Tamid 30a (ל.) — the Talmud in English

and smooth it with a rope of palm fibers [

a rope made from date-palm fibers] until all the tree’s bark is removed, and

scrape off from it

and remove from it

the seed [

its seeds]. For even if there is a seed kernel within the saplings, it falls out when they are smoothed].

and plant [

and plant]

it

in that pale fig tree

where the sea raises a sandbank.

For in that place, where the sea rises, there is abundant moisture. Consequently, the tree will not die [as it would if it grew elsewhere, since it has no bark].

And since it becomes a barren tree, without fruit to weaken its strength, it grows considerably, producing wood suitable for

making beams.

But

it does not produce fruit.

And three branches [

branches]

from them, the bridge cannot support [

a bridge plank]. Because of their great size, the bridge cannot bear their weight.

And since it does not produce fruit, they take its thin branches for the needs of the altar.

We learned in our Mishna:

He arranged the large pyre

to the east, and its front faced eastward!

And we raised the question:

What is the reason

that he made its front [its opening] face eastward?

Rav Huna and Rav Ḥisda

gave a reason for this.

One said: So that the wind would blow into it

into the pyre, and in this way the fire would burn well within it. And since the eastern gate of the Temple courtyard was aligned with the eastern gates of the Women’s Court and of the Temple Mount, the eastern wind from outside passed through all the gates, reaching the place of the pyre.

Moreover, the eastern wind is harsh and strong [Rosh].

And one said: So that they could kindle the thin splinters [

the thin wooden splinters that they placed within the pyre in order to strengthen the fire]

from there,

through that opening.

Meitivi:

We learned in our Mishna:

There was a space between the logs, through which they kindled the thin splinters!

It is apparent that they kindled them through that space, and not through the front.

And we answer:

He can say to you

that the one who said that they kindled them through the front means:

They made many places

many

they made

for kindling the thin splinters, so that the logs of the pyre would burn from all sides.

We will return to you, chapter “His brothers saw him.”

Mishna:

After the priests entered the Chamber of Hewn Stone,

the supervisor said to them: “Come and conduct the lottery,”

and thereby determine by lot who would perform the thirteen services listed below:

a.

Who

is the priest

who slaughters

the daily offering?

b.

And who

is the priest

who

receives the blood and carries it, and

sprinkles

it on the altar?

c.

Who removes

the ashes from

the inner altar

from the ashes that were upon it?

d. And

who removes the ashes from the menorah

[removes the old wicks and oil and places new ones in their place].

e, f, g, h, i, j.

Who brings up the limbs

of the daily offering

to the ramp.

The limbs were divided into six portions. a.

The head and the leg

[the hind leg]

of the right side.

b.

The two forelegs

[the front legs]. c.

The tail

[the tailbone]

and the left leg.

d.

The breast and the throat.

e.

The two flanks.

f.

The innards.

Each of the six portions was brought up to the ramp by a different priest. This will be explained in detail below.

f

And the lottery likewise determined:

11. Who brings up to the ramp

the fine flour.

12.

And

who brings up

the griddle-cake offering.

13.

And

who brings up

the wine.

They conducted only one lottery, for the first service. The priest who won it was followed by the priests standing after him, who won the remaining twelve services in accordance with the order in which they stood.

They conducted the lottery

for all these services, and

the one who won

them was

the one who won.

The supervisor said to them: “Go out and see whether

daylight has already appeared and

the time for slaughter

of the daily offering has arrived, for its time is only during the day, as it is stated: “On the day of your sacrifice”” .

One of the priests would ascend to the roof.

If daylight had arrived,

that

watchman would say: “The light has dawned!”

The expression means radiance and light.

[They needed this because once moonlight rose, they mistook it for daylight and slaughtered the daily offering before its proper time. Yoma 28.]

Mattitya ben Shmuel,

who was in charge of the lotteries,

would say

to the watchman on the roof: Say: Has

the face of the entire east become light

until it

is illuminated

as far as Hebron,

so that it can be seen by its light?

And he

[the watchman] would answer and

say

to him:

Yes !

He said to them

the supervisor said to the priests who had won the lottery, before daylight had appeared:

“Go out and bring a lamb

for the daily offering

from the Chamber of Lambs,

and prepare it for slaughter and inspect it for blemishes!”

“But the Chamber of Lambs was situated in the northwestern corner

of the Chamber of the Hearth.”

The Chamber of the Hearth was a large hall.

And there were four chambers there,

opening into it.

One was the Chamber of Lambs,

the one mentioned above.

Another was the Chamber of Seals.

Anyone who needed fine flour and libations for the altar paid their value there. The supervisor who sat there would stamp a receipt for his payment. He would then approach the supervisor in charge of the libations with this seal and receive them from him.

Another was the Chamber of the Chamber of the Hearth

[called “the Small Chamber of the Hearth”], where there was a perpetual fire.

And another was the chamber in which they made the showbread .

The priests entered

the

Chamber of the Vessels and took out ninety-three service vessels

of

silver, and all

the service vessels of

gold,

for the services of the day.