Commento su Yoma 4:6

בכל יום היו שם – in the outer altar.

Introduction The final mishnah of the chapter continues to deal with differences between Yom Kippur and other days.

ארבע מערכות – [piles] of wood which are burned with fire; one large pile [of wood] that we offer upon it the daily offering and a second pile [of wood] that from it we take fire to the altar of the incense, and one pile [of wood] of maintaining the fire, in order that fire not depart from it ever, and another pile of limbs and fats of the daily offering of the eventide that had not been consumed by evening, and which was not burned all night long, we burn them in this pile, and we add for Yom Kippur an additional pile to take from it coals for the incense for the innermost part.

On other days there were four wood-piles there, but on this day five, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yose says: on other days three, but on this day four. Rabbi Judah says: on other days two, but on this day three. The topic of this mishnah is how many piles of burning wood were on the outer altar on normal days and on Yom Kippur as well. Rabbi Meir holds that there were normally four wood-piles. The Talmud explains that each pile had its own function. The first was a large pile on which the tamid and its remnants were offered. The second was the pile from which cinders were taken to burn the daily incense offering. The third was to keep an eternal flame (see Leviticus 6:5). The fourth was to burn the limbs of sacrifices that they had not succeeded in burning during the night. On Yom Kippur they added one more wood-pile from which the high priest would collect the cinders to burn the special incense which he will bring into the Holy of Holies. Rabbi Yose holds that there was no special wood-pile for the limbs that had not been burned during the night. Rabbi Judah holds that there wasn’t a special wood-pile to preserve an eternal flame. Evidently, the other wood-piles were sufficient to ensure that there would always be a flame.

רבי יוסי אומר בכל יום ג' – for three verses are written (Leviticus 6:2): “[This is the ritual of the burnt offering: The burnt offering itself] shall remain where it is burned upon the altar all night until morning,” – this is the large pile of wood. (Leviticus 6:2): “while the fire on the altar is kept going on it” – this is the second pile of the incense. (Leviticus 6:5): “The fire on the altar shall be kept burning, not to go out,” – this is the third pile for the preservation of the fire. But the fourth pile for the limbs and fats that were not consumed, Rabbi Yosi does not have, for he holds that the limbs and fats that were not consumed are burned on the sides of the large pile.

רבי יהודה אומר בכל יום שתים – He (i.e., Rabbi Yehuda) does not hold the third pile for the preservation of the fire, and from the third Biblical verse of (Leviticus 6:5): “The fire on the altar shall be kept burning, not to go out,” Rabbi Yehuda expounds it that the one burns thin chips in order to kindle the fire of the large pile [of wood], he should not kindle it on the floor and raise them while they are burning to the altar but he should kindle them at the top of the altar. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yosi.