{"id":10141,"date":"2006-07-20T21:10:00","date_gmt":"2006-07-20T21:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/production.ou.org\/life\/other\/masechet_yoma_4450\/"},"modified":"2017-04-09T08:17:24","modified_gmt":"2017-04-09T13:17:24","slug":"masechet_yoma_4450","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_yoma_4450\/","title":{"rendered":"Masechet Yoma 44a-50b"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Coming Week’s Daf Yomi by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz<\/em><\/p>\n

This essay is based upon the insights and chidushim (original ideas) of Talmudic scholar Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, as published in the Hebrew version of the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud.<\/em><\/p>\n

This month’s Steinsaltz Daf Yomi is sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Alan Harris, The Lewy Family Foundation, and Marilyn and Edward Kaplan<\/em><\/p>\n

Yoma 44a-b<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Mishnah<\/a> (43b) describes a number of differences between the way the ketoret<\/a> <\/em>was prepared by the kohen gadol<\/a><\/em> on Yom Kippur<\/a><\/em> and the way it was done on a regular day. For example, every day the coals needed for burning the ketoret<\/em> would be picked up with a silver mahtah<\/em> (=shovel) and then transferred to a golden one, while on Yom Kippur<\/em> a golden mahtah<\/em> was used to pick up the coals and that same shovel was used to carry the ketoret<\/em> into the kodesh ha-kodashim<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Gemara<\/a> on our daf<\/em> (=page) explains that ordinarily the golden machtah<\/em> was not used to pick up the coals because the Torah<\/a> was concerned about the cost of golden shovels and the need to replace them were they used for this work on a regular basis. On Yom Kippur<\/em>, aside from giving particular honor to the avodah<\/em> (=service) of the day, allowing the entire process to be done with one machtah<\/em> was easier on the kohen gadol<\/em>, who was responsible for the entire Yom Kippur <\/em>service.<\/p>\n

Our Gemara also quotes a baraita<\/a><\/em> that mentions a difference between the daily ketoret<\/em> and that of Yom Kippur<\/em> that is not mentioned in the Mishnah. Ben ha-Segan points out that only the ketoret<\/em> of the Yom Kippur<\/em> service had a neoshtik<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The source for the term neoshtik<\/em> is unclear. Some suggest that its source is Persian, while others identify it as being borrowed from the Latin Nasticiun<\/em>. According to the vast majority of the commentaries, it is a covering of some sort. The Tosafot Yeshanim<\/a> say it was a cover for the handle of the machtah<\/em>. This was necessary on Yom Kippur<\/em> because the hot coals remained in the shovel for a fairly long time, and this made the handle of the machtah <\/em>difficult to hold. The explanation presented by the Geonim<\/a><\/em> – which also appears to be the explanation given by the Jerusalem Talmud<\/a> – is that it was a cover for the shovel itself, whose purpose was to keep the coals burning by protecting them.<\/p>\n

Rashi<\/a> understands the word otherwise and argues that the neoshtik <\/em>were two rings that were placed on the machtah<\/em> so that they would make noise as the machtah<\/em> was carried. The Me’iri<\/a> suggests that it was a type of flat bottom that was added to the machtah<\/em>, allowing it to be easily placed on the ground.<\/p>\n

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Yoma 45a-b<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

As we learned on yesterday’s daf<\/em><\/a> (=page), the Mishnah<\/a> (43b) discusses a number of differences between the way the ketoret<\/a><\/em> was prepared by the kohen gadol<\/a> <\/em>on Yom Kippur<\/a><\/em> and the way it was done on a regular day. One of the distinguishing features of the machtah<\/em> – the shovel for the ketoret <\/em>– was its color. On a regular day, the golden machtah<\/em> was yellowish, but on Yom Kippur<\/em> it was specially made to be a reddish-gold color.<\/p>\n

In our Gemara<\/a>, Rav Ashi<\/a> and Rav Chisda<\/a> discuss the different types of gold<\/a> that were made, most of which have sources in the description of the of King Solomon<\/a>‘s wealth in Sefer<\/a> Melakhim<\/a><\/em> (see I Melakhim<\/em> 10<\/a>). Their descriptions range from metals that are identified by their place of origin \u2013 zehav ophir<\/a><\/em> – to the quality and purity of the gold – zehav shahut<\/em>, which is braided like a hut<\/em> (=string).<\/p>\n

Pure gold has a dark yellow color. It is a very soft metal that can be shaped and stretched very easily. When it is used to make useable utensils or jewelry, however, it is necessary to add other materials (e.g. silver, copper, etc.) in order to make pieces that are hard enough to be used. \u00a0Even when very small amounts of other materials are added, both the physical quality and the color of the metal change drastically. The color can range from white as silver
\nto a blood red to green as grass.<\/p>\n

The Me’iri<\/a> identifies this gold with the type of gold called zehav parvayyim <\/em>that is mentioned by Rav Chisda, which is described as being reminiscent of the blood of the bulls that were sacrificed on Yom Kippur<\/em>, and was, apparently, the highest quality gold. The Gevurat Ari<\/a> explains that the reddish-gold metal used for the machtah <\/em>on Yom Kippur<\/em> served to remind the kohen gadol<\/em> of the sprinkling of the blood in the Holy of Holies<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Yoma 46a-b<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Rabbi Meir<\/a> is quoted by Rabbi Elazar<\/a> in the name of bar Kappara<\/a> as ruling that the innards of sacrifices that had not been burned up should be arranged on the altar<\/a> and burned, even on Shabbat<\/a>. The Gemara<\/a> asks why this teaching needs to be presented, as Rabbi Meir’s position on this matter is already known from his statement teaching that the sacrifices are arranged on the altar four times every day, and one of them was for such left-over parts of the korban<\/a><\/em>. Similarly, Rabbi Meir rules that on Yom Kippur<\/a> <\/em>there are five times when the sacrifices are arranged on the altar, including one for burning the left-over parts of the sacrifices that had not been burned up prior to the beginning of Yom Kippur<\/em>. Clearly Rabbi Meir permits burning these innards on Yom Kippur<\/em>, which has the same level of prohibition as Shabbat.<\/p>\n

Various suggestions are made to find a chiddush<\/em> – some new teaching – in the statement quoted in the name of Rabbi Meir. Rav Aha bar Ya’akov<\/a> suggests that we may have thought that the only time sacrifices were burned on Yom Kippur<\/em> was when it occurred on the first day of the week, thus only Shabbat sacrifices – due to their high level of holiness – could be burned on Yom Kippur<\/em>. Rabbi Elazar teaches us that according to Rabbi Meir, all sacrifices that were not burned up the day before can be arranged for burning on the altar on Shabbat.<\/p>\n

Rava<\/a> objects to this answer, arguing that Rabbi Meir clearly said that sacrifices are arranged on the altar four times “every day.” “Every day” certainly includes Shabbat. The Gemara concludes by saying kashya<\/em> – we do not have an answer to this question.<\/p>\n

Rava introduces his question with an interesting comment. He says man hai d’lo hayyesh le-kimheh? <\/em>– literally “who is this who is not concerned about his flour?” – a statement that merits some attention:<\/p>\n