SIR,
I UNDERSTAND THAT IN BAYIS SHENI THE KOHANIM GEDOLIM WERE CORRUPT AND ACQUIRED THE POSITION THROUGH BRIBERY (dAF 9A)
I HAVE 2 QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS (a) TO WHOM WERE THE BRIBES PAID? AND (b) WHAT WAS THE PROCEDURE FOR SELECTING A KOHAIN GADOL DURING BAYIS RISHON?
THANKS IN ADVANCE,
MEIR WIKLER
(a) The bribes were paid to the king (see Gemara and Rashi later, 18a).
(b) During the times of the first Beis ha'Mikdash, says TOSFOS (12a, DH Kohen Gadol), the Kohen Gadol was appointed by "the Melech, and his brothers the Kohanim." The "Melech" refers to the Melech from Beis David, and "his brothers the Kohanim" seems to refer to the Beis Din of Kohanim (mentioned in the end of Midos).
They appointed him based on the guidelines of the Torah (18a). That is, if he had a son fitting for the position, then his son was appointed after him, and if he did not have a son to take his place, they appointed the Kohen who was the most outstanding in wisdom, strength, beauty, and wealth, as the Gemara there (18a) says.
It should be noted that the Tosefta in Sanhedrin (3:2) clearly states that the Kohen Gadol was appointed by the Sanhedrin. This does not necessarily contradict the words of Tosfos, though, for "his brothers the Kohanim" might refer also to the Sanhedri of Kohanim that sat in the Azarah (end of Midos).
M. Kornfeld
DEAR REBBI MORDECHAI,
YOU MENTIONED THAT THE BRIBES WERE PAID TO THE KING- I ASSUME YOU MEAN NOT TO ANY PARTICULAR KING, BUT RASHI FOR SOME REASON SEEMS TO MINIMIZE THIS GENERALITY AND SAYS IT WAS TO THE KINGS IN THE TIMES OF "BET Chasmonai" (rashi 8b "metoch.......) but would not history not tell us that it was before and after ? why than did rashi hakadosh restrict the time?
yitchack isaac
Rashi's source is the Gemara we cited on 18a, in which a bribe was paid to "Yanai ha'Melech," one of the Malchei Beis Chashmona'i (Kidushin 66a, and Rashi).
I presume that you were bothered by the fact that Malchei Chashmona'i took the position of Kohen Gadol for themselves (as did Yanai himself, in Kidushin ibid.), and did not "sell" it to others. Tosefos Yeshanim and Tosfos Harosh ask on your question on Rashi. They argue with Rashi, claiming that it was the kings of the House of Hordus who would sell the Kehunah Gedolah. Apparently, Rashi learned that the Beis Chashnonai sold the rights to perform the Avodah on Yom Kipur, out of greediness (and perhaps ignorance).
Alternatively, you may have meant to ask why Rashi -- and the Tosfos Yeshanim and Tosfos ha'Rosh that we cited above too, for that matter -- restricted the period at all. It was during the entire second temple period that Kohanim Gedolim "bought" the position.
Apparently that was not so; the earlier Kohanim Gedolim may not have been fit, but that was only because they were affected by the Tzeduki philosophy (as we see in the Gemara on 19b). Apparently, it was during and after the reign of the Chashmona'im (when the Tzedukim lost power and were certainly not elected willingly to Kehunah Gedolah), that Kohanim Gedolim were apt to bribe their way into the position.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,( SINCE YOU LEFT NO NAME AT THE END OF REPLY)
MY QUESTION WAS NOT THE FIRST BUT THE SECOND QUESTION YOU BROUGHT-( actually
it was only a relavent question to the discussion i was having with the rosh kollel regarding 12 chasmonim not 13- AS I ADMIRE HIS UNDERTAKING
TREMENDOUSLY) ( SIMILAR TO THE QUESTION WHY THEY NEEDED 2 WAS IT AS TESTIMONY - I WROTE 2 ANSWERS BUT LETS GO WITH THE ROSH KOLLELS ANSWERS THAT IT WAS NOT A TESTIMONY AS TOSFETS YESHONIM WRITES "ALL ADAF")
ANYWAY CAN YOU TELL WHICH "MEFORUSH" SAYS WHAT "YOU" WROTE-AS I ONLY KNOW WHAT THE RAMBAM WRITES IN HIS PERUSH MESNAYOTS TO THE MISHNA ON DAF 18- SAYS "ALL THE KOHANIM ENTERED THE OFFICE FORCEBALLY WITH MONEY.
YITCHACK ISAAC
Yitzchak,
Thanks again for the Sefer you worked so hard to get to me!
We wrote that not all the Kohanim Gedolim "bought" their way in; besides Rashi, who seems to say this clearly (as you pointed out), this is clear from Tosfos Yeshanim 8b DH she'Nosnim, who writes (exactly the opposite of Rashi) that the Chashmona'i Kohanim Gedolim were the kings themselves, who obviously did not buy their way in (but just "took" their places by themselves).
Be well, Mordecai