Siman - Yoma Daf 43
- Those that are permitted to gather the ash and place it outside the camp
Ulla continues expounding the passukim about the parah adumah. The passuk states, "ואסף איש טהור את אפר הפרה והניח" – And a man who is tahor shall gather the ash of the cow, and he shall place it outside the camp in a tahor place. "איש" להכשיר את הזר – The specification "man" comes to qualify a zar for this procedure. Rashi explains that had the Torah simply written “he” shall gather the ash, it would have referred to the Kohen, who is the subject of the earlier passukim. Therefore, the Torah states "a man," to indicate that even a zar can do it. "טהור" להכשיר את האשה – The specification "tahor" comes to qualify a woman for it. Rashi explains that there was no need to teach that a tamei may not gather the ashes, since this is known from the fact that the Torah calls the parah adumah a chatas. "והניח" מי שיש בו דעת להניח יצאו חרש שוטה וקטן שאין בהן דעת להניח – And since the passuk states: "and he shall place," excluded are a deaf-mute, a shoteh and an katan, who do not have the mental competence to place it in the proper place.
- מוטב יבא זכאי ויכפר על החייב
The Mishnah stated, בא לו אצל פרו שניה – The Kohen Gadol then comes to his bull a second time and confesses. The Gemara asks, מאי שנא בוידוי ראשון דלא אמר ובני אהרן עם קדושך – Why is it different, that in the case of the first viduy, that he does not say, "ובני אהרן עם קדושך" and in the second viduy he says it? The Gemara brings a Baraisa that was taught in the yeshiva of Rebbe Yishmael to answer the question. מדת הדין נותנת – Thus does logic dictate, מוטב יבא זכאי ויכפר על החייב – Better that an innocent one should come to gain kaparah for the guilty one, ואל יבא חייב ויכפר על החייב – rather than a guilty one should come to gain kaparah for the guilty one.
- כהן גדול עולה באמצע ויורד באמצע
The next Mishnah states, בכל יום כהנים עולין במזרחו של כבש ויורדין במערבו – Every day Kohanim ascend the mizbayach on the eastern side of the ramp and descend on its western side. Rashi explains that the halachah requires the one who ascends the mizbayach to turn towards the right at the top. If the Kohen would climb up the left side of the ramp, he would need to cross the ramp at the top, and it would be unseemly to needlessly cross the ramp. The Mishnah continues, והיום כהן גדול עולה באמצע ויורד באמצע – but today the Kohen Gadol ascends the center of the ramp and descends in the center. Rashi explains that each time the Kohen Gadol ascends the mizbayach, he ascends and descends in the center of the ramp. He thus traverses the entire width of the ramp on each ascent, whether he needs to or not. This display of familiarity demonstrates Hashem’s great love for the Jewish people. The reason the Kohen Gadol is permitted to cross the ramp for no purpose is because he is the Jewish people’s shaliach. His act is symbolic of the unique relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people. Rebbe Yehudah says the Kohen Gadol always ascends and descends in the center.
