Pesachim 5:5-6

Pesachim 5:5

The Passover offering was slaughtered in three shifts as per Exodus 12:6, “the entire gathering of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it” – (1) gathering, (2) congregation and (3) Israel. The first group entered until the Temple courtyard was full, and they closed the doors. They sounded a tekiah, a teruah and a tekiah on a shofar. The kohanim (priests) were stationed in rows holding bowls made of silver and gold – one row had silver and one row had gold; they did not mix. The bowls had rounded bottoms so they couldn’t be set down, which would enable the blood to congeal.

Pesachim 5:6

A Yisroel (Israelite) could slaughter the Passover offering but a kohein (priest) had to receive the blood. The bowl was passed from kohein to kohein, moving the full bowls to the altar and returning the empty bowls to the start of the line. The kohein closest to the altar would throw blood from the bowl against the base of the altar.