Sukkah 048

1:
As we noted in the previous mishnah, all twenty-four priestly contingents were present in the Bet Mikdash, on duty, during the three pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles. In the previous mishnah we saw how the offering of the additional sacrifices of the festival of Sukkot were allocated among the various contingents. But the other two pilgrimage festivals, Pesaḥ and Shavu'ot, also had additional and special sacrifices associated with them.

2:
Two 'special' offerings require our attention at this point. Every Shabbat the Shewbread was changed. In the Torah [Leviticus 24:5-9] we read:

In more modern language: each week twelve loaves were baked and set before God on the golden table in the sanctuary of the Bet Mikdash. Every Shabbat the old loaves were removed and replaced with new ones. The old loaves were distributed among the priests on duty. These loaves had to be eaten by the priests within the precincts of the Bet Mikdash.

3:
The other 'special' offering that should be mentioned is connected with the festival of Shavu'ot. In the Torah [Leviticus 23:15-21] we read:

In more modern language: From the day that you offered the Omer (i.e. the first day of Ḥol ha-Mo'ed Pesaḥ) you must count seven complete weeks. The fiftieth day is a festival. (In Hebrew the festival is called 'Weeks' [Shavu'ot] and in English it is called Pentecost from the Greek for fifty.) On that festival you are to offer several kinds of additional sacrifices. In particular you are to offer two specially baked loaves.

4:
The loaves of the Shewbread (in common with most of the meal-offerings associated with the animal sacrifices) were baked as unleavened bread, Matzah: that is how they lasted a whole week and were still edible for the priests to eat. However, the two loaves offered on Shavu'ot were loaves of leavened (regular) bread.

5:
The Seifa of our mishnah prescribes which regular sacrifices during the festivals were the privilege of the prescribed contingent. Before that, however, our mishnah describes the allocation of all the additional sacrifices among all the contingents.

6:
Each contingent of priests was required to serve in the Bet Mikdash for one week every twenty-four weeks. Thus, during any of the three pilgrimage festivals there would be one 'prescribed' contingent, present for the whole week because that week was its prescribed time, and twenty-three other contingents present just for the days of the festival.

7:
The 'prescribed' contingent was allocated the daily sacrifices of each morning and each afternoon, and in addition all the personal sacrifices that ordinary people might bring during the festival (freewill offerings). The rest of the priests were allocated, together with the 'prescribed' contingent, the additional and special sacrifices of the festival and also the distribution of the Shewbread and, on Shavu'ot, the two loaves.

8:
The 'prescribed' contingents were changed every Saturday night. Should a festival fall on a Friday or on a Sunday, it follows that all the contingents would still be present. That is why they are all entitled to their share of the Shewbread which was distributed on Shabbat afternoon.

9:
If the festival of Shavu'ot fell on a Friday or a Sunday, therefore, each contingent would be given some Matzah, from the Shewbread, and some ordinary bread, from the two special loaves.

Several participants have written to ask why lately the shiurim have been sent out rather sporadically. One or two even guessed at the correct reason. I am going through a bout of ill health and have many appointments with various doctors and various clinics for tests. These appointments are taking up much of my time. In addition, my maladies are sapping my strength. Please bear with me. I am sure that, God willing, this will pass, and we shall then be able to return to the format of two or three shiurim every week.