Yoma 42

כלי עץ העשוי לנחת הוא וכל כלי העשוי לנחת אינו מקבל טומאה וחוצץ בפני טומאה אלא מלמד שמגביהין אותו לעולי רגלים ואומרים להם ראו חיבתכם לפני המקום שסילוקו כסדורו שנאמר (שמואל א כא, ז) לשום לחם חום ביום הלקחו

[But surely] it was a wooden vessel, intended for resting, and every wooden vessel intended for resting is not susceptible to uncleanness and sets up a barrier<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' . The root 'hazaz' means to cut off, to divide, to serve as an intervening object.');">¹</span> against uncleanness?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Wooden utensils which are not intended to be moved (as e.g., a table) are not only not susceptible to uncleanness, but they form a barrier against uncleanness, effectively preventing its spread. This is inferred from the passage: And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack (Lev. XI, 32) . In this passage sack and vessel of wood are cited together, hence our Sages infer that just as a sack is movable and moved, so uncleanness can befall only such wooden vessels as are movable and moved; whereas a wooden vessel meant to rest (or have things placed thereon) is different and hence unsusceptible.');">²</span>

ותו ליכא והאמר רב אושעיא בשעה שבנה שלמה בית המקדש נטע בו כל מיני מגדים של זהב והיו מוציאין פירותיהן בזמנן וכשהרוח מנשבת בהן נושרין שנא' (תהלים עב, טז) ירעש כלבנון פריו וכשנכנסו נכרים להיכל יבש שנאמר (נחום א, ד) ופרח לבנון אומלל ועתיד הקב"ה להחזירן שנאמר (ישעיהו לה, ב) פרוח תפרח ותגל אף גילת ורנן כבוד הלבנון נתן לה

Rather does this teach us that the table would be lifted<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The table being taken out periodically to be shown to the pilgrims was no longer considered an immovable object and became susceptible to uncleanness, and the miracle consisted in the fact that nevertheless it never actually became unclean,');">³</span> up for the gaze of those who came up to the Festivals, with the mark: Behold how beloved you are of God, for it is as fresh when it is taken off as it was when put on, as it was said: 'To put hot bread in the day it was taken away'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. XXI, 7.');">⁴</span>

ניסי דקביעי לא קא חשיב השתא דאתית להכי ארון וכרובים נמי ניסי דקביעי נינהו

But were there no more [miracles]? Did not R'Oshaia say:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Infra 39b.');">⁵</span>

אמר מר ועשן המערכה ומי הוה עשן במערכה והתניא חמשה דברים נאמרו באש של מערכה רבוצה כארי וברה כחמה ויש בה ממש ואוכלת לחין כיבשין ואינה מעלה עשן

When King Solomon built the Sanctuary, he planted therein all kinds of [trees of] golden delights, which were bringing forth their fruits in their season and as the winds blew at them, they would fall off, as it is written: May his fruits rustle like Lebanon,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXII, 16. Hence there are fruits in Lebanon. But Lebanon was identified with the Sanctuary (Git. 56b) , thus the paraphrase of the trees and the winds to create the rustling.');">⁶</span> and when the foreigners entered the Temple they withered, as it is written: And the flower of Lebanon languishes;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Nahum I, 4.');">⁷</span>

כי קא אמרינן בדהדיוט דתניא (ויקרא א, ז) ונתנו בני אהרן הכהן אש על המזבח אע"פ שאש יורדת מן השמים מצוה להביא מן ההדיוט

and the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future restore them, as it is said: It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa, XXXV, 2.');">⁸</span> -Permanent miracles he does not include in his count.

רבוצה כארי והתניא א"ר חנינא סגן הכהנים אני ראיתיה ורבוצה ככלב לא קשיא כאן במקדש ראשון כאן במקדש שני

And now that we have come to this [conclusion], the ark and the Cherubim are also permanent miracles.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And therefore not included.');">⁹</span> The Master said: 'And the [smoke arising from the] pile of wood on the altar'.

ובמקדש שני מי הואי והאמר רב שמואל בר איניא מאי דכתיב (חגי א, ח) וארצה בו ואכבד וקרינן ואכבדה מאי שנא דמחוסר ה"א אלו חמשה דברים שהיו בין מקדש ראשון למקדש שני ואלו הן ארון וכפורת וכרובים אש ושכינה ורוח הקודש ואורים ותומים אמרי אין מיהוה הוה סיועי לא מסייעא

But was there smoke arising from the pile of wood? Has it not been taught: Five things were reported about the fire of the pile of wood: It<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Either as the simple text suggests, the fire, majestically, quietly; or, as Rashi has it: 'It' refers to a great lump of coal which fell from heaven in the days of Solomon and stayed there until the time of Manasseh; that lump having the form of a lion.');">¹⁰</span>

ת"ר שש אשות הן יש אוכלת ואינה שותה ויש שותה ואינה אוכלת ויש אוכלת ושותה ויש אוכלת לחין כיבשין ויש אש דוחה אש ויש אש אוכלת אש

was lying like a lion, it was as clear as sunlight, its flame was of solid substance, it devoured wet wood like dry wood, and it caused no smoke to arise from it? - What we said [about the smoke] referred to the wood from outside [of the Sanctuary].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'private (man) ' - not part of the altar wood, but wood which was brought in addition and unaffected by the special property of the holy fire.');">¹¹</span> For it has been taught: And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev, I, 7.');">¹²</span>

יש אש אוכלת ואינה שותה הא דידן שותה ואינה אוכלת דחולין אוכלת ושותה דאליהו דכתיב (מלכים א יח, לח) ואת המים אשר בתעלה לחכה אוכלת לחין כיבשין דמערכה יש אש דוחה אש דגבריאל ויש אש אוכלת אש דשכינה דאמר מר הושיט אצבעו ביניהם ושרפן

- although the fire comes down from heaven, it is a proper thing to bring fire from outside too.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Infra 53a.');">¹³</span> 'Lying like a lion'.

