The Talmud: Treatise XIII. The Daily Sacrifice: Chapter VII

"Jehovah bless thee, and keep thee:
Jehovah make his face shine upon thee,
And be gracious unto thee:
Jehovah lift up his countenance upon thee,
And give thee peace."—Num. vi. 24-26.

CHAPTER VII.

1. When the High Priest entered to worship, three priests had hold of him, one on his right hand, one on his left hand, and one by the jewels on his breast-plate. And so soon as the Captain of the Temple heard the sound of the footsteps of the High Priest as he proceeded on his way, he lifted the veil for him. He entered the holy place, bowed himself, and went out. And his brethren the priests entered, and bowed down, and went out.

2. The priests came and stood on the steps of the porch. The first came and stood to the south of his brother priests. And they had five vessels in their hands,—the flagon in the hand of one, and the cup in the hand of one, and the censer in the hand of one, and the pan in the hand of one, and the spoon with its cover in the hand of one. They blessed the people once. In the city they said the service in three blessings, but in the sanctuary they said it in one blessing, In the sanctuary they pronounced the Name 1 as it is written,

but in the city they pronounced it by its substitute. 1 In the city the priests raised their hands (in blessing) opposite their shoulders, but in the sanctuary they raised them above their heads, excepting the High Priest, who could not lift his hands above the golden plate. R. Judah said, "even the High Priest could lift his hands above the golden plate, as is said, 'Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people and blessed them.'" 2

3. When the High Priest desired to offer incense, he went up on the ascent to the altar, and the Sagan (Suffragan) was on his right. When he reached the half of the ascent, the Sagan took him by his right hand and helped him up. The first (priest) reached to him the head and hind foot of the lamb, and he laid his hand on them, and then pushed them away. The second priest reached out to the first one the two fore-legs, and he handed them to the High Priest, and he laid his hands upon them, and then pushed them away; the second priest was dismissed, and he departed, and so they reached out to him all the members of the lamb, and he laid his hands upon them and pushed them away; but when he desired, he merely laid his hands on them, and others pushed them away. He next came to make a circuit of the altar. "From what place did he begin?" "From the south-eastern corner, north-eastern, north-western, south-western." They gave to him the wine for libation. The Sagan stood by the corner of the altar with the banners in his hand, and two priests stood by the table of the fat with two silver trumpets in their hands: They sounded a blast, they blew an alarm, and again they sounded the trumpets. They came and took their position beside the son of Arza. 3 One stood on his right hand and one stood on his left. The High Priest bowed down to make the libation, and the Sagan waved the banners, and the son of Arza clanged the cymbals, and the Levites intoned the chant.

[paragraph continues] When they came to a full stop, the trumpets sounded, and the people bowed themselves. At every full stop there was a blast, and at every blast there was bowing down. This is the order of the daily offering for the service of the House of our God. May it be His will to build it speedily in our days. Amen.

4. The chant which the Levites intoned in the sanctuary on the first day of the week was, "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." 1 On the second day they said, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness." 2 On the third day they said, "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty: He judgeth among the gods." 3 On the fourth day they said, "O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself." 4 On the fifth day they said, "Sing aloud unto God our strength, make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob." 5 On the sixth day they said, "The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty," 6 etc. On the Sabbath they said the chant composed for the Sabbath day, the chant composed for the future, for the day to come, when all will be rest and repose for life everlasting.

Footnotes

253:1 That is by substituting for the Name (Jehovah) the word Adonai, except where Adonai and Jehovah come together. In such cases Elohim is substituted for Jehovah.