Yoma 53b

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְרַב יוֹסֵף: הָכִי עָבֵיד רָבָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: יְהֵא רַעֲוָא דִּתְרוּם רֵישָׁךְ אַכּוּלֵּהּ כַּרְכָּא.

They said to Rav Yosef: This is what Rava does. Rav Yosef was blind and could not see for himself. Rav Yosef said to him: May it be God’s will that you lift your head over the entire city, in reward for honoring your teacher.

אָמַר רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיַּפְסִיעַ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּסִיעוֹת לַאֲחוֹרָיו, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִתֵּן שָׁלוֹם. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַב מָרְדֳּכַי: כֵּיוָן שֶׁפָּסַע שָׁלֹשׁ פְּסִיעוֹת לַאֲחוֹרָיו — הָתָם אִיבַּעְיָא לֵיהּ לְמֵיקַם. מָשָׁל לְתַלְמִיד הַנִּפְטָר מֵרַבּוֹ, אִם חוֹזֵר לְאַלְתַּר, דּוֹמֶה לְכֶלֶב שֶׁשָּׁב עַל קִיאוֹ.

§ Apropos the obligation of a student to walk backward when taking leave of his teacher, the Gemara discusses a similar topic. Rabbi Alexandri said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One who prays must take three steps backward upon concluding his prayer and then recite: Peace, in a manner befitting one who departs from before the Holy One, Blessed be He. Rav Mordekhai said to him: Since he has taken three steps backward, he should stand there and not return to his place immediately. This is analogous to a student who takes leave of his teacher. If he returns immediately to the place where was first standing, he is similar to a dog who returns to its vomit, and his previous action is spoiled.

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיַּפְסִיעַ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּסִיעוֹת לַאֲחוֹרָיו וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִתֵּן שָׁלוֹם, וְאִם לֹא עָשָׂה כֵּן רָאוּי לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא הִתְפַּלֵּל. וּמִשּׁוּם שְׁמַעְיָה אָמְרוּ: שֶׁנּוֹתֵן שָׁלוֹם לְיָמִין, וְאַחַר כָּךְ לִשְׂמֹאל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״יִפּוֹל מִצִּדְּךָ אֶלֶף וּרְבָבָה מִימִינֶךָ״.

The Gemara comments that this was also taught in a baraita : One who prays must take three steps backward upon concluding his prayer and then recite: Peace. And if he did not do so, it is better for him not to have prayed, as his actions are disrespectful toward God. And they said in the name of Shemaya the Sage that when one recites: Peace, he first bows to the right and then to the left, as it is stated: “At His right hand was a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2), and it says: “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right side” (Psalms 91:7).

מַאי וְאוֹמֵר? וְכִי תֵּימָא אוֹרְחָא דְמִילְּתָא הִיא לְמִיתַּב בְּיָמִין, תָּא שְׁמַע: ״יִפּוֹל מִצִּדְּךָ אֶלֶף וּרְבָבָה מִימִינֶךָ״.

The Gemara asks: What is the reason for: And it says? Why is it necessary to cite another source? The Gemara explains: If you say that it is merely the usual manner to give an object with the right hand, but this bears no special significance, come and hear: “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right side,” which indicates that the right side is the more significant one.

רָבָא חַזְיֵיהּ לְאַבָּיֵי דְּיָהֵיב שְׁלָמָא לְיַמִּינָא בְּרֵישָׁא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִי סָבְרַתְּ לִימִין דִּידָךְ? לִשְׂמֹאל דִּידָךְ קָא אָמֵינָא, דְּהָוֵי יְמִינוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. אָמַר רַב חִיָּיא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב הוּנָא: חֲזֵינָא לְהוּ לְאַבָּיֵי וְרָבָא דְּפָסְעִי לְהוּ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּסִיעוֹת בִּכְרִיעָה אַחַת.

The Gemara relates that Rava saw Abaye reciting: Peace, by bowing at the end of his prayer to his right first. Rava said to him: Do you maintain that you should bow to your right? I say you should bow to your left first, as it is the right of the Holy One, Blessed be He, since He is opposite you face-to-face, as it were. Rav Ḥiyya, son of Rav Huna, said: I observed that Abaye and Rava both took those three steps all in one act of bowing, without standing upright in between, by way of submission to and acceptance of God’s authority.

וּמִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלָּה קְצָרָה בַּבַּיִת הַחִיצוֹן. מַאי מְצַלֵּי? רָבָא בַּר רַב אַדָּא וְרָבִין בַּר רַב אַדָּא תַּרְוַיְיהוּ מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב אָמְרִי: יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁתְּהֵא שָׁנָה זוֹ גְּשׁוּמָה וּשְׁחוּנָה. שְׁחוּנָה מְעַלְּיוּתָא הִיא?! אֶלָּא אֵימָא: אִם שְׁחוּנָה תְּהֵא גְּשׁוּמָה.

§ The mishna taught: And the High Priest recites a brief prayer in the outer chamber. The Gemara asks: What does he pray? Rava bar Rav Adda and Ravin bar Rav Adda both said in the name of Rav that this was his prayer: May it be your will, Lord our God, that this year shall be rainy and hot. The Gemara immediately expresses surprise at this request: Is heat a good matter? Why should he request that the year be hot? Rather, say and emend it as follows: If the upcoming year is hot, may it also be rainy, lest the heat harm the crops.

רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבָא מְסַיֵּים בַּהּ מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוּדָה: לָא יִעְדֵּי עָבֵיד שׁוּלְטָן מִדְּבֵית יְהוּדָה, וְלֹא יִהְיוּ עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל צְרִיכִין לְפַרְנָסָה זֶה מִזֶּה, וְלֹא תִּכָּנֵס לְפָנֶיךָ תְּפִלַּת עוֹבְרֵי דְּרָכִים.

Rav Aḥa, son of Rava, concluded the language of this prayer in the name of Rav Yehuda: May the rule of power not depart from the house of Judah; and may your nation Israel not depend on each other for sustenance, rather, they should be sustained from the produce of their land; and let not the prayer of travelers enter Your presence when they pray for the rain to stop on their travels.

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן דּוֹסָא הֲוָה קָא אָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא. שְׁדָא מִטְרָא עֲלֵיהּ, אֲמַר: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ בְּנַחַת, וַחֲנִינָא בְּצַעַר. פְּסַק מִיטְרָא. כִּי אֲתָא לְבֵיתֵיהּ, אָמַר: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ בְּצַעַר, וַחֲנִינָא בְּנַחַת. אֲתָא מִיטְרָא. אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: מַאי אַהְנְיָא לֵיהּ צְלוֹתֵיהּ דְּכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל לְגַבֵּי רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן דּוֹסָא.

The Gemara relates: Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa was walking on the road when rain fell upon him. He said: Master of the Universe, the entire world is comfortable and Ḥanina is suffering. The rain stopped. When he came to his house he said: Master of the Universe, the entire world is suffering for lack of rain and Ḥanina is comfortable. The rain came back. Rav Yosef said: What effect does the prayer of the High Priest have with regard to Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa? Notwithstanding the prayer of the High Priest in the Holy of Holies, Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa’s sanctity is greater, as God fulfills his bidding.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל אֶחָד שֶׁהֶאֱרִיךְ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, וְנִמְנוּ אֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים לִיכָּנֵס אַחֲרָיו. הִתְחִילוּ הֵם נִכְנָסִין וְהוּא יוֹצֵא. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: מִפְּנֵי מָה הֶאֱרַכְתָּ בִּתְפִלָּתֶךָ? אָמַר לָהֶם: קָשֶׁה בְּעֵינֵיכֶם שֶׁהִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם וְעַל בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁלֹּא יֵחָרֵב? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אַל תְּהִי רָגִיל לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, שֶׁהֲרֵי שָׁנִינוּ: לֹא הָיָה מַאֲרִיךְ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לְהַבְעִית אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל.

§ The mishna stated that the High Priest would not extend his prayer. The Sages taught in the Tosefta : There was an incident involving a certain High Priest who extended his prayer, and his fellow priests took a vote, counted, and decided to go in after him out of concern that he had died or fainted and required assistance. They began to enter and at that moment he emerged. They said to him: Why did you extend your prayer? He said to them: Why not? Does it trouble you that I prayed for you and for the Temple not to be destroyed? They said to him: Do not make a habit of doing so, as we learned: He would not extend his prayer, so as not to alarm the Jewish people, who might fear he had died.

