Synopsis of Subjects
CHAPTER I.
MISHNA I. Why the high priest, before the Day of Atonement, and the
priest who had to perform the ceremonies of the red cow, were removed
from their houses to different chambers in the Temple, and whence we
deduce it from the Scriptures. About a substitute of the high-priest.
How is it known, when one person communicates something to another,
that one has no right to tell it to a third without permission? How
did Moses attire Aaron and his children on the days of consecration?
Whether the uncleanness of the entire congregation, contracted from
a corpse, is not considered, or only postponed. How were the two priests
sprinkled? The number of high-priests during the first and second Temples.
Why had the first Temple fallen? The second Temple, where the occupations
were study of the Law, religious duties, and charity--why fell it? Which
one of the Temples was better? Which of the nations are descended from
Japheth? Whether the gates of the Temple needed Mezuzahs. Of what material
was the girdle of the high-priest made, and whether it was the same
as those of the common priests. How was the substitute of the high-priest
recognized when the high-priest became unfit during the service,
MISHNA II. What kind of experience did the high-priest have during
the seven days? What shall he do first-trim the lamps or prepare the
incense? On what altar and what corner must the blood be sprinkled,
MISHNAS III. to V. What the elders of the Beth Din say to him. What
he is free to eat during the seven days, and what on the eve of the
Day of Atonement. How the priest selects the offerings he chooses. How
the Beth Din left him to the elders of the priests, and what they made
him swear. What a high-priest of the Sadducces had done, and what happened
to him. What was done when the high-priest began to slumber. How he
was occupied, and what was sung to him. How were the ashes cleared away
every day and on the Day of Atonement? The miracles that occurred in
the Temple. For the crowing of what cock shall one wait before going
on the road any night? About the heavenly fire at the second Temple,
CHAPTER II.
MISHNAS I. to V. Why the priests were selected by lot in the latter
days, and not before. Why Israel must not be counted. How secure and
care less should the man feel that knows that the Lord helps him. What
is called revenge, and what is called bearing a grudge? The reward of
him who leaves his injuries unavenged. The accident that befell two
priests. For performing certain four services a layman deserves capital
punishment. In what garments were the lots drawn? Were the lots drawn
for each service separately? In what order the members of the sacrifice
were offered. The daily sacrifices are offered by nine, ten, eleven,
twelve priests. How so? A ram was offered by eleven, a bull by twenty-four,
CHAPTER III.
MISHNAS I. to IV. What the Superintendent used to say to the priests,
and why all this was necessary. What is said about the heat during a
clouded day. Rules for entering the Temple for all. Why and where the
high-priest bathed five times, and washed his hands and feet ten times.
How is it known from the Holy Scriptures? How the service was. When
one meets an opportunity to perform a meritorious act. If he was an
aged or delicate high-priest, what was then? Concerning the garments
of the high-priest and their value. What happened to Hillel, to Eliezer
b. Harsum, and Joseph the Upright,
MISHNAS V. to VII. How did the high-priest confess? and what the people
responded after him. Which of the officers were on his right and which
were on his left during the service? What Ben Katin made for the Temple,
and what his mother Queen Helen made. Concerning the house of Garmo,
the house of Abtinas, and Hogros b. Levi (the preparer of shew-bread,
incense, etc.). What one of the members of the house of Abtinas related
to R. Ishmael. Whence is it derived from the Pentateuch that when the
names of the just are mentioned they must be blessed, and, vice versa those of the wicked? When a man sanctifies himself a little here below,
he is sanctified much above,
CHAPTER IV.
MISHNAS I. to III. Concerning the lots of the two he-goats, how they
were taken from the boxes, and of what material the boxes were made.
What happened when Simeon the Upright was high-priest, and after. Simeon
the Upright told the sages: "This year I am going to die." "How dost
thou know?" About the six times the high-priest pronounced God's name,
as it is written, during the Day of Atonement. About the tongue of crimson
wool which was tied to the head of the goat that was to be sent away,
and for the red cow, etc. Concerning the slaughter of the red cow by
a layman. What is the reason that a female may not perform the ceremony
of sprinkling? The measure of the censer in which the coals for the
incense were taken, and of what material it was made, and of what color
it was on the Day of Atonement. There were seven kinds of gold. Whence
is it deduced that a special fire was made that day,
CHAPTER V.
MISHNAS I. to VI. About the two handfuls of incense for the Holy of
Holies, and how it was used. What concerning the incense between the
middle fingers? When he had filled his hands with incense, and suddenly
died, how then? If he died while slaughtering, might the blood be sprinkled?
The difference of opinion between R. Jose and the sages about the vail
of the Holy of Holies. The ell of the entrance (to the Holy of Holies)
was a matter of doubt to the sages. About the ark in the first and second
Temples. He departed in the same manner as he had come (backwards).
