1therefore, we learned again: The majority of one organ in a bird and the majority of each of two organs in an animal, to teach that slaughtering the majority of each of the signs is sufficient. The Gemara asks: And since there is not even an invalidation by rabbinic law, why do I need another priest to finish cutting the organs? Why not suffice with the High Priest’s slaughter of the majority of each of the two organs? The Gemara answers: It is nevertheless a mitzva to complete the slaughter ab initio to cause the blood to flow more freely.
2§ Abaye arranged the sequence of the daily services in the Temple based on tradition and in accordance with the opinion of Abba Shaul: Setting up the large arrangement of wood on the altar on which the offerings were burned precedes the second arrangement of wood. This second arrangement was arranged separately near the southwest corner of the altar, and twice every day priests raked coals from it and placed them on the inner altar in order to burn the incense. The second arrangement for the incense precedes setting up the two logs of wood above the large arrangement to fulfill the mitzva of bringing wood. And the setting up of the two logs of wood precedes the removal of ashes from the inner altar. And the removal of ashes from the inner altar precedes the removal of ashes from five of the seven lamps of the candelabrum.
3And removal of ashes from five lamps precedes the slaughter and the receiving and sprinkling of the blood of the daily morning offering. The sprinkling of the blood of the daily offering precedes the removal of ashes from the two remaining lamps of the candelabrum. And the removal of ashes from two lamps precedes the burning of the incense. The burning of the incense on the inner altar precedes the burning of the limbs of the daily offering on the outer altar. The burning of the limbs precedes the sacrifice of the meal-offering which accompanies the daily offering. The sacrifice of the meal-offering precedes the sacrifice of the High Priest’s daily griddle-cake offering, half of which he sacrificed in the morning and half in the afternoon. And the griddle-cake offering precedes the pouring of the libations of the daily offering.
4And the libations precede the sacrifice of the additional offerings on days when the additional offerings are sacrificed. And the additional offerings precede the vessels of frankincense that are offered on Shabbat. And the vessels precede the sacrifice of the daily afternoon offering, as it is stated: “And he shall lay out the burnt-offering on it, and burn on it the fat parts of the peace-offerings” (Leviticus 6:5). The term on it, means complete sacrifice of all other offerings, i.e., after the daily morning offering rather than after the daily afternoon offering. In all cases, the daily afternoon offering is the final offering sacrificed.
5The Gemara proceeds to analyze the items listed by Abaye and seeks biblical or logical sources for each. The Master said: Setting up the large arrangement of wood on the altar on which the offerings were burned precedes the second arrangement of wood for incense. The Gemara asks: From where do we derive this? The Gemara answers: As it was taught in a baraita : The verse states: “The burnt-offering itself shall go up on its bonfire upon the altar all night” (Leviticus 6:2); this is referring to the large arrangement of wood. “And the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it” (Leviticus 6:2); this is referring to the second arrangement of wood near the corner of the altar, from which coals are taken for the incense.
6The Gemara asks: And perhaps I should reverse them and say that the first verse refers to the arrangement of wood for the incense, and the second verse refers to the large arrangement of wood. The Gemara answers: It is reasonable that the large arrangement of wood takes precedence, as the atonement that it effects is extensive. All of the offerings are sacrificed on the large pile, not just the incense.
7The Gemara rejects this: On the contrary, the second arrangement takes precedence, as unlike the large arrangement in which offerings are burned exclusively on the outer altar, coals from it are taken inside the Sanctuary. The Gemara answers: Even so, the contention that the atonement that it effects is extensive takes precedence. And if you wish, say instead: If one does not find wood for the second arrangement, wouldn’t he take coals from the large arrangement into the Sanctuary to burn the incense? There is no fundamental obligation to bring coals from a special arrangement, and the second arrangement is only an addition to the large arrangement on which all the offerings are burned.
8Abaye continued and said that the second arrangement for incense precedes the setting up of the two logs. The Gemara asks: From where do we derive this? As it is written: “And the priest shall burn wood upon it in the morning, in the morning” (Leviticus 6:5); there is an obligation to place new logs upon the large arrangement. The term upon it underscores that the wood is placed only on the large arrangement, and not on the other arrangement from which coals are taken for the incense. From the fact that this exclusionary term is necessary, it can be derived by inference that there is another pile on the altar, meaning that when the new logs are placed on the altar, the two arrangements are already there.
9The Gemara asks: But this term: Upon it, is needed for its own sake, to teach the obligation to place the logs on the altar; therefore, how can the timing of their placement be derived from that term? The Gemara answers: The term: Upon it, is written twice in that verse: “And the priest shall burn wood upon it in the morning, in the morning, and he shall place the burnt-offering upon it.” From one instance of this term the fundamental obligation to place the logs is derived, and from the other instance the order of their placement is derived.
10Abaye continued: The setting up of the two logs precedes the removal of ashes from the inner altar. Although here, with regard to the two logs, it is written: In the morning, in the morning, meaning that the priest must arise early in the morning to perform this act, and here, with regard to removal of the ashes from the inner altar, it is also written: “In the morning, in the morning” (Exodus 30:7), even so, an action that facilitates another service takes precedence. Therefore, setting up the logs, from which coals are taken, facilitating the burning of the incense, precedes removal of ashes from the inner altar. The Gemara asks: What is the act that facilitates? It is the placement of the two logs. But didn’t you say that the two logs go to the large arrangement of wood and not to the arrangement of wood from which the coals are taken for the incense? These logs in no way facilitate the burning of the incense.
11Rabbi Yirmeya said: The reference is to the category of wood. Although these logs do not facilitate the burning of the incense, wood facilitates its burning, and the two logs are wood. Therefore, they take precedence. Ravina said a different reason: Since he began with the service of setting up the arrangement, he completes it by placing two logs. Only then he moves on to perform a different service. Rav Ashi said: If one does not find wood for the second arrangement, won’t he take coals from the large arrangement into the Sanctuary to burn the incense? This demonstrates that there are circumstances in which placing the logs facilitates the burning of the incense. Therefore, it takes precedence.
12Abaye continued: And removal of ashes from the inner altar precedes the removal of ashes from five of the seven lamps of the candelabrum. What is the reason for this? Abaye said: I learned this through tradition; however, I do not know the rationale behind it. And Rava said: The reason is in accordance with the statement of Reish Lakish, as Reish Lakish said: One may not forego performance of any of the mitzvot in order to perform another mitzva.