SHEYIBANEH BEIT HAMIKDASH...
A series of articles on Beit HaMikdash-related topics by Catriel Sugarman intended to increase the knowledge, interest, and anticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.

From the Mikdash Mailbag - Honoring the Kohein Gadol

Dear Catriel, Shalom from snowy New York! I was wondering, since the Kohein Gadol WAS the High Priest, did he rate extra honor? Was he treated differently than the other Kohanim? …Be'tzpi'a Le'Ge'ula…

Chavatzelet Hasharon
Absolutely! Similar to the conventions governing the conduct of a king of Israel, a Kohein Gadol had to be constantly aware of his exalted position. (This is derived from Vayikra 21:10.) The Kohein Gadol was not to be seen in a state of undress or in a bathhouse. He was expected to trim his hair "every Erev Shabbat" and there were to be no witnesses. (These rulings of the Rambam, found in Hilchot Klei Hamikdash, are based on Tosefta, Sanhedrin, Ch. 4. The Gemara relates how R. Yehuda HaNasi, the redactor of the Mishna, was once asked how the Kohein Gadol wore his hair. "He answered, 'go and observe the haircut of Ben Eleasa. It was taught, 'Not for nothing did Ben Eleasa expend money so lavishly upon his hairdressing, but only to display the high priestly fashion!'" Sanhedrin 22b.) The Mishna reads, "When he (the Kohein Gadol) comforts others, the custom is that all the people would pass by, one after the other, while the Memuneh (Segan, assistant Kohein Gadol) places him between himself and the people (the Memuneh stood on the right of the Kohein Gadol and the people stood on his left). And when he (the Kohein Gadol) receives comfort from others, all the people say to him, 'May we be your atonement.' and he answers, 'May you be blessed from Heaven.' When they prepare the funeral meal for him (the Biblical source for a 'funeral meal' is II Shemu'el 12:17,21), all the people sit on the ground and he sits on a stool" (Sanhedrin 2:1).

The Kohein Gadol was not to participate in public banquets, not even a Se'uda Shel Mitzva (banquet marking a religious event). These rulings were derived from the Biblical passage, "Neither shall he go out of the Sanctuary" (Vayikra 21:12, "Min HaMikdash Lo Yeitzei.") The Sages interpreted this to mean that he shouldn't depart from his holy status" (Sanhedrin 19a). Rambam writes, "It is to his glory and honor if he stayed in the Mikdash all day and not leave it except to go home at night or perhaps an hour or two during the day. And his house should be in Jerusalem and he should not go forth from there." i.e. he should never leave the city of Jerusalem which is also called "Mikdash" - Sanctuary (Hilchot Klei HaMikdash 5:7). These Halachot were formulated to heighten the aura of holiness surrounding the Kohein Gadol. Unfortunately, it is highly question- able whether these ordinances were actually observed by the transitory, unworthy Sadducee Kohanim Gedolim, imposed by the Romans and their Herodian stooges, in the latter days of Bayit Sheini.

The Kohein Gadol was accorded great honor when he entered the Mikdash. The Segan and chief treasurer of the Mikdash always accompanied him. (A great scholar himself, the most prominent of the Seganim was R. Chanina and he is frequently quoted in the rabbinical literature as a reliable source of correct Mikdash procedure. The Segan's role was to ensure the smooth functioning of the Mikdash Avoda on a day-to-day basis. One may conjecture that one of his duties was to ensure that the Avoda in the Mikdash was conducted according to the ordinances of the Sages. When the Kohein Gadol entered the Sanctuary, three Kohanim "supported" him; "one held him by his right hand, one by his left and one by the 'precious stones'" (Tamid 7:1). "One went behind the Kohein Gadol and held the two 'Shoham stones' (usually thought to be onyx - note Sh'mot 28:9) which were on the top of the shoulder straps of the Eifod. They did all this to honor him, to help him and to support him as he walked. Then all the Kohanim would enter the Sanctuary to bow down. They did this to demonstrate that the Kohein Gadol was greater and more important than the other Kohanim" (Tif'eret Yisrael 2). (The Eifod was a kind of apron that covered the Kohein Gadol's back and had an opening in the front. "They shall make the Eifod of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet wool and twisted linen; skillful work.' A belt that was also made of the same material was snugly tied around the Eifod to close it. In addition, there were two attached shoulder straps, also similarly fashioned, which supported the Eifod. On the top of each shoulder strap was a gold setting containing an onyx stone carved with the names of six of the sons of Jacob in order of age, twelve names, six on each stone.)

Normally the priestly duties in the Mikdash were assigned by "lot" (Payis), but if the Kohein Gadol chose to perform any Avoda, he had the right to overrule the results of the lottery and perform it himself (Yoma 1:2, Tamid 7:3). Frequently, he performed the Avoda on Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, Chagim, and especially on Sukkot (Josephus, Wars, Bk 5; ch. 5). The Avoda of Yom Kippur was valid only when performed by the Kohein Gadol (Yoma 73a). "On the seven days before Yom Kippur, the Kohein Gadol was required to toss the blood, offer the incense and trim the wicks of the oil lamps of the Menora and offer the head and hind leg" to accustom him to the routine of the Avoda. On Shabbat, the Kohein Gadol could claim up to half of the twelve Lechem HaPanim ("showbread") when they were removed from the Golden Table in the Sanctuary and distributed among the Kohanim. (The source for this ruling is Vayikra 24:9 where the Kohein Gadol Aaron is equated with his sons. Note Yoma 17b.) Also, "The Kohein Gadol is first in offering a portion and taking a portion" i.e. whatever sacrificial portion he might desire (Yoma 1:2).

A special meal offering was sacrificed in the name of the Kohein Gadol every day with the T'midim - "a tenth Eifa of fine flour as a meal offering; half of it the morning and half of it in the afternoon" (Vayikra 6:13). This meal offering was presented in the form of twelve unleavened loaves - half accompanying the morning Tamid and half accompanying the afternoon Tamid (Menachot 76a). These Chavitin (unleavened loaves) of the Kohein Gadol, were baked in a special chamber in the Ezrat Yisrael located to the south of the Nicanor Gate (Vayikra 6:12-16, Tamid 1:3). The Chavitin of the Kohein Gadol were much smaller than the Lechem Hapanim laid out each Shabbat on the Shulchan in the Sanctuary. Once every seven years - on the first day of the intermediate days of the Sukkot festival that followed a Sabbatical year (Vayikra 25:1-7) - the people gathered in the Mikdash Courts to hear specific readings from the Torah. This public assemblage, Hak-heil (Devarim 31:10-13), was viewed as a reenactment of the revelation on Har Sinai. By tradition, the king was obligated to read the required Pesukim, but in the absence of a king, the Kohein Gadol substituted (Josephus, Antiquities, bk.4: 209). According to the Mishnaic sources, the Kohein Gadol participated in the burning of the Para Aduma, the Red Heifer (Bamidbar 19: 1-22) although his participation was not strictly required. I hope this helps.

Catriel's book in progress: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrim’s Perspective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service