Yoma

and as he [the priest] enters the Hekal [Sanctuary], he comes first upon the altar.1 For it was taught: The table was to the north two and one half cubits away from the wall, the candlestick was to the south, two and one half cubits away from the wall, the altar stood in the exact middle, extending somewhat outward.2 But let it stand with them?3 — Since it is written: And the candlestick over against the table,4 it is required that they5 see each other. Said Raba: From what Resh Lakish said we infer that it is forbidden to forego the arm in favour of the forehead.6 How shall he do it? From the arm [he shall] proceed to the forehead.7 ‘And the trimming of the five lamps is to precede the blood of the continual offering, and the blood of the continual offering is to come before the trimming of the two lamps.’ What is the reason? — Abaye said: [The phrases] ‘In the morning, in the morning’, [written] in connection with the two logs of wood,8 which are not necessary [there]:9 one10 applies to the trimming of the five lamps which shall precede the blood of the continual offering; the other applies to the blood of the continual offering which is to come before the trimming of the two lamps.11 ‘One applies to the trimming of the five lamps which should precede the blood of the continual offering’, for here12 are three13 [words], there only two. ‘And the other applies to the blood of the continual offering which should come before the trimming of the two lamps’, for, although in each case there are two,14 yet, that which obtains atonement15 has preference. R. Papa said to Abaye: But say, perhaps, that one is to be applied to the removing of the ashes of the inner altar, which is to precede the blood of the continual offering, for here are three words,16 there but two; and one applies to the blood of the continual offering that should come before the trimming of the five lamps, for, although in both cases there are but two, the one that obtains atonement is to have preference? — If so, what shall he interrupt it with?17 It would be quite right according to Resh Lakish who said: The lamps were trimmed and [after interruption] trimmed again.18 in order to keep the whole Temple Court animated, but according to R. Johanan who interprets ‘In the morning, in the morning’,19 i.e., divide it into two mornings,20 what could be said?21 Said Rabina to R. Ashi: Are the words ‘In the morning, in the morning’ in connection with the wood at all superfluous? Surely they are really necessary for their text meaning, the Divine Law saying that they should precede the second pile for the incense? He replied: Have we not explained: ‘Upon it’ but not upon the other pile, which indicated that the other must have been there already! 22 Why does he trim the five lamps first, let him trim the two lamps first! — Having started already, let him do the bigger part. Then let him trim six? — Scripture says: When he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn it,19 and ‘lamps’ is no less than two. — ‘And the trimming of the lamps is to come before the incense’, for Scripture says: ‘When he dresseth the lamps’, and afterwards [it says]. ‘He shall burn it’ [the incense].19 ‘And the incense [shall precede] the limbs’ — For it was taught: Let that, in connection with which it is said ‘In the morning, in the morning’, precede that, in connection with which Scripture said only, ‘In the morning’ [once].23 ‘And the limbs [come before] the meal-offering’, for it was taught:24 Whence do we know that nothing may precede25 the continual offering of the dawn? eyes. Tosaf. s.v. hrucg would have Raba's remark apply to the obligation to touch the tefillin as a preventive of diversion from a prayerful mood. to another (ihbg ubht ot). offering has but once ‘in the morning’, Ex. XXIX, 39, to which the one applied from the two logs of wood is to be added. continual offering as explained in n. 8. order would be: the blood of the continual offering, the trimming of the lamps, the incense. elsewhere, this is only as far as the blood rituals are concerned, but does not apply to the smoking of the limbs (Rashi).]