Mishnah, Treatise Zebachim, ch. v.
1. Which are the places where the sacrifices were offered?—Those that were most holy were slain on the north side of the altar: the bull and the he-goat of the Day of Atonement were slain on the north side; their blood was received in a vessel of ministry on the north side, and had to be sprinkled between the staves of the ark, and towards the veil, and upon the golden altar: one of these sprinklings omitted rendered the whole ceremony invalid. The remaining blood the priest poured out at the western base of the outer altar; if, however, he did not do so, the omission did not render the ceremony invalid.
2. The bulls and he-goats which were to be wholly burnt. were slain on the north side; their blood was received in a vessel of ministry on the north side, and had to be sprinkled towards the veil and upon the golden altar: one of these sprinklings omitted rendered the whole ceremony invalid. The remaining blood the priest poured out at the western base of the outer altar; if, however, he failed to do so, it did not render the ceremony invalid: both these and the preceding offerings were burnt in the repository of ashes.
3. The sin offerings of the congregation and of the individual.—These are the sin offerings of the congregation: the he-goats offered on the new moon and on the festivals. They were slain on the north side; their blood was received in a vessel of ministry on the north side, and of this blood four sprinklings had to be made, one upon each of the four corners of the altar. How was this done? The priest went up the ascent, passed on to the middle terrace that surrounded the altar, and came successively to the south-east, the north-east, the north-west and the south-west corners. The remaining blood he poured out at the southern base of the altar. These sacrifices might be eaten, dressed after any manner, by the males of the priesthood, within the hangings of the court, the same day and evening until midnight.
4. The burnt offering belonged to the class of the most holy. It was slain on the north side; its blood was received in a vessel of ministry on the north side; and of its blood two sprinklings had to be made (at opposite angles of the altar) so as to constitute four, (a portion of the blood thus reaching each of the four sides of the altar). This offering had also to be flayed, dismembered and totally consumed by fire.
5. The peace offerings of the congregation and the trespass offerings.—These are the trespass offerings: the trespass offerings for robbery, for profane appropriation of sanctified objects, for carnally knowing a handmaid already promised in marriage; the trespass offering of a Nazirite who has become defiled by a dead body; the trespass offering of a leper at his cleansing; the trespass offering of one who is in doubt whether he has committed an act that has to be atoned for by a sin offering. All these were slain on the north side; their blood was received in a vessel of ministry on the north side; and of their blood two sprinklings had to be made at the altar in such a manner as to constitute four. These sacrifices might be eaten, dressed after any manner, by the males of the priesthood, within the hangings of the court, the same day and evening until midnight.
6. The thank offering and the ram of the Nazirite were holy in a minor degree. They might be slain in any part of the court, of their blood two sprinklings had to be made at the altar in such a manner as to constitute four; and they might be eaten, dressed after any manner, by any person, in any part of the city, the same day and until midnight. To the portions thereof belonging to the priests the same rule 'applied as to the rest, except that the former might only be eaten by the priests, their wives, their children and their slaves.
7. The peace offerings were also holy in a minor degree. They might be slain in any part of the court; of their blood two sprinklings had to be made at the altar in such a manner as to constitute four, and they might be eaten, dressed after any manner, by any person, in any part of the city, during two days and one night. To the portions thereof belonging to the priests the same rule applied as to the rest, except that the former might only be eaten by the priests, their wives, their children and their slaves.
8. The first-born, the tithe of cattle and the paschal lamb were likewise holy in a minor degree. They might be slain in any part of the court; only one sprinkling of their blood had to be made; this, however, had to be done towards the base of the altar. In respect to their consumption the following differences prevailed: the first-born might be eaten only by the priests, while the tithe might be eaten by any person: both might be eaten, dressed after any manner, in any part of the city, during two days and one night. The paschal lamb might only be eaten the same evening until midnight; it might be partaken of by none but the previously appointed number of persons, and it might only be eaten roasted.
Boraitha d’R. Ishmael.
Rabbi Ishmael says: There are thirteen exegetical principles by which the Law is expounded:—1. The inference from minor to major. 2. The inference from a similarity of phrases. 3. A general law may be derived by induction from different cases which, occurring in the same or in different verses, have yet some feature in common. 4. A general proposition followed by the enumeration of particulars already comprehended in the general proposition, (in which case the scope of the proposition is limited by the things specified) 5. An enumeration of particulars followed by a general proposition in which they are also comprehended, (in which case the scope of the proposition extends also to the things not specified). 6. Two general propositions, separated from each other by an enumeration of particulars, include only such things as are similar to those specified 7. An inference drawn from a general proposition complemented by a particular term, and an inference drawn from a particular term complemented by a general proposition. 8. If anything is included in a general proposition and is then made the subject of a special statement, that which is predicated of it is not to be understood as limited to itself alone, but is to be applied to the whole of the general proposition 9. If anything is included in a general proposition, and is then singled out in order to be made the subject of a special statement, similar to the general proposition, this particularisation is intended, so far as its subject is concerned, to lessen and not to add to its restrictions. 10. If anything is included in a general proposition, and is then singled out in order to be made the subject of a special statement, not similar to the general proposition, this particularisation is intended in some respects to lessen and in others to add to its restrictions. 11. If anything is included in a general proposition, and is then made the subject of a fresh statement (not in harmony with the former), the terms of the general proposition will not apply to it, unless the Scripture distinctly indicates that they shall apply. 12. The meaning of a passage may be deduced from its context, or from some subsequent passage. 13. Similarly, when two passages are in contradiction to each other, the explanation can be determined only when a third text is found, capable of harmonizing the two.
May it be thy will, O Lord our God and God of our fathers, that the temple be speedily rebuilt in our days and grant our portion in thy Law. And there we will serve thee with awe, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years.
Before putting on the Tallith, say the following:—
I am here enwrapping myself in this fringed robe, in fulfilment of the command of my Creator, as it is written in the Law, They shall make them a fringe upon the corners of their garments throughout their generations. And even as I cover myself with the Tallith in this world, so may my soul deserve to be clothed with a beauteous spiritual robe in the world to come, in the garden of Eden. Amen.
On putting on the Tallith, say:—
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us by thy commandments, and hast commanded us to enwrap ourselves in the fringed garment.
How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge under the shadow of thy wings. They sate themselves with the fatness of thy house; and thou givest them to drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light do we see light. O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
Meditation before laying the Tephillin.
I am here intent upon the act of laying the Tephillin,