## Yoma Daf 47a

###### Yoma 47a:1
[Yoma 47a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:1)

**הוֹצִיאוּ לוֹ** אֶת הַכַּף וְאֶת הַמַּחְתָּה, חָפַן מְלֹא חׇפְנָיו וְנָתַן לְתוֹךְ הַכַּף. הַגָּדוֹל לְפִי גׇדְלוֹ, וְהַקָּטָן לְפִי קׇטְנוֹ. וְכָךְ הָיְתָה מִדָּתָהּ. נָטַל אֶת הַמַּחְתָּה בִּימִינוֹ וְאֶת הַכַּף בִּשְׂמֹאלוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **They brought out the spoon and the coal pan** to the High Priest so he may perform the service of the incense. **He scoops his handfuls** from the incense **and places it into the spoon. The** High Priest with **large** hands fills the spoon with incense in an amount **corresponding to the large** size of his hands, **and the** High Priest with **small** hands fills the spoon with incense in an amount **corresponding to the small** size of his hands. **And this was the measure** of the spoon, i.e., it was made to correspond to the size of his hands. **He took the coal pan in his right** hand **and the spoon in his left** hand.


###### Yoma 47a:2
[Yoma 47a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:2)

**גְּמָ׳** מַחְתָּה? תְּנָא לֵיהּ: נָטַל אֶת הַמַּחְתָּה וְעָלָה לְרֹאשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְחוֹתֶה וְיוֹרֵד! הָתָם מַחְתָּה דְגֶחָלִים, וְהָכָא מַחְתָּה דִקְטוֹרֶת, דְּתַנְיָא: הוֹצִיאוּ לוֹ כַּף רֵיקָן מִלִּשְׁכַּת הַכֵּלִים, וּמַחְתָּה גְּדוּשָׁה שֶׁל קְטוֹרֶת מִלִּשְׁכַּת בֵּית אַבְטִינָס.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The Gemara expresses surprise at the statement of the mishna. In an earlier mishna, the *tanna* already **taught** that the High Priest must bring the **coal pan: He takes a coal pan and ascends to the top of the altar and rakes and descends.** Why does the *tanna* mention the taking of the coal pan again? The Gemara explains: **There** the mishna deals with the **coal pan of** burning **coals, and here** the mishna is referring to the **coal pan of incense,** which he would later scoop out. **As it was** explicitly **taught** in a *baraita*: **They brought out an empty spoon for him from the chamber of vessels, and a coal pan heaped with incense from the Chamber of the House of Avtinas.**


###### Yoma 47a:3
[Yoma 47a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:3)

חָפַן מְלֹא חׇפְנָיו וְנוֹתֵן לְתוֹךְ הַכַּף. הַגָּדוֹל — לְפִי גׇדְלוֹ, וְהַקָּטָן — לְפִי קׇטְנוֹ. וְכָךְ הָיְתָה מִדָּתָהּ. כַּף בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים לְמָה לִי? ״מְלֹא חׇפְנָיו וְהֵבִיא״ אָמַר רַחֲמָנָא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna taught: **He scoops his handfuls** from the incense **and places it into the spoon. The** High Priest with **large** hands fills the spoon with incense **corresponding to the large** size of his hands, **and** the High Priest with **small** hands fills the spoon **corresponding to the small** size of his hands, **and this was the measure** of the spoon, according to the size of his hands. The Gemara asks: **Why do I** need **a spoon on Yom Kippur?** After all, **the Merciful One states:** “And he shall take a coal pan full of coals of fire from off the altar from before the Lord, and **his hands full** of sweet incense beaten small **and bring** it within the veil” (Leviticus 16:12). This verse suggests that the handfuls are brought by hand rather than in a vessel.


###### Yoma 47a:4
[Yoma 47a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:4)

מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא אֶפְשָׁר, דְּהֵיכִי נֶעְבֵּיד? נְעַיֵּיל וַהֲדַר נְעַיֵּיל — הֲבָאָה אַחַת אָמַר רַחֲמָנָא, וְלָא שְׁתֵּי הֲבָאוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: The High Priest uses a spoon **because it is impossible** to perform the service otherwise. The Gemara elaborates: **As what should we do? Let him bring in** the coal pan **and then bring in** the incense? **The Merciful One states one** act of **bringing** for the coals and the incense, **and not two** acts of **bringing.**


