Subject: Yoma 39a-b
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Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2004 17:24:36 -0500

Talmud - Yoma
39a - 39b

The most pertinent portions of these passages are shown in
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bearing on this discussion.

Talmud - Mas. Yoma
39a

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

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

C H A P T E R I
V

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

GEMARA. Why was it necessary to shake the urn? ¾ Lest he take one
intentionally.6 Raba
said: The urn was of wood and profane and could hold no more than the two
hands [at its mouth]. ¾ Rabina demurred to this: It is quite right that
[its mouth] could contain no more than his two hands, i.e., to prevent his
taking one intentionally [through manipulation] but why should it be
profane? Let it be sanctified? ¾ That would result in our having a
ministering vessel of wood, and we do not make ministering vessels of
wood. Then let it be made of silver, or of gold? ¾ ¢The Torah has
consideration for the money of Israel¢.7

Our
Mishnah is not in accordance with the following Tanna, for it was taught:
R. Judah said in the name of R. Eliezer: The deputy high priest and the
high priest put their hand into the urn. If the lot [¢For the Lord¢] comes
up in the hand of the high priest, the deputy high priest said to him: Sir
high priest, raise thy hand! And if it came up in the right hand of the
deputy high priest, the head of the [ministering] family says to him: Say
your word!8 -Let the
deputy high priest address him? ¾ Since it did not come up in his hand, he
might feel discouraged.9 In what [principle] do
they10 differ? ¾ One
holds, the right hand of the deputy high priest is better than the left
hand of the high priest, the other holding, they are of even importance.
Who is the Tanna disputing R. Judah? ¾ It is R. Hanina, deputy high
priest. For it was taught: R. Hanina, deputy high priest, says: Why does
the deputy high priest stand at the right? In order that if an
invalidating accident should happen to the high priest, the deputy high
priest may enter [the Sanctuary] and officiate in his stead.11

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

Talmud - Mas. Yoma
39b

hamzan¢ [grasper] until his dying
day.  Rabbah b. R. Shela said: What Scriptural basis [is
there for this appellation]? ¾ O my God, rescue me out of the hand of the
wicked, out of the grasp of the unrighteous and homez [ruthless]
man.1 Raba said, From
here [is the basis obtained]: Learn to do well, seek justice, strengthen
hamoz [the oppressed]2 i.e., strengthen him hamoz [who
is oppressed], but strengthen not homez [the oppressor].3

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

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

R. Jannai said: To bring the lot up out
of the casket is indispensable,19 but to place [it on the
bullock's head] is not.20 R. Johanan said: Even to bring
up the lot is not indispensable.21 On the opinion of R. Judah who
said that services performed in the white garments outside the Holy of
Holies are not indispensable there is no dispute, [all agreeing] that [the
bringing up of lots] is not indispensable; they dispute only the opinion
of R. Nehemiah:22 He
who says it is indispensable, holds even as R. Nehemiah [does]; whereas
the other who holds it is dispensable, explains [R. Nehemiah to refer to]
an actual service, whereas the casting of the lots is no service. ¾ Others
say: On the opinion of R. Nehemiah, who says it is indispensable, there is
no dispute, [all agreeing that] it is indispensable; the dispute touches
only the opinion of R. Judah: he who holds it is dispensable, agrees with
R. Judah; whereas he who holds it is indispensable [explains] that it is
different here because Scripture repeats twice: On which [the lot]
fell.23 ¾ An
objection: was raised ¢It is a command to cast the lots but if he has
failed to do so, [the service] is, nevertheless, valid. Now that will be
quite right according to the version that none disputes that on R. Judah's
view it is dispensable, so that this [teaching]24 is in accordance with R.
Judah.
____________________
(1) Ps. LXXI,
4.
(2) Isa. 1, 17.
(3) V. Sanh. 35a.
(4) Men. 109b. Tosaf Sotah
38a suggests that the Ineffable Name could be pronounced only when there
was some indication that the Shechinah rested on the Sanctuary. When
Simeon the Righteous died, with many indications that such glory was no
more enjoyed, his brethren no more dared utter the Ineffable Name.
(5)
Predict thy own destruction.
(6) I.e., concerning this significant omen
of the destruction of the Temple.
(7) Zech. XI, 1. Ido was his
grandfather, but it occurs occasionally that a man is called ¢the son
after a distinguished ancestor.
(8) The Sanctuary. A play on
iubck, connected with ick.
(9) I Kings X, 21.
(10) V.
supra 21b.
(11) Ps. LXXII, 16.
(12) Nahum I, 4.
(13) Isa. XXXV,
2.
(14) Tosef. Yoma II, 2.
(15) V. supra 20b.
(16) The marked-off
area around a town or place within which it is permitted to move on the
Sabbath. Sabbath limits i.e., two thousand cubits in every direction. The
turning hinges, then, created a sound, according to this scholar, audible
beyond sixteen thousand cubits.
(17) The name varies: Mikmar, Mikwar,
Makvar (a district of Peraea). One version omits reference to a place, and
reads ¢on the mountains¢, which may have appropriated the n from the
next word and omitted it for want of clarity. It should be reasonably near
Jerusalem to suit the context. See D.S., p. 110.
(18) The place of the
tent of meeting. In the mind of the narrator the odour of incense must
have been well-nigh imperishable.
(19) Without the casting of the lots
no choice could be made as to the destination of the two he-goats, i.e.,
the service could not go on.
(20) This view considers the service of
the high priest dependent on the decision of the lots, the decisive factor
being the lots and not the formal putting of the lot on the animal's
head.
(21) R. Johanan considers the action of the high priest the
determining factor, independent of his having either had lots or having
placed them on the head. His declaration as to which animal is for the
Lord and for Azazel resp., validates the service.
(22) Infra 60a
contains the dispute between R. Judah and R. Nehemiah as to whether any
change in the prescribed order renders the service invalid. It hinges on
the question as to whether the word ¢hukkah¢ (statute) i.e., binding
order, applies to the service in the Holy of Holies only, independent as
to the garments wherein they are performed (R. Judah) or whether it
applies to any service in the white garments, performed either in the Holy
of Holies or elsewhere (R. Nehemiah). A sub-question would be whether
anything in connection with the Day of Atonement, or only a service proper
is covered by R. Nehemiah's view. If e.g., the casting of the lots is not
considered a service, though an action in connection with it, it may not
be indispensable since it is performed outside the Holy of Holies,
although in white garments.
(23) Lev. XVI, 9,10 which repetition
emphasizes the indispensable nature of this service.
(24) That it is a
command to cast the lots, but that failure to do so does not invalidate
the service.

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