3,891. Sleeping on Duty

Hilchos Beis HaBechirah 8:10

There was a supervisor over the various watches of guards, called “the man of the Temple Mount.” He checked on the watches during the night, with torches going before him. If a guard didn’t stand and greet him with “Peace to you, man of the Temple Mount,” he would assume that the guard was sleeping and strike him with his staff. He was even allowed to set fire to a sleeping guard’s clothes. There was a common expression in Jerusalem that noise coming from the courtyard must be the cries of a Levi being struck and his clothing being burned because he was asleep on duty.

Hilchos Beis HaBechirah 8:11

Each morning, a little before dawn, the officer in charge of the Temple would come and knock to awaken the kohanim who slept in the hearth chamber. They would open the gate and he took the keys, which he then used to unlock the wicket that led from the hearth chamber to the courtyard. He then entered the courtyard, followed by the kohanim. They held two lit torches and split into two groups, which traveled east and west, respectively. They checked the whole courtyard, proceeding until they reconvened at the chamber of those who baked the chavitin (a certain flour offering). When the two groups met, they would say, “Well, all is well.” They then impelled the bakers to start making the chavitin.