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Tamid 26b

תמיד כ״ו ע״ב

Learn Tamid 26b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The guard posts of the כהנים and לוים, and the בית המוקד where the כהנים slept

Overview

The גמרא goes through the משנה's description of the places where the כהנים kept guard at night. First it asks whether בית אבטינס and בית הניצוץ were real upper stories or just tall rooms. A משנה in מסכת מדות shows there was a real upper story over שער הניצוץ, with the כהנים guarding above and the לוים below. A ברייתא on במדבר 18:2 explains why: the לוים join the כהנים in the כהנים' own job of guarding. Next, the משנה describes the בית המוקד as a large domed hall. The גמרא asks how one guard was enough when the room had two gates, and אביי answers that the gates were close enough for one guard to watch both. The room's stone ledges raise a question from the פסוק that the מקדש was built of whole stone, and אביי answers that the stones were prepared beforehand in small and large sizes. The elders slept on these ledges rather than on beds, since bringing beds into the מקדש is not respectful. The young כהנים slept on the floor, and the גמרא begins asking why they have a different name elsewhere, a question that finishes on the next amud.

Opening lines

בֵּית אַבְטִינָס וּבֵית הַנִּיצוֹץ.

The Chamber of Avtinas and the Chamber of the Spark.

אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ:

A question was asked before them:

עֲלִיּוֹת מַמָּשׁ הֲווֹ,

Were they actual upper stories,

אוֹ דִלְמָא דַּהֲווֹ גְּבִיהִי מִגְבָּהּ כַּעֲלִיּוֹת?

or perhaps they were just very tall, like upper stories?

The steps (21)

  1. StatementQuoting the משנה about the two chambers
  2. QuestionWere they real upper stories or just tall rooms?
  3. ResponseA משנה shows there was a real upper story
  4. QuestionWhere do we learn the split between guards above and below?
  5. ResponseThe verse says the Levites join the priests' service
  6. ChallengeMaybe the verse means the Levites' own service
  7. ResolutionAnother verse already covers the Levites' own service
  8. ConclusionPriests guard above, Levites guard below
  9. StatementThe Chamber of the Hearth was a large domed hall
  10. ChallengeTwo gates, yet only one guard?
  11. ResolutionThe gates were close enough for one guard
  12. StatementThe room was surrounded by rows of stone
  13. QuestionWhat are these rows?
  14. ResponseStone steps leading up to a stone bench
  15. ChallengeWere stones cut, if the Temple was built of whole stones?
  16. ResolutionSmall and large stones were prepared ahead of time
  17. StatementThe elders of the family slept on the stone ledges
  18. ChallengeWhy not bring beds?
  19. ResolutionBringing beds into the בית המקדש is not respectful
  20. StatementThe young כהנים slept on the floor
  21. QuestionWhy are the young כהנים called by two different names?