1 Seven days before the Day of Atonement, the High Priest is brought away from his house and taken to the Chamber of Palhedrin, and another priest is appointed as his substitute, in case something should happen to disqualify him. Rabbi Yehuda says: Another wife is appointed to him also, in case his wife should die – for it is written, “He shall make atonement for himself and for his house”: his house means “his wife.” The sages say: But if so, there would be no end to it.

2 All the seven days beforehand, he throws the blood [of the daily sacrifices], burns the incense, tends the lamps, and offers up the head and the right hind leg [of the daily sacrifice]. On other days [of the year], if he wants to perform any offering, he does, for the High Priest always has first choice to make the offering, and the first choice of portion to take [from the offering].

3 And elders of the court would be sent to him and would read him the Order of the Day, and they would say, “My honored High Priest, you read this out, in case you have forgotten, in case you have not learned.” On the eve of the Day of Atonement in the morning, they would stand him at the Eastern Gate and pass bulls and rams and sheep before him – so that he would learn to know them well and be accustomed to the Service.

4 All the seven days beforehand they would not limit his food or drink; but on the eve of the Day of Atonement, before dark fell, they would not let him eat much, because food brings on sleep.

5 The elders of the court would bring him to the elders of the priesthood, who would take him up to the Avtinas Upper Chamber and have him take his oath, and then would part from him and leave. This is what they would say: “My honored High Priest, we are the emissaries of the court and you are our emissary and an emissary of the court; we have you swear by the One who has made His name dwell in this House, that you will not depart in any detail from what we have taught you.” And he would turn away and weep, and they would turn away and weep.

6 Then, if he were a scholar, he would interpret Torah; if not, then scholars would interpret it for him. If he were accustomed to reading, he would read; if not, then they would read to him. What would they read to him? They read from Job and from Ezra and from the books of Chronicles. Zekharya ben Kevutal says: I read to him many times from the book of Daniel.

7 If he began to fall asleep, then young priests would snap their fingers before him; they would say, “My honored High Priest, rise up, banish sleep, once and for all, against the floor.” And they would keep him occupied until the time of the slaughtering arrived.

8 On all other days, the ashes on the altar were taken up at cock’s crow or thereabouts, a little before or after; but on the Day of Atonement they were taken up at midnight – and on Festivals, at the first watch – and by the time the cock would crow, the courtyard would be crowded with [the people of] Israel.