Gemara Clarity

Yoma 18a

יומא י״ח ע״א

Learn Yoma 18a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The כהן גדול's share of the לחם הפנים, and how he was prepared for יום כיפור

Overview

The amud opens by explaining a ברייתא that says the כהן גדול takes 'four or five' loaves of the לחם הפנים. The first answer says the two numbers come from two opinions. Under the רבנן he takes five, and under רבי יהודה he takes four. רבא says the whole ברייתא follows רבי, and that four applies when a delayed משמר is also present. The גמרא leaves רבא's reading as a קשיא, because רבי says 'always five.' A new משנה then describes how the כהן גדול was prepared for יום כיפור: elders reviewed the service with him, the animals were shown to him, and his eating was limited on the last night. The גמרא explains how a כהן גדול could be unlearned (in the בית שני the position was bought). It also explains why the goats were not shown to him. Finally, it lists foods kept from the כהן גדול and from a זב because they may cause an emission, and that list continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וּמַאי אַרְבַּע אוֹ חָמֵשׁ?

And what is 'four or five'?

לְרַבָּנַן דְּאָמְרִי

According to the Rabbis, who say:

נִכְנָס נוֹטֵל שֵׁשׁ,

The incoming watch takes six,

וְיוֹצֵא נוֹטֵל שֵׁשׁ,

and the outgoing watch takes six,

The steps (31)

  1. QuestionWhat does 'four or five' mean?
  2. ResponseAccording to the Rabbis he takes five
  3. ResponseAccording to רבי יהודה he takes four
  4. Statementרבא: the whole ברייתא follows רבי, who agrees with רבי יהודה
  5. ChallengeThen why four? He should take five
  6. ResolutionFour when a delayed watch is present, five when not
  7. ResolutionThe math behind four loaves and five loaves
  8. ChallengeWhy does רבי say 'always five'?
  9. ConclusionThe question stands unanswered
  10. StatementThe elders read the יום כיפור service to the כהן גדול
  11. StatementShowing the כהן גדול the animals
  12. StatementFood during the week and on the last night
  13. ChallengeCould a כהן גדול really be unlearned?
  14. ProofA ברייתא says the כהן גדול must be the wisest of the כהנים
  15. ResolutionFirst Temple versus Second Temple
  16. ProofProof that the position was bought in the Second Temple
  17. StatementA ברייתא adds that the goats were also shown
  18. QuestionWhy does our משנה leave out the goats?
  19. ResponseThe goats would upset him
  20. ChallengeBut the bull also atones for sin
  21. ResolutionHe can help the כהנים do תשובה, but not all of ישראל
  22. Statementרבינא's folk saying about a relative who becomes a policeman
  23. StatementFeeding the כהן גדול flour and eggs
  24. ChallengeThe Sages object that these foods cause arousal
  25. Statementסומכוס lists forbidden foods using memory codes
  26. StatementDecoding the food lists and the reason for white wine
  27. StatementA זב's emission can be blamed on food
  28. StatementFoods a זב should not be fed
  29. StatementDecoding the זב's food lists
  30. QuestionWhat does the phrase 'anything else that causes impurity' add?
  31. ResponseIt includes the five foods listed in a ברייתא, starting with garlic