Why does the Gemara take so much time and space for the 5 immersions and 10 sanctifications of hand and feet washing in Yom Kippur? Interspersed, he changes his garments from white linen to gold to white to gold to white. What pageantry! What a way to establish the tempo of the day! Plus: What is the source of these 15 various washings? Is it from the Torah’s account of Aaron’s conduct ? Or is it a logical inference? And is this difference of approach and ambiguity the reason for the ongoing discussion on the washings?
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