The third count: novices come up and submit to the count for the incense. The Fourth count: novices and old priests, who will take up the limbs from the ramp to the altar.
t.Yom.2.4
A. All the gates which were there were covered with gold except for the Nicanor`s gates,
B. for a miracle was done with them.
C. There are those who say it is because their copper is bright.
D. R. Eliezer b. Jacob [T2 or T4] [T2 or T4] says, ``It was Corinthian bronze and shown like gold [``it is as pretty as gold``].``
E. Now what is the miracle which was done with them?
F. They say: When Nicanor was bringing them from Alexandria, in Egypt, a gale rose in the sea and threatened to drown them. They took one of them and tossed it into the sea, and they wanted to throw in the other but Nicanor would not let them. He said to them, ``If you throw in the second one, throw me in with it.`` He was distressed all the way to the wharf at Jaffa. Once they reached the wharf at Jaffa, the other door popped up from underneath the boat.
G. And there are those who say one of the beasts of the sea swallowed it, and when Nicanor came to the wharf at Jaffa, it brought it up and tossed it onto land.
H. And concerning it, it is explicitly stated in tradition, The beams of our house are cedar, our rafters are pine (Song of Songs 1.17).
MISHNAH: m.Yom.2.4The third count: novices come up and submit to the count for the incense. The Fourth count: novices and old priests, who will take up the limbs from the ramp to the altar.
GEMARA: A Tanna taught: Never did a man repeat that, What is the reason? Because it enriches. R. Papa [BA5] said to Abaye [BA4]: Why [does the incense enrich]? Would one say because Scripture says: They shall put incense before Thee, and soon after: Bless, Lord, his substance? If so, then a burnt-offering should also enrich, for there it is written also: And whole burnt-offering upon Thine altar? He answered: The second is frequent, the first not. Raba [BA4] said: You will not find any rabbinical scholar giving decision who is not a descendant from the tribe of Levi or Issachar. `Of Levi`, as it is written: They shall teach Jacob Thine ordinances, `of Issachar`, as it is written: And of the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do. But mention Judah too, for it is written: Judah is my law-giver? I am speaking [only] of those [who make conclusions] in accordance with the adopted practice.
R. Johanan [PA2] said: No count is arranged for the daily continual evening sacrifice, but the priest who secured the task of offering the continual morning sacrifice also obtains the task of the evening sacrifice. An objection was raised: Just as one arranges a count for it in the morning so is a count arranged for it in the evening? That was taught in application to the incense. But it has been taught: Just as one arranges a count for it [masc.], in the morning, so does one arrange for it, a count in the evening. Read: for it [fem .] But it has been taught: Just as one arranges a count for it [masc.] in the morning, so is a count arranged for it [masc.] in the evening, and just as one arranges a count for it [fem.] in the morning, so is a count arranged for it [fem.] in the evening! R. Samuel b. Isaac [PA3] said: Here we refer to the Sabbath, on which the divisions of the priests are relieved. But on the original assumption there was a larger number of counts? All came in the morning [for the count]; to some it was allotted for the morning to others, for the evening. the Fourth count: novices and older priests etc.: Our Mishnah does not agree with the view of R. Eliezer b. Jacob [T2 or T4], for we have learnt: He who brings the limbs up to the ramp also brings them up to the altar. What principle are they disputing? One holds: In the multitude of the people is the king`s glory, whereas the other is of the opinion that [the distribution of duties among too many] is not good form in the abode of the Shechinah. Raba [BA4] said: R. Eliezer b. Jacob [T2 or T4] does not agree with the view of R. Judah [T4; PA4 or PA5 in Y], nor does the latter agree with the view of the former, for, if that were the case there would be too few counts. And if you find a teacher who teaches `five [counts]`, b.Yom.26b he is in accord with neither R. Eliezer b. Jacob [T2 or T4], nor with R. Judah [T4; PA4 or PA5 in Y].
