and instead he sprinkled it backward, or if he intended to sprinkle the water backward and instead he sprinkled it forward, even if the water lands on vessels that require purification, his sprinkling is invalid. However, if one intended to sprinkle the water forward and instead he sprinkled it forward to the sides, his sprinkling is valid. It is derived from here that one’s sides are considered as though they were in front of him.
אמר רבא בר רב הונא: כיון שנפתח ספר תורה אסור לספר אפילו בדבר הלכה, שנאמר: ״ובפתחו עמדו כל העם״, ואין עמידה אלא שתיקה, שנאמר: ״והוחלתי כי לא ידברו כי עמדו לא ענו עוד״. רבי זירא אמר רב חסדא, מהכא: ״ואזני כל העם אל ספר התורה״.
§ Rava bar Rav Huna says: Once a Torah scroll has been opened, it is prohibited to converse, even about a matter of halakha. As it is stated: “And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and when he opened it, all the people stood up” (Nehemiah 8:5), and standing is referring to nothing other than silence, as it is stated: “And should I wait, because they do not speak, because they stand still, and answer no more?” (Job 32:16). R' Zeira said that Rav Ḥisda said: The prohibition against conversing is derived from here: “And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law” (Nehemiah 8:3). They were not listening to any other voice.
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי: כל כהן שלא נטל ידיו — לא ישא את כפיו, שנאמר: ״שאו ידיכם קדש וברכו את ה׳״.
And R' Yehoshua ben Levi says: Any priest who did not first wash his hands may not lift his hands to recite the Priestly Benediction; as it is stated: “Lift up [se’u] your hands in sanctity and bless YHWH” (Psalms 134:2), which teaches that before reciting the benediction one must sanctify his hands by washing them.