We begin today’s daf at Mem, amud alef, a few lines down. The Gemara discusses the different customs that existed in earlier times during the Priestly Blessing, when people would recite various verses to demonstrate their affection for the blessing and to show that it was a time of divine favor.
Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba says that anyone who recites these verses outside the Beit HaMikdash is mistaken. According to this opinion, the verses were recited only in the Temple, out of respect for the explicit Name of God that was used there. Since the explicit Name was pronounced in the Temple, they added these verses there, but not elsewhere.
Another opinion maintains that the verses were not recited even in the Temple. What sense would it make, this opinion asks, to receive a blessing from the Master and speak in the middle of it? When one receives a blessing, one should not interrupt. One should simply lower one’s head and receive the blessing.
There is a third opinion. Rabbi Hiyya bar Hanina says that the verses were recited even outside the Temple. What is the reason? If one is receiving a blessing, should one not acknowledge it? According to this view, the verses were a way of acknowledging the blessing.
Rabbi Abbahu said, “At first I would recite these verses. Once I saw Rabbi Abba of Akko, who did not recite them, I also stopped reciting them.” This is in fact the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch: one should not recite any verse during the Priestly Blessing. The verses that some people recite afterward, such as the verse beginning “For the conductor, in the form of the menorah,” especially during the counting of the Omer, are a separate matter. They are recited after the Priestly Blessing and do not constitute an interruption during it.
The Gemara then returns to Rabbi Abbahu’s statement. Rabbi Abbahu said, “At first I thought that I was a humble person.” He considered himself humble because, when no one else behaved in a particular way, he was willing to learn from another person who did so. But when he saw Rabbi Abba of Akko, he realized that Rabbi Abba was even more humble than he was, and he no longer considered himself humble by comparison.
Rabbi Abba of Akko would deliver a lesson, and after he offered a particular explanation, his interpreter would convey the lesson to the audience. However, the interpreter would sometimes offer a different explanation rather than repeat Rabbi Abba’s words precisely. He was effectively saying his own interpretation. Rabbi Abba did not take offense. Rabbi Abbahu therefore said, “I am not humble,” because Rabbi Abba was willing to tolerate something that he himself might not have tolerated.
We need to understand what it means for these righteous people to say that they were humble. One straightforward explanation is that the righteous knew their own qualities. They did not consider it pretentious to recognize and identify their strengths. Rabbi Abbahu knew that he was humble, and he could therefore say so. In fact, his humility led him to say that someone else was more humble than he was, because he was willing to learn from that person.
Another explanation is that when a righteous person is truly humble, he does not recognize the value of his own humility. Humility is not, for him, a praiseworthy achievement; it is simply the way he is. This is similar to the idea of a hidden righteous person. Sometimes a righteous person is hidden from other people, while sometimes he is hidden even from himself. Such a person does not view his humility as an accomplishment. He speaks about it as a simple description of himself, without regarding it as praise.
What was the story with Rabbi Abba of Akko’s interpreter, who offered a different explanation from the one Rabbi Abba had given? The explanation is that the interpreter had actually announced to the audience that he was going to say something different from what the rabbi had said. The people therefore understood that they were not hearing Rabbi Abba’s exact words. Nevertheless, Rabbi Abba was not particular about it.
The wife of Rabbi Abba’s interpreter once said to Rabbi Abba’s wife, “My husband does not need your husband in order to deliver a lesson. My husband is more intelligent than your husband. The fact that he bends down to listen to your husband is merely an act of respect.” She was provoking Rabbi Abba’s wife and telling her, in effect, “You think your husband is so important? My husband is the more intelligent one. He only listens to your husband because he is giving him honor.”
When Rabbi Abba’s wife came home, she was upset. She told him what had been said: “She told me that her husband is greater than you, that he does not really need you, and that he listens to you only as a matter of respect.”
Rabbi Abba answered, “What difference does it make to you? Through me and through him, the One Above will be praised.” If our entire purpose is the sanctification of God’s Name, why should I care whether that sanctification comes through me or through him? Do I have a monopoly on the sanctification of God’s Name? Ultimately, who is receiving all the honor? It is the Torah that is being taught.