###### Yoma 47a:5
[Yoma 47a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:5)

נִשְׁקְלַיהּ לִקְטוֹרֶת בְּחוֹפְנָיו וְנַחֲתַיהּ [לְמַחְתָּה] עֲלַהּ וְלֵיעוּל. כִּי מָטֵי הָתָם הֵיכִי לַעֲבֵיד? נִשְׁקְלַיהּ בְּשִׁינֵּיהּ וְנַחֲתַיהּ לְמַחְתָּה? הַשְׁתָּא לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וְדָם אֵין עוֹשִׂין כֵּן, לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא — עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Instead, **let him take** the **incense by his handfuls and place** the **coal pan on top of** his two handfuls **and enter,** carrying it all in one go. This suggestion is also impractical, as **when he arrives there,** in the Holy of Holies, **what should he do?** How can the High Priest put down the coal pan where it is? **Let him take** the **coal pan in his teeth and lower** it. **Now, before a king of flesh and blood one would not do so,** as it is disrespectful. **All the more so,** one would not act in this manner **before the King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He.**


###### Yoma 47a:6
[Yoma 47a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:6)

הִלְכָּךְ — לָא אֶפְשָׁר, וְכֵיוָן דְּלָא אֶפְשָׁר — עָבְדִינַן כִּדְאַשְׁכְּחַן בִּנְשִׂיאִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara concludes: **Therefore, it is impossible** for the High Priest to behave in another way, **and since it is impossible** to act in any other manner, **he acts as we find** with regard to the sacrifices of the **princes** during the dedication of the Tabernacle. On that occasion, the princes brought spoons filled with incense: “One golden spoon of ten shekels full of incense” (Numbers 7:14).


###### Yoma 47a:7
[Yoma 47a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:7)

נָטַל אֶת הַמַּחְתָּה בְּיָמִין וְאֶת הַכַּף בִּשְׂמֹאל. יַצִּיבָא בְּאַרְעָא וְגִיּוֹרָא בִּשְׁמֵי שְׁמַיָּא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna taught that the High Priest **took the coal pan in his right** hand **and the spoon in his left** hand. The Gemara questions this arrangement by citing a well-known maxim: **The native is on the ground and the stranger is in the heavens;** i.e., this is the opposite of what one would expect. The main component of the mitzva is the incense, while the coal pan is required only for burning the incense. Consequently, the High priest should carry the spoon, which contains the main component of the service, in his right hand, and the accessory in his left hand.


###### Yoma 47a:8
[Yoma 47a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:8)

זוֹ מְרוּבָּה, וְזוֹ מוּעֶטֶת. וַאֲפִילּוּ בִּזְמַן שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶן שָׁוִין, וּכְמַעֲשֶׂה דְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן קִמְחִית, זוֹ — חַמָּה, וְזוֹ — צוֹנֶנֶת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: The service is performed in this manner for reasons of comfort, as **this** coal pan is **greater** in weight, since it holds the coals, **and that** spoon of incense weighs **less. And even when the two of them are equal,** when the spoon contains three *kav* of incense **like the action of Rabbi Yishmael ben Kimḥit,** who could hold several *kav* in his exceptionally large hands, nevertheless, **this** coal pan **is hot** and must be held carefully in the right hand, **and that** spoon of incense **is cold** and is easily carried in the left.


###### Yoma 47a:9
[Yoma 47a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:9)

אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן קִמְחִית שֶׁהָיָה חוֹפֵן אַרְבַּעַת קַבִּין בִּמְלוֹא חׇפְנָיו, וְאוֹמֵר: כׇּל הַנָּשִׁים [זֶרֶד] זָרְדוּ, וְזֶרֶד אִימָּא עָלָה לַגָּג. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: בְּעַרְסָן, וְכִדְרַבָּה בַּר יוֹנָתָן. דְּאָמַר רַבָּה בַּר יוֹנָתָן אָמַר רַבִּי יְחִיאֵל: עַרְסָן יָפֶה לַחוֹלֶה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ Since the Gemara has mentioned Rabbi Yishmael ben Kimḥit, it discusses him further. **They said about Rabbi Yishmael ben Kimḥit** that his hands were so large **that he would scoop** up **four *kav*,** which he would hold **by his handfuls, and say: All the women selected** the best they could for their children, **but the selection of my mother rose to the roof,** i.e., my mother chose the best. Rabbi Yishmael ben Kimḥit is referring to himself, as he matured to a great height and stature. **Some say** he was referring to his mother’s selection **of flour, in accordance with** the statement of **Rabba bar Yonatan. As Rabba bar Yonatan said** that **Rabbi Yeḥiel said: Flour is beneficial** and healthy **for the sick.** Since his mother ate this flour when she was pregnant with him, her son grew heartily.


