(cont).
Tractate Yoma is only concerned with laws pertaining to Yom Kippur. Page 39a is talking abou the decline of Israel’s spiritual condition during the Second Temple period. Things like the thread changing color are an indicator of the spritual condition. When it’s good, miracles happen (red to white). When it’s not so good, then red to… red. Kind of like Bush’s terror alert. This time period is broken into two periods of time, the earlier being when Israel was more meritorious (and we went downhill from there).
The discussion starts with the miraculous events that repeatedly occurred during the forty years when Shimon HaTzaddik officiated as high priest (the good times). The Baraisa then continues to relate how the appearance of these miracles progressively diminished in the years that followed his death. These events are as follows:
- The lot inscribed “LaHashem,” would always appear in the right hand of the high priest6 during the Yom Kippur service.
- The strip of scarlet-dyed wool which was tied to the head of the scapegoat always turned white during the Yom Kippur service.
- The western-most lamp of the Temple menorah remained lit until the priest would use its fire to kindle the next day’s lamps.
- The pyre on the altar did not require any additional wood to sustain a strong fire.
- There was a blessing upon the first fruits of the Omer, the two loaves offered on Shevuoth, and on the loaves of the showbread so that each priest was satisfied with a portion no larger than the size of an olive.
We have to remember that Shimon HaTzaddik was a mensche’s mensch. He’s the guy who said: “The world exists on three things: the Torah, divine worship, and acts of kindness.” His extraordinary character affected the people deeply, and this manifested itself with a host of miraculous phenomena in the Temple, the House of Shimon’s dedication.
After he died, we were unable to remain at the spiritual heights which they we achieved during Shimon HaTzaddik’s lifetime. The Baraisa therefore relates that after the death of Shimon HaTzaddik the occurrence of these miracles became sporadic; there were some years when these miraculous signs occurred, and there were other years when they did not. This spiritual decay plunged to its lowest point during the last 40 years of the second Temple period. The Baraisa records that none of the above miracles occurred during these last four decades of the second Temple.
Fortunately, we don’t need to guess as to what we Jews did during those last 40 years that stopped the events altogether. They are set forth in the Talmud.
Keeping in mind that the events did not just stop immeidately in 30CE, but rather graudually lessened after Shimon’s death. the big sin of Israel was hatred for each other. which we believe was the reason for the Second Temple’s desturction. There was an increase of violence against each other. The Sanhedrin didn’t even bother to impose capital punishment for murder because it was so prevelant.
unfortuantely, the cessation of this miracle is tied to the fact that Jews turned against each other in great numbers during htis time.
Finally, what is the meaning behind this mysterious ritual of tying a scarlet ribbon to the head of the scapegoat with the hopeful anticipation that it would miraculously turn white? Why was the wool of the ribbon dyed scarlet? Why didn’t they color it blue or green? Why would it turn white? Moreover, how could the nation know that the marvelous transformation from scarlet to white was a clear indication that their sins had been forgiven? In essence, how do the colors scarlet and white relate to social justice and brotherly kindliness? What is the connection?
Social Jusitce is a biggie in Judaism. Oppressing the poor and doing violence to the weak is frowned upon. It is enough to warrant the destruction of our Temple. It’s not just here that we see this. Isaiah compares Israel to the people to Sodom and Gomorrah. He says if you are going to treat your neighbor so poorly, then God’s not interested in how you keep the Sabbath. You can’t keep a Sabbath holy if you’re going to treat people like garbage. That’s a central message of Isaiah and that’s the central reason why the miracles in the Temple ceased.
So how do we address this?:
“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord, “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”
The miracle of the scarlet ribbbon was tied into kindness to others, not blood atonement.
