Jerusalem Talmud Yoma 6.3

משנה: מְסָרוֹ לְמִי שֶׁהוּא מוֹלִיכוֹ. הַכֹּל כְּשֵׁרִין לְהוֹלִיכוֹ אֶלָּא שֶׁעָשׂוּ כֹּהֲנִים גְּדוֹלִים קֶבַע וְלֹא הָיוּ מַנִּיחִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהוֹלִיכוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי מַעֲשֶׂה וְהוֹלִיכוֹ עַרְשְׂלָא מִצִּיפּוֹרִין וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה:

MISHNAH: He handed him over to the one who led him. Everybody is qualified to lead him, but the High Priests made it an institution that they did not let an Israel lead him. Rebbi Yose said, it happened that Arsela from Sepphoris led it, and he was an Israel.

הלכה: וְשִׁלַּח בְּיַד אִישׁ. לְהַכְשִׁיר אֶת הַזָּר. עִתִּי. שֶׁיְּהֵא עָתִיד. עִתִּי. שֶׁיְּהֵא מְזוּמָּן. עִתִּי. אַף בַּשַּׁבָּת. עִתִּי. אַף בְּטוּמְאָה. לֹא הוּא עָתִיד הוּא מְזוּמָּן. אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא יְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ בְיַד שְׁנַיִם. שִׁילָּחוֹ בְיַד שְׁנַיִם מָהוּ שֶׁיְּטַמֵּא בְגָדִים. נִישְׁמְעִינָהּ מִן הָדָא. וְהַמְשַׁלֵּחַ. לֹא הַמְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ. הָדָא אָמְרָה. שִׁילָּחוֹ בְיַד שְׁנַיִם אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים.

HALAKHAH: He shall send him by a man, to qualify the non-Cohen. Timely. that he be ready; timely, that he be prepared. Timely, even on the Sabbath; timely, even in impurity. Can he be not ready but prepared? But that he should not send him by two people. If he sent him by two people, does he make clothing impure? Let us hear from the following: And the one who sends; not who was sending the one who sends. This implies that if he sent him by two people, it does not make clothing impure.

בָּרַח דֶּרֶךְ הֲלִיכָה מְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים. דֶּרֶךְ חֲזִירָה אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים.

If it escapes in the direction in which it is going, it makes clothing impure, in the opposite direction it does not make clothing impure.

שָׁאֲלוּ אֶת רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. חָלָה הַשָּׁלִיחַ. אֲמַר לָהֶן. כָּךְ תְּהוּ בְשָׁלוֹם. וְאִם חָלָה הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ. אֲמַר לָהֶן. יָכוֹל הוּא לִטְעוֹן אֶתְכֶם וְלִי. דְּחָייוֹ וְלֹא מֵת. אֲמַר לָהֶן. כֵּן יְהוּ אוֹיְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם. לֹא שֶׁהָיָה רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מַפְלִיגָן אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה אוֹמִֵר לָהֶן דְּבָרִים שֶׁלֹּא שְׁמָעָן מִיָּמָיו. וְחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים. חָלָה הַשָּׁלִיחַ מְשַׁלְּחוֹ בְיַד אַחֵר. חָלָה הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ מַרְכִּיבוֹ עַל הַחַמּוֹר. דְּחָייוֹ וְלֹא מֵת. יוֹרֵד אַחֲרָיו וּמֵמִיתוֹ.

“They asked Rebbi Eliezer, if the agent got sick? He said to them, so you shall be in peace. If the scapegoat fell ill? He said to them, it can carry you and me. If he pushed it but it did not die? He said to them, so it shall happen to all enemies of Heaven. Not that Rebbi Eliezer wanted to distract them, only that he did not tell them statements which he never had heard. But the Sages are saying, if the agent got sick, he sends it by somebody else/ If the scapegoat fell ill, he lets it be carried on a donkey. If he pushed it but it did not die, he has to descend after it and kill it.”

כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיָה שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק קַיָים לֹא הָיָה מַגִּיעַ לְמַחֲצִית הָהָר עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה אֵיבָרִין אֵיבָרִין. מִשֶּׁמֵּת שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק הָיָה בוֹרֵחַ לַמִּדְבָּר וְהַסַרָקִיִין אוֹכְלִין אוֹתוֹ. כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיָה שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק קַיָים הָיָה גּוֹרָל שֶׁלַּשֵּׁם עוֹלֶה בְּיָמִין. מִשֶּׁמֵּת שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק פְּעָמִים בַּיָּמִין פְּעָמִים בַּשְּׂמֹאל. כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיָה שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק קַיָים הָיָה נֵר מַעֲרָבִי דוֹלֵק. מִשֶּׁמֵּת שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק פְּעָמִים כָּבָה פְּעָמִים דָּלַק. כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיָה שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק קַיָים הָיָה לָשׁוֹן שֶׁלִזְהוֹרִית מַלְבִּין. מִשֶּׁמֵּת שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק פְּעָמִים מַלְבִּין פְּעָמִים מַאֲדִים. כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיָה שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק קַיָים הָיָה אוֹר הַמַּעֲרָכָה מִתְגַּבֵּר וְעוֹלֶה. מִשֶּׁהָיוּ נוֹתְנִין שְׁנֵי גֵיזִירֵי עֵצִים בַּשַּׁחֲרִית לֹא הָיוּ נוֹתְנִין כַּל הַיּוֹם. מִשֶּׁמֵּת שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק תָּשַׁשׁ כּוֹחָהּ שֶׁלַּמַּעֲרָכָה וְלֹא הָיוּ נִמְנַעִין לִהְיוֹת נוֹתְנִין עֵצִים כַּל הַיּוֹם. כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיָה שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק קַיָים הָיְתָה בְרָכָה מְשׁוּלַּחַת בִּשְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם וּבְלֵחֵם הַפָּנִים. וְהָיָה נוֹפֵל לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד עַד כְּזַיִת. וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶן שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹכְלִין וּשְׂבֵיעִין. וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶן שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹכְלִין וּמוֹתִירִין. מִשֶּׁמֵּת שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק נִיטְלָה בְרָכָה מִשְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם וּמִלֶּחֵם הַפָּנִים. וְהָיָה נוֹפֵל לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מֵהֶן עַד כְּאָפוּן. הַצְּנוּעִים הָיוּ מוֹשְׁכִין אֶת יְדֵיהֶן. וְהַגַּרְגְּרָנִים הָיוּ פוֹשְׁטִין אֶת יְדֵיהֶן. מַעֲשֶׂה בְכֹהֵן אֶחָד בְּצִיפּוֹרִין שֶׁנָּטַל חֶלְקוֹ וְחֶלֶק חֲבֵירוֹ. וְהוּא הָיָה נִקְרָא בֶּן הָאָפוּן עַד הַיּוֹם. הוּא שֶׁדָּוִד אָמַר אֱלֹהַי פַּלְּטֵינִי מִיַּד רָשָׁע מִכַּף מְעַוֵול וְחוֹמֵץ.

“All during Simeon the Just’s lifetime he did not fall down half the mountain before he dissolved into limbs; after Simeon the Just’s death he fled to the desert and was eaten by the Saracens. All during Simeon the Just’s lifetime the lot for Hashem came up in his right hand; after Simeon the Just’s death sometimes it came up to the right, sometimes to the left. All during Simeon the Just’s lifetime the Easternmost light was burning; after Simeon the Just’s death sometimes it was extinguished, sometimes burning. All during Simeon the Just’s lifetime the shiny strip turned white; after Simeon the Just’s death sometimes it turned white, sometimes it turned red. All during Simeon the Just’s lifetime the fire on the altar steadily increased; after they had put on two logs in the morning they did not add anything during the day. After Simeon the Just’s death the fire weakened; the had to add wood all day long. All during Simeon the Just’s lifetime a blessing was in the Two Breads and the shew-bread; the part of each one came to an olive sized bite; some of them ate and were full, some of them ate and left over. After Simeon the Just’s death the blessing was taken from the Two Breads and the shew-bread; the part of each one came only to a pea-sized bit. The decent ones refrained from taking; the gluttons stretched out their hands. It happened that a Cohen from Sepphoris took his and another’s part; he was called “pea-sized one” to this day. This is what David said, My God, let me escape from the hand of the evildoer, from the palm of the criminal and oppressor.”

[תַּנֵּי.] אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה עַד שֶׁלֹּא חָרֵב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיָה נֵר מַעֲרָבִי כָּבָה וְלָשׁוֹן שֶׁלִזְהוֹרִית מַאֲדִים וְגּוֹרָל שֶׁלַּשֵּׁם עוֹלֶה בַשְּׂמֹאל. וְהָיוּ נוֹעֲלִין דַּלְתּוֹת הַהֵיכָל מִבָּעֶרֶב וּמַשְׁכִּימִין וּמוֹצְאִין אוֹתָן פְּתוּחִין. אָמַר לוֹ רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּיי. הֵיכַל. לָמָּה אַתָּה מְבַהֲלֵינוּ. יוֹדָעִין אָנוּ שֶׁסּוֹפָךְ לִיחָרֵב. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר פְּתַח לְבָנוֹן דְּלָתֶיךָ וְתֹאכַל אֵשׁ בַּאֲרָזֶיךָ.

