Sotah 40b

סוטה מ׳ ע״ב

Learn Sotah 40b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sotah 40b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why no one answers אמן in the מקדש, and how the כהן גדול reads from the תורה on יום כיפור

Overview

The גמרא explains why blessings in the מקדש work differently: people there do not answer אמן. A ברייתא brings two halves of a פסוק in נחמיה. The first half shows that אמן is not said in the מקדש, and the second shows that every blessing there gets its own praise instead. Then a new משנה describes the ברכות כהן גדול on יום כיפור. The ספר תורה is passed up a chain of officials to the כהן גדול. He reads two sections from ויקרא, says a third from במדבר by heart, and then recites eight ברכות. The גמרא first suggests that this teaches a student may be honored in front of his teacher, but אביי rejects that because the whole chain honors the כהן גדול. Next the גמרא asks how the כהן גדול could have been sitting, since only kings from בית דוד may sit in the עזרה. It answers that the reading was in the עזרת נשים. A ברייתא then challenges this answer by saying the reading was in the עזרה, and that challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (12)

1. QuestionWhy is the Temple practice so different?
2. ResponseBecause אמן is not answered in the Temple
3. ProofA פסוק shows that אמן is not said in the Temple
4. ProofEvery blessing in the Temple gets its own praise
5. StatementThe Torah scroll is passed up to the High Priest
6. StatementThe High Priest reads, rolls the scroll, and recites a third section by heart
7. StatementThe eight blessings after the reading
8. ProofLearning that a student may be honored before his teacher
9. Rejectionאביי: the whole chain honors the כהן גדול
10. ChallengeHow could the כהן גדול have been sitting?
11. ResolutionThe reading took place in the women's courtyard
12. ChallengeA ברייתא says the reading was in the courtyard