В Храме было тринадцать столов: восемь мраморных на бойне, где были ополоснуты внутренности; (было) два на западе рампы—один из мрамора, другой из серебра. На мраморном столе были размещены конечности. [После того, как их порезали, они были расставлены на столе, пока коэны не предложили их. Они не были сделаны из серебра или золота (хотя «нет места бедности в богатстве») для золота и серебра, жара и порчи (плоти), в то время как мрамор охлаждает и удерживает его от порчи. (Они не полагались на чудо плоти, никогда не испорченное в Храме.)] На серебряном столе они держали сосуды для служения [которые каждое утро вывозили, девяносто три служения, как объяснено в Тамиде)]. И было два в уламе (зале) внутри, у входа в Храм, один из мрамора и один из серебра. На мраморном столе они помещали выставочный хлеб при входе [то есть после того, как он был испечен, прежде чем он был размещен на (внутреннем) столе.] И на золотом столе они ставили его при выходе [и он оставался там до он был распространен (среди коэнов). Ибо «мы возвышаемся в святости, а не понижаем». [Так как он был удален из (внутреннего) стола из золота, мы не «опускаем» его до одного из серебра.] И был один из золота, внутри которого постоянно сидел хлеб.
Bartenura on Mishnah Shekalim
אך של שיש מניחי את האברים – after the dissection, they arrange them (i.e., the parts of the offering – the limbs) on the table until the Kohanim would bring them up, but they did not make them (i.e., the tables) of silver or gold for there is no poverty in the place of wealth, since the gold and the silver cause them (i.e., the parts of the offerings) to get hot and smell badly, whereas the marble cools them off and preserves them so that they do not smell badly, but they would not rely on a miracle that the holy meat never smelled badly (see Tractate Avot, Chapter 5, Mishnah 5, - "ולא הסריח\התליע בשר הקדש מעולם" ).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shekalim
Introduction
This mishnah lists the thirteen tables mentioned in mishnah one.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shekalim
ועל של כסף כלי שרת – that they would remove each morning ninety-three service vessels, as is taught in the Mishnah [of Tractate] Tamid (Chapter 3, Mishnah 4).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shekalim
There were thirteen tables in the Temple: Eight of marble in the place of slaughtering and on them they would rinse the entrails. In the slaughtering section of the Temple there were eight marble tables upon which they would rinse out the entrails of the sacrificial animals.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shekalim
נותנים לחם הפנים בכניסתו – after it was baked until they would set it up on the table.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shekalim
And two to the west of the ramp [which ascends the altar], one of marble and one of silver; on that of marble they would place the limbs [of the offerings], and on that of silver the ministering vessels. To the west of the ramp used to ascend to the altar were two more tables, one of marble and one of silver. They would put the limbs of the sacrifices on the marble table where they would wait until they were offered on the altar. The marble was cool and hence slowed down the deterioration of the meat. On the silver table they would place the ministering vessels. These were 93 vessels which were brought out each morning and which would be used in worship during the day.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shekalim
ועל של זהב ביציאתו – and it would be placed there until the time of its division [among the priests].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shekalim
And there were two tables in the Porch on the inside of the entrance to the Temple, one of marble and the other of gold; on that of marble they would place the showbread placed when it was brought in, and on that of gold [they would place the showbread] when it was taken out, because things sacred may be raised [in honor] but not lowered. The Porch was the open section of the Temple right outside the Sanctuary. There were two tables there, one of marble and one of gold. Both of these tables were used for the showbread. When the bread was baked on Friday it would be placed on the marble table so that it wouldn’t begin to mold before it was brought into the Sanctuary on Shabbat. When it was taken out of the Sanctuary on the following Shabbat, it was placed on the golden table before it was divvied up to the priests. The mishnah notes that this follows an important halakhic rule sacred things such as the showbread should rise up in holiness and not be lowered down. Since it was on a golden table inside the Sanctuary, it had to be on a golden table when it was brought out. The most famous application of this rule is that on Hannukah we add a candle each night because we are to increase in holiness and not decrease.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shekalim
שמעלין בקודש ולא מורידין – for since they removed it from on top of the golden table, and they don’t lower it to place it on one of silver.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shekalim
And there was one [table] of gold on the inside of the Sanctuary on which the showbread lay continually. During the week, the showbread was placed on a golden table, as we mentioned above.
