Some things never change TB Pesakhim 57

The high priesthood was a hereditary position beginning with Aaron and then passed down to his descendents. All that changed under Roman occupation of the land of Israel.

“With the Roman conquest of Judea and subsequent Herodean rule, the office of high priest became a political tool in the hands of the administration, and until the destruction of the Temple was never to return to its earlier prominence. Herod, in an attempt to base his regime on new elements within Jewish society, completely disassociated himself from the Hasmonean dynasty, and thus the high priesthood passed into the hands of such houses as Phiabi and Boethus, both having been transplanted from the Jewish Diaspora (regarding this tendency under Herod, cf. M. Stern, in Tarbiz, 35 (1965–66), 245ff.). Although the high priests continued to serve as presidents of the *Sanhedrin , both their actual powers and measure of esteem among the people gradually deteriorated, and derision of the high priests during the late Second Temple period is commonly quoted in rabbinic literature (cf. Pes. 57a; Yoma 8b–9a). This negative attitude of the Pharisees was probably enhanced by the fact that high priests from the Hasmonean period onward were primarily Sadducees, and frequent quarrels erupted between the two factions (cf. Tosef., Yoma 1:8). By the end of the Second Temple period the high priest was considered no more than a religious functionary of the Roman administration, and thus even the garments of the high priest were entrusted at times to the hands of the local Roman procurator and handed over to the priests just prior to the various festivals. It is understandable, therefore, that with the zealots' seizure of Jerusalem one of their first acts was the appointment of a new high priest, as if thereby to display the establishment of a new Jewish government in Jerusalem (Jos., Wars 4:147ff.).” (https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/high-priest)

We are all familiar with the concept “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Unfortunately, Jewish leaders are not immune to corruption. Today’s daf TB Pesakhim 57 lists high priest families who abused their positions of power.

“With regard to the prominent priests and those like them, Abba Shaul ben Batnit said in the name of Abba Yosef ben Hanin: Woe is me due to the High Priests of the house of Baitos, woe is me due to their clubs. Woe is me due to the High Priests of the house of ?Hanin; woe is me due to their whispers and the rumors they spread. Woe is me due to the High Priests of the house of Katros; woe is me due to their pens that they use to write lies. Woe is me due to the servants of the High Priests of the house of Yishmael ben Piakhi; woe is me due to their fists. The power of these households stemmed from the fact that the fathers were High Priests, and their sons were the Temple treasurers, and their sons-in-law were Temple overseers [amarkalin]. And their servants strike the people with clubs, and otherwise act inappropriately.” (Sefaria.org translation)

I’m glad that there is a new administration entering the White House on Tuesday because too many of people in positions of power from the president down abused their powers to enrich themselves. I only hope and pray that the Biden administration will reverse this trend and help rebuild trust in public servants.

By the way we finished the fourth chapter of our massekhet today and tomorrow we shall begin the fifth chapter. Chapters 4 through 9 deal with the myriad details concerning the Paschal sacrifice, the korban Pesakh.