Siman - Yoma Daf 47
- Why the Kohen Gadol needed a kaf for the ketores
The opening Mishnah of the fifth perek states, הוציאו לו את הכף ואת המחתה – They bring out for him the ladle and the shovel, חפן מלא חפניו ונתן לתוך הכף – He scoops up his cupped-hands full of ketores and places it in the ladle. The Gemara asks why the kaf is needed on Yom Kippur, since the passuk states, מלא חפניו...והביא – He shall take…his cupped-hands full of finely ground ketores and bring them within the paroches. The Gemara answers that it was not possible to carry the ketores into the kodesh kedoshim without the kaf. He could not enter once with the shovelful of coals and then enter again with the chafina, since the passuk mentions “bringing in” only once. If he were to take the ketores in his hands and put the machteh on top, then he would need to grasp the machteh in his teeth and place it on the ground and then put the ketores on it. This would be unseemly if done before a human king, let alone before the מלך מלכי המלכים הקדוש ברוך הוא. Therefore, since it is not possible to bring the ketores in his cupped hands, he does it in the manner that is found by the Nesi’im. Rashi explains that when the Nesi’im brought their special offerings for the inauguration of the Mishkan, they offered a כף קטרת – a ladleful of ketores.
- שבעה בנים היה לה לקמחית
The Gemara relates that Rebbe Yishmael ben Kimchis had such large hands, that when he was Kohen Gadol, he would do chafinah of four kabin of ketores. Once, on Yom Kippur, while speaking to a certain Arab in the market, a drop of spittle sprayed from the Arab’s mouth onto Rebbe Yishmael’s garment, making him tamei, and his brother Yesheivav served as Kohen Gadol in his place. Their mother saw two of her sons serve as Kohanim Gedolim on the same day. A similar incident occurred another year while he was speaking to a nobleman, and his brother Yosef served in his stead.
It was taught in a Baraisa, שבעה בנים היה לה לקמחית וכולן שמשו בכהונה גדולה – Kimchis had seven sons and all of them served as Kohen Gadol. The Rabbanon asked her what she did to be zocheh to this, and she replied, מימי לא ראו קורות ביתי קלעי שערי – In all my days, the beams of my house did not see the braids of my hair. They said to her, הרבה עשו כן ולא הועילו – Many women did this and did not accomplish what you did.
- The status of the flour that is trapped between the fingers of one’s kometz
The Gemara brings an inquiry regarding the rule that the kometz is not supposed to be overflowing. Rebbe Yochanan said that Rebbe Yehoshua ben Uzaah inquired, בין הבינים של מלא קומצו מהו – What is the status of that which is trapped between the fingers of one’s full kometz? Is it considered part of the kometz, or not? Rav Pappa clarified that the question pertained to that which is trapped between the fingers and not visible to either side. When Rebbe Yehoshua ben Uzaah resolved the question and answered that that which is trapped between the fingers is a safek, the Gemara asks what should be done with it? Rav Mari says that according to the Rabbanon, who forbid something that is meant to be eaten to be placed on the mizbayach, even for the sake of firewood, there is no option except דקמצי שמיני – that fat Kohanim perform kemitzah. Since their hands are pudgy, nothing will get trapped between their fingers.