[A] The third lot:``Those who are new to the burning of the incense, come and draw lots.``
[B] The fourth: ``Those who are new and those who are experienced - who will bring up the limbs from the ramp to the altar itself?`` y.Yom.2.3 I
[A] Said R. Haninah [PA5], ``In the entire history of the lottery no man ever won the lottery for burning the incense and then did so a second time [since only inexperienced priests participate].``
[B] Said R. Yose, ``The Mishnah has made that same point:Those who are new to the burning of the incense, come and draw lots [m.Yom.2.3A].``
[C] Said R. Haninah [PA5], ``And so was the case for the use of the fire-pan.``
[D] Said R. Yose, ``A Tannaite teaching has made that same point:But whoever won the right to care for the incense offering says to the one who is with him at his right hand, `You too - for the fire-pan` [t.Yom.1.11B].``
[E] It turns out that two priests would receive a blessing every time.
[F] Rab [BA1] said, ```Bless, O Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands` (Deut.33.11).
[G] ``There was the case of a priest, one of whose arms had wasted away. But he did not leave off [offering incense], for it is said, `Bless, O Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands.```
m.Yom.2.5
[A] The daily whole-offering was offered by nine, ten, eleven, or twelve [priests], no less, no more.
[B] How so?
[C] It itself was offered by nine [priests].
[D] On the Festival [of Tabernacles], in the hand of one [additional priest] was a flask of water - thus ten.
[E] At dusk, by eleven: it itself by nine, and two, with two pieces of wood in their hands.
[F] And on the Sabbath, by eleven: it itself by nine and two priests, with two dishes of frankincense for the show bread in their hands.
[G] And on the Sabbath which coincides with the Festival [of Tabernacles], in the hand of yet another priest was a flask of water.
m.Yom.2.6
[H] A ram was offered by eleven: the meat by five, the innards, flour, and wine by two each.
m.Yom.2.7
[I] An ox was offered by twenty-four:
[J] the head and the right hind-leg - the head by one, and the right hind-leg by two;
[K] the rump and the left hind-leg - the rump by two, and the left hind-leg by two;
[L] the breast and the neck - the breast by one, and the neck by three;
[M] the two forelegs by two;
[N] the two flanks by two;
[O] the innards, the fine flour, and the wine by three each.
[P] Under what circumstances?
[Q] In the case of public offerings.
[R] But in the case of an individual`s offering,
[S] if [one priest] wanted to offer it up [all by himself], he offered it up.
[T] Flaying and cutting up both these and those [offerings] are subject to the same rules. y.Yom.2.4 I
[A] ``And [Aaron`s sons the priests] shall lay [the pieces, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire upon the altar]`` (Lev.1.8).
[B] [With reference to Lev.15.25: ``(If a woman has a discharge of blood for many) days, (not at the time of her impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness; as in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean),``] is it possible to suppose that involved are a hundred [days]? Is it possible to suppose that involved are two hundred? [At issue is the number of days involved at Lev.15.25.]
[C] Said R. Aqiba, ``In any case in interpreting the law in which you have the choice of imposing either a considerable measure or a small measure, if you impose the larger criterion, you may end up holding on to nothing, while if you impose the smaller criterion [which in any case is encompassed in the larger one], you end up holding on to something. [Accordingly, one should assume the smallest possible number in interpreting a given requirement.]``
[D] It has been taught: R. Judah b. Beterah says, ``If you have two measures, one which contains what you wish to measure, and one which does not contain it [but is much larger], all measure with the one which contains what you wish to measure, and do not measure with the one which does not contain it.``
[E] Said R. Nehemiah [T4], ``Now does the Scripture come to open or to close [off possibilities]? Its purpose is not to close but to open, thus: If you say, `[If a woman has a discharge of blood for many] days, [not at the time of her impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness; as in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean]` (Lev.15.25), so that `days` means ten, [one might maintain] they are not ten but a hundred, two hundred, a thousand, ten thousand.
[F] ``If you say that `days` means two [days only], you have opened [the way, with the minimum plural being two].``
[G] [Working along this same line of thought,] R. Mana [PA5] said in the name of R. Judah [T4; PA4 or PA5 in Y], ```Days` means two days. Is it possible that there are many days [involved]? If you maintain that they are many days, has it not already been said `many`? Lo, Scripture speaks of only a few days, and how many are they? One must say, `They are two,` and `many` means they are three [in all].
