And why was all this necessary? For it once happened that the light of the moon shone forth and it seemed as if the east was alight (with the sun) and they slaughtered the tamid and (after becoming aware of their error) they took it out to be burned. [This did not occur on Yom Kippur, for the light of the moon does not shine close to sunrise on Yom Kippur, which falls out in the first third of the month, but (this occurred) at the end of one of the months, when the moon shines close to sunrise. This error occurred, and, fearing that on Yom Kippur a similar error might occur, they required all this.] They would then take the high-priest down to the mikveh. [This is independent (of what precedes). It reverts to (3:1): "…'until Chevron?' And he says: 'Yes.'" After he said: "Yes," they would take the high-priest down to the mikveh, for he had to immerse before he slaughtered the tamid. This rule obtained in the Temple: Whoever "covered his legs" [(a euphemism for defecation)] required immersion; whoever passed water required laving of hands and feet.
Bartenura on Mishnah Yoma
שפעם אחת עלה מאור הלבנה – it is not speaking about Yom Kippur, for it is impossible to ascend from the light of the moon so close to the morning light on Yom Kippur which is the first third of the month, but rather, at the end of one of the months when the moon ascends near the time of the crack of dawn, an error took place, and they suspected lest it was on Yom Kippur that another mistake would occur in a similar manner, therefore, they needed all of this.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Yoma
Introduction
The first half of this mishnah is a continuation of yesterday’s mishnah where we learned how cautious the priests were to ensure that dawn had truly broken before they slaughtered the morning tamid sacrifice.
The second half of the mishnah proceeds with the descriptions of the Temple service.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Yoma
הורידו כהן גדול – this is an individual matter, and now he returns to that which was taught above, “until Hebron” and he answers affirmatively, and after the one who sees responded, they would bring down the High Priest to the ritual bath for he needed immersion prior to sacrificing the daily offering [of the morning].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Yoma
And why was all that necessary? Because once the light of the moon rose and they thought that the east was lit up and slaughtered the continual offering, [and afterwards] they had to take it out to the place of burning. The reason for all of the strict procedures which we learned in yesterday’s mishnah was that one time it happened that the moonlight was particularly strong and the priests thought that it was dawn. They then sacrificed the morning tamid before they realized their error. Since the tamid was slaughtered at night it was unfit and had to be burned at the “place of burning” where they would burn unfit sacrifices. They would then have been liable to offer another tamid sacrifice.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Yoma
המיסך רגליו – it is a substituted word for his large defecation.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Yoma
They led the high priest down to the place of immersion. On Yom Kippur the before they offered the tamid they would lead the high priest down to immerse himself, a requirement of which we will read more in mishnah three.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Yoma
This was the rule in the Temple: whoever covers his feet required an immersion, and whoever passed water required sanctification [by washing] his hands and feet. “Covers his feet” is a euphemism for defecating (See Judges 3:24). A priest who defecates must fully immerse himself before serving again in the Temple. However, urinating only requires him to sanctify himself by washing his hands and feet and not his whole body.
