The ranking of priests TB Yoma 73

Today we finish the seventh chapter of our massekhet and began the eighth chapter with daf TB Yoma 73. I’m going to save discussing the eighth chapter until tomorrow because it introduces a brand new topic. The eighth chapter deals with all the practical halakhot that apply to our modern observance of Yom Kippur. 

Our chapter ends with two interesting discussions. The first topic discusses the four different categories of kohanim, priests. They are the High Priest, a former High Priest, a priest anointed for war i.e. he is the Army’s highest ranking chaplain, and a regular priest. The High Priest wears eight garments and a regular priest wears only four. The Gemara wants to know if and when the priest anointed for war may wear the eight garments.

The following baraita discusses the differences between the four different categories.

“As it was taught in a baraita: The matters in which there are differences between a High Priest and a common priest are as follows:
The bull of the anointed priest, also called the bull brought for all the mitzvot, which is brought for unwittingly deciding and following an erroneous halakhic ruling in a case for which one would be liable to receive the penalty of karet had he committed it intentionally;
And the bull of Yom Kippur;
And the tenth of an ephah that the High Priest offers each day.
Only the High Priest brings the above offerings.

“In addition, when in mourning, a High Priest does not let his hair grow wild, nor does he rend his clothing in the way other mourners do. But he does rend his clothing from below, in a place that is not noticeable, while the common priest rends from above in the normal manner.
And he may not become ritually impure in the event of the death of his close relatives, but a common priest may.
And he is commanded to marry a virgin, and he is prohibited from marrying a widow, in contrast to a common priest who is prohibited to marry only a divorcee.
And his death allows the return of the accidental killer from the city of refuge.

“And he sacrifices offerings even when he is an acute mourner, i.e., on the first day of his mourning, but he may not eat from the offerings on that day and he may not take a portion from them.
And he takes his portion first from any offering of his choice.
And he has the first right to sacrifice any offering he wants.
And he serves wearing eight garments.
And he is exempt from bringing an offering for unwittingly causing ritual impurity to the Temple and its sacred objects.
And all parts of the Yom Kippur service are valid only when performed by him.

“And all these halakhot unique to the High Priest are not limited to one who was consecrated with anointing oil, but apply also to a High Priest of many garments. During the Second Temple period, when the oil used for anointing was no longer available for anointing High Priests, the High Priests were consecrated by virtue of wearing the eight garments. This is true except with regard to the bull brought for all the mitzvot, which is brought only by a High Priest consecrated with anointing oil.

“And all these halakhot apply to a former High Priest who had been consecrated to substitute for a High Priest who had become disqualified. If the disqualification of the original High Priest is removed, he may return to his position. Although the substitute no longer serves as a High Priest, he retains the sanctity of a High Priest and the halakhot of the High Priest continue to apply to him. This is true except with regard to the sacrifice of the bull on Yom Kippur and the sacrifice of the tenth of an ephah each day.

“And none of them applies to the priest anointed for war, except for the five items stated explicitly in the passage about the High Priest (Leviticus 21:10–15):
When in mourning, he does not let his hair grow wild nor does he rend his clothing in the way regular mourners do.
And he may not become ritually impure in the event of the death of his close relatives.
And he is commanded to marry a virgin, and he is prohibited from marrying a widow.
And his death allows the return of the accidental killer from the city of refuge, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Yehuda in tractate Makkot (11a). And the Rabbis say: His death does not allow the return of the accidental killer from the city of refuge.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Rav Dimi holds that the priest anointed for war may wear the eight garments and perform the sacrificial rites including the Yom Kippur service in them. Ravina contends that that Rav Dimi is not transmitting the correct tradition. He holds that the priest anointed for war only wears the eight garments when he needs to ask God a question and receive an answer via the Urim and Tummim when the High Priest is unavailable.

The chapter ends with a detailed discussion of the second topic, exactly what are the Urim and Tummim, how do they transmit God’s answer to a question, and who may ask a question. The Yale University seal with its well-known Latin Lux et Veritas — “light and truth” — banner has been in regular use since 1736. The Hebrew phrase Urim V'Tummim astride the center of the seal. If you’re interested go to the very end of a chapter and read all about it.