If he is receiving somewhat more honor, or thinks that he is greater, that does not disturb me. The important thing is that the honor of Heaven is increasing. “Through him and through me, the One Above will be praised.”
The Gemara brings another example of Rabbi Abba’s humility. The Sages wanted to appoint Rabbi Abba as head of the academy. In those days, the head of the academy was paid a substantial amount, because the position carried financial responsibilities and the funds could help him pay his debts. When the Sages saw that Rabbi Abba had significant debts, they considered appointing him so that he would receive the position and be able to repay them.
When Rabbi Abba saw that Rabbi Abba of Akko needed the money more than he did, he said, “There is someone more worthy.” He declined the position and directed it to another person so that Rabbi Abba of Akko could benefit from it. This too demonstrates the humility of these righteous people: Rabbi Abba did not insist on receiving the position, but gave it to someone else whom he considered more deserving.
There is another famous passage. Rabbi Abbahu gave a lesson in aggadah, while Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba gave a lesson in halakhah. It is easier for people to attend a lesson in aggadah and homiletical explanations, so the people left Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba’s halakhah class and went to Rabbi Abbahu’s lesson.
Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba felt bad, but not because of his own honor. He was concerned that people needed to learn halakhah. Since Rabbi Abbahu was giving a lesson in aggadah at the same time, people were missing important halakhic information. His concern was therefore not personal; it was a matter of principle. He felt that halakhah had to be taught.
Rabbi Abbahu gave him a parable. Two people were selling goods. One was selling precious stones, while the other was selling inexpensive items such as pins and needles. Who would have more customers? Obviously, the person selling the inexpensive items would have more customers. Not everyone can afford precious stones, whereas many people can purchase pins and needles.
Rabbi Abbahu was telling Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba that the difference had nothing to do with him personally. It is simply easier for people to attend a lesson in aggadah than to attend a demanding halakhah class. The larger audience did not mean that the other lesson was more important; it was merely more accessible.
Every day, Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba would escort Rabbi Abbahu until he reached his lodging. He did so because of the honor associated with the imperial authorities. Rabbi Abbahu apparently had connections with the authorities, and Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba escorted him out of respect for those connections.
On that particular day, however, the arrangement was reversed. Since everyone had gone to Rabbi Abbahu’s lesson and Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba was upset that people were neglecting halakhah, Rabbi Abbahu escorted Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba in order to encourage him. Even so, Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba was not entirely appeased. His concern was still that halakhah was more important to teach, and he felt that it was improper for the aggadah lesson to take place at the same time and draw people away from halakhah. This was not a question of personal honor; it was his position about what had to be taught.
We now return to halakhah. When the cantor says the paragraph of thanksgiving, what do the people say? One might assume that they say nothing, just as they do not add anything when the cantor says the Priestly Blessing. But that cannot be the case with thanksgiving. The congregation cannot simply rely on the cantor to express thanks on its behalf. Each person must express gratitude personally.
What do they say? They say, “We thank You, Hashem our God, for the fact that we are able to thank You.” This is a remarkable expression. We thank God for the very ability to thank Him. We thank Him that we possess the ability to recognize what we have received and express our gratitude for it.
This is particularly meaningful because some people may be unable to express themselves or speak. The ability to articulate gratitude is itself a gift. Therefore, the congregation says, “We thank You, Hashem our God, for the fact that we are able to thank You.”
Shmuel says that the wording is, “God of all flesh, for the fact that we are able to thank You.” He adds the recognition that God is the God of all creation. The reason for the creation of all flesh is ultimately to give thanks and praise to God.
Rabbi Simai says that the wording is, “Our Creator and the Creator of the beginning, for the fact that we are able to thank You.” Although God created the entire world, human beings represent the crown of creation. Rabbi Simai therefore emphasizes that God created us and that we are able to express gratitude.