[H] ``Is it possible to suppose that when it says `many,` it means ten?
[I] ``The Scripture has said `days,` and it has said `many.` Just as the smallest number of days is two, so the smallest addition referred to by `many` is three.
[J] ``Is it possible to reckon that the two and the three - lo they are five? [So if the flow persists for five days, the woman is unclean?]
[K] ``And is it said `days and many`? And is it not said only `many days`?
[L] ``How so? These many days should be more numerous than two, and how many are they? One must say `three.```
[M]] ``And Aaron`s sons the priests shall lay the pieces`` (Lev.1.8):
[N] Is it possible to maintain that there may be a hundred [priests]?
[O] Scripture states, ``And the priest shall lay them in order upon the wood`` (Lev.1.12).
[P] If Scripture states, ``And the priest shall lay them...,`` is it possible to suppose that it should be only a single priest to lay out all the limbs?
[Q] Scripture says, ``[And Aaron`s sons the priests] shall lay...``
[R] How so?
[S] One priest lays out two limbs.
[T] And how many limbs are there? Ten.
[U] And one for the innards.
[V] ``It turns out that a lamb is taken up to the altar by six priests,`` the words of R. Ishmael [T3].
[W] R. Aqiba says, ```And they shall lay` means two; `the sons of Aaron` means two; `the priests` means two. It turns out that six priests serve to bring a lamb up to the altar.``
[X] [The following is interpolated and does not belong:] ```The priests` serve to encompass the bald priests [and others who are blemished, that they too, even though they may not serve, nonetheless must avoid corpse-uncleanness in line with Lev.21.1ff.],`` the words of R. Judah [T4; PA4 or PA5 in Y].
[Y] [Reverting to V-W,] And does not Scripture speak of a beast of the herd?
[Z] And how do you derive from scripture that the passage ad dresses the daily whole-offering of the morning?
[AA] Simeon bar Ba [PA3], R. Yohanan [PA2] in the name of R. Yannai: ``Here, `laying out` is stated, and below, the same word is used: `And the priest shall lay them...` (Lev.1.12).
[BB] ``Just as when the word `laying out` is stated there, it speaks of the daily whole-offering of the morning, so when the word `laying out` is used here, it speaks of the daily whole- offering of the morning.``
[CC] Ulla bar Ishmael in the name of R. Eleazar [T4 in M or PA3]: ``It is not necessary [to introduce the analogy by the repeated use of the same word AA-BB]. On the basis of the use of the language `and they shall lay,` do we not know that they are two [priests who are to do the work]? And thus do you interpret the passage `and they shall lay out` refers to two; `the sons of Aaron` refers to two, `the priests` refers to two. [This discourse surely refers to the lamb offered in the morning, which is the first offering of the day. For this is the first thing to be placed on the wood on the fire .]
[DD] ``And so it has been taught: `You have nothing that takes precedence over the daily whole-offering in the morning, except for burning the incense alone.``` y.Yom.2.4 II
[A] [As to m.Yom.2.4H: A ram was offered by eleven.] Three priests can bring it up to the altar. And why is a ram offered by eleven priests?
[B] It is so as to make the matter well known [by the participation of many priests].
[C] Rabbis of Caesarea say, ``On what account is the bullock offered by no fewer than twenty-four priests? It is so as to make the matter well known.
[D] ``It is on the count of the following verse: `Within God`s house we walked in fellowship` (Ps.55.14).`` y.Yom.2.4 III
[A] [With reference to m.Yom.2.4Q-S, we shall now prove that an ox belonging to an individual may be offered even by six priests:] Interpret the pertinent verse as follows: ``And they shall lay out`` refers to two priests. ``Sons of Aaron`` refers to two priests. ``The priests`` refers to two priests.
[B] On the basis of this passage, then, we learn that the ox offered by an individual is to be brought up by six priests.