ועשן המערכה אפילו כל הרוחות שבעולם אין מזיזות אותו ממקומו והאמר ר' יצחק בר אבדימי במוצאי יו"ט האחרון של חג הכל צופין לעשן המערכה נוטה כלפי צפון עניים שמחין ובעלי בתים עצבין מפני שגשמי שנה מרובין ופירותיהן מרקיבין נטה כלפי דרום עניים עצבין ובעלי בתים שמחין מפני שגשמי שנה מועטין ופירותיהן משתמרין

But has it not been taught: R'Hanina, deputy high priest, said: I myself have seen it and it was lying like a dog? - This is no contradiction: The first statement refers to the first Temple, the second to the second Temple.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Sanctuary was held in great reverence, itself, its priests, its influence. The second came to be held in disrespect. The above tradition may well reflect the attitude towards both, as crystallized in the Aggada. Therefore the very pile of wood 'was lying like a lion' in David's Temple, and appeared 'lying like a dog' in the second.');">¹⁴</span> But was the fire present at the second Temple? -Surely R'Samuel B'Inia said: What is the meaning of the scriptural verse: And I will take pleasure in it [we-ikabed] and I will be glorified?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hag. I, 8: Go up to the hill-country and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. v');">¹⁵</span>

נטה כלפי מזרח הכל שמחין כלפי מערב הכל עצבין דאזיל ואתי כדיקלי ואבדורי לא הוה מיבדר

The traditional reading is 'we-ikabedah', then why is the [letter] 'he' omitted [in the text]? To indicate that in five<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The numerical value of is five.');">¹⁶</span>

אמר מר כלפי מזרח הכל שמחין כלפי מערב הכל עצבין ורמינהו מזרחית לעולם יפה מערבית לעולם קשה רוח צפונית יפה לחטין בשעה שהביאו שליש וקשה לזיתים בזמן שהן חונטין רוח דרומית קשה לחטין בשעה שהביאו שליש ויפה לזיתים בזמן שהן חונטין

things the first Sanctuary differed from the second: in the ark, the ark-cover, the Cherubim,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first three form one unit.');">¹⁷</span> the fire, the Shechinah, the Holy Spirit [of Prophecy], and the Urim-we-Thummim [the Oracle Plate]? - I will tell you, They were present, but they were not as helpful [as before].

ואמר רב יוסף ואיתימא מר זוטרא וסימניך שלחן בצפון ומנורה בדרום האי מרבה דידיה והאי מרבה דידיה

Our Rabbis taught: There are six different kinds of fire: Fire which eats but does not drink; fire which drinks but does not eat; fire which eats and drinks; fire which consumes dry matter as well as moist matter; and fire which pushes fire away; fire which eats fire.' Fire which eats but does not drink': that is our fire [water quenches it]; 'which drinks but does not eat': the fever of the sick; 'eats and drinks': that of Elijah, it is written: And licked up the water that was in the trench;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings XVIII, 38: Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed . . and licked up.');">¹⁸</span>

לא קשיא הא לן והא להו

'eats both dry and moist matter': the fire of th pile of wood; 'fire which pushes other fire away': that of Gabriel;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Pes. 118a, ref. to Dan.III, 27.');">¹⁹</span> and 'fire which eats fire': that of the Shechinah, for a Master said: He put forth His finger among them and burned them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The angels objecting to the creation of man. The angels are of fire, v. Sanh. 38b.');">²⁰</span>

<br><br><big><strong>הדרן עלך שבעת ימים</strong></big><br><br>

[It is stated above], 'But the smoke arising from the pile of wood, even all the winds of the world could not move it from its place'. But [did not] R'Isaac B'Abdimi Say: 'On the night following<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. R. H. 16a: At the Feast of Tabernacles the World is judged through water. V. Ta'an. 2a. Hence the anxiety to watch for the decision from the direction of the wind.');">²¹</span> the last day of the [Sukkoth] Festival all were gazing upon the smoke arising from the pile of wood. If it inclined northward, the poor rejoiced and the people of means were sad, because the rains of the coming year would be abundant and their fruits would rot.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence they would have to sell them fast, i.e., cheaply.');">²²</span> If it inclined southward, the poor were depressed and the men of means rejoiced, for there would be little rain that year and the fruit could be preserved. If it inclined eastwards, all rejoiced;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because it meant average rain, plenty of fruit, without danger of rotting so that the merchants could charge moderate prices.');">²³</span> if westwards all were depressed'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because it dries up the seeds, and causes famine, v. B.B. 147a. At any rate the smoke moved, which contradicts the statement above.');">²⁴</span> - It merely means that it swayed hither and thither like a tree, but it was not scattered. The Master said: [If it inclined] eastward all rejoiced: westward - all were depressed. There is a contradiction against it: The east wind is always good ' the west wind always bad, the north wind benefits wheat when it has grown to one third [of its usual height], and is bad for olives when they are budding; the south wind is bad for wheat which has grown one third [of its normal size] and good for olives when they are budding and R'Joseph or Mar Zutra said, in connection therewith, as a sign: The table was in the north, and the candlestick in the south,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. in the Sanctuary.');">²⁵</span> i.e., the one [north wind] grows what is good for the table,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Wheat for the shewbread.');">²⁶</span> and the other [south wind] what is good for the candlestick?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Oil of the olive.');">²⁷</span> - This is no contradiction: the former statement refers to us,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For Babylonia, which is always full of moisture, the east wind is good.');">²⁸</span> the latter to them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For Palestine, which is dry, full of mountains and hills, it is bad.');">²⁹</span> [