Tamid

I greet you, it was a proof that he was asleep,1 and he would beat him with his stick. He was also permitted to burn his clothes. The others would say, What noise is that in the Azarah? It is the cry of a Levite who is being beaten and whose garments are being burnt because he was asleep at his post. R. Eliezer b. Jacob said: Once they found my mother's brother asleep and they burnt his clothes. R. Hiyya b. Abba said: When R. Johanan came to this Mishnah he used to say: Happy were the former generations who punished even for being overpowered by sleep; how much more then when there was no overpowering as of sleep!2 It has been taught: Rabbi says: Which is a right way that a man should choose? Let him love reproof, since as long as there is reproof in the world ease of mind comes to the world, good and blessing come the world, and evil departs from the world, as it says, But to them that are reproved shall come delight; and a good blessing shall come upon them.3 Some say: Let him have scrupuluos honesty,4 as it says, Mine eyes are upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with me,5 etc. R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Jonathan: Whoever reproves his neighbour for a purely religious motive6 is deemed worthy to be in the portion of the Holy One, blessed be He,7 as it says, He that rebuketh a man is after Me.8 Not only so, but a thread of favour shall twine about him, as it says, He shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.9 IF HE FOUND IT LOCKED HE KNEW etc. . . . WHOEVER WANTED TO REMOVE THE ASHES FROM THE ALTAR etc. This statement contains a contradiction. You say first: WHOEVER WANTS TO REMOVE THE ASHES FROM THE ALTAR RISES EARLY AND BATHES BEFORE THE SUPERINTENDENT COMES, which would show that the matter does not depend on drawing of lots, and then it states, LET HIM COME AND DRAW LOTS, which shows that it does depend on the casting of lots?-Abaye replied: There is no contradiction. The first statement refers to the period before the regulation, the second to the period after the regulation, as we have learnt:10 At first whoever desired to remove the ashes from the altar used to do so. When there were several of them they used to run and go up the Ascent11 and whoever was first in the last four cubits had the privilege. If two were level, the superintendent said to them, put your fingers out. They put out the one or two fingers, but they did not put out the thumb in the Temple. It happened once that two were running level up the Ascent and one of them pushed the other and he broke his leg, and when the Beth din saw that they were endangering themselves, they ordained that the task of removing the ashes should be assigned only by lot. Raba said: Both statements refer to the period after the regulation, and what it means is this: Whoever wanted to come and draw lots used to rise early and bathe before the superintendent came. MISHNAH. HE TOOK THE KEY12 AND OPENED THE SMALL DOOR AND WENT FROM THE FIRE CHAMBER INTO THE AZARAH, AND THE PRIESTS WENT IN AFTER HIM CARRYING TWO LIGHTED TORCHES. THEY DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS, ONE OF WHICH WENT ALONG THE PORTICO13 TO THE EAST, WHILE THE OTHER WENT ALONG IT TO THE WEST. THEY WENT ALONG INSPECTlng14 UNTIL THEY CAME TO THE PLACE WHERE THE GRlddle-CAKES15 WERE MADE.16 THERE THE TWO GROUPS MET AND SAID, IS IT WELL? ALL IS WELL.17 THEY THEN APPOINTED HIM THAT MADE THE GRIDDLE-CAKES TO MAKE GRIDDLE-CAKES. THE ONE ON WHOM THE LOT HAD FALLEN TO CLEAR THE ASHES FROM THE ALTAR MADE READY TO DO SO. THEY SAID TO HIM: ‘BE CAREFUL NOT TO TOUCH ANY VESSEL UNTIL YOU HAVE WASHED YOUR HANDS AND FEET FROM THE LAVER. SEE, THE FIREPAN IS IN THE CORNER BETWEEN THE ASCENT AND THE ALTAR ON THE WEST OF THE ASCENT’. NO ONE ENTERED WITH HIM,18 NOR DID HE CARRY ANY LIGHT19 BUT HE WALKED BY THE LIGHT OF THE ALTAR FIRE. NO-ONE SAW HIM20