Yesterday’s daf TB Yoma 27 and the first part of today’s daf TB Yoma 28 concludes the second chapter of our massekhet. With a close reading of various verses the rabbis came to the conclusion that non-kohanim may participate in three preparatory stages of the avodah. The first is the actual slaughter of the animal (שחיטה). The second is the flaying and dismemberment of the sacrifice. The third is bringing the firewood to the altar’s ramp. I am just guessing that although a non-kohen may do these preparatory stages, the kohanim in reality took charge and did the avodah service from soup to nuts.
The third chapter of our massekhet begins to detail the actual Yom Kippur service in the Temple starting at dawn. The next five chapters will go through the day in the life of the High Priest and Yom Kippur.
Dawn begins 1 hour and 15 minutes before sunrise. According to tradition the best earliest time to observe daytime morning mitzvot is at sunrise. For example, some synagogues have what is called a vatikin minyan where the members recite the Amidah at sunrise. Nevertheless if one observers one of these commandments at dawn, post factom (בדיעבד) he has fulfilled his obligation. We were on today’s daf that one of the exceptions to the rule is the morning tamid. it is sacrificed at dawn. From there the rabbis go off on a tangent concerning Abraham.
“Rav Safra said: The time for the afternoon prayer of Abraham begins from when the walls begin to blacken from shade. When the sun begins to descend from the middle of the sky, producing shadows on the walls, that marks the beginning of the setting of the sun and then the afternoon prayer may be recited” (Sefaria.org translation)
According to massekhet Barakhot 26b Abraham instituted the morning service, shakharit and Isaac instituted the afternoon service, minkha (and Jacob instituted the evening service, ma’ariv). Why does our Gemara call Abraham’s prayer minkha? The Tosefot Yeshanim gives two answers. According to Rebbainu Tam, Abraham davened minkha after Isaac established it. The second answer provided is that Avraham always davened minkha, but that was his personal custom. Isaac was the one who established this prayer service for the entire family for all time.
The rabbis continue to reimagine Abraham in their own image. “Abraham was different because he was an Elder and sat and studied Torah in a yeshiva, where the Divine Presence rests. There he developed the expertise to determine the precise hour. As Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: From the days of our ancestors, yeshiva never left them. Our ancestors were leaders of their generations, who taught Torah to students who came to them...Apropos the previous statement, the Gemara cites that Rav said: Abraham our Patriarch fulfilled the entire Torah before it was given, as it is stated: “Because [ekev] Abraham hearkened to My voice and kept My charge, My mitzvot, My statutes and My Torahs” (Genesis 26:5). Rav Shimi bar Ḥiyya said to Rav: And say that the verse means that he fulfilled only the seven Noahide mitzvot and not the entire Torah. The Gemara asks: But isn’t there also circumcision that Abraham clearly observed, which is not one of the Noahide laws? Apparently, Abraham fulfilled more than just those seven. The Gemara asks: And say that he fulfilled only the seven mitzvot and circumcision. Rav said to him: If so, why do I need the continuation of the verse, that Abraham kept: My mitzvot and My Torah? That is a clear indication that he fulfilled mitzvot beyond the seven Noahide mitzvot, and apparently fulfilled the entire Torah...Rav said, and some say Rav Ashi said: Abraham our Patriarch fulfilled the entire Torah, even the mitzva of the joining of cooked foods, a rabbinic ordinance instituted later, as it is stated: My Torahs. Since the term is in the plural, it indicates that Abraham kept two Torahs; one, the Written Torah, and one, the Oral Torah. In the course of fulfilling the Oral Torah, he fulfilled all the details and parameters included therein.” (Sefaria.org translation)
Of all the commandments why was the example of the erev tavshilin, the joining of cooked foods, given as one that Abraham observed? One is not allowed to prepare for Shabbat on Yom Tov. However, he is allowed to prepare food just in case visitors come. All leftover food may be eaten on Shabbat (See TB Pesakhim 46b). The erev tavshilin ritual formalizes this permission to prepare food on Yom Tov for Shabbat. Abraham according to rabbinic tradition was especially known for his hospitality. His tent had four doors, one in each direction. No matter what direction a person passed by his home, his door was open to the visitor. Since the mitzvah of welcoming guests was one of Abraham specialties, the mitzvah of erev tavshilin is an apropos example Abraham observing the oral law.
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