Hebrew Literature Part 26

7. The priest came to the wicket on the north, and there were two wickets in the great gate, one in the north and one in the south. Through that in the south man never entered, and Ezekiel explains it. "Then said the Lord unto me: This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the G.o.d of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut."(543) He took the key and opened the wicket; he entered the chamber, and he went from the chamber into the sanctuary, until he came to the great gate. When he came to the great gate, he took down the bar and the bolts and opened it. The slaughterer did not slaughter till he heard the noise of the opening of the great gate.

8. From Jericho(544) people heard the opening of the great gate. From Jericho they heard the noise of the shovel.(545) From Jericho they heard the noise of the wooden wheel which the son of Kattin made for the laver.

From Jericho they heard the voice of Gabini the herald. From Jericho they heard the sound of the cornet. From Jericho they heard the sound of the cymbal. From Jericho they heard the voice of the song. From Jericho they heard the clang of the horn, and some say even the voice of the High Priest at the time when he mentioned the Name on the Day of Atonement.

From Jericho they smelled the odor of the preparation of incense. Said R.

Eleazar, the son of Daglai, "the family of Aba had goats on the mountains of Mikvor,(546) and they used to sneeze from the odor of the preparation of the incense."

9. The priest who gained the lot for removing the ashes from the inner altar entered, and took the flagon and laid it before him, and he took handfuls of ashes and filled them into the flagon, and at last he brushed the remainder into it. And he left it and went out (of the holy place). He who gained the lot for removing the snuff from the candlestick, entered and found the two eastern lights burning. He snuffed the rest, and left these burning in their place. If he found them extinguished, he snuffed them, and lighted them again from those still burning, and afterward he snuffed the rest. And there was a stone before the candlestick, and in it were three steps, on which the priest stood and trimmed the lights. And he placed the cup with the snuff on the second step, and went out.

Chapter IV

1. The priests did not tie the four feet of the lamb together, but they bound its fore and hind feet. He who gained the lot for carrying the members, held it; and thus was it bound, its head southward, and its face westward. The slaughterer stood in the east with his face westward. The morning sacrifice was slaughtered at the northwestern corner on the second ring. The evening sacrifice was slaughtered at the northeastern corner on the second ring. The slaughterer slaughtered, and the receiver caught (the blood). The priest came to the northeastern corner of the altar, and he sprinkled the blood northeast. He came to the southwest, and sprinkled the blood southwest:(547) the remainder of the blood he poured out on the southern altar-base.

2. The priest did not break its leg, but he made a hole in the midst of its side, and by that it was hung up. He skinned it downward till he came to the breast. When he came to the breast, he cut off the head, and gave it to him who had gained (its lot). He cut off the two hind feet, and gave them to him who had gained them for his lot. He finished the skinning; he tore out the heart, that the blood should come out. He cut off the two fore feet, and gave them to him who had gained them for his lot. He came to the right leg; he cut it off, and gave it to him who had gained it for his lot. He cleft the body, and it became all open before him. He took out the caul, and put it on the place of slaughter, with the head on the top of it. He took out the intestines and gave them to him who had gained them for his lot to cleanse them. And the belly they cleansed in the house of the washers, as much as was needful. And the intestines were cleansed three times at least, upon the marble tables between the pillars.

3. The priest took the knife and separated the lungs from the liver, and the finger of the liver from the liver, but he did not remove it from its place. He made a hole in the breast, and gave it to him who gained it for his lot. He came to the right side, and he cut it downward to the backbone, but he did not touch the backbone, till he came to the two tender ribs. He cut it off and gave it to him who gained it for his lot, with the liver hanging upon it. He came to the neck, and left the two side bones on both sides. He cut it off and gave it to him who had gained it for his lot, with the windpipe and the heart and the lungs hanging upon it. He came to the left side, and left on it the two tender ribs, above and below, and so he left it on the corresponding side. It follows that he left on the two sides, two and two ribs above, and two and two ribs below.