It was taught in the name of Rabbi Simai that the blessing and thanksgiving should continue with an extensive expression of gratitude: “For giving us life and sustaining us, for allowing us to live and endure, and for all this we thank You.” The wording continues by asking that God continue to preserve us, gather us from the exile, bring us to the service of the Temple in Jerusalem, and enable us to observe His laws. Each of the Sages added a different phrase to the expanded version of the paragraph of thanksgiving.
Rav Pappa says, “Therefore, let us say all of them.” That is characteristic of Rav Pappa throughout the Talmud: he brings the different opinions together and says that all of them should be included. I saw it explained that this is why the paragraph is called the “thanksgiving of the Rabbis.” Each rabbi contributed a line, and the complete paragraph is therefore a compilation of their statements.
Rabbi Yitzhak says, “A person must always conduct himself with awe of the congregation.” The congregation is a serious entity, and those who work on behalf of the congregation or serve the congregation must treat it with respect and even fear.
Where do we see this? The priests stand with their backs toward the Sanctuary and their faces toward the congregation during the Priestly Blessing. Similarly, when a rabbi stands to address the congregation, his back is toward the Sanctuary and his face is toward the people. This shows that the demands of the congregation can even override the ordinary honor due to the Sanctuary. A person serving the public must recognize the significance of the congregation.
Rav Nachman brings another source for the honor due to the congregation. King David stood and said, “Hear me, my brothers and my people.” The terms appear contradictory. If they are his brothers, why does he call them his people, as though they are his subjects? And if they are his people, why does he call them his brothers, as though they are his equals?
Rabbi Abba explains that David was saying: “If you listen to me in the service of God, then you are my brothers. But if you do not listen, then you are my people, and I will rule over you with a rod.” When the people are acting properly, the king speaks to them with affection and calls them his brothers. If they do not follow the proper path, he must exercise authority over them.
There is another explanation. David was asking the people to contribute to the treasury for the Temple. He said, in effect, “If you listen to me and become complete in your service of God, you are my brothers and my companions.” The king was showing them tremendous respect by calling them his brothers and expressing his love for them. This too demonstrates the awe and honor due to the congregation.
The Gemara brings a further proof from the enactment that the priests may not ascend the platform wearing sandals when they perform the Priestly Blessing. This is one of the enactments instituted by Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai. Why may the priests not wear sandals? One explanation is that it is a matter of the dignity of the congregation. In earlier times, people’s sandals were often dirty from mud. When the priests raised their hands, their garments might lift slightly, and the congregation might see their dirty footwear. That would be undignified for the congregation.
The Gemara rejects that explanation. The reason is that a strap might break on a priest’s sandal. He might then descend from the platform to tie it, and people might become preoccupied with what he was doing. They might say, “He is a son of a divorced woman,” meaning that he was disqualified from serving as a priest. Once people began to suspect that he was disqualified, they might invalidate the Priestly Blessing.
Today, people might not immediately think of the halakhic consequences of a broken strap. In earlier times, however, people took halakhah seriously. They understood that a priest who was the son of a divorced woman could be disqualified, and a priest’s actions could therefore lead to serious suspicion. The same difference exists today when people see a menorah placed at a corner and do not understand why two menorahs may be required. Someone might casually say that the person has simply made a mistake, whereas in earlier times people understood that the placement had halakhic significance.
This raises a practical question: if the concern is a broken strap, does the reason still apply today? If the priests wear shoes without laces, such as loafers, perhaps the concern does not apply. Likewise, if the priests do not ascend to the platform and the congregation cannot see their shoes, perhaps there is no reason for them to remove their shoes. This may explain why the custom applies specifically to those who ascend for the Priestly Blessing.
There is also a broader question: who says that one may wear shoes inside a synagogue in the first place? The Gemara indicates that workers were allowed to enter the Temple area wearing sandals. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov teaches that a worker who enters before the Divine Presence wearing sandals should not be told to remove them. From there we see that entering with sandals is permitted. This helps explain the discussion concerning the priests and their footwear.