Whence do we deduce this? The custom of the disciples when departing
from their masters. The difference of opinion between the sages about
the ark: according to some it was taken into exile in Babylon, and according
to others it was concealed in its place in the Temple. The world was
created from the very middle, beginning with the extremities. Everything
was created from Zion. How many times had he to sprinkle downwards?
One and one, one. and two, etc. What was the law when the bloods of
the bullock and the goat got mingled? Whence does he begin (the sprinkling)?
The difference of opinion of some sages about this matter. Whether one
is guilty when using the blood for his own purpose. How is the law if
he performed the services in a wrong order, or in the wrong clothes?
Whether the atonement for all sins includes the sin of uncleanness in
the Temple or not,
CHAPTER VI.
MISHNAS I. to V. The equality of the two he-goats. The law if one of
them dies after the lots were cast. If a substitute was selected, and
then the first one was found. The expression of the high-priest at his
confession on the he-goat for Azazel. How the priest delivered the he-goat
to its conductor. The question which R. Eliezer was asked, and his answers.
How the prominent men of Jerusalem used to accompany the messenger of
the he-goat. How far was Jerusalem from the Tsuk (the rock of its destination)?
What was done with the tongue of crimson wool, and its signification.
About the ten booths between Jerusalem and the Tsuk, and how at each
booth the messenger was offered meat and drink. Whether the high priest
was told when the he-goat reached its destination, or it was made known
to him by a sign,
CHAPTER VII.
MISHNAS I. to III. How the high-priest came to read (the Torah), and
in what clothes, and what section, and who were the persons that passed
the holy scrolls from one to another until it reached the high-priest.
The legend of Alexander the Macedonian and the high-priest Simeon the
Upright. The legends about the tempter to idolatry, how he was caught
in the time of Ezra and was burned to death. Also the legend of the
tempter to fornication, how he was kept prisoner, was blinded in both
eyes, and then liberated. Concerning the Great Assembly which has renewed
the appellations of our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible,
said by Moses, and which some of the prophets left out. What the high-priest
did after reading the Torah. At what time the bullock and the seven
sheep of the burnt-offerings were offered. How the conductor of the
he-goat informs the high-priest that he fulfilled his duty. How the
Urim and Tumim were made. How they
were inquired of, and to whom. What letters were, inserted in them.
About the three crowns of the altar, the ark, and the table, who received
them? About the priest who was anointed for war, his, garments, services,
and descendants. How was the ceremony of inquiring the Urim and Tumim,
and how the priest received the reply. Whence do we deduce that the
inquiries are made for kings only
CHAPTER VIII.
MISHNA I. The afflictions which are obligatory on the Day of Atonement.
What were the afflictions coming from the manna written in Deuteronomy
viii. 16? The visage of the Lord is not like that of a man. How the
manna betrayed all the secrets of the Israelites. What is the meaning
of the bread of Abirim? What R. Aqiba said, and what R. Ishmael answered
him. The question why the manna did not descend for the Israelites once
a year, and its answer. What R. Eliezer the Modeite had to say about
the manna, which R. Ishmael called a gathering of nonsensical words.
How is it known that abstaining from washing and anointing is an affliction?
What is the law in regard of one being soiled in clay, etc., whether
he may wash himself? When a man goes to receive his father, master,
or superior, and has to wade in water reaching to his neck? About the
spring that issued from the Holy of Holies. Whether a great man is permitted
to decide the question of a blemish of a firstling, and what R. Tzadok
b. 'Haluqah answered. Whether children are to observe the afflictions?
The quantity of food and beverage prohibited from partaking on the Day
of Atonement,
MISHNAS II. to V. What is the law regarding one who ate and drank through
forgetfulness? At what age are children made to fast some hours on the
Day of Atonement? When a pregnant woman longs for the food which she
has smelled. When a man is seized with bulimy, what he may eat, etc.
What happened to some rabbis who were seized with bulimy. When a man
is bitten by a mad dog. The five things mentioned as symptoms of a dog's
madness. What happened to R. Johanan and the matron; of Rome. How the
Sabbath must be superseded when life is threatened. The question put
to R. Ishmael, R. Aqiba, and R. Eliezer b. Azariah when on the road
about the same, and what they answered,
MISHNA VI. For what transgressions the Day of Atonement atones. Does
the Day of Atonement atone him who says: I will sin and God will forgive
me? What penitence atones for? What R. Eliezer b. Azariah while in Rome,
was asked by R. Mathiah b. Heresh, and what he answered What is called
defamation of God. How penitence is great: it reaches the throne of
His glory. How repentance is great: when an individual repents, the
whole world is pardoned. Whether one who has confessed his sins on one
Day of Atonement has also to confess on the next one? The sin of Moses
is compared to a woman who has eaten fruit on the Sabbatical year, and
David's to a woman who has really sinned. He who has provoked his neighbor,
even by words, must appease him. At what place in the prayer should
he confess? What the disciples of R. Ishmael taught,
APPENDIX. The letter of a Gentile who has witnessed the ceremonies
of Passover, and the procession of the high-priest to and from the Temple
Sources: Biblical
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