He cut it off, and gave it to him who gained it for his lot, the backbone with it, and the spleen hanging upon it. And it was large, but the right side is called large, as the liver hangs upon it. He came to the tail; he cut it off and gave it to him who gained it for his lot, and the fat, and the finger of the liver, and the two kidneys with it. He took the left hind leg, and gave it to him who gained it for his lot. It follows that all the priests stood in one row with the members in their hands. The first priest with the head and hind foot, the head in his right hand with the nose toward his arm, and the horns between his fingers, and the place of slaughter upward, and the caul placed on it; and the right hind foot in his left hand with the skin outside. The second priest stood with the two fore legs, the right in his right hand, and the left in his left hand, and the skin outside. The third priest stood with the tail and the hind foot; the tail in his right hand, and the fat wrapped between his fingers, and the finger of the liver and the two kidneys with it; the left foot was in his left hand with the skin outward. The fourth priest stood with the breast and the throat. The breast was in his right hand, and the throat in his left, and its side bones between his fingers. The fifth priest stood with the two sides, the right side in his right hand, and the left side in his left hand, and the skinny side outward. The sixth priest stood with the intestines placed in a pan, and the legs over them. The seventh priest stood with the fine flour. The eighth priest stood with the pancakes. The ninth priest stood with the wine. They then proceeded and deposited the members on the lower half of the ascent westward, and they salted them, and descended, and came to the chamber of the hewn stone to read the "Hear,"(548) etc.

Chapter V

1. The Captain of the Watch said, "give one blessing," and the priests blessed and read the ten commandments, "Hear,"(549) etc. "And it shall come to pa.s.s if ye shall hearken,"(550) etc. And "He spake,"(551) etc.

They then gave the three blessings to the people, "Truth and Sureness,"

and "the Service," and "the Blessing of the Priests." And on the Sabbath they added one blessing for the outgoing Temple-guard.

2. He said to them, "novices(552) to the incense, come and cast lots."

They cast lots. He gained who gained. He said to them, "novices with old men come and cast lots, who shall bring up the members of the lamb from the ascent to the altar." R. Eliezer, the son of Jacob, said, "those priests who brought the members to the ascent must also bring them to the top of the altar."

3. He handed the priests over to the s.e.xtons. They divested them of their dresses, leaving them their breeches only, and there were windows there, and over them was written, "used for vestments."(553)

4. He who gained the lot for the incense, took the spoon; and the spoon resembled a great measure of gold containing three cabs. And the pan was heaped full of incense; and it had a covering like a kind of weight upon it.

5. He who gained the lot for the censer, took the silver censer, and went up to the top of the altar, and he turned the live coals here and there, and he put them into the censer. He descended, and poured them into a censer of gold. There was dispersed from them about a cab of live coals, and he brushed them into the channel for refuse. On the Sabbath he put over them a cover. And the cover was a great vessel containing a letech.(554) And there were two chains to it, one by which the priest drew it down, and one by which he held it from above, that it should not be rolled about; and it was useful for three purposes, as a covering over the live coals, and as a covering over the reptile on the Sabbath, and it was also used to carry down the ashes from the altar.

6. The priests arrived between the porch and the altar. One of them took the shovel,(555) and flung it between the porch and the altar. No one could hear the voice of his neighbor in Jerusalem from the rattling of the shovel. And it was useful for three purposes: when the priest heard its rattle, he knew that his brother priests were entering to worship, and he came running; and the Levite, when he heard its rattle, knew that his brother Levites were entering to chant, and he came running; and the chief of the Delegates(556) compelled the defiled men to stand in the eastern gate of the Temple.

