Yoma 39b

יומא ל״ט ע״ב

Learn Yoma 39b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The decline after שמעון הצדיק's death, Temple miracles, and whether drawing the lots on יום הכפורים is essential

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a ברייתא about a greedy כהן nicknamed חמצן, and two אמוראים bring פסוקים showing that this word means 'robber.' A ברייתא then tells how שמעון הצדיק knew from a changed vision on יום הכפורים that he would die that year. After his death, the כהנים stopped blessing with the שם המפורש. In the last forty years before the חורבן, the good signs in the בית המקדש stopped, and the היכל doors opened by themselves until רבן יוחנן בן זכאי rebuked them. This leads to explanations of why the Temple is called לבנון and יער, including שלמה's golden fruit trees. The גמרא then returns to the משנה: the כהן גדול says the שם ten times on יום הכפורים, and a list of miracles follows about Temple sounds and smells that reached far away. Finally, רבי ינאי and רבי יוחנן argue whether drawing the lots is essential. The גמרא gives two versions of how their argument fits רבי יהודה and רבי נחמיה, and it begins a challenge from a ברייתא that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (27)

1. StatementThe greedy כהן keeps the nickname 'robber' for life
2. StatementA verse from תהלים shows that חומץ means robber
3. Statementרבא brings a different verse from ישעיהו
4. Statementשמעון הצדיק announces that he will die this year
5. QuestionHis colleagues ask how he knows
6. ResponseThe vision of the old man in white and in black
7. ConclusionHe falls ill after סוכות and dies
8. StatementAfter his death the כהנים stop blessing with God's explicit Name
9. StatementThree good signs stopped forty years before the destruction
10. StatementThe Temple doors open by themselves and רבן יוחנן בן זכאי rebukes them
11. StatementWhy the Temple is called 'לבנון'
12. StatementWhy the Temple is called 'Forest'
13. Proofשלמה's golden fruit trees prove the Temple 'bloomed'
14. StatementThe golden trees withered and will one day return
15. StatementThe כהן גדול says God's Name ten times on יום הכפורים
16. StatementThe כהן גדול's voice was heard all the way in יריחו
17. StatementMore Temple sounds and smells sensed far away
18. StatementGoats sneezed from the incense smell
19. StatementThe incense smell still lingered in שילה
20. StatementIs drawing the lot essential to the service?
21. StatementAccording to רבי יהודה, everyone agrees
22. StatementThe dispute follows רבי נחמיה
23. StatementIntroducing a second version of the dispute
24. StatementSecond version: according to רבי נחמיה everyone agrees the lottery is essential
25. StatementThe argument is according to רבי יהודה, because the verse repeats 'אשר עלה'
26. ChallengeA ברייתא: drawing lots is a מצוה, but without it the service is valid
27. ChallengeUnder the first version, the ברייתא follows רבי יהודה