Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Tosefta for Yoma 88:5

דאי ס"ד דרבנן מאי שנא בין האולם ולמזבח דילמא מיקרו ' ועיילי מכולה עזרה נמי נפרשו דילמא מיקרו ועיילי

For if it should enter your mind that they are of two different degrees of sanctity, then the sanctity of the Ulam itself is due only to rabbinic enactment; shall we then enact a preventive measure to prevent the violation of another preventive measure?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Bez. 3a.');"><sup>5</sup></span> - No, the Ulam and the space between Ulam and altar are of one degree of sanctity, the Hekal and the Ulam, however, are of two degrees of sanctity.

Tosefta Kelim Kamma

They may enter [the area] between Ulam (=אולם, the hall leading to the Temple interior (see Jastrow)) and the Altar without having washed their hands and feet, the words of Rabbi Meir. And the Sages say, they may not enter. Said Rabbi Shimon the Humble ("הצנוע") before Rabbi Eliezer, "I myself entered [the area] between the Ulam and the Altar without having washed my hands and feet." He said to him, "Who is [God's] beloved, you or the High Priest?" He was quiet. He said to him, "You are ashamed to say that [even] the High Priest's dog is [more] beloved than you." He said to him, "Rabbi, [it is as] you said." He said to him, "They even crack open the head of the High Priest with logs [should he enter the Ulam without washing]. What will you do so the Head of the Temple Guard (בעל הפול) doesn't find you?" Rabbi Yosei says, in the same way that everyone stays away from [the area] between the Ulam and the Altar at the time of the incense [ceremony], so too they stay away at the time of the presentation of the blood of the bull of the anointed Priest [in atonement for] an inadvertent communal sin, and the goats of [an inadvertent communal act of] idolatry, and the blood of the [sacrificial goat of] Yom Kippur. And [even] higher [in holiness than the area] between the Ulam and the Altar [is the area] between the Altar and the Holy. For whereas between the Ulam and the Altar, they may enter [both] to [perform the Temple] service and not to [perform the Temple] service, [between the Altar and] the Holy, they do not enter except to [perform] the service.
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