The high-priest came to read [the section of the day]. If he wishes to read in the linen vestments [in which he performed the service of the day], he does so, [it being permitted to wear the priestly garments even when not performing the priestly service in them, the priestly garments being given for enjoyment]; and if not, he reads in his own white frock, [the reading of this section not being part of the priestly service.] The sexton takes the Torah scroll and hands it to the head of the assembly, [who makes all the congregational designations: who reads the maftir, who recites the shema, who reads the prayers. The Torah scroll is handed from one to the other to enhance the dignity of high-priest, to show that there are stations much below him.] The head of the assembly hands it to the adjutant high-priest; the adjutant high-priest hands it to the high-priest, and the high-priest rises and receives it, [the implication being that till now he was sitting — whence we infer that he reads it in the ezrath nashim. For if in the ezrath Yisrael, or, much more so, in a place of greater sanctity, it is forbidden to sit, only kings of the Davidic house being permitted to sit in the azarah, viz. (II Samuel 7:18): "And King David came, and he sat before the L rd.], and he reads standing "Acharei moth" (Leviticus 16:1-34) and "Ach be'asor" (Ibid. 23:26-32). [For it is permitted to skip in the (reading of the) Torah in one theme if it (the second part) is close enough not to require the translator to pause. But if the translator finishes translating the verse that the reader has read before the scroll can be rolled to the next part, it is forbidden, for the congregation is thereby made to wait, and this is not in keeping with the dignity of the congregation]; then he rolls up the Torah scroll and places it under his arm, and he says: "More than I have read before you is written here" (in this scroll). [(He says this) so as not to bring the Torah scroll (from which he read) into "disrepute"; for (otherwise) when they see him reciting the third section by heart, they might think that the (first) Torah scroll was missing that section.] And "Uve'asor" in Numbers (29:7), he reads by heart. [For it is too far from "Achrei Moth" and "Ach be'asor" to reach before the translator has finished translating. Therefore, he cannot roll the scroll to that part because of the dignity of the congregation. And he cannot have a different Torah scroll brought, for this might lead people to impute a blemish to the first, saying that it is defective.] And he makes eight blessings over it: over the Torah, [two blessings, one before and one after, as in the synagogue], over the service and over the thanking, ["Retzeh" and "Modim"], over the pardoning of sin ["Selach lanu"], over the Temple in itself, [that the Shechinah repose therein], over Israel in themselves, over the Cohanim in themselves, [that they be blessed and that their offerings be graciously received], and over the rest of the prayer. [The gemara explains: "Imploration, song, and petition before You on behalf of Your people Israel, who are in need of salvation"; (and he concludes:) "Blessed are You, O L rd, who hearkens to prayer."]

One who sees the high-priest reading does not see the bullock and the goat being burned; and one who sees the bullock and the goat being burned does not see the high-priest reading. Not that he is not allowed to, but that the distance was great and both did not take place at the same time. [For we might have thought that a man observing one service was not permitted to leave off watching to go to see another, it being forbidden to "pass over" a mitzvah; and observing a service is a mitzvah, by reason of (Proverbs 14:28): "In the multitude of people is the King's glory." We are, therefore, apprised that this is not called "passing over" a mitzvah, for he is not occupied in its performance.]

If he read in the linen vestments, he laved his hands and feet, undressed, went down and immersed, ascended and dried himself. They brought him the golden vestments. He donned them, laved his hands and feet, went out and "did" his ram and the ram of the people, and the seven unblemished one-year-old lambs. These are the words of R. Eliezer. [The rationale of R. Eliezer: His ram and the ram of the people, the eimurin of the sin-offering and the taking out of the ladle and the coal pan — all of these, that are written of first in Leviticus in the section of the day (Yom Kippur), he did first; and then he did the mussafin (the additional offerings): the bullock burnt-offering, the seven lambs, and the goat offered outside — all with the afternoon tamid]. R. Akiva said: They [the bullock burnt-offering and the seven lambs of the mussafin] were sacrificed with the morning tamid. And the bullock burnt-offering and the goat offered on the outside was sacrificed with the afternoon tamid. [For it is written (Numbers 29:23): "Aside from the burnt-offering of the morning of the daily burnt-offering shall you offer these." It is seen, then, that the mussafin were offered close to the morning burnt-offering; and after that, the service of the day (Yom Kippur); and after that, the goat offered outside. And even though it is included in the mussafin, it cannot precede the service of the day, it being written in respect to it (Ibid. 29:11): "One kid of goats as a sin-offering, aside from the sin-offering of atonement," whence it is seen that the (offering of the) inner goat, part of the service of the day, precedes it; and then the eimurin of the sin-offering — all these with the third immersion; and then the taking out of ladle and coal pan; and after that the afternoon tamid. The halachah is in accordance with R. Akiva.]

He laved his hands and his feet, undressed, went down and immersed, ascended and dried himself. They brought him white vestments, which he donned. He went in to take out the ladle and the coal pan. He laved his hands and his feet. He undressed, went down and immersed, ascended and dried himself. They brought him golden vestments, which he donned. He laved his hands and his feet and went in to burn the afternoon incense and to adjust [i.e., to kindle] the lamp. He laved his hands and his feet and doffed (the golden vestments). They brought him his own garments. He donned them and they accompanied him until his house. And he made a festive gathering for his friends when he went out in peace from the Temple.

The high-priest officiates in eight vestments and a regular priest in four: coat, breeches, turban, and girdle. The high-priest, in addition, wears four: choshen [breastplate], ephod, robe, and tzitz (head-plate). In these, inquiries are made of the urim vethumim [i.e., the high-priest must be wearing the eight garments when he makes inquiries of the urim vethumim. How are inquiries made? The face of the inquirer is behind the priest who is inquired of. His (the latter's) face is towards the ark. The inquirer asks: "Shall I do this thing or not?" He does not ask in a loud voice and not in his heart, but in a low voice; and the holy spirit invests the priest and he looks at the choshen. He sees letters projecting from the choshen before his face — "Do this," or "Do not do this." For on the stones of the choshen were written the names of the twelve tribes, and Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and "shivtei Kah" ("the tribes of the L rd"), so that the entire alphabet was represented. And the holy spirit informed the priest how to combine the projecting letters so that the meaning was apparent.] And inquiries are made only for the king, for the beth-din, and for the one acting on behalf of the congregation, [it being written (Numbers 27:21): "And before Elazar the priest shall he stand" — the king; "and all the children of Israel with him" — the one whom all the children of Israel are with, to go out to war after him — the priest anointed for war, the one needed by the congregation; "and the entire congregation" — the Great Sanhedrin.]