Gemara Clarity

Yoma 69b

יומא ס״ט ע״ב

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

Open Yoma 69b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Where the כהן גדול could sit during the Yom Kippur reading (sitting is banned in the עזרה), the source of רב חסדא's answer, and what 'הגדול' means in עזרא's blessing.

Overview

The גמרא asks how the כהן גדול could sit before his יום כיפור reading, since only kings of בית דוד may sit in the עזרה. The answer, based on רב חסדא's statement about the הקהל reading, is that the reading took place in the עזרת נשים. A פסוק about עזרא's public reading leads to the question of what 'the great God' means in his blessing. One view is that עזרא said the שם המפורש. Another explains it as a special wording of praise. Since the שם המפורש is not said outside the מקדש, עזרא's use of it is explained as a הוראת שעה. The גמרא then tells how the people at that gathering prayed to be rid of the יצר הרע for עבודה זרה and sealed it in lead, and how they weakened the יצר for עבירה by blinding it without destroying it. Next comes the version from ארץ ישראל: the אנשי כנסת הגדולה restored 'great, mighty, and awesome' after ירמיה and דניאל had dropped words out of truthfulness. Finally, the גמרא returns to the משנה and asks how the כהן גדול may skip from 'אחרי מות' to 'אך בעשור'. אביי answers that skipping in the Torah is allowed within one topic, and a ברייתא supports him.

Opening lines

אֵין יְשִׁיבָה בָּעֲזָרָה

There is no sitting in the Temple courtyard

אֶלָּא לְמַלְכֵי בֵּית דָּוִד בִּלְבַד.

except for kings of the House of David alone.

שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד

As it is stated: 'Then King David came'

וַיֵּשֶׁב לִפְנֵי ה׳״?

and sat before the Lord'? (So how could the High Priest be sitting?)

The steps (36)

  1. ChallengeNobody may sit in the Temple courtyard
  2. ResolutionThe reading was in the women's courtyard
  3. QuestionWhere did רב חסדא originally say this?
  4. ChallengeThe ברייתא about where the הקהל reading took place
  5. Resolutionרב חסדא: the 'courtyard' means the women's courtyard
  6. QuestionWhat does 'the great' mean in עזרא's blessing?
  7. ResponseHe made God great with the explicit Name
  8. ResponseHe made God great with 'from world to world'
  9. ChallengeWhy not say it was the explicit Name?
  10. ResolutionThe explicit Name is not said outside the מקדש
  11. ChallengeDidn't Ezra use God's explicit name outside the Temple?
  12. ResolutionIt was a one-time emergency ruling
  13. QuestionWhat did the people cry out?
  14. ResponseThe people beg to be rid of the urge for idol worship
  15. StatementA note falls from heaven saying 'Truth'
  16. ConclusionGod's seal is Truth
  17. StatementThe fast and the fiery lion cub
  18. QuestionThe shriek and the fear of heavenly mercy
  19. ResponseSealing it in a lead pot
  20. StatementPraying to capture the inclination for sin too
  21. StatementWarning: killing it would end the world
  22. QuestionThe dilemma: not all, and not half
  23. ConclusionBlinding it and setting it free
  24. StatementThe version taught in ארץ ישראל: what 'great' means
  25. Proofרב מתנא's view matches רבי יהושע בן לוי
  26. StatementHow the crown was lost: משה, ירמיה, and דניאל
  27. StatementThe Men of the Great Assembly restore 'mighty' and 'awesome'
  28. ChallengeHow could ירמיה and דניאל change משה's wording?
  29. Resolutionרבי אלעזר: they would not say something untrue about God
  30. StatementThe משנה: the כהן גדול reads two separate sections
  31. ChallengeContradiction: you may not skip in the Torah
  32. ResolutionFirst answer: it depends on how long the translator takes
  33. RejectionThe first answer is pushed away: no skipping in the Torah at all
  34. Resolutionאביי's answer: one topic versus two topics
  35. ProofA ברייתא supports the one-topic and two-topics distinction
  36. StatementNo skipping between books of נביאים, except within the Twelve