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Tamid

The daily offering

The heart of Tamid in about 4 minutes: 8 passages from 8 chapters, in its own words.

By
The Sages of the Mishnah and Talmud
When
Mishnah c. 200; Babylonian Talmud c. 500
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In its own words

אָמַר לָהֶם: אֵידֵין מִתְקְרֵי חַכִּים? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם – הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַנּוֹלָד. אָמַר לָהֶם: אֵידֵין מִתְקְרֵי גִּבּוֹר? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֵיזֶהוּ גִּבּוֹר – הַכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת יִצְרוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶן: אֵידֵין מִתְקְרֵי עָשִׁיר? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר – הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ.

Alexander said to the Elders: Who is truly worthy of being called wise? They said to him, citing a tradition (see Avot 2:9): Who is the wise person? The one …
Tamid 32a:7 · William Davidson Edition - EnglishRead on

Every word below is the text itself, as written, with its translator named. Texts from Sefaria. Nothing is paraphrased.

Chapter 1

  1. בִּשְׁלשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת הַכֹּהֲנִים שׁוֹמְרִים בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. בְּבֵית אַבְטִינָס, בְּבֵית הַנִּיצוֹץ וּבְבֵית הַמּוֹקֵד. בֵּית אַבְטִינָס וּבֵית הַנִּיצוֹץ הָיוּ עֲלִיּוֹת, וְהָרוֹבִים שׁוֹמְרִים שָׁם. בֵּית הַמּוֹקֵד, כִּפָּה, וּבַיִת גָּדוֹל הָיָה, מֻקָּף רוֹבָדִים שֶׁל אֶבֶן, וְזִקְנֵי בֵית אָב יְשֵׁנִים שָׁם, וּמַפְתְּחוֹת הָעֲזָרָה בְּיָדָם. וּפִרְחֵי כְהֻנָּה אִישׁ כִּסְתּוֹ בָאָרֶץ. לֹא הָיוּ יְשֵׁנִים בְּבִגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ, אֶלָּא פוֹשְׁטִין וּמְקַפְּלִין וּמַנִּיחִים אוֹתָן תַּחַת רָאשֵׁיהֶן, וּמִתְכַּסִּין בִּכְסוּת עַצְמָן. אֵרַע קֶרִי לְאַחַד מֵהֶן, יוֹצֵא וְהוֹלֵךְ לוֹ בַּמְּסִבָּה הַהוֹלֶכֶת תַּחַת הַבִּירָה, וְהַנֵּרוֹת דּוֹלְקִין מִכָּאן וּמִכָּאן, עַד שֶׁהוּא מַגִּיעַ לְבֵית הַטְּבִילָה. וּמְדוּרָה הָיְתָה שָׁם, וּבֵית כִּסֵּא שֶׁל כָּבוֹד. וְזֶה הָיָה כְבוֹדוֹ, מְצָאוֹ נָעוּל, יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁיֶּשׁ שָׁם אָדָם. פָּתוּחַ, יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאֵין שָׁם אָדָם. יָרַד וְטָבַל, עָלָה וְנִסְתַּפֵּג וְנִתְחַמֵּם כְּנֶגֶד הַמְּדוּרָה. בָּא וְיָשַׁב לוֹ אֵצֶל אֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים עַד שֶׁהַשְּׁעָרִים נִפְתָּחִים, יוֹצֵא וְהוֹלֵךְ לוֹ:

    In three places the priests keep watch in the Temple: in the chamber of Avtinas, in the chamber of the spark, and in the fire chamber. In the chamber of Avtinas and in the chamber of the spark there were upper chambers where the youths kept watch. The fire chamber was vaulted and it was a large room surrounded with stone projections, and the elders of the clan [serving in the Temple] used to sleep there, with the keys of the Temple courtyard in their hands. The priestly initiates used to place their bedding on the ground. They did not sleep in their sacred garments, but they used to take them off [and fold them] and place them under their heads and cover themselves with their own ordinary clothes. If one of them had a seminal emission, he used to go out and make his way down the winding stairs which went under the Birah, and which was lit by lights on each side until he reached the bathing place. There was a fire close by and an honorable seat [i.e. toilet]: and this was its honor: if he found it locked, he knew there was someone there; if it was open, he knew there was no one there. He would go down and bathe and then come up and dry himself and warm himself in front of the fire. He would then go and take his seat next to his fellow priests until the gates were opened, when he would take his departure.

