Audio by Shimi Berger

Mishnah Tamid 7:1: When the Kohen Gadol entered [the sanctuary] to bow, three [other priests] would hold him, one on his right side, one on his left side and one held on to the precious stones [on the vestments of the Kohen Gadol]. As soon as the appointed priest heard the steps of the Kohen Gadol as he was leaving [the sanctuary], he lifted the curtain [to the vestibule of the sanctuary], entered, bowed and left, and [only then] did the rest of his brothers, the priests, enter, bow and leave.

בזמן שכהן גדול נכנס להשתחות. שלשה אוחזין בו אחד בימינו. ואחד בשמאלו. ואחד באבנים טובות. וכיון ששמע הממונה קול רגליו של כהן גדול שהוא יוצא. הגביה לו את הפרוכת. נכנס והשתחוה ויצא ונכנסו אחיו הכהנים והשתחוו ויצאו:

Mishnah Tamid 7:2: They [the three priests who did the incense service] would come and stand on the steps of the vestibule. The first [the two who removed the ashes] stood to the south of their colleagues the priests [who did the incense service] and had five utensils in their hands, the basket in the hand of one of them, the jug in the hand of one of them, the firepan in the hand of one of them, the censer in the hand of one of them, and the spoon and its cover in the hand of the other one. And they [all the priests] blessed the nation with one blessing, which in the [outer] districts [outside the temple] are said as three blessings, but in the temple as one blessing. In the temple they would say the [G-d's] name as it is written but outside the temple they would use a pseudonym. Outside the temple the priests lifted their hands [when reciting the blessing] up to their shoulders, but in the temple [they would lift them] above their heads except for the Kohen Gadol who would not lift his hands above the forehead plate [worn by the Kohen Gadol]. Rabbi Yehuda says, even the Kohen Gadol lifts his hands above the forehead plate, as it says, "And Aaron raised his hands towards the people and blessed them."(Leviticus 9:22)

באו ועמדו על מעלות האולם. עמדו הראשונים לדרום אחיהם הכהנים. וחמשה כלים בידם. הטני ביד אחד. והכוז ביד אחד. והמחתה ביד אחד. והבזך ביד אחד. וכף וכסויה ביד אחד. וברכו את העם ברכה אחת. אלא שבמדינה אומרים אותה שלש ברכות ובמקדש ברכה אחת. במקדש היו אומרים את השם ככתבו. ובמדינה בכנויו. במדינה הכהנים נושאים את כפיהם ידיהם כנגד כתפותיהם. ובמקדש על גבי ראשיהן. חוץ מכהן גדול. שאין מגביה את ידיו למעלה מן הציץ. רבי יהודה אומר. אף כהן גדול מגביה את ידיו למעלה מן הציץ. שנאמר (ויקרא ט, כב) וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ויברכם:

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