Study Yoma folio 32B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל, קל וחומר: מה בגדי זהב שאין כהן נכנס בהן לפני ולפנים — טעון טבילה, בגדי לבן שנכנס בהן לפני ולפנים — אינו דין שטעון טבילה! איכא למפרך: מה לבגדי זהב שכן כפרתן מרובה! אלא, נפקא ליה מדרבי.
The school of R' Yishmael taught that it is derived by means of an a fortiori inference: Just as before donning golden garments, with which the High Priest does not enter the innermost sanctum, the Holy of Holies, the High Priest requires immersion, before donning white garments, with which the High Priest enters the innermost sanctum, is it not right that the High Priest require immersion? The Talmud asks: The a fortiori inference can be refuted: What is the comparison to golden garments, as the atonement that they effect is extensive? The High Priest serves in the golden garments throughout the year atoning for the sins of the Jewish people; he wears the white garments on just one Yom Kippur. Therefore, it is reasonable that before donning them, the High Priest would require immersion. Rather, it is derived from the verse cited by R' Yehuda HaNasi.
אמר רבי: מנין לחמש טבילות ועשרה קידושין שטובל כהן גדול ומקדש בו ביום, תלמוד לומר: ״כתנת בד קודש ילבש״, הא למדת שכל המשנה מעבודה לעבודה שטעון טבילה. אשכחן מבגדי זהב לבגדי לבן, מבגדי לבן לבגדי זהב מנין?
The Talmud analyzes an additional clause from the baraita cited above. R' Yehuda HaNasi said: From where are derived the 5 immersions and 10 sanctifications that the High Priest immerses and sanctifies his hands and feet, respectively, on the day of Yom Kippur? They are derived from the verse that states: “He should be dressed in a sacred linen tunic, and with linen trousers next to his flesh, and he should be girded with a linen belt, and he should wear a linen mitre; they are sacred garments, and he should wash his flesh in water and then put them on” (Leviticus 16:4). From this you learned: Anyone who moves from an inner service, in the Holy of Holies, to an outer service, and vice versa, requires immersion. The Talmud asks: We found proof that the High Priest requires immersion when he changes from golden garments to white garments; however, from where is it derived that he requires immersion when he changes from white garments to golden garments?