Yoma 72a — the Talmud in English

As it is written [ [שמות כח]

]

“And you shall make the robe of the ephod” ![](pamud.bmp "

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entirely of blue.”

A braid of blue, so that each thread is braided from two twisted threads.

And he derives

by means of a gezerah shavah

“blue, blue” from the curtain

that every twisted thread must consist of six threads.

Just as there

in the curtain each type is a doubled thread

of six—

so here too

each thread, of the two twisted threads, is made of

six

threads.

And we object:

And let us derive

the threads of the robe

from

the threads of

its hem

of the robe

and

from the threads of

its pomegranates: just as there are eight—

so here too, eight!

We derive

a robe that is

a vessel from

a curtain that is

a vessel.

But we do not derive

a robe that is

a vessel from

its hem and its pomegranates, which are only

an adornment of a vessel.

And we object:

On the contrary, we should derive the body

of the robe

from

its hem and its pomegranates, which are

the body

of the robe,

and we should not derive the body

of the robe

from elsewhere!

And we answer:

This is what we said

in the beraita above, that “six,” one of the five

— is for the other garments, concerning which “six” was not stated

it comes to teach that in them as well the doubled thread is only six.

The curtain

which is made of

twenty-four

threads,

four

types

of six each,

for each one of them is doubled sixfold—

there is neither a law nor a judge.

It is an obvious matter, and for this there is no need for discussion or a judge.

The breastplate and the ephod

which are

twenty-eight—

from where do we know it?

As it is written [ [שמות כח]

]

“And you shall make a breastplate of judgment, the work of a craftsman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it.

Gold, blue, purple, crimson, and twisted linen.”

Four

types of threads [blue, purple, crimson, and linen]

of six each—

twenty-four.

A thread of

gold

is doubled

fourfold—

here they are twenty-eight.

Twenty-eight.

And we object:

And say

a thread of

gold also

is doubled

sixfold!?

Rav Aha bar Yaakov said: The verse says [ [שמות לט] בעשיית חוטי הזהב

in the making of the gold threads ]:

“And he shall cut their threads.”

A thread

is one,

threads

are two. וכיון שקיצץ את כל אחד מהפתילים, שחילקם לכל הפחות לשנייםAnd since he cut each of the threads, dividing each of them at least into two—

here there are four.

Rav Ashi said: The verse says

concerning the gold

“to make it within the blue and within the purple.”

The gold threads must be intermingled with each and every type. Therefore, it is impossible to intermix six gold threads with the four types of threads.

For

how shall we do it?

If

we make four

pairs

of two each

of gold threads, and intermix each pair of gold threads separately with each thread of the four types of threads—

they will be eight

eight gold threads and not six.

And if

we make two

two paired gold threads

of two each.

And two

gold threads

of one each,

and with some of the threads we will intermix a doubled gold thread, while with some of the types we will intermix one gold thread.

This is not possible. For it is said

“And you shall make”—

so that all its makings shall be equal.

Rekhava said in the name of Rav Judah: One who tears the priestly garments—

receives lashes.

As it is stated

concerning the blue robe [Exodus 28]

“It shall not be torn.”

Rav Aha bar Yaakov raised an objection to this: Perhaps this is what the Merciful One says: Let us make a border for it, so that it will not tear!

Is it written, “so that it shall not be torn”?

“It shall not be torn” is written!

Rabbi Elazar said: One who displaces the breastplate from the ephod, and one who removes the poles of the Ark—

receives lashes.

As it is stated

concerning the breastplate [Exodus 28]

“It shall not be displaced,”

and it is stated concerning the poles of the Ark [Exodus 25]

“They shall not be removed.”

Rav Aha bar Yaakov raised an objection to this: Perhaps this is what the Merciful One says—

fasten them

tighten them to the fittings of the breastplate and to the poles of the Ark

and make them properly, so that they will not be displaced and will not be removed!?

And we answer:

Is it written, “so that it shall not be displaced” and “so that they shall not be removed”?

Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Hanina posed a contradiction:

It is written [ [שמות כה]

]

“The poles shall be in the rings of the Ark

in such a manner that

they shall not be moved

they shall move

from it.”

And it implies that they are fastened to the rings.

But

on the other hand

it is written [ [שמות כז]

]

“And its poles shall be brought into the ring.”

For it implies that they may be moved within the rings.

How is this [to be understood]?

They may be detached

for they are not fastened to the rings,

but they do not slip out

from the Ark, because the ends of the poles were thick, and when they were inserted into the rings they would insert them with difficulty, but the poles themselves were thinner than the rings, and after their insertion they moved within them easily.

It was taught likewise: “The poles shall be in the rings of the Ark.”

One might have thought that they would not move from their place—

the verse says, “And its poles shall be brought into the ring.”

If [it said], “And its poles shall be brought in,” one might have thought that they would enter and leave—

the verse says, “The poles shall be in the rings of the Ark.”

How is this [to be understood]?

They may be detached, but they do not slip out.

Rabbi Hama son of Rabbi Hanina said: What is the meaning of that which is written

concerning the boards of the Tabernacle, which were made [Exodus 26]

“acacia wood, standing”—

that the boards stood

the boards

according to the manner of their growth

when they were a tree, the lower part below and the higher part above.

Alternatively: “standing”—

that they hold up

for they fasten

their gold plating

of gold to them.

Alternatively: “standing.”

Lest you say that their hope was lost

the hope of the boards after the Temple was built,

and their expectation ceased

their anticipation?

The verse says, “standing”—

that they stand

and endure

forever and for all eternity.

And Rabbi Hama son of Rabbi Hanina said: What is the meaning of that which is written [ [שמות לה]

]

“the service garments, to serve in the Sanctuary”"