21
votes
Accepted
What were (some of) the names of the 24 families of Kohanim?
There are a number of sources that list the mishmarot or make mention of them. Some were mentioned in the comments.
Tanach:
Divrei Hayamim 1:24:7-18, as @JoelK noted, brings the list from the time of ...
- 28.4k
13
votes
Why doesn’t mes mitzvah push aside shabbos?
This question is raised in the Talmud:
Yevamot 7a
הדר אמר קבורת מת מצוה תדחה שבת מק"ו ומה עבודה שהיא דוחה שבת קבורת מת מצוה דוחה אותה מולאחותו שבת שנדחה מפני עבודה אינו דין שתהא קבורת מת מצוה דוחה ...
- 50.3k
10
votes
Accepted
What is the purpose of the goat for Azazel, as opposed to conventional offerings?
In Guide for the Perplexed 3:46 Rambam writes:
The goat [of the Day of Atonement] that was sent [into the wilderness] (Lev. xvi. 20, seq.) served as an atonement for all serious transgressions more ...
- 50.3k
8
votes
Accepted
Why didn't ben-Qattin redesign the Kiyor to have more than 12 spigots?
The Tosfos Yom Tov on this Mishnah, asks a different question, which might be able to shed light on yours. He asks that if there are 12 spigots, you need 12 Amos circumference, so that 12 people can ...
- 13.4k
7
votes
Accepted
Did the Kohen Gadol minister barefoot?
It is actually Jewish law that a priest has to serve barefoot. The source is in the Talmud, Tractate Zevachim 24a
This is derived as the Sage from the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught:
Since the floor ...
- 54k
7
votes
What is the purpose of the goat for Azazel, as opposed to conventional offerings?
The Sefer HaChinuch explains (§95) that the two goats of Yom Kippur are symbolic for the choice presented to a sinner – the goat for Hashem representing one who repents, and the goat for Azazel ...
- 34.7k
6
votes
Did people who were not priests or Levites enter the Tabernacle for ritual purposes?
The Smag (Rav Moshe miCoucy 12th century) Mitzva Lo taaseh 309 (Also Sefer Hachinuch Mitzva 390) based on the Gemora in Yoma 24b says that there were 3 "rituals" that a Zor - non Cohen was allowed to ...
- 11.6k
5
votes
Permanent fire on the external altar - provisions for rain
Preference goes to non-miraculous explanations of how the fire was maintained.
I feel like this question would be better suited to physics but giving a scientific explanation here.
What is fire?
Fire ...
- 159
5
votes
Did the Kohen Gadol minister barefoot?
Just one example of many:
Shemot Rabbah 2:6
"וְכֵן הַכֹּהֲנִים לֹא שִׁמְּשׁוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ אֶלָּא יְחֵפִים."
Translation: And so also the kohanim only served in the Temple barefoot."
- 28.4k
5
votes
Why does the ash-clearing kohen get a reminder of where the shovel is?
I suspect (no source) that it's a combination of a two factors:
No one else was around when he fetched the shovel. (He was the only kohen to go to the other side of the ramp at this time.)
He hadn't ...
- 73.9k
4
votes
Could a Kohen become liable for disqualifying a sacrifice?
A Kohen would be liable to pay for intentionaly invalidating any Sacrifice whether Neder(voluntary sacrifice that must be replaced) or Nedavah(voluntary sacrifice that does'nt need to be replaced) or ...
- 11.6k
4
votes
Did people who were not priests or Levites enter the Tabernacle for ritual purposes?
As you've probably understood -- the Holy & Holy of Holies were only for the priests (kohanim). Commoners absolutely entered the courtyard, e.g. to bring an animal for sacrifice. Once the ...
- 136k
4
votes
Accepted
Which Mishmar did the descendants of Eli Kohen Gadol belong to?
The following is only a partial answer. I am not aware of any explicit source that states what mishmar Eli and his descendants were part of. According to the gemara in Taanit 27a and the Tosefta ...
- 28.4k
4
votes
Why was the order of the incense offering so important?
The Rambam Sefer Avodah, Halachot Yom Hakippurim, Chapter 1, Halacha 7 explains this specific improper action was something that the tzedukim insisted on. Any change in the avodah would invalidate it. ...
- 43.5k
4
votes
Where is the Halacha about a single available Cohen committing a crime?
It’s in the second Tosafos on Yevamos 7a:
שנאמר מעם מזבחי - ואפי' אם אין שם כהן אחר ראוי לעבודה שהעבודה נדחית וא"ת ודלמא התם לאו משום דרציחה דחיא עבודה אלא משום דגברא הוא דלא חזי כדאמרי' (ברכות ...
