Tamid 30a — the Talmud in English

And they smooth them with a rope of palm fronds [חבל העשוי מצורי דקל] until all the tree bark is removed, and

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

scrapes off it and

removes from it

the seeds [זרעיו]. Even if there is a seed within the saplings, it falls out by their smoothing them,

even if there is a seed within the saplings, it falls out by their smoothing them.

And they plant [ושותלים]

and plant]

it

that whitish fig tree

where the sea raises a sandbank.

For in that place where the sea rises, the moisture is abundant. And because of this the tree will not die [for if it grew in another place, it would die, since it has no bark]].

And since it becomes a barren tree, and there are no fruits in it that weaken its strength, it grows greatly, and wood suitable for

making a beam.

But

it does not make fruit.

And three branches [ענפים]

branches]

from them, a bridge plank cannot support them [דף של גשר].

For 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 the Mishna:

He arranged the large pyre

eastward, and its front eastward!

And we raised it:

What is the reason

he makes its front [the opening in it] toward the east?

Rav Huna and Rav Hisda

gave a reason for the matter.

One said: So that the wind should blow into it

in the pyre, and thus the fire would burn well in it. And since the gate of the forecourt in the east was aligned opposite the eastern gates of the Women’s Courtyard and of the Temple Mount, the eastern wind from outside would pass through all the gates, as far as the place of the pyre.

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

And one said: So that they would kindle the thin splinters [הקיסמין דקין של עץ שהיו מניחים בתוך המערכה, בשביל לחזק את האש] [the thin splinters of wood that they would place within the pyre, in order to strengthen the fire]

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 the Mishna:

There was a space between the logs, from which they would kindle the thin splinters!

It follows that they would kindle them from that space, and not from the front.

And we answer:

He can say to you,

the one who said that they would kindle them from the front:

at places, places

many,

they made

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

We shall return to you, chapter “Their brother saw him”.

Mishna:

After the priests came to the Chamber of Hewn Stone,

the officer said to them: Come and cast lots,

and let the lot determine who would perform the thirteen services below:

1.

Who

is the priest

who slaughters

the daily offering?

2.

And who

is the priest

who

receives the blood and carries it, and

throws

it upon the altar?

3.

Who removes

the

inner altar

from the ashes upon it?

4. And

who removes the ashes from the menorah [

taking out the old wicks and oil and putting new ones in their place].

5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

Who brings up limbs

of the daily offering

to the ramp.

The limbs were divided into six portions. 1.

The head and the leg [

the hind leg]

of the right side.

2.

The two forelegs [

the front ones]. 3.

The tail [

the tail]

and the left leg.

4.

The breast and the windpipe.

5.

The two flanks.

6.

The innards.

The bringing up of each portion of the six portions to the ramp was performed by a different priest. This will be explained in detail below.

And

so the lot also determined:

11. Who brings up to the ramp

the fine flour.

12.

And

who brings up

the high priest’s griddle offering.

13.

And

who brings up

the wine.

They cast only one lot, for the first service. The priest who won it drew along with him the priests standing after him, and they won the remaining twelve services according to the order in which they stood.

They cast lots

for all these services, and

the one who won

them

won them.

The officer said to them: Go out and see whether

daylight has already appeared, and

the time for slaughtering

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

watcher would say: “It has shone!”

This expression is from brightness and light.

They needed this because once moonlight rose, and they mistook it for daylight and thought that day had already come, they slaughtered the daily offering before its time. Yoma 28.

Matya ben Samuel,

who was the officer over the lots,

would say

to the watcher on the roof: Say: Has

the entire eastern horizon become light

until it

shines

in Hebron,

and it is seen by its light?

And he [

the watcher] would reply and

say

to him:

Yes!

He said to them,

the officer said to the priests who had won the lot, before daylight appeared:

Go out and bring a lamb

for the daily offering

from the Chamber of Lambs,

and prepare it for slaughtering, and examine it for a blemish!

Now the Chamber of Lambs was situated in the northwest corner

of the Chamber of the Hearth.

The Chamber of the Hearth was a large hall.

And there were four chambers there,

open to it.

One, the Chamber of Lambs,

the one mentioned.

And one, the Chamber of Seals.

One who needed fine flour and libations for the altar would pay their price there. The officer who sat there would stamp for him a receipt for the payment. The latter would then approach the officer in charge of the libations with this seal and receive them from him.

And one, the Chamber of the Chamber of the Hearth [

called “the small Chamber of the Hearth”]. There was always a fire there.

And one, a chamber in which they made the showbread.

The priests entered

the

Chamber of Vessels and took out from there ninety-three vessels

of silver

and all

the vessels of service of

gold,

for the services of the day.