תמיד 26

¹ DOWN THE WINDING STAIR WHICH WENT UNDER THE BIRAH, AND WHICH WAS LIT BY LIGHTS ON EACH SIDE UNTIL HE REACHED THE BATHING PLACE. THERE WAS A FIRE CLOSE BY AND A SUPERIOR PRIVY. ITS SUPERIORITY LAY IN THIS: IF HE FOUND IT LOCKED, HE KNEW THERE WAS SOMEONE THERE; IF IT WAS OPEN, HE KNEW THERE WAS NO ONE THERE. HE WOULD GO DOWN AND BATHE AND THEN COME UP AND DRY HIMSELF AND WARM HIMSELF IN FRONT OF THE FIRE, AND THEN GO AND TAKE HIS SEAT NEXT TO HIS BROTHER PRIESTS UNTIL THE GATES WERE OPENED, WHEN HE WOULD TAKE HIS DEPARTURE. ANYONE WHO DESIRED TO REMOVE THE ASHES FROM THE ALTAR USED TO RISE EARLY AND BATHE BEFORE THE SUPERINTENDENT CAME. AT WHAT TIME DID THE SUPERINTENDENT COME? HE DID NOT ALWAYS COME AT THE SAME TIME; SOMETIMES HE CAME JUST AT COCK-CROW, SOMETIMES A LITTLE BEFORE OR A LITTLE AFTER. THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD COME AND KNOCK AND THEY WOULD OPEN FOR HIM, AND HE WOULD SAY TO THEM, LET ALL WHO HAVE BATHED COME AND DRAW LOTS. SO THEY DREW LOTS, AND ONE OR OTHER WAS SUCCESSFUL. GEMARA. Whence [in the Scripture] is this rule derived? — Abaye replied: Scripture says, And those that were to pitch before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrising, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary, even the charge for the children of Israel. We say, Yes; we have found a basis for the rule of watching, and that it requires priests and Levites. But the Mishnah states: The priests keep watch in three places and the Levites in twenty-one; [furthermore] whereas Scripture places priests and Levites together the Mishnah places them separately. — We reply: What it means is this: ‘Those that were to pitch before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrising, were Moses’; and then, ‘Aaron and his sons keeping the charge of the sanctuary — Aaron in one place and his sons in two places. Whence do you learn [that priests and Levites are separate]? — Because it is written ‘those that were to pitch’ and it is written ‘keeping’ which implies, that those who pitched and those who kept were separate. But I may still say that all [of those who kept] were in one place? — Do not imagine such a thing. Just as Moses was in one place by himself, so Aaron and his sons were each in one place by themselves. R. Ashi said: This can be learnt from the latter part of the verse, [from the words] keeping the charge . . . even the charge.11^{ᵃᵇᶜᵈᵉᶠᵍʰⁱʲᵏ}

² In regard to the Chamber of Abtinas and the Chamber of the Spark, the question was asked in the Academy. Were they actually upper chambers or were they perhaps simply raised like upper chambers? — Come and hear; for we have learnt: In the north was the Chamber of the Spark, built like a veranda, and there was an upper chamber on top of it, and the priests kept watch above and the Levites below, and it had a doorway to the non-sacred part. Whence is this rule derived? — Because our Rabbis have taught: That they [the Levites] may be joined unto thee [Aaron] and minister unto thee. The text speaks of thy [Aaron's] service. You say, The text speaks of thy service. May it not perhaps be of their service? When it says, And they shall bejoined unto thee and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, this disposes of their service. What then do I make of That they may be joined unto thee and minister unto thee? The text must speak of thy service. How is this to be carried out? The priests watch above and the Levites below. THE FIRE CHAMBER WAS VAULTED AND IT WAS A LARGE ROOM. But was there only one watch kept in the Fire Chamber? This is opposed to [the following statement]: There were two gates in the Fire Chamber, one opening on to the Hel and one opening on to the Azarah. R. Judah said: In the doorway opening on to the Azarah there was a small wicket through which they used to go in to inspect the Azarah? Abaye said: Since the gates were close to one another, one watchman was sufficient, as he could glance from one to the other. [IT WAS] SURROUNDED WITH STONE PROJECTIONS. What were these projections? — They were the hewn slabs of the projections by which they used to climb up to the projections. But were there any hewn stones there, seeing that it is written, For the house when it was in building was built of stone made ready etc.? — Abaye replied: They were brought ready prepared. smaller stones and larger stones, as it says, Stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits. THE ELDERS OF THE BETH AB SLEPT THERE. Why so? Why could they not take in beds? — Abaye replied: It would not be respectful to take beds into the Temple. THE PRIESTLY NOVITIATES PUT EACH HIS PILLOW ON THE GROUND. Why are they first called ‘youths’ and then^{ˡᵐⁿᵒᵖᵠʳˢᵗᵘᵛʷˣʸᶻᵃᵃ}