- 3,357
4
votes
Can playing sports bring us closer to God?
Maybe not directly an answer, but the Lubavitcher Rebbe would often compare sports, e.g. baseball for example, to our Avodas Hashem. In a Sicha, the Rebbe explained (Shabbos Parshas Shemini, 5740):
...
- 11.7k
3
votes
Accepted
Mishmaros and Leap Years
A regular year is 353, 354, or 355 days which is 50 weeks plus 3, 4, or 5 days. The extra days are therefore part of the first mishmar of the next year. A leap year is 383, 384, or 385 days which is ...
- 43.5k
3
votes
Permanent fire on the external altar - provisions for rain
There are meforshim that explain that the clouds of glory would protect from rain.
See Tosfos Yom Tov on Avos 5:4:
And as for protecting them from the sun and rain, the Clouds of Glory certainly did ...
- 11.7k
3
votes
How does Lev. 6:3 demonstrate that a kohen's tunic must rest directly on his skin?
Rashi Vayikra 6,3 explains why the Torah calls the tunic "מִדּ֣וֹ" (middo) when it is normally referred to as "כתנת" (kutonet e.g Shemot 29,39) . The word מִדּ֣וֹ comes from the word מדתו (midato) ...
- 11.6k
3
votes
What is the purpose of the goat for Azazel, as opposed to conventional offerings?
Ramban writes about this in his commentary to Vayikra 16:8.
Rather than translate the whole piece, I will link to this summary and analysis by R. Ezra Bick.
Some key quotes:
The Ramban begins by ...
- 46.6k
3
votes
Who gathered the barley sheaves?
The procedure for bringing the Omer is beautifully described in the Mishna in Menachot 10:3 and 4.
After nightfall, on the eve of the 16th of Nissan the harvesting of the Omer would be done with great ...
- 44.7k
3
votes
Why did the Kohen Gadol have to do everything on Yom Kippur?
The question is dealt with in this article at yeshiva.org.il which it is better to read.
My summary: he quotes:
Ritv”o – If the KG is unable to do the avodos which are not specific to Yom Kippur, ...
- 48.7k
3
votes
Did Levites minister within the Temple building itself or just its courts?
No one was allowed to enter the Sanctuary itself unless they were a Kohen who had washed his hands and feet, and only for the purposes of service (usually bringing incense or lighting the menorah).
...
- 2,661
3
votes
Why specifically branches as firewood on the Altar?
The unknown commentary1 to this Mishnah in the Talmud says that branches burn easily and do not produce [too much] smoke. He also states several other advantages for using younger branches than older ...
- 730
2
votes
Precautions to avoid adulterated handful of meal offering
Partial answer:
Menachot 6:7 teaches that the flour used for the Omer, Shtei Halechem and Lechem Hapanim was sifted many times before use.
While (presumably) this was done in order to fulfil the ...
- 46.6k
2
votes
Accepted
How and why would they grasp the Kohen Gadol's shoulder stones?
According to this shiur by R. Yosef Carmel (see footnote 15), the assisting Kohen would hold on to either the stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod or the front of the stones of the choshen.
The ...
- 46.6k
2
votes
Why does the servant register on a Pesach by himself?
The Rambam Hilchos Korban Pesach 3,2:
באומר לעבדו צא ושחוט עלי וקבע לו ושכח העבד מה אמר לו רבו. והוא שיתן לו רועה של רבו גדי וטלה ויאמר לו שחוט שניהן כדי שתשחוט כמו שאמר לו רבך והרי אחד מהן שלך על ...
- 11.6k
2
votes
Do נסכים need to be brought לשם בעלים?
The Yerushalmi (Pesachim 5:2 / 32a) might imply that at least the ones accompanying a metzora's offering do, since it says
וכי חטאתו של מצורע לא לחידושה יצאת שתהא טעונה נסכים לשם בעלים ודבר שיצא ...
- 10.4k
2
votes
Minimal number of kohanim working in the Mikdash
The Mishnah teaches us:
The daily offering is sacrificed and its limbs are carried by nine priests, as mentioned in a previous mishna. These nine carry the limbs and the accompanying libations and ...
- 11.7k
2
votes
Permanent fire on the external altar - provisions for rain
The Rabinu Bachayei says this was one of the miracles which was in the Beis Hamikdash and Mishkan https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/R._Bachya/Shemot/27.8#m7e0n6
ר' בחיי שמות כ"ז והנה בחלל המזבח ...
- 2,252
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