We previously learned that in the Temple, the priests would recite all three verses of the Priestly Blessing as one continuous blessing. Outside the Temple, the congregation responds “Amen” after each verse, so there is a separation between the verses. In the Temple, however, the three verses were recited as one long blessing.
Why were they recited as one blessing in the Temple? Because the congregation did not respond “Amen” there. Instead, when the explicit Name of God was pronounced, the people responded, “Blessed is the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.” Since this response itself created a significant interruption, they did not also respond “Amen” after each verse.
Whenever the people heard the explicit Name of God, they would bow and fall on their faces and say, “Blessed is the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.” This occurred when they heard the Name pronounced by the High Priest on Yom Kippur, and also when the lot was drawn in the Temple service. The people would bow when they heard the Name, while those farther away would say the response without necessarily falling on their faces.
The people did not move from their places until the Name had disappeared from their awareness. The pronunciation of the explicit Name was not preserved, and the people would no longer remember it after the moment had passed. They would immediately respond, “Blessed is the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever,” rather than waiting until the end of the entire verse.
This explains the statement that there was no interruption between one verse and the next. There could have been a response in the middle of the verse when the explicit Name was pronounced, but there was no interruption at the end of one verse before the beginning of the next. The priests proceeded directly from the end of one verse to the beginning of the following verse. This differs from the practice outside the Temple, where the congregation responds “Amen” after every verse.
When the High Priest recited the blessing, the people would wait for him to complete the verse. For example, when he said the first verse, they would bow when they heard the Name and then complete the verse with him. The same applied to the other verses. The essential point is that the people responded to the Name immediately, but the verses themselves were not separated from one another by a response of “Amen.”
The Gemara teaches that the people responded “Amen” in the Temple from the verse, “Rise and bless Hashem your God from everlasting to everlasting,” followed by, “May they bless Your glorious Name.” This indicates that when a blessing was recited, the people answered with a blessing of their own.
From another verse, “Blessed is Hashem, God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting,” the Sages derive that each blessing should receive a distinct expression of praise. Every blessing should be followed by a corresponding acknowledgment of God.
Thus, when the people heard a blessing, they responded, “Blessed is the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.” The wording of the response in the Temple differed from the ordinary response of “Amen,” because the explicit Name of God had been pronounced there.
We now come to the Mishnah concerning the blessings of the High Priest. On Yom Kippur, after completing the day’s service in the Holy of Holies, the High Priest would read the Torah before the people. After the Torah reading, he would recite eight blessings.
The synagogue attendant would take the Torah scroll and give it to the head of the synagogue. The head of the synagogue was responsible for the public order of the service, including determining who would read from the Torah, who would receive the concluding aliyah, who would lead the prayers, and similar matters. The attendant was responsible for the practical operation of the synagogue—bringing out the Torah, preparing what was needed, and maintaining the synagogue.
The head of the synagogue would then give the Torah scroll to the deputy High Priest. The deputy was positioned in case the High Priest became disqualified and could not continue the service. The deputy would then give the Torah scroll to the High Priest.
The High Priest would stand, receive the Torah scroll, and read the portion dealing with the Yom Kippur service, as well as the nearby portion beginning with the command concerning the tenth day of the seventh month. The latter portion is the one that is read in the Torah on Yom Kippur.
After reading the first portion, he would roll the Torah scroll to the second portion while the translator was explaining the text to the people. Since the second portion was nearby, he could roll the scroll during the translation without causing a significant delay.
He would then read the more distant portion from the Book of Numbers by heart. He did not roll the Torah scroll all the way to that passage while the people waited, because the delay would be disrespectful to the congregation. The congregation should not be left sitting silently while the Torah scroll is being rolled a long distance.
The Mishnah refers to this as an issue of the dignity of the congregation. The concern is not merely the technical delay. It is undignified for the congregation to remain inactive while waiting for the Torah scroll to be prepared. In the nearby passage, the translator could continue speaking while the scroll was being rolled, so there was no significant interruption. But with the distant passage, the High Priest read by heart rather than make the congregation wait.