מַתְנִי׳ מִשֶּׁנִּיטַּל אָרוֹן, אֶבֶן הָיְתָה שָׁם מִימוֹת נְבִיאִים רִאשׁוֹנִים, וּשְׁתִיָּיה הָיְתָה נִקְרֵאת, גְּבוֹהָה מִן הָאָרֶץ שָׁלֹשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת וְעָלֶיהָ הָיָה נוֹתֵן. נָטַל אֶת הַדָּם מִמִּי שֶׁהָיָה מְמָרֵס בּוֹ, נִכְנַס לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּכְנַס, וְעָמַד בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁעָמַד, וְהִזָּה מִמֶּנּוּ אַחַת לְמַעְלָה וְשֶׁבַע לְמַטָּה.

MISHNA: After the Ark was taken into exile, there was a rock in the Holy of Holies from the days of the early prophets, David and Samuel, who laid the groundwork for construction of the Temple, and this stone was called the foundation rock. It was three fingerbreadths higher than the ground, and the High Priest would place the incense on it. After the High Priest left the Holy of Holies, he took the blood of the bull sacrificed as a sin-offering from the one who was stirring it, so it would not coagulate. He entered into the place that he had previously entered, the Holy of Holies, and stood at the place where he had previously stood to offer the incense, between the staves. And he sprinkled from the blood, one time upward and seven times downward.

וְלֹא הָיָה מִתְכַּוֵּון לְהַזּוֹת לֹא לְמַעְלָה וְלֹא לְמַטָּה אֶלָּא כְּמַצְלִיף. וְכָךְ הָיָה מוֹנֶה: אַחַת, אַחַת וְאַחַת, אַחַת וּשְׁתַּיִם, אַחַת וְשָׁלֹשׁ, אַחַת וְאַרְבַּע, אַחַת וְחָמֵשׁ, אַחַת וְשֵׁשׁ, אַחַת וָשֶׁבַע. יָצָא וְהִנִּיחוֹ עַל כַּן הַזָּהָב שֶׁבַּהֵיכָל.

And he would neither intend to sprinkle the blood upward nor to sprinkle it downward, but rather like one who whips, with the blood sprinkled in a single column, one drop below the other. And this is how he would count as he sprinkled, to avoid error: One; one and one; one and two; one and three; one and four; one and five; one and six; one and seven. The High Priest then emerged from there and placed the bowl with the remaining blood on the golden pedestal in the Sanctuary.

הֵבִיאוּ לוֹ אֶת הַשָּׂעִיר, שְׁחָטוֹ, וְקִבֵּל בְּמִזְרָק אֶת דָּמוֹ, נִכְנַס לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּכְנַס, וְעָמַד בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁעָמַד, וְהִזָּה מִמֶּנּוּ אַחַת לְמַעְלָה וְשֶׁבַע לְמַטָּה, וְכָךְ הָיָה מוֹנֶה: אַחַת, אַחַת וְאַחַת, אַחַת וּשְׁתַּיִם וְכוּ׳. יָצָא וְהִנִּיחוֹ עַל כַּן הַזָּהָב הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁבַּהֵיכָל. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: לֹא הָיָה שָׁם אֶלָּא כֵּן אֶחָד בִּלְבַד. נָטַל דַּם הַפָּר וְהִנִּיחַ דַּם הַשָּׂעִיר,

They brought him the goat to be sacrificed as a sin-offering to God. He slaughtered it and received its blood in the bowl. He again entered into the place that he had previously entered, the Holy of Holies, and stood at the place that he previously stood, and sprinkled from the blood of the goat one time upward and seven times downward. And this is how he would count, just as he counted when sprinkling the blood of the bull: One; one and one; one and two; etc. The High Priest then emerged from the Holy of Holies and placed the bowl with the remaining blood on the second golden pedestal in the Sanctuary. Rabbi Yehuda says: There was only one pedestal there, and he took the blood of the bull from the pedestal and placed the blood of the goat in its place.

וְהִזָּה מִמֶּנּוּ עַל הַפָּרוֹכֶת שֶׁכְּנֶגֶד הָאָרוֹן מִבַּחוּץ, אַחַת לְמַעְלָה וְשֶׁבַע לְמַטָּה וְלֹא הָיָה מִתְכַּוֵּון וְכוּ׳. וְכָךְ הָיָה מוֹנֶה וְכוּ׳. נָטַל דַּם הַשָּׂעִיר וְהִנִּיחַ דַּם הַפָּר, וְהִזָּה מִמֶּנּוּ עַל הַפָּרוֹכֶת שֶׁכְּנֶגֶד הָאָרוֹן מִבַּחוּץ, אַחַת לְמַעְלָה וְשֶׁבַע לְמַטָּה וְכוּ׳. עֵירָה דַּם הַפָּר לְתוֹךְ דַּם הַשָּׂעִיר, וְנָתַן אֶת הַמָּלֵא בָּרֵיקָן.

