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Horayos 12a

הוריות י״ב ע״א

Horayot 12a

Learn Horayos 12a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Horayos 12a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Anointing kings and כהנים, good signs, and who counts as the כהן משיח of our משנה.

Overview

Just before this, the גמרא said that יהואחז was anointed as king. Now it asks how that could be, since a ברייתא teaches that יאשיהו hid the שמן המשחה together with the ארון. רב פפא answers that יהואחז was anointed with pure balsam oil. Next come the details of anointing: kings get a crown shape and כהנים get the shape of the Greek letter chi. Two ברייתות disagree about whether pouring on the head or smearing between the eyes comes first. A story about oil drops on אהרן's beard follows, and a בת קול tells משה and אהרן that neither committed מעילה. Kings are anointed by a spring as a good sign, and this opens a list of signs: tests for life, business, and travel, אביי's ראש השנה foods, רב משרשיא's advice to his sons, and anointing from a horn. Finally the גמרא returns to the משנה. It defines the כהן משיח and shows that our משנה follows the רבנן, not רבי מאיר, about the כהן גדול appointed only by wearing the extra garments.

Opening lines

וּמִי הֲוָה שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה?

And was there anointing oil?

וְהָתַנְיָא: מִשֶּׁנִּגְנַז אָרוֹן,

But isn't it taught: once the Ark was hidden away,

נִגְנַז שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְצִנְצֶנֶת הַמָּן

the anointing oil and the jar of manna were hidden away,

וּמַקְלוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן שְׁקֵדֶיהָ וּפְרָחֶיהָ

and Aaron's staff with its almonds and blossoms,

The steps (40)

  1. ChallengeWas the anointing oil even around?
  2. Statementיאשיהו hid the ארון
  3. ProofMatching words link all the hidden items
  4. Resolutionיהואחז was anointed with balsam
  5. StatementThe shapes of anointing for kings and כהנים
  6. QuestionWhat does 'like a כי' mean?
  7. ResponseIt means the Greek letter that matches כ
  8. ChallengeTwo teachings give opposite orders for anointing
  9. ResolutionIt is a dispute between תנאים
  10. QuestionWhy is pouring more important?
  11. ResponseThe פסוק says pouring and then anointing
  12. QuestionWhy is anointing more important?
  13. ResponseLearning from the כלי שרת
  14. ChallengeBut the פסוק puts pouring first
  15. ResolutionPouring happened because of the anointing
  16. StatementTwo pearl-like drops on אהרן's beard
  17. StatementThe drops rose to the roots of his beard
  18. Questionמשה worries he committed מעילה
  19. ResponseA בת קול: like the dew of חרמון, no מעילה
  20. Questionאהרן worries that he committed מעילה
  21. ResponseLike brothers together: you did not commit מעילה either
  22. StatementKings are anointed by a spring
  23. StatementThe lamp test for a long life
  24. StatementThe rooster test for business success
  25. StatementThe shadow test for a safe return home
  26. RejectionWarning: these tests can backfire
  27. Statementאביי: see fast-growing foods on ראש השנה
  28. StatementHow to learn before your teacher
  29. StatementA simple place is better than a fancy one
  30. StatementAnointing from a horn means lasting kingship
  31. StatementWhich anointed one is the כהן משיח
  32. QuestionHow does the word show this?
  33. Response'The' means the best one
  34. ChallengeWhy would anyone think the verse means a king?
  35. ResolutionWe might have thought a king brings a bull for a mistaken ruling
  36. StatementThe משנה does not follow רבי מאיר
  37. ProofA ברייתא shows רבי מאיר makes him bring the bull
  38. QuestionWhat is רבי מאיר's reason?
  39. Response'הכהן המשיח' includes the garments-only כהן גדול
  40. QuestionWhich opinion does the משנה follow? The חכמים