Yoma 58b

יומא נ״ח ע״ב

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Topic

The order and manner of the יום כיפור blood service on the golden altar: where the כהן stands, which corner he starts at, and why (רבי עקיבא vs. רבי יוסי הגלילי).

Overview

The משנה identifies the altar 'before ה׳' as the golden altar. It describes how the כהן גדול put the יום כיפור blood on its four corners, starting at the northeast, while רבי אליעזר says he stood in one place. It then describes the seven sprinklings on the altar's top, where the leftover blood was poured, and how the blood was sold to gardeners and carries מעילה. The גמרא brings two ברייתות of רבי נחמיה. On יום הכפורים the כהן stands on the inner side of the altar ('ויצא'). For the פר העלם דבר של צבור he stands on its outer side ('מזבח לפני ה׳ ואין כהן לפני ה׳'). Next comes a מחלוקת: רבי עקיבא starts at the southeast corner, and רבי יוסי הגלילי starts at the northeast. Both agree he skips the first corner he reaches, because of שמואל's reading of 'ויצא אל המזבח'. The גמרא first suggests they argue about רמי בר יחזקאל's rule to always turn right, but rejects this. The real argument is whether the inner service is learned from the outer one. רבי עקיבא's order is finally explained by 'ויצא אל המזבח' combined with ריש לקיש's rule אין מעבירין על המצות.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. StatementIdentifying the altar 'before ה׳' as the golden altar
2. StatementThe order of corners on the golden altar
3. Statementרבי אליעזר: he stood in one place
4. StatementPlacing the blood upward on all corners except the one in front
5. StatementSeven sprinklings on the top, and the leftover blood poured at the western base
6. StatementLeftover blood of outer-altar offerings goes to the southern base
7. StatementThe blood flows to נחל קדרון, is sold to gardeners, and carries מעילה
8. QuestionWhy does the פסוק say 'and he shall go out to the altar'?
9. Responseרבי נחמיה begins: a comparison to the פר העלם דבר
10. ResponseOn יום הכפורים the כהן stood on the inner side of the altar
11. QuestionA second ברייתא asks why the verse says 'before ה׳'
12. Responseרבי נחמיה: one might think it works like יום הכפורים
13. ResponseThe altar is before ה׳, but the כהן stands outside it
14. QuestionWhich corner did he start cleansing the altar from?
15. Responseרבי עקיבא: start at the southeast corner
16. Statementרבי יוסי הגלילי: start at the northeast corner
17. StatementThe two opinions are mirror images
18. StatementBoth agree he skips the first corner he reaches
19. QuestionWhy skip the first corner?
20. Responseשמואל: he must go out past the whole altar
21. ChallengeWhy doesn't רבי עקיבא have him turn right?
22. ResolutionSuggestion: they argue about רמי בר יחזקאל's rule
23. Proofרמי בר יחזקאל learns 'turn right' from שלמה's Sea
24. ResolutionOne holds of רמי בר יחזקאל, the other does not
25. RejectionBoth sides accept רמי בר יחזקאל; the real argument is about learning inside from outside
26. ChallengeWithout an outside model, why does רבי עקיבא require a set order?
27. ResolutionBy right, he should start at the corner he reaches first
28. Proofריש לקיש: do not pass over a מצוה
29. QuestionSo why doesn't he start at that first corner?
30. Response'ויצא אל המזבח' means he first goes past the whole altar
31. ConclusionAfter the first eastern corner, he returns to the corner he skipped