Chapter VI

1. The priests began ascending the steps of the porch. They who gained the lot for the removal of ashes from the inner altar and from the candlestick, proceeded in front. He who gained the lot for the removal of ashes from the inner altar, entered the Holy Place, and took the flagon, and he bowed down and went out. He who gained the lot for the removal of snuff from the candlestick, entered the Holy Place, and found the two eastern lamps burning; he removed the snuff from the eastern one and left the western one burning, and from it he lighted the candlestick in the evening. If he found it extinguished, he removed the snuff, and lit it from the altar of burnt offerings. He took the cup from the second step, and he bowed down, and went out.

2. He who gained the lot for the censer, gathered the live coals on the top of the altar of incense; and he smoothed them with the bottom of the censer, and he bowed down, and went out.

3. He who gained the lot for the incense, took the pan from the cup, and gave it to his friend or to his neighbor. When the incense was dispersed in it, he supplied it to him in handfuls. And he instructed him, "be careful and do not begin too near yourself, lest you be burned." He smoothed it and went out. The offerer could not offer the incense, till the Captain said to him, "offer incense." If the offerer were the high priest, the captain said, "My Lord, High Priest, offer the incense." The people dispersed, and he offered the incense, and he bowed down and went out from the Holy Place.

Chapter VII

1. When the High Priest entered to worship, three priests had hold of him, one on his right hand, one on his left hand, and one by the jewels on his breast-plate. And so soon as the Captain of the Temple heard the sound of the footsteps of the High Priest as he proceeded on his way, he lifted the veil for him. He entered the holy place, bowed himself, and went out. And his brethren the priests entered, and bowed down, and went out.

2. The priests came and stood on the steps of the porch. The first came and stood to the south of his brother priests. And they had five vessels in their hands-the flagon in the hand of one, and the cup in the hand of one, and the censer in the hand of one, and the pan in the hand of one, and the spoon with its cover in the hand of one. They blessed the people once. In the city they said the service in three blessings, but in the sanctuary they said it in one blessing. In the sanctuary they p.r.o.nounced the Name(557) as it is written, but in the city they p.r.o.nounced it by its subst.i.tute.(558) In the city the priests raised their hands (in blessing) opposite their shoulders, but in the sanctuary they raised them above their heads, excepting the High Priest, who could not lift his hands above the golden plate. R. Judah said, "even the High Priest could lift his hands above the golden plate, as is said, 'Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people and blessed them.' "(559)

3. When the High Priest desired to offer incense he went up on the ascent to the altar, and the Sagan (Suffragan) was on his right. When he reached the half of the ascent, the Sagan took him by his right hand and helped him up. The first (priest) reached to him the head and hind foot of the lamb, and he laid his hand on them, and then pushed them away. The second priest reached out to the first one the two fore-legs, and he handed them to the High Priest, and he laid his hands upon them, and then pushed them away; the second priest was dismissed, and he departed, and so they reached out to him all the members of the lamb, and he laid his hands upon them and pushed them away; but when he desired, he merely laid his hands on them, and others pushed them away. He next came to make a circuit of the altar. "From what place did he begin?" "From the southeastern corner, northeastern, northwestern, southwestern." They gave to him the wine for libation. The Sagan stood by the corner of the altar with the banners in his hand, and two priests stood by the table of the fat with two silver trumpets in their hands: They sounded a blast, they blew an alarm, and again they sounded the trumpets. They came and took their position beside the son of Arza.(560) One stood on his right hand and one stood on his left. The High Priest bowed down to make the libation, and the Sagan waved the banners, and the son of Arza clanged the cymbals, and the Levites intoned the chant. When they came to a full stop, the trumpets sounded, and the people bowed themselves. At every full stop there was a blast, and at every blast there was bowing down. This is the order of the daily offering for the service of the House of our G.o.d. May it be His will to build it speedily in our days. Amen.

