Yoma

— one could assume, not even in the Temple Court, therefore it says: ‘in the tent of meeting’. I know [this prohibition] only for the tent of meeting in the wilderness. Whence do we know thereof for Shiloh and the everlasting Sanctuary? To teach us that [Scripture] says in the holy place. I know [the prohibition] only during the time of [the smoking of] the incense, whence [do I know that it applies also] during the time of the sprinkling of the blood? To teach us that, Scripture says: until he come out and have made atonement for himself. — I know it only at the [time of] his entering. Whence do I learn at his coming forth? To teach us that it says: until he come out. And he shall have made atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the assembly of the house of Israel, i.e., the atonement for himself precedes that for his household, and the atonement for his household precedes that for his brethren, the priests and the atonement for his brethren, the priests, precedes that for all the assembly of Israel. The Master said: I know [of the prohibition] only for the time of [the smoking of] the incense. How is this implied? — Raba, and thus also R. Isaac b. Abdimi, and thus also R. Eleazar said: Scripture says: ‘And he shall have made atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the assembly of the house of Israel’. What atonement is there which obtains evenly for himself, his household, his brethren, the priests, and the whole assembly of the house of Israel? It is the smoking of the incense. But does the incense obtain atonement? — Indeed, for R. Hananiah cited:1 We learn that the incense obtains atonement for what was said: And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.2 And the School of R. Ishmael taught: Why does incense obtain atonement for [the sin] of the evil tongue [evil speech]? Let that which is [performed] in secret3 come and obtain atonement for what is committed in secret! We have learnt elsewhere:4 People must keep away from the place between Ulam5 and altar at the time of the smoking of the incense. R. Eleazar said: This was taught only during the time of the smoking of the incense in the Sanctuary, but during the time the incense was smoked in the Holy of Holies, people had to keep away from the Hekal, but not from the place between the Ulam and the altar. A. Adda b. Ahabah, or as some say, Kadi,6 raised the following objection: R. Jose says: ‘Just as they keep away from the place between Ulam and altar during the [smoking of] the incense, so do they keep away at the time of the sprinkling of the blood of the anointed priest's bullock,7 and of the bullock offered up because of an error of the congregation,8 and of the he-goats [offered up] because of idolatry.9 What gradation of sanctity is there, then, between the Hekal and the space between Ulam and altar? [None] except that from the Hekal men keep away both during the time of the smoking of the incense, and outside of the time of the smoking of the incense, but from the space between Ulam and altar people keep away only in the time of the incense. At any rate, at the time of the smoking of the incense, they do keep away.10 Would you not say [it means] during the time of the smoking [of the incense] in the Holy of Holies?11 — No, [the reference is to the time of smoking] in the Hekal.12 If so, [how explain] ‘what then is the gradation between the two places’ etc.? Is the above the only difference in gradation?13 Is there not also this difference: that from the Hekal they keep away during the time both of the smoking of the incense in the Hekal itself, and of the smoking of the incense in the Holy of Holies, whereas from the place between Ulam and altar they keep away only during the time of the smoking of the incense in the Hekal itself? — This [exactly] is what he teaches: ‘Except that from the Hekal men keep away, both during the time of the smoking of incense [in the Hekal] and outside of the time of the smoking of the incense [in the Hekal],14 but from the place between Ulam and altar they keep away one’, cf. B.M. 2a. space between Ulam and the altar.