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The Talmud, by Joseph Barclay, [1878], at sacred-texts.com


CHAPTER VII.

1. The High Priest came to read. If he wished to read in linen garments, he read. If not, he read in his own white stole. The public Minister of the congregation took out the roll of the Law, and delivered it to the Chief of the congregation, and the Chief of the congregation gave it to the Sagan, and the Sagan gave it to the High Priest. And the High Priest stood and received it and read. He stood and read "after the death" 2 and "also on the tenth day." 3 And he rolled up the book of the Law, and put it into his bosom, and said, "More than what I have read before you is written here." And "on the tenth" 4 in the Pentateuch of overseers he recited, and pronounced upon it eight blessings; upon the Law, and upon the Service, and upon the confession, and upon the forgiveness of sins, and upon the Sanctuary separately, and upon Israel separately, and upon Jerusalem separately, and upon the Priests separately, and upon the remainder of the prayer.

2. He who saw the High Priest, when he read, could not see the bullock and the he-goat, when they were burning. And he who saw the bullock and the he-goat, when they were burning, could not see the High Priest, when he read. Not because it was forbidden, but because the way was far, and the work of both was proceeding at once.

3. If he read in linen garments, he sanctified his hands and his feet, he undressed, he descended and bathed. He came up, and wiped himself. They brought him golden garments, and he dressed, and he sanctified his hands and his feet, and went forth and offered the ram for himself, and the ram for the people, and seven lambs without blemish of a year old. The words of R. Eleazar. R. Akiba said, "with

p. 133

the morning sacrifice they were offered." And the bullock of burnt offering and the he-goat, 1 which was prepared without, were offered with the evening sacrifice.

4. He purified his hands and his feet, and undressed, and washed, and he came up, and wiped himself. They brought to him white garments, and he dressed, and sanctified his hands and his feet. He entered to bring forth the spoon and the censer, he sanctified his hands and his feet, and undressed, and he descended, and washed. He came up, and wiped himself. They brought to him garments of gold, and he dressed, and sanctified his hands and his feet. And he entered to offer the evening incense, and to trim the lights; and he sanctified his hands and his feet, and he dressed. They brought to him his own garments, and he dressed. And they escorted him to his house. And he made a feast-day for his friends, when he went out in peace from the Sanctuary.

5. The High Priest ministered in eight vestments. And the ordinary priest in four, in the tunic, and drawers, and bonnet, and girdle. To these, the High Priest added the breastplate, and ephod, and robe, and (golden) plate. In these they inquired by Urim and Thummim. 2 And they did not inquire in them for a private person; only for the King and the great Sanhedrin, and for whomsoever the congregation is necessary.


Footnotes

132:2 Lev. xvi.

132:3 Lev. xxiii. 27.

132:4 Num. xxix. 7.

133:1 Num. xxix. 7.

133:2 Urim and Thummim (lights and perfections), the Jews think, gave answer by the divine illumination of the suitable letters composing the names of the tribes which were graven on the breastplate of the High Priest.


Next: Chapter VIII