = that [the=20 bringing up of lots] is not indispensable; they dispute only the = opinion=20 of R. Nehemiah:²² He=20 who says it is indispensable, holds even as R. Nehemiah [does]; = whereas=20 the other who holds it is dispensable, explains [R. Nehemiah to = refer to]=20 an actual service, whereas the casting of the lots is no service. = =BE Others=20 say: On the opinion of R. Nehemiah, who says it is indispensable, = there is=20 no dispute, [all agreeing that] it is indispensable; the dispute = touches=20 only the opinion of R. Judah: he who holds it is dispensable, = agrees with=20 R. Judah; whereas he who holds it is indispensable [explains] that = it is=20 different here because Scripture repeats twice: On which [the lot] = fell.²³ =BE = An=20 objection: was raised =A2It is a command to cast the lots but if = he has=20 failed to do so, [the service] is, nevertheless, valid. Now that = will be=20 quite right according to the version that none disputes that on R. = Judah's=20 view it is dispensable, so that this [teaching]²⁴ is in accordance with = R.=20 Judah.
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(1) = Ps. LXXI,=20 4.
(2) Isa. 1, 17.
(3) V. Sanh. 35a.
(4) Men. 109b. Tosaf = Sotah=20 38a suggests that the Ineffable Name could be pronounced only when = there=20 was some indication that the Shechinah rested on the Sanctuary. = When=20 Simeon the Righteous died, with many indications that such glory = was no=20 more enjoyed, his brethren no more dared utter the Ineffable = Name.
(5)=20 Predict thy own destruction.
(6) I.e., concerning this = significant omen=20 of the destruction of the Temple.
(7) Zech. XI, 1. Ido was his=20 grandfather, but it occurs occasionally that a man is called = =A2the son=20 after a distinguished ancestor.
(8) The Sanctuary. A play on=20 iubck, connected with ick.
(9) I Kings X, = 21.
(10) V.=20 supra 21b.
(11) Ps. LXXII, 16.
(12) Nahum I, 4.
(13) Isa. = XXXV,=20 2.
(14) Tosef. Yoma II, 2.
(15) V. supra 20b.
(16) The = marked-off=20 area around a town or place within which it is permitted to move = on the=20 Sabbath. Sabbath limits i.e., two thousand cubits in every = direction. The=20 turning hinges, then, created a sound, according to this scholar, = audible=20 beyond sixteen thousand cubits.
(17) The name varies: Mikmar, = Mikwar,=20 Makvar (a district of Peraea). One version omits reference to a = place, and=20 reads =A2on the mountains=A2, which may have appropriated the = n from the=20 next word and omitted it for want of clarity. It should be = reasonably near=20 Jerusalem to suit the context. See D.S., p. 110.
(18) The place = of the=20 tent of meeting. In the mind of the narrator the odour of incense = must=20 have been well-nigh imperishable.
(19) Without the casting of = the lots=20 no choice could be made as to the destination of the two he-goats, = i.e.,=20 the service could not go on.
(20) This view considers the = service of=20 the high priest dependent on the decision of the lots, the = decisive factor=20 being the lots and not the formal putting of the lot on the = animal's=20 head.
(21) R. Johanan considers the action of the high priest = the=20 determining factor, independent of his having either had lots or = having=20 placed them on the head. His declaration as to which animal is for = the=20 Lord and for Azazel resp., validates the service.
(22) Infra = 60a=20 contains the dispute between R. Judah and R. Nehemiah as to = whether any=20 change in the prescribed order renders the service invalid. It = hinges on=20 the question as to whether the word =A2hukkah=A2 (statute) i.e., = binding=20 order, applies to the service in the Holy of Holies only, = independent as=20 to the garments wherein they are performed (R. Judah) or whether = it=20 applies to any service in the white garments, performed either in = the Holy=20 of Holies or elsewhere (R. Nehemiah). A sub-question would be = whether=20 anything in connection with the Day of Atonement, or only a = service proper=20 is covered by R. Nehemiah's view. If e.g., the casting of the lots = is not=20 considered a service, though an action in connection with it, it = may not=20 be indispensable since it is performed outside the Holy of Holies, = although in white garments.
(23) Lev. XVI, 9,10 which = repetition=20 emphasizes the indispensable nature of this service.
(24) That = it is a=20 command to cast the lots, but that failure to do so does not = invalidate=20 the service.

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