It was stated: “Forty years before the Temple was destroyed was the Eastern light extinguished, and the shiny strip became red, and the lot of the Name came up in the left hand. They were locking the doors of the Temple hall in the evening and in the morning they found them open. Rabban Johanan ben Zakkai addressed it: ‘Temple hall, why do you frighten us? We know that in the end you will be destroyed, as it was said, Lebanon, open your doors so fire may consume your cedars.’”

אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה שִׁימֵּשׁ שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּכְהוּנָּה גְדוֹלָה. וּבַשָּׁנָה הָאַחֲרוֹנָה אָמַר לָהֶן. בַּשָּׁנָה זוֹ אֲנִי מֵת. אָמְרוּ לוֹ. לְמִי נִמְנֶה אַחֲרֶיךָ. אָמַר לָהֶן. הֲרֵי נְחוֹנְיוֹן בְּנִי לִפְנֵיכֶם. הָלְכוּ וּמִינּוּ אֶת נְחוֹנְיוֹן. וְקִינֶּא בוֹ [שִׁמְעוֹן] אָחִיו וְהָלַךְ וְהִלְבִּישׁוֹ [אוּנְקְ]לָה וְחֲגָרוֹ (צוּצָל) [צִלְצָל]. אָמַר לַהֶן. רְאוּ מַה נָדַר לַאֲהוּבָתוֹ. אָמַר לָהּ. לִכְשֶׁאַשַּׁמֵּשׁ בִּכְהוּנָּה גְדוֹלָה אֶלְבַּשׁ נַקְלָה שֶׁלָּיִךְ וְאַחְגּוֹר (בְּצוּצָל) [בְּצִלְצָל] שֶׁלָּיִךְ. בָּדְקוּ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים וְלֹא מָצְאוּ [אוֹתוֹ]. אָמְרוּ. מִשָּׁם בָּרַח לְהַר הַמֶּלֶךְ. מִשָּׁם בָּרַח לְאַלֵכְסַנְדְּרִיאָה וְעָמַד וּבָנָה שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ. וְקַרַא עָלָיו אֶת הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה מִזְבֵּחַ לַיי בְּתוֹךְ אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. וַהֲרֵי הַדְּבָרִים קַל וָחוֹמֶר. וּמַה אִם זֶה שֶׁבָּרַח מִן הַשְּׂרָרָה רְאוּ הֵיאַךְ נְחַזֵּר עָלֶיהָ בַסּוֹף. מִי שֶׁהוּא נִכְנַס וְיוֹצֵא עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. תַּנֵּי. זוֹ דִבְרֵי רִבִּי מֵאִיר. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר. לֹא כִי אֶלָּא מִינּוּ אֶת שִׁמְעוֹן. וְקִינֶּא בוֹ נְחוֹנְייוֹן אָחִיו וְהָלַךְ וְהִלְבִּישׁוֹ נַקְלָה וְחֲגָרוֹ (צוּצָל) [צִלְצָל]. אָמַר לַהֶן. רְאוּ מַה נָדַר לַאֲהוּבָתוֹ כול׳ הֵיךְ קַדְמִיָיא. וַהֲרֵי הַדְּבָרִים קַל וָחוֹמֶר. וּמַה אִם מִי שֶׁלֹּא נִכְנַס לַשְּׂרָרָה רְאוּ הֵיאַךְ הֶעֱשִׂיא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. מִי שֶׁהוּא נִכְנַס וְיוֹצֵא עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.

Simeon the Just served Israel as High Priest for forty years, and in the last year he told them, in this year I am going to die. They asked him, whom shall we appoint in your stead? He told them, there is my son Onias before you. They went and appointed Onias. His brother [Simon] was jealous of him, he went and dressed him in an undershirt and girded him with a belt. He told them, look what this one vowed to his sweetheart: when I shall serve as High Priest I shall wear your undershirt and gird myself with your belt. They investigated and did not find [him]. It is said, he fled to King’s Mountain, from there he fled to Alexandria, based himself there and built there an altar, over which he recited this verse, on that day there will be an altar for the Eternal inside the Land of Egypt. Is that not an argument de minore ad majus? See how this one who fled from prominence went to seek it at the end, if one attained it and lost it not so much more? It was stated, these are the words of Rebbi Meïr. Rebbi Jehudah said, it was not so but they appointed Simeon; his brother Onias was jealous of him, he went and dressed him in an undershirt and girded him with a belt. He told them, look what this one vowed to his sweetheart etc., as before Is that not an argument de minore ad majus? See how this one who never attained prominence forced Israel to foreign worship, if one attained it and lost it not so much more?