Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 6, scan section 2

Rothschild, Baron Edmond de (through the Grand Rabbin de France, Zadoc Kahn,' who is himself a subscriber) 25 " Seligman, Prof. Edwin R. A.* f 20 " Sulzberger, Judge Mayer 24 " 1804. It is also a well-known fact that Emperor Nicholas I. of Russia assigned 100,000 rubles for a translation of the Talmud ; and that Dr. Pinner, who translated tract Berachoth into German, a work considered of little merit by all scholars, never- theless received 10,000 rubles from him. A German translation of the Talmud is now being published through the effort of Gentiles. I am proud to say that I am the first who has not sought the support of Gentiles, and that all that I have done was brought about by my coreligionists. n^B^ xniTD nnoi) kidh ' EXPRESSION OF THANKS. ix Abraham, A.,* Brooklyn 20 volumes. Adier, Prof. Felix * 10 " Borg, Simon lo " Friedlander, Albert 10 " Gans, Louis * . 10 " Greenbaum, Samuel * 10 " Hays, Daniel P 20 " Hirsch, Nathan,* of Joseph Hirsch & Son 10 " Isaacs, Bendet * 20 " Josephi, Isaiah 20 " Knopf, Samuel * 10 " Lehman, Emanuel * 10 " Marshall, Louis * 20 " Platzek, M. Warley * f 20 Plaut, Louis,* Newark 10 " Rice, Isaac L.* lo " Saks, Andrew * 27 " I have to thank once more the following gentlemen and lady, who, besides their subscriptions, have also exerted their influence in insuring me a considerable number of subscribers: Messrs. Samuel Greenbaum, Daniel P. Hays, Isaiah Josephi, Andrew Saks, and Miss Annette Kohn, I trust that in the last volume of this section this list of sup- porters will be greatly increased, as I still need further assist- ance, till the section is completed, when I am confident that I will derive good financial returns from its sale to booksellers and general agents, who arc awaiting the completion of the sec- tion, to be sold en masse as a complete work by itself. I am hopeful that the coming generation will be grateful to all those who took part in opening a sealed book to the eyes of the world. Finally, I express my thanks to my printer, ex-Congressman Hon. Joseph J. Little, who has granted me considerable credit in his establishment, thereby greatly lightening the burden of my work ; also to his proofreader for calling my attention to many matters which seemed to him imperfect, and whose assistance I value greatly ; and last, but not least, to Mr. A. S. Freidus of the New York Public Library, for many valuable suggestions in bibliographical and other matters. Michael L. Rodkinson. CONTENTS. PAGE Dedication, , . v Expression of Thanks, vii Introduction, xiii Synopsis of Subjects of Volume VI. — Tract Yomah, . xvii CHAPTER I. Concerning the High-Priest's Preparations for the Ser- vice of the Day of Atonement (when the Temple was in Existence), i CHAPTER II. Concerning the Lots the Priests Drew, what Priests SHOULD Go to the Altar, and how many Priests were Needed for each Sacrifice, .... 30 CHAPTER III. Regulations concerning the Time of Slaughtering the Daily Offering, the Entering of a Layman into the Court of the Temple, and the Order of the High-Priest's Service on the Day of Atonement, , 40 CHAPTER IV. Regulations concerning the Two Goats of the Day of Atonement : how they were Slaughtered, Sent away, etc., 58 CHAPTER V. Regulations concerning the Remaining Services of the High-Priest on this Day in the Times of the First AND Second Temples, ....... 69 xii CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. FAGB Regulations concerning the He-Goats of the Day of Atonement and the Sending to the Desert, and the Confession thereat, &7 CHAPTER VII. Regulations concerning the Passages Read by the High-Priest, and what Garments he Ministered in AFTER, and what GARMENTS OTHER PrIESTS WoRE, . 98 CHAPTER VIII. Regulations concerning the Fasting on the Day of Atonement, what may be Done thereon, and what MAY not be Done, iia Appendix, • • i4J INTRODUCTION TO TRACT YOMAH, OR THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. The first seven chapters treat of the manner in which the Day of Atonement was celebrated in the second Temple : the different sacrifices brought on that day, the preparation of the high-priest for his ministry, and the order of service as he per- formed it, entering fully into minute details of every circum- stance connected therewith. Although all this has an historical value only, we cannot refrain from giving an introduction to this tract, on account of that day being so different from all the holidays of Israel. All the festivals, although they were not observed all the time during the first Temple, were nevertheless observed by some of the kings, who invoked the people to celebrate them some of the time ; e.g., the Feast of Passover, with all its sacri- fices, in the reigns of Hezekiah and Josiah [2 Chron. xxx. ; XXXV.]. There is also related [ibid. xxxv. 18], that in the days of the prophet Samuel, Passover was held. The Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated in the days of Solomon [i Kings viii. 2], and although the children of Israel did not dwell in the booths since the days of Joshua b. Nun [Neh. viii, 17], never- theless the feast was celebrated with all its appertaining sacri- fices ; and also the Pentecost they have kept [2 Chron. viii. 13]. The Day of Atonement, however, is not mentioned in the entire Scriptures, with the exception of Lev. xvi., and among the prescription of the various sacrifices ; but even then we see something unusual among the commandments of the Scriptures ; namely, the remark that he (Aaron) did as the Lord had com- manded Moses. * * Reading the Scriptures critically, we deem that Lev. xvi. is merely a continua- tion of Lev, X., where the death of the two sons of Aaron is related when they entered the sanctuary ; and after that Aaron is instructed as to the manner in which he can enter th6 sanctuary so he shall not die. In the entire chapter xvi. no mention is made of the Day of Atonement, except that from verse 29 to the end of the chapter, we find the command that it shall be a statute forever for all the Israelites, that on the tenth day of the seventh month the high-priest shall make an atonement xiv INTRODUCTION TO TRACT YOMAH. Moreover, we can plainly see from the Scriptures, that at the time of King Solomon the Day of Atonement was one of the seven days of rejoicing, at the dedication of the Temple [i Kings viii. ; 2 Chron. vii. 8, 9] ; and although it is said in the Talmud that the decision not to keep the Day of Atonement was only a temporary one (as it will be explained in Tract Moed Katan), still we cannot rely upon an individual opinion in the Talmud. The facts are that the Day of Atonement was not observed, not only during the first Temple, but at the beginning of the second as well, for even in Nehemiah the Feast of Tabernacles is men-