4. The chant which the Levites intoned in the sanctuary on the first day of the week was, "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."(561) On the second day they said, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our G.o.d, in the mountain of his holiness."(562) On the third day they said, "G.o.d standeth in the congregation of the mighty: He judgeth among the G.o.ds."(563) On the fourth day they said, "O Lord G.o.d, to whom vengeance belongeth; O G.o.d, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself."(564) On the fifth day they said, "Sing aloud unto G.o.d our strength, make a joyful noise unto the G.o.d of Jacob."(565) On the sixth day they said, "The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty,"(566) etc. On the Sabbath they said the chant composed for the Sabbath day, the chant composed for the future, for the day to come, when all will be rest and repose for life everlasting.

On Measurements

Priests and Levites Guarding the Temple-Officer of the Watch-Gates-Chambers-Keys-Manner of Entering the House-Nicanor-Steps-Altar-Place of Slaughter-The Laver-The Porch-The Sanctuary-Repairing the Holy of Holies-Measurements-Judging the Priesthood.

Chapter I

1. The priests guarded the sanctuary in three places, in the House Abtinas,(567) in the House Nitzus,(568) and in the House Moked;(569) and the Levites in twenty-one places, five at the five gates of the Mountain of the House, four at its four corners inside, five at the five gates of the Court, four at its four corners outside, and one in the chamber of the Offering, and one in the chamber of the Vail, and one behind the House of Atonement.

2. The Captain of the Mountain of the House went round to every Watch in succession with torches flaming before him, and to every guard who did not stand forth, the Captain said, "Peace be to thee." If it appeared that he slept, he beat him with his staff; and he had permission to set fire to his cushion.(570) And they said, "what is the voice in the Court?" "It is the voice of the Levite being beaten, and his garments burned, because he slept on his guard."(571) Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Jacob, said, "once they found the brother of my mother asleep, and they burned his cushion."

3. There were five gates to the Mountain of the House, two Huldah gates in the south which served for going in and out, Kipunus in the west served for going in and out; Tadi(572) in the north served for no (ordinary) purpose. Upon the east gate was portrayed the city Shushan. Through it one could see the High Priest who burned the heifer, and all his a.s.sistants going out to the Mount of Olives.

4. In the court were seven gates-three in the north, and three in the south, and one in the east. That in the south was called the gate of Flaming, the second after it, the gate of Offering; the third after it the Water-gate. That in the east was called the gate Nicanor. And this gate had two chambers, one on the right, and one on the left; one the chamber of Phineas, the vestment keeper, and the other the chamber of the pancake maker.

5. And at the gate Nitzus on the north was a kind of cloister with a room built over it, where the priests kept ward above, and the Levites below; and it had a door into the Chel.(573) Second to it was the gate of the offering. Third the House Moked.

6. In the House Moked were four chambers opening as small apartments into a saloon-two in the Holy place, and two in the Unconsecrated place; and pointed rails separated between the Holy and the Unconsecrated. And what was their use? The southwest chamber was the chamber for offering. The southeast was the chamber for the s...o...b..ead. In the northeast chamber the children of the Asmoneans deposited the stones of the altar which the Greek Kings had defiled.(574) In the northwest chamber they descended to the house of baptism.

7. To the House Moked were two doors; one open to the Chel, and one open to the court. Said Rabbi Judah, "the one open to the court had a wicket, through which they went in to sweep the court."

8. The House Moked was arched, and s.p.a.cious, and surrounded with stone divans, and the elders of the Courses slept there with the keys of the court in their hands; and also the young priests each with his pillow on the ground.

9. And there was a place a cubit square with a tablet of marble, and to it was fastened a ring, and a chain upon which the keys were suspended. When the time approached for locking the gates, the priest lifted up the tablet by the ring, and took the keys from the chain and locked inside, and the Levites slept outside. When he had finished locking, he returned the keys to the chain, and the tablet to its place, laid his pillow over it, and fell asleep. If sudden defilement happened, he rose and went out in the gallery that ran under the arch, and candles flamed on either side, until he came to the house of baptism. Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Jacob, says, "in the gallery that went under the Chel, he pa.s.sed out through Tadi."

OUR BEAUTY BE UPON THEE IN THREE PLACES.