And he sprinkled from the blood of the bull on the curtain opposite the Ark from outside the Holy of Holies, one time upward and seven times downward, and he would not intend, etc. And this is how he would count, etc. When he concluded, he took the blood of the goat from the pedestal and placed blood of the bull in its place on the pedestal. And he sprinkled from the goat’s blood on the curtain opposite the Ark from outside, just as he did with the blood of the bull, one time upward and seven times downward, etc. Afterward, he poured the blood of the bull into the blood of the goat and placed the blood from the full bowl into the empty bowl, so that the blood would be mixed well.

גְּמָ׳ ״מִשֶּׁנִּגְנַז״ לָא קָתָנֵי, אֶלָּא ״מִשֶּׁנִּיטַּל״. תְּנַן כְּמַאן דְּאָמַר אָרוֹן גָּלָה לְבָבֶל. דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: אָרוֹן גָּלָה לְבָבֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְלִתְשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁנָה שָׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר וַיְבִיאֵהוּ בָבֶלָה עִם כְּלֵי חֶמְדַּת בֵּית ה׳״.

GEMARA: The Gemara comments with regard to the wording of the mishna: It does not teach: After the Ark was buried, but: After it was taken. If so, we learned this mishna in accordance with the opinion of the one who said that the Ark was exiled to Babylonia and was not buried in its place, as it was taught in a baraita : Rabbi Eliezer says: The Ark was exiled to Babylonia, as it is stated: “And at the turn of the year King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylonia, along with the precious vessels of the House of the Lord” (II Chronicles 36:10). These precious vessels must include the Ark.

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי אוֹמֵר: אָרוֹן גָּלָה לְבָבֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לֹא יִוָּתֵר דָּבָר אָמַר ה׳״ — אֵלּוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת שֶׁבּוֹ.

Likewise, Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: The Ark was exiled to Babylonia, as it is stated: “Behold, the days come that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored until this day, shall be carried to Babylonia; nothing [ davar ] shall be left, says the Lord” (Isaiah 39:6). These are the Ten Commandments [ dibrot ] that are inside it; they too shall not be left behind.

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה (בֶּן לָקִישׁ) אוֹמֵר: אָרוֹן בִּמְקוֹמוֹ נִגְנַז, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֵּרָאוּ רָאשֵׁי הַבַּדִּים מִן הַקֹּדֶשׁ עַל פְּנֵי הַדְּבִיר וְלֹא יֵרָאוּ הַחוּצָה וַיִּהְיוּ שָׁם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה״.

Rabbi Yehuda ben Lakish says: The Ark was buried in its place, as it is stated: “And the ends of the staves were seen from the sacred place before the partition, but they could not be seen without; and they are there to this day” (I Kings 8:8). The expression “to this day” means forever, as the text might be read at any time. This teaches that the Ark is hidden in its place.

וּפְלִיגָא דְּעוּלָּא. דְּאָמַר עוּלָּא, שָׁאַל רַבִּי מַתְיָא בֶּן חָרָשׁ אֶת רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי בְּרוֹמִי: וְכִי מֵאַחַר שֶׁרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מְלַמְּדֵנוּ פַּעַם רִאשׁוֹנָה וּשְׁנִיָּה: אָרוֹן גָּלָה לְבָבֶל, רִאשׁוֹנָה הָא דַּאֲמַרַן: ״וַיְבִיאֵהוּ בָבֶלָה עִם כְּלֵי חֶמְדַּת בֵּית ה׳״, שְׁנִיָּה מַאי הִיא? — דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֵּצֵא מִבַּת צִיּוֹן

The Gemara comments: And this opinion that the Ark was exiled to Babylonia disagrees with that of Ulla, as Ulla said: Rabbi Matya ben Ḥarash asked Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai in Rome: And since Rabbi Eliezer taught us once and twice, i.e., from two separate verses, that the Ark was exiled to Babylonia. The Gemara interrupts its citation of Rabbi Matya ben Ḥarash’s question to identify these two verses. The first verse is that which we said: “And brought him to Babylonia, along with the precious vessels of the House of the Lord.” What is the second verse? Rabbi Eliezer said: As it is written: “And gone from the daughter of Zion is