Sukkah 56A

תלמוד לומר: ״חלק כחלק יאכלו״, כחלק עבודה כך חלק אכילה. ומאי אכילה? אילימא קרבנות, מהתם נפקא: ״לכהן המקריב אותה לו תהיה״! אלא: לחם הפנים.

The verse states: “They should have like portions to eat” (Deuteronomy 18:8); just as all the watches receive an equal portion of the service, so too all the watches receive an equal portion in the eating. The Talmud asks: What is the eating mentioned in this verse? If you say it is the eating of offerings, the verse is superfluous, as it is derived from there: “And every meal-offering…should be the priest’s that offers it” (Leviticus 7:9), which, although it was written with regard to meal-offerings, applies to all offerings. Moreover, it teaches that a priest who participates in the sacrifice of the offering shares in eating the offering. Rather, the verse is referring to the showbread that was not part of the service this Shabbat, as it was baked the previous Shabbat.

יכול אף בחובות הבאות שלא מחמת הרגל ברגל, תלמוד לומר: ״לבד ממכריו על האבות״⁠ — מה מכרו האבות זה לזה, אני בשבתי ואתה בשבתך.

One might have thought that all the watches should be equal even with regard to obligations that come not due to the Festival but are brought on the Festival nevertheless, as there were many vow-offerings and free-will offerings brought to the Temple that were not part of the Festival rite, but simply the result of people taking advantage of their presence in Jerusalem to fulfill their outstanding obligations. Therefore, the verse states: “Besides the transactions of their fathers’ houses” (Deuteronomy 18:8). What did the forefathers of each watch sell each other? They agreed with regard to the service of the watches: I will serve during my week, and you will serve during your week. Each watch has the right to perform the Temple service during its appointed weeks and to receive all priestly gifts offered during those weeks.