Gemara Clarity

Yoma 53b

יומא נ״ג ע״ב

Learn Yoma 53b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Finishing תפילה, the כהן גדול's prayer and blood sprinklings, and what happened to the ארון

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the story of רבא, who walked backward when leaving his teacher רב יוסף, and רב יוסף blesses him. The גמרא compares this to finishing תפילה. A person takes three steps back, stays bowed, and then gives שלום first to God's right, which is his own left. Next it returns to the משנה and gives the words of the כהן גדול's short prayer on יום כיפור, which asks for a year of rain and plenty. A story about רבי חנינא בן דוסא shows that a truly righteous person's prayer is answered even against that request. A ברייתא then explains why the כהן גדול kept his prayer short: so the people would not fear he had died. A new משנה describes the אבן שתיה and the order of sprinkling the blood of the פר and the שעיר. The גמרא learns from the משנה's word 'ניטל' that it follows the view that the ארון was exiled to בבל. It contrasts this with the view that the ארון was hidden in its place, and begins עולא's conflicting report, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְרַב יוֹסֵף:

They said to Rav Yosef:

הָכִי עָבֵיד רָבָא.

This is what Rava does.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: יְהֵא רַעֲוָא

He said to him: May it be (God's) will

דִּתְרוּם רֵישָׁךְ אַכּוּלֵּהּ כַּרְכָּא.

that your head be raised over the entire city.

The steps (36)

  1. Statementרב יוסף blesses רבא for honoring him
  2. StatementThree steps back after praying, then saying שלום
  3. StatementStay where you stepped and do not rush back
  4. ProofA ברייתא supports the three steps back
  5. Statementשמעיה: say שלום to the right first, then the left
  6. QuestionWhy bring a second verse?
  7. ResponseThe first verse might just reflect normal habit
  8. Statementרבא corrects אביי about which side is 'right'
  9. Statementאביי and רבא took the three steps in one bow
  10. QuestionWhat was the כהן גדול's short prayer?
  11. ResponseThe prayer: a rainy and hot year
  12. ChallengeIs heat a good thing?
  13. ResolutionCorrected wording: if hot, let it be rainy
  14. Statementרב אחא adds the ending of the prayer
  15. Statementרבי חנינא בן דוסא's prayers stop and start the rain
  16. Conclusionרב יוסף: the כהן גדול's prayer could not override רבי חנינא
  17. StatementA כהן גדול who prayed too long
  18. QuestionThe priests ask why he prayed so long
  19. ResponseHe answers that he was praying for them and the בית המקדש
  20. ConclusionThe priests tell him not to make it a habit
  21. StatementNew משנה: the אבן שתיה
  22. StatementSprinkling the bull's blood: one up, seven down
  23. StatementHow he sprinkled and counted, then set the bowl down
  24. StatementThe same procedure with the goat's blood
  25. Statementרבי יהודה: there was only one stand
  26. StatementSprinkling the bull's blood on the curtain from outside
  27. StatementSprinkling the goat's blood on the curtain from outside
  28. StatementMixing the bull's blood and the goat's blood
  29. StatementThe משנה's word 'taken' shows the ארון went to בבל
  30. Proofרבי אליעזר: The ארון was exiled to בבל
  31. Proofרבי שמעון בן יוחאי: The ארון was exiled, from 'nothing will be left'
  32. Statementרבי יהודה: The ארון was hidden in its place
  33. StatementThis view conflicts with עולא's report
  34. Proofעולא's story: a question asked in Rome
  35. QuestionNaming רבי אליעזר's two פסוקים
  36. ResponseThe second פסוק: 'ויצא מבת ציון'