1) THE PLACE OF THE "KETORES" IN THE ORDER OF THE AVODOS
QUESTION: The Gemara questions the order of the Avodah described by the Mishnah (31b). The Mishnah says that the Avodah of the morning-Ketores is done between the Zerikas ha'Dam of the Tamid and the placing of the Evarim of the Tamid upon the Mizbe'ach (Zerikah, Ketores, Evarim). However, at least part of the Hatavas ha'Neros is done immediately before the Ketores. Why does the Mishnah make no mention of the Hatavas ha'Neros?
This question applies both to the opinion of the Rabanan and the opinion of Aba Shaul. According to the Rabanan, who say that the Ketores is burned between the Hatavah of the first five Neros and the Hatavah of the last two Neros, the Mishnah should say that the Hatavas ha'Neros (of the last two Neros) is done after the Ketores, and not that the Avodah of the Evarim is done after the Ketores (Zerikah, Hatavah of five Neros, Ketores, Hatavah of two Neros, Evarim).
According to Aba Shaul, who says that the Zerikas ha'Dam is done between the two sets of Hatavos, the Mishnah should say that the Hatavah of the last two Neros is done before the Ketores, and not that the Zerikas ha'Dam is done before the Ketores (Hatavah of five Neros, Zerikah, Hatavah of two Neros, Ketores, Evarim).
The Gemara answers that the Mishnah follows the opinion of the Rabanan who say that the Avodah of the Ketores is done before the Hatavah of the last two Neros, and that the Mishnah is "not precise" with regard to the specific order. The Mishnah omits the Avodos done immediately before and immediately after the Ketores (i.e., the Hatavos of the five and two Neros).
If the Mishnah's words are not precise, then why does the Gemara say that it follows the Rabanan? The Mishnah could also follow Aba Shaul, and it is not precise when it omits the Hatavah of the two Neros which is done before the Ketores. RASHI alludes to this question when he explains that it is "preferable" to say that the Mishnah is the Rabanan. Why, though, is it preferable?
ANSWERS:
(a) The RITVA says that it is preferable to say that the Mishnah is the Rabanan because the Rabanan are the majority opinion.
(b) TOSFOS (DH l'Olam) explains that it is preferable to say that the Mishnah is the Rabanan because the first part of the Mishnah mentions the Ketores before the Hatavah of the two Neros, and the Gemara earlier (14a) proves from here that the Mishnah follows the opinion of the Rabanan and not Aba Shaul. Therefore, it is preferable to say that this part of the Mishnah, too, follows the Rabanan.
34b----------------------------------------34b
2) WHERE DOES THE KOHEN GADOL WASH HIS HANDS AND FEET
QUESTION: The Mishnah describes the procedure of the Kohen Gadol's changing of the garments. First, he is brought to the Beis ha'Parvah, a sanctified area. Second, a linen sheet is raised between him and the people. Third, he washes his hands and feet (Kidush Yadayim v'Raglayim). Fourth, he removes his garments.
Kidush Yadayim v'Raglayim (the third step in the procedure) is normally done in the Azarah next to the Kiyor. Why, then, is the Kohen Gadol first brought to the Beis ha'Parvah? He should do Kidush Yadayim v'Raglayim in the Azarah first, and then be brought to the Beis ha'Parvah.
The Mishnah later (43b) answers this question. The Mishnah says that although during the rest of the year the Kidush Yadayim v'Raglayim is done at the Kiyor (not near the Beis ha'Parvah), on Yom Kippur the Kohen Gadol does the Kidush Yadayim v'Raglayim "from the Kiton Shel Zahav," a golden vessel which is filled with water from the Kiyor and brought to the Beis ha'Parvah.
However, when the Mishnah earlier discusses the Kohen Gadol's first Tevilah, RASHI (31b, DH v'Kidesh) says that the Kohen Gadol washes his hands and feet "from the Kiyor." Why does Rashi say that, if the Mishnah later (43b) says that he washes from the "Kiton Shel Zahav"? (The TOSFOS YOM TOV points out that the ROSH here writes explicitly that the Kohen washes "from the Kiton.")
ANSWERS:
(a) Apparently, Rashi does not mean that the Kohen Gadol washes his hands and feet directly from the Kiyor, but rather that he washes from the water of the Kiyor. Rashi is teaching that the "Kiton Shel Zahav" is filled with water "from the Kiyor" and not with other water that is not sanctified.
(b) The RASHASH suggests that perhaps there is a difference between the Kidush Yadayim v'Raglayim done at the time of the first Tevilah and that which is done at the time of the other Tevilos. Indeed, there is an explicit opinion in the Yerushalmi (4:5) that the Kidush done after the first Tevilah is done with water from the Kiyor and not with water from the Kiton.