[in the place] corresponding to their elbows. (1) R. Ashi said: Hanna b. Nathana told me, I was once standing before King Izgedar; (2) my girdle lay high up, whereupon he pulled it down, observing to me, It is written of you. [And ye shall be unto Me] a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (3) When I came before Amemar he said to me: The text, ‘And kings shall be thy fosterfathers’ (4) has been fulfilled in you. We learnt elsewhere: If a priest has a wound on his finger, he may wind a reed about it in the Temple, but not in the Country. (5) But if his purpose is to squeeze out blood, it is forbidden in both places. (6) R. Judah the son of R. Hiyya said: They learnt this only of a reed, but a small belt (7) constitutes an excess garment. (8) But R. Johanan said: They ruled [that] excess garments [disqualify] only [when they are worn] where garments are worn; but if not where garments are worn, they are not an excess. Yet deduce [that it disqualifies] on account of an interposition? (9) — It is on his left hand, (10) or even on the right, but not in the place of service. (11) Now this disagrees with Raba, for Raba said in R. Hisda's name: In the place of garments even a single thread interposes; but [what is] not in the place of garments, if three [fingerbreadths] square, it interposes; if less than this, it does not interpose. Now he certainly disagrees with R. Johanan; (12) but are we to say that he disagrees with R. Judah the son of R. Hiyya? (13) — [No:] a small belt is different, because it is of [some] account. (14) Another version states it thus: R. Judah the son of R. Hiyya said: They learnt this only of a reed, but a small belt interposes. While R. Johanan maintained: They said [that] interposition [disqualifies even] when less than three square only in the place of garments; but if not where garments are worn, then if it is three square it interposes; if less, it does not interpose: and that is identical with Raba[‘s ruling] in R. Hisda's name. Shall we say that he [Raba] disagrees with R. Judah the son of R. Hiyya? — [No, for] a small belt is different, since it is of [some] account. Now according to R. Johanan, why particularly [specify] a reed? let him mention a small belt? — He informs us en passant that a reed heals. Raba asked: What if a wind entered through his garment? (15) Do we require [the garment to be] on his flesh, which [condition] is now absent ; or perhaps, this is the normal mode of wearing? Further, is vermin an interposition? There is no question where it is dead, for it certainly interposes. But what if it is alive? Do we say. Since it moves to and fro, it is natural, and does not interpose; or perhaps it does interpose, since he objects to it? Does earth interpose? — Earth certainly interposes! (16) — Rather [the question is] what about dust of earth? Does [the space between the sleeves and] the armpit interpose? (17) do we require [it to be] on his flesh, which [condition] is absent; or perhaps this is the normal mode of wearing? What if he thrust his hand into his bosom? does his body (18) interpose or not? Does a thread interpose? — A thread certainly interposes — Rather [the question is] what about a hanging thread. (19) Mar the son of R. Ashi asked: What if one's hair entered beneath his garment? (20) is his hair as [part of] his body, or is it not as his body? R. Zera asked: Do the tefillin (21) interpose? There is no question on the view that night is not the time for tefillin, (22) for since they interpose at night, (23) they interpose by day too. The question is raised only on the view that night is the time for tefillin. What then? Does a precept which is incumbent upon the body interpose or not? Now this question travelled about until it reached R. Ammi. Said he to him [the questioner]: We have an explicit teaching that tefillin interpose. An objection is raised: Priests engaged in their [sacrificial] service, Levites on their dais (24) and Israelites during their ma'amad (25) are exempt from prayer (26) and tefillin. Surely that means that if they do put them on, they do not interpose? — No: [it means that] if they do put them on, they do interpose. If so, [can you say,] they are exempt? Surely he should state, they are forbidden [to don them]? — Since there are the Levites and the Israelites, of whom he cannot teach, ‘they are forbidden,’ (27) he therefore teaches, They are exempt. But it was taught: If he put them on, they do not interpose? — There is no difficulty; one refers to [the tefillin of] the hand, (28) the other to that of the head. Wherein does that of the hand differ? because it is written, [And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches] shall he put upon his flesh, (29) which implies that nothing may interpose between it and his flesh; then with respect to that of the head too it is written, And thou shalt set the miter upon his head? (30) — It was taught: His hair was visible between the head-plate and the miter.

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(1). ↑ Where these naturally touch the body.
(2). ↑ Or, Yezdyird, a Persian king.
(3). ↑ Ex. XIX, 6. Hence you must wear your girdle like priests, and not so high.
(4). ↑ Isa. XLIX, 23.
(5). ↑ This is a technical designation for all places outside the Temple. — The reference is to the Sabbath, when the Rabbis forbade healing. Nevertheless they permitted this in the Temple when the priest is officiating at the sacrifice, as it is indecorous for his wound to be exposed then.
(6). ↑ The act constitutes making a wound, which is forbidden.
(7). ↑ Used as a bandage.
(8). ↑ Which is forbidden, supra 18a.
(9). ↑ Nothing may interpose between the priest's hand and the sacrifice, when he has to handle it.
(10). ↑ Which he does not use for the purpose.
(11). ↑ Not on the part of the hand which he needs for service.
(12). ↑ For R. Johanan holds that it never interposes save in the place of garments.
(13). ↑ For he rules that a small belt is an interposition, and this is less than three fingerbreadths square.
(14). ↑ A rag less than that size is of no account, whereas a belt, being made up into an article, is of some account.
(15). ↑ And blew it away from immediate contact with his body.
(16). ↑ Surely there cannot be a question about this.
(17). ↑ If the garment is loosely cut with broad sleeves.
(18). ↑ I.e., the hand, which now comes between the body and the garment.
(19). ↑ Hanging from the garment itself.
(20). ↑ If the hair of the head grew so long that it fell within the garment.
(21). ↑ V. Glos.
(22). ↑ I.e., that there is no obligation to wear these at night. The reference is to Deut. VI, (8) and it is disputed in ‘Erub. 96a whether this applies to night as well as to daytime.
(23). ↑ As there is no need to wear them then, they are definitely superfluous. and so constitute an interposition.
(24). ↑ Engaged in singing the Temple hymns.
(25). ↑ A body of Israelites, representing the people. stood (ma'amad — ‘amad standing) in the Temple court during the sacrificing of the daily burntoffering (v. Ta'an. 26a).
(26). ↑ The ‘Eighteen Benedictions’ which were recited daily, and which constituted the Prayer par excellence.
(27). ↑ For they are certainly permitted to put them on, since they do not officiate at the actual sacrificing.
(28). ↑ That interposes.
(29). ↑ Lev. VI, 3.
(30). ↑ Ex. XXIX, 6.