Gemara Clarity

Yoma 69a

יומא ס״ט ע״א

Learn Yoma 69a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Benefit from בגדי כהונה, the story of שמעון הצדיק and Alexander, and the כהן גדול's Torah reading on יום כפור

Overview

The גמרא asks whether a כהן may get personal benefit from בגדי כהונה. It first tries to prove this from a משנה that says כהנים fold their garments and put them 'under their heads.' רב פפא rejects the proof by reading 'next to their heads,' and רב משרשיא learns from this that placing תפילין beside you while sleeping is fine. The גמרא supports רב פפא: lying on the garments would mean lying on the כלאים of the אבנט, which חכמים forbade even with ten mattresses in between. רב אשי disagrees and says the garments really were under their heads, because stiff כלאים is not forbidden. A ברייתא then proves directly that בגדי כהונה were given for benefit, though they may not be worn outside the מקדש. The גמרא challenges that limit with the story of שמעון הצדיק, who wore the vestments to meet Alexander and saved the מקדש from the כותים. It gives two answers: the clothes were only fit to be בגדי כהונה, or this was a time of עת לעשות לה׳. Finally the גמרא returns to the יום כפור Torah reading, discussing the passing of the ספר תורה and beginning a question about whether the כהן גדול was sitting, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְסֵיפָא אִיצְטְרִיכָא לֵיהּ:

And it was needed because of the latter clause:

פּוֹשְׁטִין וּמְקַפְּלִין וּמַנִּיחִין תַּחַת רָאשֵׁיהֶם.

They take off, fold, and place them under their heads.

פּוֹשְׁטִין וּמְקַפְּלִין וּמַנִּיחִין

They take off, fold, and place

אוֹתָן תַּחַת רָאשֵׁיהֶן,

them under their heads,

The steps (23)

  1. RejectionThe first clause was needed because of the latter clause
  2. ProofAttempted proof from the latter clause that benefit is permitted
  3. Rejectionרב פפא rereads the משנה as 'next to their heads'
  4. Statementרב משרשיא: placing תפילין at your side is fine
  5. ProofSupport for 'next to their heads' from the problem of כלאים
  6. ChallengeThe כלאים argument depends on a dispute about the אבנט
  7. RejectionSpreading כלאים beneath you is also forbidden
  8. RejectionA barrier in between does not help
  9. ConclusionSo the garments were beside their heads
  10. Rejectionרב אשי: really under their heads, because the garments are stiff
  11. ProofSupport: stiff felt from נרש is permitted
  12. ProofA ברייתא: בגדי כהונה were given for benefit
  13. ConclusionProven: benefit from בגדי כהונה is permitted
  14. ChallengeIs it really forbidden to wear the vestments outside the Temple?
  15. Proofשמעון הצדיק goes out wearing the priestly vestments
  16. StatementAlexander bows before שמעון הצדיק
  17. StatementThe Jews plead for the Temple and the כותים are handed over
  18. ProofThe punishment of the כותים and the new יום טוב
  19. ResolutionFirst answer: the clothes were only fit to be בגדי כהונה
  20. ResolutionSecond answer: an emergency allows breaking the rule
  21. ProofAn inference from the passing of the ספר תורה
  22. Rejectionאביי: the whole process honors the כהן גדול
  23. ChallengeWas the כהן גדול sitting in the עזרה?