Yoma Daf 49

We begin today’s daf with a Baraita challenging Rav Sheshet’s position that carrying the blood of a korban in one’s left hand is permissible. Due to this proof Rav Sheshet reverses his opinion. Rav Pappa now asks whether it is permissible for another Kohen to scoop up the Ketoret and place it in the hands of the Kohen Gadol (KG). The answer is once again תיקו but it leads to Rav Yehoshua Ben Levi’s question as to the status of  the Ketoret that was scooped up and then put in its vessel by a KG who then dies. Can his Ketoret be used by the KG who replaces him?  As the order of the Avodah is intermingled between that of the KG’s  bull and that of the Ketoret, the question expands to what Rebbi Hanina had answered a generation earlier as to what happens to the blood of the bull of a KG who dies: Can it be brought into the Holy of Holies or does the new KG need to sacrifice his own bull? The answer to this question lies in how we understand  Vayikra 16:3  which states that the KG goes into the Holy of Holies with a Bull. While Rebbi Hanina rules that the blood of the previous KG cannot be brought into the Holy of Holies, we are given a number of opinions regarding the understanding of this verse on amud bet:  Rebbi Yitzchak Nafha states that the KG can use the blood of the previous KG’s bull. On tomorrow’s daf Rav Ashi agrees with this position and that is the ruling codified by the Rambam. 

As we dive deeper into the laws of Yom Kippur, the Gemara takes the opportunity to point out the relationship between Rebbi Hanina and Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi. This digression illustrates the nuances of the respect one has for a more senior Rabbinic authority by asking him Halachic questions and calling him Rebbi. In addition, we are shown the breadth of Rebbi Hanina’s knowledge beyond the beit midrash to that of contemporary medical knowledge. 

Teachers: Susan Suna and Dena Rock