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.

Yom Kippur is on the Horizon - a Story [2]
The sun had risen and set over Yerushalayim several times since the Segan had told Meir Hakohein that the Kohein Gadol was not well and that it was more than likely that the Sanhedrin would declare him incapacitated and physically incapable of performing the Avoda on Yom Kippur. Everyone knew that if the Kohein Gadol was incapacitated, the Segan would be expected to perform the Avoda in his place. If things come to that, the Segan told Meir "I want you at my side". Meir replayed this conversation in his mind repeatedly. How- ever, there was something else. Once some- one served as Kohein Gadol even for a single day, when his period of service was terminated, something of the aura of the Kehuna Gedola remained with him.

It was very early morning and it was just getting light. "Meir, come! They're waiting for you at the Lishkat Tela'ei Korban." Located in the southwest corner of the Beit Hamokeid, north of the Azara (Midot 1:6), Lishkat Tela'ei Korban was a small stable where at least six lambs destined for sacrifice were always kept. The Kohanim checked these animals daily to ascertain that they remained physically perfect and that they did not somehow acquire any disqualifying Mumim, blemishes. When Meir and his escort entered the Lishkat Tela'ei Korban, they saw several young white-clad Kohanim inspecting one lamb in particular. Meir smiled as he recalled the Mishna, "…they gave the [lamb that was to be] the Tamid to drink from a cup of gold. Although it [the lamb] had been inspected in the evening of the day before, they inspect it again by the light of torches" (Tamid 3:4). How extraordinary! In this era of laser beams, cell phones, computers and whatnot, they still inspected the sacrificial lambs by the light of torches! And there, in the flickering light, a Kohein offered the lamb water in a golden cup! As the lamb was drinking, Dovid Yehuda, the Segan, dispatched a young Kohein to the night watchmen's command post "to see if the time for slaughtering [the Tamid] has come." After a few moments, a cry reverberated through the silent Azara. It was the watchman. "Barkai! Barkai! The whole of the eastern sky is lit up!" Noting approvingly the brightening glow in the east, the Segan cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted back, "Has the light reached Chevron?" "Y-e-s-s-s-s" was the distant reply. (Meir chuckled. Just a couple of days ago, his wife Yehudit had put him in his place about that very subject. She had asked him why they "Dafka" mentioned Chevron. He had patiently explained to her that they mentioned Chevron as a means of invoking the Zechuyot, the merits, of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov who were buried in Chevron. "Indeed?" Yehudit had retorted, "Didn't the Imahot, Sarah, Rivka, Rachel and Leah have Zechuyot as well?" Shouldn't their Zechuyot be invoked as well?") Thoroughly inspected and found to be blemish-free, a young Kohein led the lamb to the Beit Hamitbachayim, the place of slaughter north of the Mizbei'ach.

After the Levitical choir finished singing Shir Shel Yom, the Segan and Meir ambled over to the Lishkat Hagazit, the seat of the Sanhedrin. Meir: "How is the Kohein Gadol doing?" Segan: "No change." Meir: "Dovid Yehuda, as Segan, you must start thinking about the Avoda of Yom Kippur. You must prepare just in case the Kohein Gadol IS incapacitated," Segan: "Meir old friend, I've been thinking of nothing else. Even contemplating the responsibility of representing Am Yisrael before HaKadosh Baruch Hu on Yom Kippur is overwhelming." Meir: "I'm sure. Come to my office. It's less hectic there and we'll review the Avoda together."

They sat down and Meir pulled out a dog-eared copy of the "Order of the Avoda of the Kohein Gadol on Yom Kippur" He turned to "The Avoda" and glanced at it. "Beit Avtinas will teach you how to enter the Kodesh Hakodashim and offer Ketoret. It's difficult but I don't see any real problem there." The Segan was quiet. Meir let his mind roam and he recalled a heart-warming incident that happened three or four years earlier. Once while in the Azara, he saw a Ba'al Hakorban slaughter an Olah incorrectly. Sacrifice invalidated, the Ba'al Hakorban was visibly devastated. Then suddenly a kindly Oleh Regel standing next to him who had not yet slaughtered his own sacrificial animal, came over and asked him if he would like to become his partner; they would offer up his Olah together, in partnership. The Ba'al Hakorban jubilantly agreed and the two men performed Semicha on the head of the sacrificial animal, first one and then the other, both saying words of praise. The kindness of that Oleh Regel had brought tears to Meir's eyes. Meir turned to the Segan, "Dovid Yehuda, tell me the truth. When is the last time YOU slaughtered a sacrificial animal?" "It's been a while", the Segan confessed. The Segan, busy man that he was, never got around to attending the mandatory refresher courses for Kohanim that he himself had instituted. "OK. We're calling in Naftali to give you a crash course in Shechita. Naftali teaches Shechita in Avoda 101." When Naftali finally arrived, he did not waste time. "No philosophizing now! We're talking 'Tachlis', practicalities. If you serve in place of the Kohein Gadol, you'll have to slaughter all Korbanot ordained for Yom Kippur. The knives used for slaughter, must be extremely sharp, smooth and without notches. I will be responsible for them. To be valid, the Shocheit - the slaughter - YOU - must cut through both the animal's windpipe and gullet. The Sages have condensed Hilchot Shechita into five classifications. If you, while slaughtering, make any of the following errors you invalidate the Shechita."

Naftali continued. "Shehiya (delay or pause). You may not pause or delay in the act of slaughtering. You must keep the knife in continuous motion forward and backward until the windpipe and gullet are completely cut through. Derasa (pressing the knife). You must gently draw the knife horizon- tally across the neck of the sacrificial animal. Do not press down! Chalada (passing the knife under cover). Your knife must be drawn over the throat. Every part of the knife must be visible at all times. Hagrama (cutting in a slanting direction). The knife may only be drawn across the area between the large ring in the windpipe to the upper lobe of the lungs when they are inflated. Slaughtering above or below these limits invalidates the slaughter. Ikur (uprooting or tearing loose). If either the windpipe or the gullet is removed or torn from its regular position during the Shechita, the slaughter is invalid. Hey! Are you with me?" The Segan coughed and rolled his eyes heavenward. Not noticing, Naftali went on, "Normally the Shocheit must examine his knife again after slaughtering. If he found a disqualifying notch on his knife, the Shechita was invalid. In addition, the Shocheit must examine the throat of the animal and ascertain that the windpipe and gullet were indeed cut through completely. And of course, the innards and especially the lungs must be thoroughly checked for disqualifying flaws. However, you do not have to worry about that. I will be doing it for you." <tbc>

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