siman - Yoma Daf 9

• The yearly turnover of Kohanim Gedolim during Bayis Sheini

The Gemara on Daf 8b mentioned that there was great turnover of Kohanim Gadolim during Beis Sheini due to their unworthiness to serve in the position. Rabbah bar bar Chanah said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan: What is the meaning of that which is written, יראת ה' תוסיף ימים ושנות רשעים תקצרנה – The fear of Hashem will increase days; but the years of the wicked will be shortened. “The fear of Hashem will increase days” is a reference to Mikdash Rishon, which stood for four hundred and ten years and throughout that period only eighteen Kohanim Gedolim served in it. “But the years of the wicked will be shortened” is a reference to Mikdash Sheini, which stood for four hundred and twenty years yet more than three hundred Kohanim Gedolim served in it. When one deducts from the four hundred and twenty years, the forty years that Shimon HaTzaddik served, the eighty years that Yochanan Kohen Gadol served, and the ten years that Yishmael ben Pabi served, and some say the eleven years that Rebbe Elazar ben Charsom served, you will find that none of the Kohanim Gadolim that served from that point forward lived out their year in office.

• The causes for the churban of Shiloh, Bayis Rishon and Bayis Sheini

Rebbe Yochanan ben Torsa said: מפני מה חרבה שילה – Why was Shiloh destroyed? מפני שהיו בה שני דברים גלוי עריות ובזיון קדשים – Because of two things that were present there, immorality and irreverence of the kodshim. The Gemara explains that the immorality, was the behavior of Eli HaKohen’s sons, who delayed the women bringing bird offerings, which prevented them from returning home to their husbands. The irreverence to kodshim, was that they had their servants take the meat of the shelamim before they were entitled to them.

Rebbe Yochanan continues, and states that Bayis Rishon was destroyed because of three things, עבודה זרה וגילוי עריות ושפיכות דמים – avodah zarah, immorality and bloodshed. Why was Bayis Sheini destroyed, when we know they were involved with Torah, mitzvos and gemilus chasadim? מפני שהיתה בו שנאת חנם – Because of sinas chinom. This teaches that sinas chinom is equal to the three cardinal sins of עבודה זרה גלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים. The Gemara questions whether no sinas chinom existed during Bayis Rishon, bringing a passuk that indicates that it did exist, and answers that the passuk is referring to the נשיאי ישראל – the leaders of the people. It was not prevalent, however, among the general population.

• Why the end of galus Bavel was revealed and not the end of the current galus

Rebbe Yochanan and Rebbe Elazar both said: ראשונים שנתגלה עונם נתגלה קצם – The earlier ones, whose iniquity was revealed, had their end revealed. Rashi explains that during Bayis Rishon, people transgressed openly and made no effort to conceal their transgressions. Therefore, Yirmiyahu prophesied that the galus in Bavel would last seventy years. אחרונים שלא נתגלה עונם לא נתגלה קצם – The later ones, whose iniquity was not revealed, their end was not revealed. Rashi explains that the people during Bayis Sheini did their transgressions in secret. The Maharsha says that they harbored unwarranted hatred toward their fellow men in their hearts, while in public they would eat and drink together.