Yoma 19a

יומא י״ט ע״א

Learn Yoma 19a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The כהן גדול's two chambers in the עזרה: the לשכת פרהדרין in the north and the לשכת בית אבטינס in the south, proven from the משנה in מדות that lists the six chambers of the עזרה.

Overview

The גמרא explains that the כהן גדול was brought to בית אבטינס to practice חפינה, scooping a handful of קטורת. רב פפא says the כהן גדול had two chambers, the לשכת פרהדרין and the לשכת בית אבטינס, one in the north and one in the south. A משנה in מדות lists the six chambers of the עזרה, and אבא שאול places the כהן גדול's chamber on the northern side. A second משנה places שער המים in the south, and a ברייתא says the כהן גדול's first immersion was on top of שער המים, beside his chamber. Together these prove he also had a southern chamber. The גמרא does not know which named chamber was where. It suggests the לשכת פרהדרין was in the south, so that he would not have to walk back and forth so much. That reasoning is rejected: the extra effort is intentional, either to push out a צדוקי or to keep the כהן גדול humble, as the two separate chambers show. Finally, the גמרא asks whether the elders calling the כהן גדול 'our agent' refutes רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע, who holds that כהנים are שלוחי דרחמנא. His proof begins here and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (21)

1. StatementWhy the כהן גדול was brought to בית אבטינס
2. StatementThe כהן גדול had two chambers, one north and one south
3. ProofProof for the northern chamber: the six chambers of the עזרה
4. StatementThe three southern chambers and their uses
5. StatementThe three northern chambers; the wood chamber's use was forgotten
6. Proofאבא שאול: the כהן גדול's chamber was in the north
7. StatementThe Exile Chamber and its well
8. StatementThe Chamber of Hewn Stone: the סנהדרין judges the כהנים
9. ProofProof for the southern chamber begins with the gates of the courtyard
10. StatementThe quoted משנה lists the northern gates
11. ProofThe High Priest's first immersion was beside his chamber at the Water Gate
12. StatementWhich named chamber was in the south? Probably the Parhedrin chamber
13. ProofWhy the south makes sense: the short daily route
14. ProofThe other option: a tiring route if the chamber was in the north
15. RejectionRejection: we do want to burden him, so a צדוקי will quit
16. RejectionSecond reason for the burden: so he does not become arrogant
17. ProofProof that the burden is intentional: two separate chambers
18. StatementQuoting the משנה: the elders address the כהן גדול
19. ChallengeDoes this משנה refute רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע?
20. Statementרב הונא's view: כהנים are agents of ה׳
21. Proofרב הונא begins his proof: what if they were our agents?