When the High Priest finished reading the second portion, he would roll up the Torah scroll, hold it against his chest, and say, “More than I have read before you is written here.” Although he had read a third portion from another part of the Torah, he did not want anyone to think that this section was missing from the Torah scroll. He therefore explained that the passage was indeed written in the scroll, but that he was reading it by heart because it was too far away to reach without causing a delay.
Why did he need to make this declaration? So that no one would cast aspersions on the Torah scroll. Someone might otherwise say, “Why is he reading a third passage if it is not in the scroll? Perhaps the Torah scroll is missing a section or is invalid.” The High Priest therefore clarified that the passage was written in the Torah, and that he was reading it by heart only to avoid delaying the congregation.
After the reading, he recited eight blessings. He recited a blessing over the Torah, a blessing concerning the Temple service, a blessing of thanksgiving, a blessing concerning forgiveness of sin, a blessing concerning the Temple, a blessing concerning Israel, a blessing concerning the priests, a blessing concerning Jerusalem, and a blessing concerning prayer.
The blessing over the Torah was the blessing that follows the Torah reading. The blessing concerning the service asked that the Temple service be accepted favorably and that the service be restored to its proper place. The blessing concerning thanksgiving expressed gratitude to God. The blessing concerning forgiveness recognized God as the King who pardons and forgives our sins.
The blessing concerning the Temple praised God for choosing the Temple. The blessing concerning Israel praised God for choosing His people Israel. The blessing concerning the priests praised God for choosing the descendants of Aaron. The blessing concerning Jerusalem praised God for Jerusalem. The final blessing concerned the acceptance of prayer.
The Gemara explains why these particular blessings were recited. The blessing over the Torah was the blessing that follows the reading. The blessing concerning the service was appropriate because the Temple service had just been completed. The blessing of thanksgiving was appropriate because the service had concluded successfully, and thanksgiving is offered after the completion of a service.
The blessing concerning forgiveness was appropriate because the day was devoted to atonement. The blessing concerning the Temple expressed prayer for the Temple. The blessing concerning Israel expressed prayer for the Jewish people. The blessing concerning Jerusalem expressed prayer for Jerusalem. The final blessing was the blessing concerning the acceptance of prayer, and the Gemara explains its wording separately.
The Gemara then asks whether one may honor a student in the presence of his teacher. The fact that the synagogue attendant did not give the Torah scroll directly to the High Priest, but first gave it to the head of the synagogue, who gave it to the deputy, and only then to the High Priest, seems to show that honor may be given to a student in the presence of his teacher.
The attendant could have handed the Torah scroll directly to the High Priest. Instead, he honored the head of the synagogue and then the deputy in the presence of the High Priest. This suggests that a lesser scholar or official may be shown honor in the presence of someone greater.
Rabbah rejects this proof. He says that all of these stages were themselves for the honor of the High Priest. The Torah scroll was passed through several ranks in order to show how elevated the High Priest was. Each person stood beneath the next person in the hierarchy, and the succession of honors demonstrated the stature of the High Priest at the top.
Thus, the head of the synagogue was honored, and then the deputy was honored, but the ultimate purpose was to increase the honor of the High Priest. The Gemara therefore does not necessarily provide a proof that one may honor a student in the presence of his teacher; the entire arrangement may have been established to magnify the honor of the High Priest.
The Mishnah says that the High Priest would stand, receive the Torah scroll, and read from it. This appears to imply that he had been sitting before that point, but sitting in the Temple courtyard was generally prohibited. The Sages teach that sitting in the courtyard was permitted only for the kings descended from David, as it says that King David came and sat before God.
How, then, could the High Priest have been sitting? The Gemara answers that the reference is to the women’s courtyard, where the level of sanctity was different. Sitting there was not subject to the same restriction as sitting in the main courtyard. The High Priest could therefore have been sitting in that area before receiving the Torah scroll.
The Gemara also cites the verse describing how the Torah was read by Ezra before the broad street in front of the Water Gate. This suggests that the Torah was read in the Temple courtyard. The Gemara answers again that the area under discussion was the women’s courtyard, not the more sanctified inner courtyard.
