Tamid 2:5-3:1
משנה תמיד ב:ה-ג:א
Seder: Kodashim | Tractate: Tamid | Chapter: 2-3
📖 Mishna
Mishna 2:5
משנה ב:ה
Hebrew:
בֵּרְרוּ מִשָּׁם עֲצֵי תְאֵנָה יָפִין, לְסַדֵּ�� הַמַּעֲרָכָה שְׁנִיָּה לַקְּטֹרֶת, מִכְּנֶגֶד קֶרֶן מַעֲרָבִית דְּרוֹמִית, מָשׁוּךְ מִן הַקֶּרֶן כְּלַפֵּי צָפוֹן אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת, בְּעֹמֶד חָמֵשׁ סְאִים גֶּחָלִים, וּבְשַׁבָּת בְּעֹמֶד שְׁמוֹנַת סְאִין גֶּחָלִים, שֶׁשָּׁם הָיוּ נוֹתְנִין שְׁנֵי בְזִיכֵי לְבוֹנָה שֶׁל לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים. הָאֵבָרִים וְהַפְּדָרִים שֶׁלֹּא נִתְאַכְּלוּ מִבָּעֶרֶב, מַחֲזִירִין אוֹתָן לַמַּעֲרָכָה. הִצִּיתוּ שְׁתֵּי הַמַּעֲרָכוֹת בָּאֵשׁ, וְיָרְדוּ וּבָאוּ לָהֶם לְלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית:
English:
The priests selected from among the logs that were there fine logs from fig trees, as when this type of wood was burned it would become coals rather than ashes. The priest who removed the ashes then assembled the second arrangement of wood, from which the coals were taken to the golden altar in the Sanctuary for the burning of the incense. The second arrangement was assembled next to the southwestern corner of the altar and was removed from the corner toward the north side of the altar by a distance of four cubits. The second arrangement was assembled of an amount of wood estimated to produce five se’a of coals. And on Shabbat, it was assembled of an amount of wood estimated to produce eight se’a of coals, as there the priests would place the two bowls of frankincense that accompanied the shewbread and that were burned on the altar on Shabbat. With regard to the limbs and the fats that were not consumed during the time from the previous evening, the priests would return them to the large arrangement to be burned. And the priests kindled those two arrangements with fire and descended from the altar. And they then came to the Chamber of Hewn Stone, where they would conduct the second lottery in order to determine who would perform the subsequent rites.
קלאוד על המשנה:
In addition to the large arrangement, a second, smaller arrangement of wood was built specifically to produce coals for the incense altar inside the Sanctuary. The Mishna specifies that fine fig-tree wood was selected because it produced excellent coals — an important quality, since the incense needed to be burned on glowing coals, not open flame. The precise location of this second arrangement (near the southwestern corner, four cubits toward the north) and its estimated coal output (five se’a on weekdays, eight on Shabbat) reflect the detailed spatial planning of the altar’s surface.
The extra coals on Shabbat were needed because the two bowls of frankincense (levona) from the shewbread table were burned on the altar on Shabbat. This is a rare intersection between the shewbread service (performed weekly) and the daily altar service. After building both arrangements and returning any unburned portions from the previous night, the priests kindled the fires and descended to the Chamber of Hewn Stone — the seat of the Sanhedrin and the location where the next lottery would take place.
Key Terms:
- מַעֲרָכָה שְׁנִיָּה (Ma’arakha Shniya) = The second wood arrangement, used to produce coals for the incense service
- בְזִיכֵי לְבוֹנָה (Bazichei Levona) = The two bowls of frankincense that accompanied the shewbread, burned on Shabbat
- לִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית (Lishkat HaGazit) = The Chamber of Hewn Stone, seat of the Sanhedrin and site of the priestly lotteries
- סְאָה (Se’a) = A unit of dry measure, approximately 7.3 liters
Mishna 3:1
משנה ג:א
Hebrew:
אָמַר לָהֶם הַמְמֻנֶּה, בֹּאוּ וְהָפִיסוּ, מִי שׁוֹחֵט, מִי זוֹרֵק, מִי מְדַשֵּׁן מִזְבֵּחַ הַפְּנִימִי, מִי מְדַשֵּׁן אֶת הַמְּנוֹרָה, מִי מַעֲלֶה אֵבָרִים לַכֶּבֶשׁ, הָרֹאשׁ וְהָרֶגֶל, וּשְׁתֵּי הַיָּדַיִם, הָעֹקֶץ וְהָרֶגֶל, הֶחָזֶה וְהַגֵּרָה, וּשְׁתֵּי דְפָנוֹת, הַקְּרָבַיִם, וְהַסֹּלֶת, וְהַחֲבִתִּים, וְהַיָּיִן. הֵפִיסוּ, זָכָה מִי שֶׁזָּכָה:
English:
Four lotteries were conducted in the Temple each day in order to determine which priests would perform which of the Temple rites. After describing the first of the lotteries, for removal of the ashes, the tanna describes the second lottery. The priest appointed to oversee the lotteries said to the priests: Come and participate in the lottery to determine who is the priest who will slaughter the daily offering; and who is the priest who will sprinkle its blood; and who will remove the ashes from the inner, golden altar; and who will remove the ashes from the Candelabrum; and who will take the limbs of the daily offering up to the ramp to be burned afterward. The limbs of the daily offering taken up to the ramp were divided among the priests in the following manner: One priest took the head and the right hind leg up to the altar; and a second took the two forelegs; a third the haunch, including the lower spine and the tail, and the left hind leg; a fourth the breast and the cud, i.e., the neck and appended internal organs, including the windpipe, liver, and heart; and a fifth the two flanks; a sixth the innards; and a seventh the fine flour from the accompanying meal offering; and an eighth the griddle-cake offering; and a ninth the wine for the libation. They conducted the lottery to determine the thirteen tasks, i.e., slaughtering, carrying the nine items or pairs of items, sprinkling the blood, removing the ashes from the inner altar, and removing the ashes from the Candelabrum. And whoever won that lottery won the right to perform the slaughter, and the twelve priests standing to his right won the other privileges.
קלאוד על המשנה:
The second lottery was far more complex than the first. While the first lottery determined a single task (ash-removal), the second determined thirteen separate roles: slaughter, blood-sprinkling, ash-removal from the inner altar and Candelabrum, and the carrying of nine distinct items (head and leg, two forelegs, haunch and leg, breast and cud, two flanks, innards, flour, griddle-cakes, and wine). The ingenious mechanism was that only one priest actually “won” the lottery; the twelve priests standing to his right automatically received the other tasks in order.
The detailed listing of the offering’s parts reveals the systematic way the daily offering was divided. Each portion had a designated carrier, and together they would form a procession carrying the dismembered lamb to the altar. The inclusion of the flour, griddle-cakes, and wine alongside the animal parts shows that the tamid was not simply an animal sacrifice but a composite offering that included meal and drink components. This comprehensive lottery ensured that a significant number of priests participated in the morning service each day.
Key Terms:
- הֵפִיסוּ (Hefisu) = They conducted a lottery, the formal method of assigning priestly duties
- עֹקֶץ (Oketz) = The haunch or lower spine including the tail
- גֵּרָה (Gera) = The cud or neck area, including windpipe, heart, and lungs
- חֲבִתִּין (Chavitin) = The High Priest’s daily griddle-cake offering
- נְסָכִים (Nesakhim) = The wine libation that accompanied the daily offering