עַד שֶׁלֹּא הוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן, הָיוּ הַבָּמוֹת מֻתָּרוֹת, וַעֲבוֹדָה בַּבְּכוֹרוֹת. מִשֶּׁהוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן, נֶאֶסְרוּ הַבָּמוֹת, וַעֲבוֹדָה בַּכֹּהֲנִים. קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים, נֶאֱכָלִים לִפְנִים מִן הַקְּלָעִים. קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים, בְּכָל מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל:
Before the <i>Mishkan</i> was constructed, the <i>Bamot</i> [personal altars] were permitted, and the services were performed by the first-borns. Once the <i>Mishkan</i> was constructed, the <i>Bamot</i> were forbidden, and the services were performed by the <i>Kohanim</i> [the priestly caste, a subgroup of the tribe of Levi, uniquely responsible for maintaining and carrying out the sacrificial services in the Temple]. <i>Kodshai Kodashim</i> were eaten within the [<i>Mishkan</i>] curtains, and <i>Kodashim Kalim</i> [were eaten] anywhere in the camp of Israel.
Jerusalem Talmud Megillah
HALAKHAH: [“The only difference between a public altar and a private altar, etc.”] Rebbi Joḥanan spent three years that he did not visit the house of assembly because of pain. At the end Rebbi Eleazar saw in his dream: Tomorrow Sinai will come down and bring a new insight. He came and said before them, from where is this truth verified that divine service is by firstborns? From this verse, for Mine is every firstborn; on the day when I smote every firstborn in the Land of Egypt, etc. And it is written, and on all gods of Egypt I shall pass judgment, etc. Before that what were they doing? Rebecca took the desirable garments of her older son Esaw, which were with her in the house. What are “the desirable”? That he was acting as High Priest. Rebbi Levi said, the Eternal broke the staff of the evildoers, these are the firstborn who were the first to sacrifice to the Calf.
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