    Mishnah Tamid 1:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 2

  1. רָאוּהוּ אֶחָיו שֶׁיָּרַד, וְהֵם רָצוּ וּבָאוּ. מִהֲרוּ וְקִדְּשׁוּ יְדֵיהֶן וְרַגְלֵיהֶן מִן הַכִּיּוֹר, נָטְלוּ אֶת הַמַּגְרֵפוֹת וְאֶת הַצִּנּוֹרוֹת וְעָלוּ לְרֹאשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. הָאֵבָרִין וְהַפְּדָרִין שֶׁלֹּא נִתְאַכְּלוּ מִבָּעֶרֶב, סוֹנְקִין אוֹתָם לִצְדָדֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. אִם אֵין הַצְּדָדִין מַחֲזִיקִין, סוֹדְרִין אוֹתָם בַּסּוֹבֵב עַל הַכָּבֶשׁ:

    When his fellow priests saw that he had descended, they came running and hastened to wash their hands and feet in the laver. They then took the shovels and the forks and went up to the top of the altar. The limbs and pieces of fat that had not been consumed since the evening they pushed to the sides of the altar. If there was not room on the sides they arranged them on the surround or on the ascent.

    Mishnah Tamid 2:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 3

  1. אָמַר לָהֶם הַמְמֻנֶּה, בֹּאוּ וְהָפִיסוּ, מִי שׁוֹחֵט, מִי זוֹרֵק, מִי מְדַשֵּׁן מִזְבֵּחַ הַפְּנִימִי, מִי מְדַשֵּׁן אֶת הַמְּנוֹרָה, מִי מַעֲלֶה אֵבָרִים לַכֶּבֶשׁ, הָרֹאשׁ וְהָרֶגֶל, וּשְׁתֵּי הַיָּדַיִם, הָעֹקֶץ וְהָרֶגֶל, הֶחָזֶה וְהַגֵּרָה, וּשְׁתֵּי דְפָנוֹת, הַקְּרָבַיִם, וְהַסֹּלֶת, וְהַחֲבִתִּים, וְהַיָּיִן. הֵפִיסוּ, זָכָה מִי שֶׁזָּכָה:

    The superintendent then said to them: come and cast lots, to see who is to slaughter, and who is to sprinkle the blood, and who is to clear the ashes from the inner altar, and who is to clear the ash from the candlestick, and who is to lift the limbs on to the ascent: the head, the right leg, the two forelegs, the tailbone, the left leg, the breast and the neck and the two flanks, the entrails, the fine flour, the griddle cakes and the wine. They cast lots and whoever won, won.

    Mishnah Tamid 3:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 4

  1. לֹא הָיוּ כוֹפְתִין אֶת הַטָּלֶה, אֶלָּא מְעַקְּדִין אוֹתוֹ. מִי שֶׁזָּכוּ בָאֵבָרִים, אוֹחֲזִים בּוֹ. וְכָךְ הָיְתָה עֲקֵדָתוֹ, רֹאשׁוֹ לַדָּרוֹם וּפָנָיו לַמַּעֲרָב. הַשּׁוֹחֵט, עוֹמֵד בַּמִּזְרָח וּפָנָיו לַמַּעֲרָב. שֶׁל שַׁחַר הָיָה נִשְׁחָט עַל קֶרֶן צְפוֹנִית מַעֲרָבִית, עַל טַבַּעַת שְׁנִיָּה. שֶׁל בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם הָיָה נִשְׁחָט עַל קֶרֶן מִזְרָחִית צְפוֹנִית, עַל טַבַּעַת שְׁנִיָּה. שָׁחַט הַשּׁוֹחֵט, וְקִבֵּל הַמְקַבֵּל. בָּא לוֹ לְקֶרֶן מִזְרָחִית צְפוֹנִית, וְנוֹתֵן מִזְרָחָה צָפוֹנָה. מַעֲרָבִית דְּרוֹמִית, וְנוֹתֵן מַעֲרָבָה דָרוֹמָה. שְׁיָרֵי הַדָּם הָיָה שׁוֹפֵךְ עַל יְסוֹד דְּרוֹמִית:

    They would not tie up the lamb but rather they would string its legs together. Those who merited [to bring up] the limbs took hold of it. Thus it was strung up: its head was to the south while its face was turned to the west. The slaughterer stood to the east of it, facing the west. The morning tamid was killed by the north-western corner of the altar at the second ring. The evening tamid was killed by the north-eastern corner at the second ring. While one slaughtered another received the blood. He then proceeded to the north-eastern corner and cast the blood on the eastern and northern sides; he then proceeded to the southwestern corner and cast the blood on the western and southern sides. The remnant of the blood he poured out at the southern base of the altar.

