Tamid

or a single grape or a cluster used to bring it and hang it thereon. Said R. Eleazar son of R. Zadok: On one occasion three hundred priests were commissioned to clear it. The case of the veil as has been taught:1 We have learnt: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel says: The thickness of the veil2 was a handbreadth. It was formed of seventy-two strands, and each was made up of twenty-four threads.3 Its length was forty cubits and its breadth was twenty cubits, and it was made by eighty-two young girls,4 and two were made every year,5 and it took three hundred priests to immerse it.6 THEY BEGAN TO TAKE UP THE LOGS TO LAY THE FIRE. . . . EXCEPT VINE AND OLIVE WOOD. Why were these excepted? — R. Papa said: Because they have knots:7 R. Aha b. Jacob said: Because of the amenities of the Land of Israel.8 The following was cited in objection [to R. papa]: upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar;9 this implies wood which rapidly becomes fire.10 Which kind is that? Thin boughs like spits which do not form knots, that is, that do not become knotted inwardly.11 Are all kinds of wood suitable for the altar fire? All kinds are suitable excepts olive and vine, but what were mostly used were boughs of fig trees and nut trees and oil trees. R. Eleazar adds [as not suitable]: also wood from the matish12 and the oak and the date tree and the carob and sycamore. There is no difficulty here for the one who says that it is because they are knotted. The difference according to him is that one authority holds that although they are not knotted on the inside, yet since they are knotted on the outside we do not use them,13 while the other holds that since they are not knotted on the inside, although they are knotted on the outside we still bring them. But to the one who says, it is because of the amenities of the Land of Israel, we can object, does not the date tree contribute to the amenities of the Land of Israel? — He can reply to you: By the same reasoning does not the fig tree contribute to the amenities of the Land of Israel? But what do you answer to this? That we speak of a fig tree which does not produce fruit. Similarly we speak of a date tree which does not produce fruit. But are there fig trees which do not produce fruit? Yes, as stated by Rahabah. For Rahabah said: They bring white fig trees the First Temple.