Translation:Talmud/Seder Moed/Tractate Yoma/2a

Mishna

SEVEN DAYS BEFORE THE DAY OF ATONEMENT THE HIGH PRIEST WAS REMOVED FROM HIS HOUSE TO THE CELL OF THE COUNSELLORS1 AND ANOTHER PRIEST WAS PREPARED TO TAKE HIS PLACE IN CASE ANYTHING2 HAPPENED TO HIM [THE HIGH PRIEST] THAT WOULD UNFIT HIM [FOR THE SERVICE]. R. JUDAH SAID: ALSO ANOTHER WIFE WAS PREPARED FOR HIM IN CASE HIS WIFE SHOULD DIE. FOR IT IS WRITTEN,3 AND HE SHALL MAKE ATONEMENT FOR HIMSELF AND FOR HIS HOUSE. ‘HIS HOUSE THAT MEANS ‘HIS WIFE’. THEY SAID TO HIM: IF SO THERE WOULD BE NO END TO THE MATTER.4

Gemara

We learned elsewhere: Seven days before the burning of the [red] heifer5 the priest who was to burn the heifer was removed from his house to the cell in the north-eastern corner before the Birah.6 It was called the cell of the stone chamber.7 And why was it called the cell of the stone chamber? Because all its functions [in connection with the red heifer] had to be performed only in vessels made of either cobble-stones,8 stone or earthenware. What was the reason [for that restriction]? Since a tebul-yom9 was permitted to [perform the ceremony of] the heifer, as we have learnt:10 They [deliberately] rendered the priest ritually impure to remove [a false notion] from the minds of the Sadducees, who used to say: ‘Only by those on whom the sun has set could it be performed’, the Rabbis ordained that only vessels made of cobble-stones, stone, or earthenware which are immune to impurity — should be used in connection with the heifer, lest the ceremony thereof be treated slightly.11 Why [was the ceremony performed] in the north-eastern corner? — Since the heifer was a sin-offering12 and a sin-offering had to be sacrificed in the northern corner, whereas, on the other hand, it is written about the heifer,13 Towards the front of the tent of meeting,14 the Rabbis ordained [for the heifer] a cell in the northeastern corner, so that [the special importance of this ceremony] be clearly recognized. What is Birah? — Rabbah b. Bar Hana in the name of R. Johanan said: There was a place on the Temple mount called Birah. Resh Lakish said: The whole sanctuary is called Birah, as it is written, And to build the Birah for which I have made provision.15 Whence is it proved16 that it is necessary to remove the priest [from his house]? — R. Minyumi b. Hilkiah in the name of R. Mahsiah b. Idi, in the name of R. Johanan said: The text reads:17 As hath been done this day, so the Lord hath commanded to do, to make atonement for you;18 the work la'asoth [to do] refers to the matter of the [red] heifer, the words lekapper ‘alekem [to make atonement for you] refer to the work of the Day of Atonement. It is obvious that the whole of this text could not be taken as referring to the heifer, because of the words ‘to atone’ and the heifer has nothing to do with atonement. But let us assume that the whole text19 refers to the Day of Atonement? — They said [in answer to this suggestion]: One may infer from, the fact that the identical expression ziwwah [he commanded] is used.20 Here21 it is written: The Lord ziwwah [commanded] to do,22 and there23 it is written: This is the statute of the law which the Lord ziwwah [has commanded]:24 just as in the latter [passage ziwwah] refers to the heifer, so does it in the former refer to the heifer, and just as the removal [of the priest is enjoined] in the one, so must the removal [of the priest apply] to the other.