There is an additional difficulty. The Sages state that there is no sitting in the Temple courtyard except for the kings of the Davidic dynasty. The commentators discuss the source and scope of this rule. The point is that the women’s courtyard did not possess the same sanctity as the inner courtyard, and this distinction permits the High Priest to sit there.
The Sages further emphasize the honor of Heaven by noting that even ministering angels do not sit in the courtyard. The verse says that the angels stand before God. The exception is associated with the kings of the Davidic dynasty, whose royal authority grants them a special status. The discussion therefore evokes the true meaning of kingship and reminds us that the Davidic kingship has a unique connection to the service of God.
The women’s courtyard, however, was not sanctified with the same level of sanctity as the inner courtyard. The steps leading to the Nicanor Gate and the women’s courtyard were not included in the same sanctification. Therefore, the High Priest’s sitting there does not contradict the general rule that there is no sitting in the Temple courtyard.
The Gemara asks where the Torah was read when the king gathered the people. The answer is that the reading took place in the courtyard, as indicated by the verse describing the reading before the people. The Gemara again explains that the specific area was the women’s courtyard, which was not subject to the same restrictions.
One of the commentators notes that he does not know the precise source for the rule that sitting in the courtyard is permitted only for the kings of the Davidic dynasty. The verse concerning King David is the obvious source, but the broader details of the rule are discussed by the commentators. The famous story involving Jeroboam is also connected to this subject and is part of the broader discussion concerning the unique status of the Davidic kings.
To review the main points: Rabbi Abba of Akko and Rabbi Abbahu demonstrated extraordinary humility. Rabbi Abbahu initially considered himself humble, but when he saw that Rabbi Abba of Akko did not take offense when his interpreter offered a different explanation, he realized that Rabbi Abba was even more humble.
Rabbi Abba’s humility was also demonstrated by the story of the two wives. The wife of the interpreter tried to provoke Rabbi Abba’s wife by claiming that her husband was more intelligent and did not really need Rabbi Abba. Rabbi Abba responded that it made no difference whether the honor of Heaven came through him or through his colleague. If the result was the sanctification of God’s Name, that was all that mattered.
Rabbi Abba’s humility was demonstrated again when the Sages wanted to appoint him head of the academy because he had debts and needed the salary. When he saw that Rabbi Abba of Akko needed the position more, he directed the appointment to him instead. He was willing to relinquish a position of honor for the benefit of another person.
Rabbi Yitzhak taught that one must always have awe of the congregation. David referred to the people both as his brothers and as his people, indicating that when they followed him in the service of God, he treated them as brothers, while if they did not, he would have to rule over them with authority. The king’s respectful language itself showed the honor due to the congregation.
The Sages also discussed the prohibition against the priests ascending to the platform wearing sandals. The reason is either the dignity of the congregation, because the people might see their dirty footwear, or the concern that a sandal strap might break and lead the priest to descend and tie it. The people might then suspect that he was disqualified from the priesthood, and that suspicion could invalidate the Priestly Blessing.
Finally, the Mishnah described the Torah reading of the High Priest on Yom Kippur. The Torah scroll passed from the attendant to the head of the synagogue, from the head of the synagogue to the deputy, and from the deputy to the High Priest. This sequence either demonstrates that honor may be given to a student in the presence of his teacher or, according to Rabbah, serves entirely to magnify the honor of the High Priest.
The High Priest read the passage concerning the Yom Kippur service and the nearby passage concerning the tenth day of the seventh month. He read the distant passage from the Book of Numbers by heart so that the congregation would not have to wait while the scroll was rolled. He then explained that the passage was written in the Torah scroll and that he had read it by heart only to avoid casting aspersions on the scroll.
He concluded with eight blessings: over the Torah, the service, thanksgiving, forgiveness, the Temple, Israel, the priests, Jerusalem, and prayer. The order of these blessings reflected the service that had just taken place and the needs for which the High Priest was praying.