Yoma 17b (יז:) — the Talmud in English

And the statement of Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, proves that the chamber of the lambs was drawn toward the southern side of the courtyard.

For

granted, if you say

that even the tanna of tractate Tamid, who placed the chamber of the lambs in the northwest, agrees that the chamber of the lambs was primarily

in the southwest,

and only one who came by the left-hand route saw it as though it were in the northwest, that is well:

this is

the statement of Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua,

who resolves

the contradiction between the Mishnayot by means of the

showbread and the showbread.

For if the chamber of the lambs was in the southwest, one who came by the left-hand route encountered the chamber where the showbread was made in the southeast of the Hall of Hearth, and there is no contradiction between the Mishna in tractate Middot and the Mishna in tractate Tamid.

But if you say

that the chamber of the lambs

was in the northwest,

then one who went by the left-hand route encountered the chamber where the showbread was made in the southwest corner, according to the order of his journey. If so,

ultimately—

what resolution is there

for the contradiction between the Mishnayot

concerning the showbread!?

Rather, is it not so? Draw the conclusion

that the chamber of the lambs

was in the southwest.

And we conclude:

Draw the conclusion.

And the Gemara raises a difficulty: How could we have stated the location of the chambers according to the order of walking from the left?

But didn’t the Master say: Whenever you turn, you should turn only to the right,

so that the first turn would always be for one who came with his face toward the altar ramp and wished to circle it,

to the

side of

the east!

And we answer:

That applies—

to the Temple service.

But here—

it is merely a calculation.

We learned in the Mishna:

The High Priest offers whichever portion he chooses and takes whichever portion he chooses.

The Sages taught: How does the High Priest offer

a

portion of his choice?

He says: “I will offer this burnt-offering; I will offer this meal-offering.”

How does he take a portion of his choice?

He says: “I will eat this sin-offering; I will eat this guilt-offering.”

And he takes one loaf from the two loaves

on Shavuot.

And he takes

four or five

loaves

from the showbread arrangement,

as will be explained below: when he takes four loaves and when he takes five.

Rabbi says: He always

takes

five

loaves.

Because

it is stated

concerning the showbread [Leviticus 24]:

“And it shall be for Aaron and his sons”—

half for Aaron and half for his sons,

the other priests.

And they divide among themselves only ten loaves out of the twelve loaves, as he proceeds to explain.

And we raise a difficulty:

This itself is difficult.

You stated

At the beginning, you said:

The High Priest takes

one

loaf from the two loaves

of Shavuot.

Who is the author of this statement?

Whose opinion is this? It is Rabbi’s, who says

that the High Priest

takes half.

Come and consider the middle clause:

Let us say in the middle clause: He takes

four or five from the showbread arrangement—

here we arrive at the opinion of the Sages, who say

that he does not take half.

For according to Rabbi, he always takes five and not four.

Let us say in the final clause: Rabbi says: He always takes five.

The beginning and the end—

are Rabbi, while the middle clause is the Sages!?

Abaye said: The beginning and the middle clause are the Sages,

who hold that he takes less than half.

And

at the beginning, in the division of the two loaves on Shavuot,

the Sages agree

that he takes an entire loaf and does not take less than half, since otherwise the status of the High Priest would be

that of one receiving a broken piece—

which is not proper conduct;

it is not proper conduct

to give

a broken piece

to the High Priest.