###### Yoma 47a:10
[Yoma 47a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:10)

וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי בְּשִׁכְבַת זֶרַע, וְכִדְרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ. דְּרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ רָמֵי, כְּתִיב: ״וַתַּזְרֵנִי [חַיִל] לַמִּלְחָמָה״, וּכְתִיב: ״הַמְאַזְּרֵנִי חַיִל״? אָמַר דָּוִד לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! זֵרִיתַנִי וְזֵרַזְתַּנִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And some say** this reference to selection is a euphemism for semen, **in accordance with** a statement of **Rabbi Abbahu, as Rabbi Abbahu raised a contradiction** between two verses. **It is written: “For You have girded me** [***vatazreni***] **with strength for battle”** (II Samuel 22:40), **and it is written** in a parallel verse: **“Who girds me** [***hame’azreni*] with strength”** (Psalms 18:33). What is the difference between these two expressions? **David said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe: You selected me [*zeritani*]** with the best drop of semen that my mother absorbed, with which, **You fashioned me [*zeraztani*]** within her. This accounts for the variant forms of this expression.


###### Yoma 47a:11
[Yoma 47a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:11)

אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן קִמְחִית: פַּעַם אַחַת סִיפֵּר דְּבָרִים עִם עֲרָבִי אֶחָד בַּשּׁוּק, וְנִתְּזָה צִינּוֹרָא מִפִּיו עַל בְּגָדָיו. וְנִכְנַס יְשֵׁבָב אָחִיו וְשִׁמֵּשׁ תַּחְתָּיו. וְרָאֲתָה אִמָּן שְׁנֵי כֹּהֲנִים גְּדוֹלִים בְּיוֹם אֶחָד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara continues to discuss Rabbi Yishmael ben Kimḥit. **They said about Rabbi Yishmael ben Kimḥit: Once he was talking to a certain Arab in the market** on Yom Kippur, **and a drop** of saliva **sprayed from** the Arab’s **mouth onto the clothes** of Rabbi Yishmael, who was the High Priest at the time. This spittle rendered him ritually impure by rabbinic law, like the ritual impurity of a *zav*, preventing him from serving in the Temple. **And his brother Yeshevav entered and served** as High Priest on that day **in his stead. And,** consequently, **their mother saw two** of her sons serving as **High Priests on a single day.**


###### Yoma 47a:12
[Yoma 47a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:12)

וְשׁוּב אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן קִמְחִית: פַּעַם אַחַת יָצָא וְסִיפֵּר עִם הֶגְמוֹן אֶחָד בַּשּׁוּק, וְנִתְּזָה צִינּוֹרָא מִפִּיו עַל בְּגָדָיו. וְנִכְנַס יוֹסֵף (עִם) אָחִיו וְשִׁמֵּשׁ תַּחְתָּיו, וְרָאֲתָה אִמָּן שְׁנֵי כֹּהֲנִים גְּדוֹלִים בְּיוֹם אֶחָד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And they further said about Rabbi Yishmael ben Kimḥit: Once he went out and talked to a certain officer [*hegmon*] in the market, and a drop of saliva sprayed from** the officer’s **mouth onto the clothes** of Rabbi Yishmael, **and his brother Yosef entered and served** as High Priest **in his stead. And,** again, **their mother saw two** of her sons serving as **High Priests on a single day.**


###### Yoma 47a:13
[Yoma 47a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:13)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שִׁבְעָה בָּנִים הָיוּ לָהּ לְקִמְחִית, וְכוּלָּן שִׁמְּשׁוּ בִּכְהוּנָּה גְּדוֹלָה. אָמְרוּ לָהּ חֲכָמִים: מָה עָשִׂית שֶׁזָּכִית לְכָךְ? אָמְרָה לָהֶם: מִיָּמַי לֹא רָאוּ קוֹרוֹת בֵּיתִי קַלְעֵי שְׂעָרִי. אָמְרוּ לָהּ: הַרְבֵּה עָשׂוּ כֵּן וְלֹא הוֹעִילוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **Kimḥit had seven sons, and they all served** in the office **of the High Priesthood,** as High Priests or as his substitute. **The Sages said to her: What** good deeds **did you perform to merit this? She said to them: In all my days, the beams of my house never saw the braids of my hair,** as she was extremely modest and was strict about covering her hair even inside her own house. **They said to her: Many** women **did so and did not succeed** to such a degree; you must have been granted a special gift from God.


###### Yoma 47a:14
[Yoma 47a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:14)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בְּקוּמְצוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה מִדָּה לַקּוֹמֶץ. אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: מַהוּ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה מִדָּה לַחֲפִינָה?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught:** “And he shall take up from it **his handful,** of the fine flour of the meal-offering, and of its oil” (Leviticus 6:8). This verse teaches **that he should not measure an amount for the handful** of a meal-offering with a utensil, but he should separate it directly by hand. **A dilemma was raised before** the Sages: **What is** the *halakha* as to whether the High Priest may **measure an amount for the handful** of incense? Must the incense also be scooped by hand?