    Mishnah Tamid 4:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 5

  1. אָמַר לָהֶם הַמְמֻנֶּה, בָּרְכוּ בְרָכָה אֶחַת, וְהֵן בֵּרְכוּ. קָרְאוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, שְׁמַע, וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ, וַיֹּאמֶר. בֵּרְכוּ אֶת הָעָם שָׁלשׁ בְּרָכוֹת, אֱמֶת וְיַצִּיב, וַעֲבוֹדָה, וּבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים. וּבְשַׁבָּת מוֹסִיפִין בְּרָכָה אַחַת לַמִּשְׁמָר הַיּוֹצֵא:

    The superintendent said to them: Bless one blessing! And they blessed. They then read the Ten Commandments, the Shema, the “And it will be if you hearken” (the second paragraph of Shema) and Vayomer (the third paragraph of Shema), and they blessed the people with three blessings: Emet veYatziv, and Avodah, and the priestly benediction. On Shabbat they added a blessing to be said by the watch which was leaving.

    Mishnah Tamid 5:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 6

  1. הֵחֵלּוּ עוֹלִים בְּמַעֲלוֹת הָאוּלָם. מִי שֶׁזָּכוּ בְדִשּׁוּן מִזְבֵּחַ הַפְּנִימִי וְהַמְּנוֹרָה הָיוּ מַקְדִּימִין לִפְנֵיהֶם. מִי שֶׁזָּכָה בְדִשּׁוּן מִזְבֵּחַ הַפְּנִימִי נִכְנַס, וְנָטַל אֶת הַטֶּנִי וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָה וְיָצָא. מִי שֶׁזָּכָה בְדִשּׁוּן הַמְּנוֹרָה, נִכְנַס וּמָצָא שְׁנֵי נֵרוֹת מִזְרָחִיִּים דּוֹלְקִין, מְדַשֵּׁן אֶת הַמִּזְרָחִי, וּמַנִּיחַ אֶת הַמַּעֲרָבִי דוֹלֵק, שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ הָיָה מַדְלִיק אֶת הַמְּנוֹרָה בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם. מְצָאוֹ שֶׁכָּבָה, מְדַשְּׁנוֹ וּמַדְלִיקוֹ מִמִּזְבַּח הָעוֹלָה. נָטַל אֶת הַכּוּז מִמַּעֲלָה שְׁנִיָּה, וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָה וְיָצָא:

    They began to ascend the steps of the Sanctuary. Those who had won the right to clear the ashes from the inner altar and from the candlestick went in front. The one who won the right to clear the inner altar went in and took the teni and bowed down and went out again. The one who had been chosen to clear the candlestick went in, and if he found the two eastern lights still burning he cleared out the eastern one and left the western one burning, since from it he lit the candlestick for the evening. If he found that this one had gone out, he cleared the ash away and lit it from the altar of burnt-offering. He then took the kuz from the second step and bowed down and went out.

    Mishnah Tamid 6:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 7

  1. בִּזְמַן שֶׁכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל נִכְנָס לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת, שְׁלשָׁה אוֹחֲזִין בּוֹ, אֶחָד בִּימִינוֹ, וְאֶחָד בִּשְׂמֹאלוֹ, וְאֶחָד בַּאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע הַמְמֻנֶּה קוֹל רַגְלָיו שֶׁל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁהוּא יוֹצֵא, הִגְבִּיהַּ לוֹ אֶת הַפָּרֹכֶת, נִכְנַס וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָה וְיָצָא, וְנִכְנְסוּ אֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ וְיָצָאוּ:

    When the high priest went in to bow down, three priests supported him, one by his right and one by his left and one by the precious stones. When the superintendent heard the sound of the footsteps of the high priest as he was about to go out [from the Sanctuary], he raised the curtain for him. He went in, bowed down and went out, and then his fellow priests went in and bowed down and went out.

    Mishnah Tamid 7:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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From the Talmud: Tamid 32a

  1. אָמַר לָהֶם: אֵידֵין מִתְקְרֵי חַכִּים? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם – הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַנּוֹלָד. אָמַר לָהֶם: אֵידֵין מִתְקְרֵי גִּבּוֹר? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֵיזֶהוּ גִּבּוֹר – הַכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת יִצְרוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶן: אֵידֵין מִתְקְרֵי עָשִׁיר? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר – הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ.

    Alexander said to the Elders: Who is truly worthy of being called wise? They said to him, citing a tradition (see Avot 2:9): Who is the wise person? The one …

    Tamid 32a:7 · William Davidson Edition - English · excerpt; the full text is on Sefaria