Tamid 25b

תמיד כ״ה ע״ב

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Topic

The night watch of the כהנים in the בית המקדש: where they guarded, where they slept, and what a כהן did if he became טמא at night

Overview

This opening משנה of מסכת תמיד describes the nighttime setup in the בית המקדש. The כהנים kept watch in three rooms: בית אבטינס, בית הניצוץ and בית המוקד. בית אבטינס and בית הניצוץ had upper stories, and the רובים, young כהנים not yet old enough to serve, guarded up there. בית המוקד was a large domed room with stone ledges along its walls. The elders of the בית אב serving the next day slept there and held the keys to the עזרה. The פרחי כהונה slept on the floor. They took off their בגדי קודש, put them under their heads, and covered themselves with their own clothes. Finally the משנה begins describing what a כהן did if he had a קרי during the night, and that description continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (4)

1. StatementThe three guard posts in the Temple
2. StatementDescription of the Chamber of the Hearth and the elders who slept there
3. StatementHow the young priests slept
4. StatementA priest who became impure during the night leaves