###### Yoma 47a:15
[Yoma 47a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:15)

הָתָם הוּא דִכְתִיב ״בְּקוּמְצוֹ״: אֲבָל הָכָא דְּלָא כְּתִיב ״בְּחׇפְנָיו״, אֶלָּא: ״מְלֹא חׇפְנָיו קְטוֹרֶת סַמִּים דַּקָּה״, לָא. אוֹ דִילְמָא יָלֵיף ״מְלֹא״ ״מְלֹא״ מִקּוּמְצוֹ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains the two sides of the dilemma: Perhaps **there,** in the case of the handful of a meal-offering, **it** is different, **as it is written “in his handful,”** which indicates that he must use his hand rather than a vessel. **However here, where it is not written: In his hands, but “and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small”** (Leviticus 16:12), perhaps this teaches that the handfuls of incense need **not** be taken directly by hand, and the High Priest may use a vessel to scoop out the required amount. **Or perhaps** this *halakha* **is derived** by means of a verbal analogy between **“full”** and **“full,” from “his handful,”** which is stated regarding the meal-offering. If this verbal analogy is accepted, the High Priest may likewise scoop the incense only by hand.


###### Yoma 47a:16
[Yoma 47a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:16)

תָּא שְׁמַע: ״וְכָךְ הָיְתָה מִדָּתָהּ״, מַאי לָאו, שֶׁאִם רָצָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מִדָּה אַחֶרֶת עוֹשֶׂה? לֹא, הָכִי קָאָמַר: וְכָךְ הָיָה חוֹזֵר וְחוֹפְנָהּ לִפְנִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Come** and **hear** an answer from the mishna: **And this was the measure** of the spoon. **What, is it not** correct to infer from the mishna **that** although the required measure is a handful, the High Priest is not obligated to scoop with his hand, and **if he wanted to measure a different amount, he** may **measure** the incense with a vessel? The Gemara rejects this contention: **No, this is** what the mishna **said;** this is what it means: **And so too,** the High Priest **would return and scoop** the incense **inside** the Holy of Holies in precisely the same manner.


###### Yoma 47a:17
[Yoma 47a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:17)

שָׁמְעַתְּ מִינַּהּ: חוֹפֵן וְחוֹזֵר וְחוֹפֵן!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: If so, I can **learn from this** that the High Priest **scoops** the incense, **and again scoops.** That is, after scooping once, the High Priest repeats the action and scoops again in the Holy of Holies. This issue is subject to a dispute in the Gemara below.


###### Yoma 47a:18
[Yoma 47a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:18)

דִּילְמָא: שֶׁאִם רָצָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מִדָּה — עוֹשֶׂה. אִי נָמֵי: שֶׁלֹּא יְחַסֵּר וְשֶׁלֹּא יוֹתִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this claim: No; **perhaps** the mishna indeed means **that if he wanted to measure a different amount, he** may **measure** the incense with a vessel. The language of the mishna does not conclusively prove which interpretation is correct, and it is possible that the Gemara’s previous inference from the mishna is accurate. Consequently, the issue of whether or not the High Priest scoops incense a second time in the Holy of Holies cannot be considered resolved. **Alternatively,** the mishna may mean **that** the High Priest must **take neither less nor more,** and therefore this statement has no bearing on the dispute with regard to his scooping.


###### Yoma 47a:19
[Yoma 47a:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yoma/r/47a:19)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״מְלֹא קוּמְצוֹ״. יָכוֹל מְבוֹרָץ — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״בְּקוּמְצוֹ״. אִי בְּקוּמְצוֹ, יָכוֹל אֲפִילּוּ בְּרָאשֵׁי אֶצְבְּעוֹתָיו, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״מְלֹא קוּמְצוֹ״, כִּדְקָמְצִי אִינָשֵׁי. הָא כֵּיצַד — חוֹפֶה שְׁלֹשׁ אֶצְבְּעוֹתָיו עַל פִּיסַּת יָדוֹ וְקוֹמֵץ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught: “His handfuls”** (Leviticus 2:2). I **might** have thought it should **be overflowing** from the handful, and therefore **the verse states: “His handful”** (Leviticus 6:8), which indicates a precise amount. **If** the *halakha* is based solely on the phrase **“his handful,”** I **might** have thought the priest may pinch a small amount **even with** just **his fingertips,** not with his entire finger. Therefore, **the verse states: “His handfuls”** (Leviticus 2:2), meaning **as people** usually **take a handful,** i.e., with their whole hand. **How** should he perform this service? **He scoops** by closing **his three fingers over the palm of his hand, and takes a handful** from the flour of the meal-offering.