Pesachim

MISHNAH. THE [AFTERNOON] TAMID1 IS SLAUGHTERED AT EIGHT AND A HALF HOURS2 AND IS OFFERED AT NINE AND A HALF HOURS.3 ON THE EVE OF PASSOVER4 IT IS SLAUGHTERED AT SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS AND OFFERED AT EIGHT AND A HALF HOURS, WHETHER IT IS A WEEKDAY OR THE SABBATH. IF THE EVE OF PASSOVER FELL, ON SABBATH EVE [FRIDAY], IT IS SLAUGHTERED AT SIX AND A HALF HOURS AND OFFERED AT SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS, AND THE PASSOVER OFFERING AFTER IT.5 GEMARA. Whence do we know it? — Said R. Joshua b. Levi, Because Scripture saith, The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer between the two evenings:6 insert7 it between the two ‘evenings’, [which gives] two and a half hours before and two and a half hours after8 and one hour for its preparation.9 Raba objected: ON THE EVE OF PASSOVER IT IS SLAUGHTERED AT SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS AND OFFERED AT EIGHT AND A HALF HOURS, WHETHER IT IS A WEEKDAY OR THE SABBATH. Now if you think that [it must be slaughtered] at eight and a half hours according to Scriptural law, how may we perform it earlier? Rather, said Raba: The duty of the tamid10 properly [begins] from when the evening shadows begin to fall.11 What is the reason? Because Scripture saith, ‘between the evenings’, [meaning] from the time that the sun commences to decline in the west. Therefore on other days of the year, when there are vows and freewill-offerings,12 in connection with which the Divine Law states, [and he shall burn] upon it the fat of the peace-offerings [he-shelamim],13 and a Master said, ‘upon it’ complete [shalem] all the sacrifices,14 we therefore postpone it two hours and sacrifice it at eight and a half hours.15 [But] on the eve of Passover, when there is the Passover offering after it, we advance it one hour and sacrifice16 it at seven and a half hours. When the eve of Passover falls on the eve of the Sabbath, so that there is the roasting too [to be done], for it does not override the Sabbath,17 we let it stand on its own law, [viz.,] at six and a half hours. Our Rabbis taught: Just as its order during the week, so is its order on the Sabbath: these are the words of R. Ishmael. R. Akiba said: Just as its order on the eve of Passover. What does this mean? — Said Abaye, This is what it means: Just as its order on a weekday which is the eve of Passover, so is its order on the Sabbath which is the eve of Passover:18 these are the words of R. Ishmael. R. Akiba said: Just as its order on the eve of Passover which falls on the eve of the Sabbath, so is its order on the Sabbath;19 and our Mishnah which teaches, WHETHER ON A WEEKDAY OR THE SABBATH, agrees with R. Ishmael. Wherein do they differ? — They differ as to whether the additional sacrifices20 take precedence over the [burning of the frankincense in the] censers:21 R. Ishmael holds, The additional offerings take precedence over the [burning of the frankincense in the] censers: therefore he [the priest] sacrificed the additional sacrifices at six hours, [burned the incense in] the censers at seven, and sacrificed the tamid at seven and a half [hours]. R. Akiba holds: [The burning of the frankincense in] the censers takes precedence over the additional sacrifices: [hence] the [burning in the] censers took place at five [hours], the additional offering at six hours, and the tamid was sacrificed at six and a half hours. To this Raba demurred: Does then R. Akiba teach, Just as its order on the eve of Passover which falls on the Sabbath, so is its order on the Sabbath; surely he teaches, ‘Just as its order on the eve of Passover,’ without qualification? Rather, said Raba, This is what he means: Just as its order on the weekdays in general,22 so is its order on the Sabbath which is the eve of Passover:23 these are the words of R. Ishmael. R. Akiba said: Just as its order on the eve of Passover;24 hence our Mishnah which teaches, WHETHER ON WEEKDAYS OR ON THE SABBATH agrees with R. Akiba. Wherein do they differ? — They differ in the heating of the flesh.25 R. Ishmael holds, We fear for the heating of the flesh; while R. Akiba holds: We do not fear for the heating of the flesh. commences; hence the earlier hour of the tamid. nightfall (= twelve). perceptible from half an hour after midday, and this is regarded as the falling of the evening shadows. vow was made; in a freewill-offering a particular animal was specified at the time of the vow. The difference is that in the former case, if the animal which he subsequently dedicates dies or is rendered unfit before it is sacrificed, he must bring another; but in the latter case he has no further obligation. be brought after the morning tamid, but not after the afternoon tamid, which must be the last of the day. This exegesis connects shelamim with shalem (whole, complete). Jast. translates: with it (the evening sacrifice) cease all sacrifices (none can be offered after it). This is simpler, but not in accordance with the context. unnecessary to delay the tamid, which is therefore sacrificed as early as possible, to leave ample time for the Passover sacrifice. offered. — In memory of these additional sacrifices there is now an Additional Service (Musaf) on these days. and removed and replaced by fresh bread the following Sabbath. At the same time the frankincense was burnt, and after that the priests ate the shewbread. The removing, replacing and burning of the incense took an hour. inadvisable to slaughter it earlier, lest the flesh became overheated and putrid, and consequently the tamid is slaughtered at the usual time. XLIII. 30.