1. The overseer said to them, "go and look if the time for slaughter is come." If it came, the watchman said, "it is brightening." 1 Matthew the son of Samuel said, "is the whole east light as far as Hebron?" and he said "yes."
2. "And why was that necessary?" "Because it once happened that the light of the moon came up, and they deemed it the light from the east." And they slaughtered the daily offering, and they brought it to the house of burning. And they brought down the High Priest to the house of Baptism. This was the rule in the Sanctuary that every one who covered his feet (was required) to wash; and every one retiring was required to sanctify his hands and feet.
3. No one entered the court for service, however clean, until he washed. The High Priest made five washings and ten purifications in this day, and all were in the Holy place above the house of Parva, 1 with the exception of this first one alone.
4. They made a screen of linen between him and the people. He undressed, descended, and washed. He came up and wiped himself. They brought to him robes of gold, and he dressed, and he sanctified his hands and feet. They brought to him the daily offering. He cut (its throat), and another finished the slaughter at his hand. He received the blood and sprinkled it. He entered to offer the morning incense and to trim the lights, and to offer the head and the members, and the things fried in the pan, and the wine.
5. The morning incense was offered between the blood and the members. That of the evening 2 between the members and the libations. If the High Priest were old, or delicate, they heated for him (iron), and they put it into the cold water, that its temperature should be changed.
6. They brought him to the house of Parva, and it was in the Sanctuary. They divided with the screen of linen between him and the people. He sanctified his hands and feet and undressed. R. Meier said, he undressed and sanctified his hands and feet, he descended and washed, he came up and he wiped himself. They brought to him white robes, he dressed and sanctified his hands and feet.
7. "In the morning he was dressed with Pelusian linen worth twelve minas, 3 and in the evening with Indian linen worth eight hundred zuz." 4 The words of R. Meier. But the Sages say, "that in the morning his dress was worth eighteen minas, and in the evening twelve minas;" all these thirty minas were from the congregation, find if he wished to add to them he might add of himself.
8. He came to the side of his bullock, and the bullock was standing between the porch and the altar; his head to the North, and his face to the West; and the Priest stood in the East, and his face Westward, and he placed both hands upon him and made confession, and thus he spake, “I beseech thee, O Name, I have committed iniquity. I have sinned before Thee—I, and my house—I beseech thee, O Name, pardon 1 now the iniquities and the transgressions and the sins which I have perversely committed, and transgressed, and sinned before thee, I, and my house, as is written in the law of Moses thy servant, that in this day “He will atone for you,” etc. And they answered after him, “BLESSED BE THE NAME. THE HONOUR OF HIS KINGDOM FOR EVER AND EVER.”
9. He came to the east of the court to the north of the altar. The Sagan was at his right hand, and the chief of the fathers at his left. And there were the two goats; and the urn was there, and in it were two lots of boxwood, and Ben Gamla made them of gold, and they commemorated him as praiseworthy.
10. The son of Katin made twelve pipes to the laver, where before there were but two; and also he made a wheel for the laver, lest its water should be polluted by night. Monobazus 2 the king made all the handles of the vessels, of gold for the day of atonement. Helena, his mother, made a chandelier of gold near the door of the Sanctuary, and she also made a tablet of gold upon which the section of the Sota 3 was written. Wonders were wrought for the doors of Nicanor, 4 and they were commemorated as praiseworthy.
11. And these were in ignominy: The family of Garmu, who were unwilling to instruct in the preparation of the shew bread. The family of Abtinas, who were unwilling to instruct in the preparation of incense. Hogrus, the son of Levi, knew a tune in the chant, and was unwilling to instruct. The son of Kamzar was unwilling to instruct in
the art of writing. Concerning the former it is said, "The memory of the just is blessed;" and concerning the latter it is said, "but the name of the wicked shall rot" (Prov. x. 7).
122:1 Or, as your wish
123:1 The Gemara says it was so called because Parva a magician built this room and digged through from it to see the service of the High Priest on the day of atonement; or else because it was used for storing "bullock-hides."
123:2 Lit. between the evenings.
123:3 The mina of the sanctuary was worth about £5 : 14s., consequently the morning dress cost about £68 : 8s.
123:4 The zuz was worth about 6½d., consequently the evening dress cost about £21 : 13 : 4.
124:1 Literally "cover over," i.e. "atone for."
124:2 King of Adiabene, a proselyte to judaism about A.D. 45.
124:3 The accused woman.
124:4 See Treatise on "Measurements," II. 3, note.
