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Yoma 8b

יומא ח׳ ע״ב

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Topic

The seven-day פרישה of the כהן גדול and the פרה כהן, the name לשכת פרהדרין, and the start of a discussion about bakers and דמאי.

Overview

This amud finishes a ברייתא about two כהנים who are separated for seven days. The כהן גדול before יום כפור is separated for קדושה, so other כהנים may touch him. The כהן who burns the פרה אדומה is separated for טהרה, so they may not. The גמרא says this ברייתא follows רבי מאיר or רבי יוסי, not רבי חנינא סגן הכהנים, because by his view there would also be a difference about הזאה. רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא then challenges the practice of sprinkling all seven days, because sprinkling on the fourth day can never help. The גמרא answers that 'seven days' already skips שבת, so it can skip the fourth day too. רבא adds that the פרה כהן is separated on Wednesday, so that his fourth day falls on שבת. The גמרא then explains why the room was called לשכת פרהדרין: the כהנים גדולים who bought the position were replaced every year. Finally it quotes a משנה from מסכת דמאי about bakers and begins to ask about it. That discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

שֶׁזֶּה פְּרִישָׁתוֹ לִקְדוּשָּׁה

For this one, his separation is for holiness

וְאֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים נוֹגְעִין בּוֹ,

and his brother priests may touch him,

וְזֶה פְּרִישָׁתוֹ לְטׇהֳרָה

and this one, his separation is for purity

וְאֵין אֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים נוֹגְעִין בּוֹ.

and his brother priests may not touch him.

The steps (12)

  1. StatementEnd of the ברייתא: why one sequestered כהן may be touched and the other may not
  2. QuestionWhose opinion does this ברייתא follow?
  3. ResponseIt follows רבי מאיר or רבי יוסי, not רבי חנינא סגן הכהנים
  4. ChallengeSetup of the challenge: most days can be justified as a possible 3rd or 7th day
  5. ChallengeThe real challenge: sprinkling on the fourth day accomplishes nothing
  6. ChallengeCounter-question: even 'all seven days' was never literal because of שבת
  7. ResolutionResolution: seven days except the fourth, just like seven days except שבת
  8. Conclusionרבא: the calendar decides for the כהן גדול, but we choose the day for the כהן of the פרה
  9. Challengeרבי יהודה questions the name of the chamber
  10. ResolutionWhy the name changed from Balvatei to Parhedrin
  11. StatementA משנה about bakers and doubtfully tithed produce
  12. QuestionConceding that תרומה גדולה is not needed, and introducing a ברייתא