תמיד 27

¹ novitiates’? — They replied: That is quite right. In the first passage, which speaks of those who have not yet become qualified to minister, they are called ‘youths’; in the second clause which speaks of those who have become qualified to minister, they are called ‘novitiates’. We have learnt elsewhere: In three places the priests keep watch in the Temple — in the Chamber of Abtinas, in the Chamber of the Spark, and in the Fire Chamber, and the Levites in twenty one places — five at the five gates of the Temple Mount, four at its four corners, on the inside, five at the five gates of the Azarah and four at its four corners on the outside, one in the Offering Chamber, one in the Chamber of the Veil, and one behind the place of the Mercy Seat. On what Scriptural text was this practice based? — Rab Judah from Sura replied — according to others, it is taught in a Baraitha: Because it is written: Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and for the Storehouse [asuppim] two and two. For the Precinct [Parbar] westward four at the causeway and two at the Precinct. But, it was observed, that makes twenty-four? — Abaye replied: We must understand thus: For the two asuppim there were two. That still leaves twenty-two? — At the parbar there was properly only one watchman, and the other merely went and sat by him for company, because he was far outside. What is the meaning of parbar? — Rabbah, son of R. Shilah replied: It is as if one said, Towards the outside [clape bar]. If you like I can say that there were really twenty-four places, as stated in the text, three of them for priests and twenty-one for Levites. But the text says here ‘Levites’? This is explained by R. Joshua b. Levi; for R. Joshua b. Levi said: In twenty-four places ‘priests’ are called Levites, and this is one of them, viz., But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok. ‘Five at the five gates of the Temple Mount and four at its four corners on the inside, five at the five gates of the Azarah and four at its four corners on the outside’. Why in the case of the Temple Mount are they placed on the inside and in the case of the Azarah on the outside? — They replied: On the Temple Mount, if the watchman feels tired and wants to sit down, he may sit, and therefore he is placed on the inside, but in the Azarah, if he feels tired and wants to sit down he may not sit, since a Master has said that sitting is not allowed in the Azarah save only to kings of the House of David; therefore they are Placed on the outside. The Master said: ‘Five at the five gates of the Azarah’. Were there then only five gates in the Azarah? This seems to contradict the following: There were seven gates in the Azarah, three on the north, three on the south, and one on the east! — Abaye said: Two of them did not require to be watched. Raba said: There is a difference of Tannaim on this point, as it has been taught: There must not be less than thirteen treasurers [attached to the Azarah] and seven supervisors. R. Nathan said: There must be not less than thirteen treasurers corresponding to the thirteen gates. Subtract five for the Temple Mount, and eight are left for the Azarah. We see therefore that there is a Tanna who says there were eight, and one who says there were seven, and one who says there were five. THEY DID NOT SLEEP IN THEIR SACRED GARMENTS etc. It was sleeping which was forbidden, but they used to walk about in them. You may infer from this that the priestly garments could be made general use of! — It was replied: In fact walking about in them was also forbidden, and the reason why the Mishnah says simply that they did not sleep in them was because it was going to say subsequently, BUT THEY TAKE THEM OFF AND FOLD THEM AND PLACE THEM UNDER THEIR HEADS. Therefore it says in the first clause also THEY DID NOT SLEEP IN THEM. But your explanation itself involves a difficulty. THEY PLACE THEM UNDER THEIR HEADS: this shows that general use may be made of the priestly garments? — Read, Opposite their heads. R. Papa said: We may infer from this that it is allowed to place tefillin at one's side [when sleeping] and we are not afraid that perhaps one will roll over and fall on them. It is reasonable to suppose that what is meant is opposite the head. For if you say ‘under the head’ even granting that they may be made general use of, it should still be forbidden on the ground of mixed kinds.13^{ᵃᵇᶜᵈᵉᶠᵍʰⁱʲᵏˡᵐ}

² . This argument is valid for one who says that the girdle of the high priest was not the same as the girdle of the ordinary priest. But if one holds that the girdle of the ordinary priest is the same as that of the high priest, what is there to say? And should you allege that mixed kinds are forbidden only for putting over and putting on, but there is no objection to folding them under one, has it not been taught: Neither shall there come upon thee [a garment of two kinds of stuff]; you may, however, spread it under you. The Sages, however, said that it is forbidden to do this, for fear that a thread may wind itself round his body. And should you argue that there is something separating, behold, R. Simeon has said in the name of Joshua b. Levi who had it from R. Jose b. Saul in the name of the holy congregation in Jerusalem, that even if there are ten coverings one on top of another and mixed kinds under them, it is forbidden to sleep on them. We must then conclude that what is meant is opposite the head. Alternatively, I may say that the Mishnah speaks of those garments in which there are no mixed kinds. R. Ashi said: The priestly garments were hard; since R. Huna the son of R. Joshua said: This hard fabric made in Naresh is permitted. (Come and hear: It is forbidden to go out into the town in priestly garments, but it is permissible to walk about in them in the Temple whether at the time of service or otherwise, since the priestly garments may be made general use of. This is conclusive. But not in the town? Has it not been taught: ‘On the twenty-first of this month is the day of Mount Gerizim on which it is forbidden to mourn, as we find in Yoma in the section ‘The High priest used to come’ etc. up to ‘If you like I can Say they are fit for the priestly garments’. Or if you like I can say ‘When it is a time to act for the Lord they break Thy Law’). IF AN ACCIDENT HAPPENED TO ONE OF THEM etc. This supports the view of R. Johanan who said that the subterranean passage possessed no sanctity, and that a baal keri is sent out of two camps. WITH LIGHTS BURNING ON EACH SIDE etc. R. Safra was once sitting in a privy when R. Abba came and gave a cough, whereupon R. Safra said, pray, enter, Sir. When he came out, R. Abba said to him: Though you have not got as far as a he-goat you have learnt the manners of a he-goat. Have we not learnt as follows: IF HE FOUND IT LOCKED, HE KNEW THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE INSIDE? This was to signify that he ought not to have gone in. R. Safra, however, thought that perhaps it would be dangerous for him to wait, as it has been taught: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel says: To hold back faeces brings on dropsy; to hold back urine brings on jaundice. Rab said to his son Hiyya — and so also said R. Huna to his son Raba — attend to your needs at nightfall and before daybreak, so that you shall not need to go a long way. Sit first and then Uncover, and cover first and then rise. Wipe [the cup] before drinking and wipe again before putting it down; and when you drink water, pour out some before giving [the cup] to your disciple, as it has been taught: A man should not drink water and hand [the cup] to his disciple unless he first pours some out. It happened once that a man drank some water and without pouring any out gave [the cup] to his disciple. The disciple was squeamish and did not like to drink, and he died of thirst. There and then they laid down a rule that a man should not drink and give [the cup] to his disciple without pouring some out. R. Ashi said: Consequently if a disciple pours out in front of his teacher, this shows no disrespect. Do not spit anything out in front of your teacher except pumpkin and leek, for they are like molten lead. We have learnt elsewhere: The officer of the Temple Mount used to go round to every watch with torches burning before him, and if any watchman did not rise and say, Officer,^{ⁿᵒᵖᵠʳˢᵗᵘᵛʷˣʸᶻᵃᵃᵃᵇᵃᶜᵃᵈ}