1The Gemara asks: And why does the practice in the Temple differ so much from outside the Temple? Because one does not answer amen in the Temple, and therefore there is no pause between the blessings.
2The Sages taught: From where is it derived that one does not answer amen in the Temple? As it is stated: “Stand up and bless the Lord, your God, from everlasting to everlasting” (Nehemiah 9:5). This blessing is recited instead of amen in the Temple. And from where is it derived that for each and every blessing in the Temple the people respond with these words of praise? As it is stated: “And let them say: Blessed be Your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise” (Nehemiah 9:5). This verse indicates that for each and every blessing, you should give Him praise. However, those present do not respond amen.
3MISHNA: How are the blessings of the High Priest recited on Yom Kippur? The synagogue attendant takes a Torah scroll and gives it to the head of the synagogue that stands on the Temple Mount, and the head of the synagogue gives it to the deputy High Priest, and the deputy High Priest gives it to the High Priest.
4And the High Priest stands; and receives the Torah scroll; and reads the Torah portion beginning with the verse: “After the death” (Leviticus 16:1–34), and the portion beginning with the verse: “But on the tenth” (Leviticus 23:26–32); and furls the Torah scroll; and places it on his bosom; and says: More than what I have read before you is written here. He then reads by heart the portion beginning with: “And on the tenth,” from the book of Numbers (see 29:7–11).
5And after the reading the High Priest recites the following eight blessings: A blessing concerning the Torah, and concerning the Temple service, and concerning thanksgiving, and concerning forgiveness for iniquity, and concerning the Temple, and concerning the Jewish people, and concerning the priests, and concerning Jerusalem, and the rest of the prayer.
6GEMARA: The Gemara suggests: You can learn from the fact that the head of the synagogue and the deputy High Priest receive the Torah scroll before the High Priest that honor may be given to a student in the presence of the teacher. Although the High Priest is considered everyone’s teacher and master, honor was nevertheless extended to other individuals in his presence without fear of impugning the High Priest’s honor.
7Abaye said: A proof may not be adduced from here. Usually one does not show honor for a student in the presence of the teacher, but here the entire process is for the honor of the High Priest. The passing of the Torah scroll to people of increasing importance demonstrates that the High Priest is considered the most important of all those present.
8It is stated in the mishna: And the High Priest stands, and receives the Torah scroll, and reads from it. The Gemara asks: From the fact that he stands, it can be understood by inference that until that point he had been sitting. But didn’t the Master say ( Tosefta , Sanhedrin 4:4) that sitting in the Temple courtyard is permitted only for kings from the house of David, as it is stated: “Then King David went in, and sat before the Lord; and he said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me thus far?” (II Samuel 7:18).
9The Gemara answers: As Rav Ḥisda said in a similar context: This took place not in the Israelite courtyard, where the prohibition against sitting applies, but in the women’s courtyard. Here, too, the reading was in the women’s courtyard, where it is permitted to sit, as it does not have the sanctified status of the Temple itself.
10The Gemara raises an objection from a baraita ( Tosefta 7:13): And where does the High Priest read from the Torah scroll? He reads from it in the Temple courtyard. Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: He reads from it on the Temple Mount, as it is stated: