From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia High Priest (Judaism)
High Priest (Judaism)
19. Shoulder, cheeks and maw
Part of a series of articles on 20. Coins for redemption of the first born son · 21.
Redemption of a donkey
Priesthood in Judaism
· 22. Dedication of property to a priest
· 23. Field not redeemed in a Jubilee year · 24. The
property of the foreigner with no heir.
Clothing
Kohen · Recognition of priestly descent Priestly garments
Priestly covenant Priestly undergarments
Roles Priestly tunic
Priestly blessing · Redemption of the firstborn son Priestly turban · Priestly robe (Judaism)
Tzaraath (skin disease and mildew) Ephod · Priestly breastplate · Priestly frontlet
The Torah instruction of the Kohanim Urim and Thummim
Sacrifice · Incense offering Priestly sash
Beth din shel Kohanim Miscellaneous topics
High Priests The Mitzvah of sanctifying the Kohen
Aaron · Eleazar · Phinehas Kohanic disqualifications
· Eli · Ahimelech · Abiathar Holy anointing oil
(First Temple) Aaron’s rod
· Zadok · Shallum · Hilkiah · Jehoiada Bat-Kohen (daughter of a kohen)
(Second Temple) Sons of Zadok
Joshua the High Priest Contact by a kohen with a dead body
Simeon the Just
The High Priest (Heb. כהן גדולkohen gadol) was the chief
Elazar Ben Charsum
religious official of Israelite religion and of classical Ju-
Yishmael Ben Elisha
daism from the rise of the Israelite nation until the de-
Yehoshua ben Gamla
struction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. The high
Pinchus Ben Shmuel
priests belonged to the Jewish priestly families that trace
Twenty-four kohanic gifts their paternal line back to Aaron, the first high priest and
The ten gifts given in the Temple elder brother of Moses.
1. Sin offering · 2. Guilt offering
3. Communal peace offering
4. Fowl sin offering · 5. Leftovers from the suspensive
Biblical data
guilt offering Aaron, though he is but rarely called "the great priest,"
6. Oil from the offering for the leper being generally simply designated as "ha-kohen" (the
7. Bread from First Fruits · 8. Showbread priest), was the first incumbent of the office, to which he
9. Leftovers of the meal offering was appointed by God (Book of Exodus 28:1-2; 29:4-5).
10. Leftovers of the First Sheaf. The succession was to be through one of his sons,
and was to remain in his own family (Leviticus 6:15).[1]
Four gifts given in Jerusalem If he had no son, the office devolved upon the brother
11. Firstborn animal · 12. Firstfruits next of age: such appears to have been the practise in the
13. Burnt offering (Judaism) · Hasmonean period. In the time of Eli, however (1 Samuel
14. Parts of the thank offering and Nazirite’s offering 2:23), the office passed to the collateral branch of Ithamar
Ten gifts given (even) outside of Jerusalem (see Eleazar). But King Solomon is reported to have de-
15. Heave offering posed the High Priest Abiathar, and to have appointed
16. Heave offering of the Levite’s tithe Zadok, a descendant of Eleazar, in his stead (1 Kings 2:35;
17. Dough offering 1 Chronicles 24:2-3). After the Exile, the succession seems
18. First shearing of the sheep to have been, at first, in a direct line from father to son;
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia High Priest (Judaism)
contact with the bodies of the dead, even of his closest
relatives; and he was not permitted, as a sign of mourn-
ing, to leave his hair disheveled, to expose it, or to rend
his garments (Leviticus 21:10 et seq.). According to Jose-
phus,[9] birth on foreign soil was not a disqualification;
but the disqualifications of Leviticus 21:17 et seq. applied
to the high priest as well as to other priests.
His vestments
The Torah provides for specific vestments to be worn by
the priests when they are ministering in the Taberna-
cle: "And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your
brother, for dignity and for beauty" (Exodus 28:2). These
garments are described in detail in Exodus 28, Exodus 39
and Leviticus 8. The high priest wore eight holy garments
(bigdei kodesh). Of these, four were of the same type worn
by all priests, and four were unique to the Kohen Gadol.
Those vestments which were common to all priests,
were:
• Priestly undergarments (Hebrew michnasayim)
(breeches)—linen pants reaching from the waist to
the knees "to cover their nakedness" (Exodus 28:42)
Jewish high priest and Levite in ancient Judah (the depictions • Priestly tunic (Hebrew ketonet) (tunic)—made of pure
of the Menorah, Table of Showbread and trumpets are inspired linen, covering the entire body from the neck to the
by the Arch of Titus). feet, with sleeves reaching to the wrists. That of the
High Priest was embroidered (Exodus 28:39); those of
but later the civil authorities arrogated to themselves the priests were plain (Exodus 28:40).
the right of appointment. Antiochus IV Epiphanes for in- • Priestly sash (Hebrew avnet) (sash)—that of the High
stance, deposed Onias III in favor of Jason, who was fol- Priest was of fine linen with "embroidered work" in
lowed by Menelaus.[2] blue and purple and scarlet (Exodus 28:39, 39:29);
Herod the Great nominated no less than six high those worn by the priests were of white, twined
priests; Archelaus, two. The Roman legate Quirinius and linen.
his successors exercised the right of appointment, as did • Priestly turban (Hebrew mitznefet)—that of the High
Agrippa I, Herod of Chalcis, and Agrippa II. Even the peo- Priest was much larger than that of the priests and
ple occasionally elected candidates to the office. The high wound so that it formed a broad, flat-topped turban;
priests before the Exile were, it seems, appointed for that for priests was wound so that it formed a cone-
life;[3] in fact, from Aaron to the Captivity the number shaped turban, called a migbahat.
of the high priests was not greater than during the sixty • On the front of the turban was a golden plate
years preceding the fall of the Second Temple. inscribed with the words: "Holiness unto YHWH"
was attached to the mitznefet.
Age and qualifications The vestments that were unique to the High Priest were:
• Priestly robe (me’il) ("Robe of the Ephod")—a
The age of eligibility for the office is not fixed in the Law; sleeveless, blue robe, the lower hem of which was
but according to rabbinical tradition it was twenty.[4] fringed with small golden bells alternating with
Aristobulus, however, was only seventeen when appoint- pomegranate-shaped tassels in blue, purple, and
ed by Herod;[5] but the son of Onias III was too young scarlet - tekhelet,[10] argaman, tolaat shani.
(νηπιος) to succeed his father.[6] • Ephod—a richly embroidered vest or apron with two
Legitimacy of birth was essential; hence the care in onyx engraved gemstones on the shoulders, on
the keeping of the genealogical records[7] and the dis- which were engraved the names of the tribes of
trust of one whose mother had been captured in war.[8] Israel
The high priest had to abstain from ritual defilement. He • Priestly breastplate (Hebrew hoshen) — with twelve
may marry only an Israelite maiden (21:13-14). In Ezekiel gems, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes; a
44:22 this restriction is extended to all kohanim (priests), pouch in which he probably carried the Urim and
an exception being made in favor of the widow of a priest Thummim. It was fastened to the Ephod
(see Levirate marriage). He was not permitted to come in
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia High Priest (Judaism)
The High Priest, like all priests, would minister barefoot stewardship of the Urim and Thummim (Num. xxvii. 20
when he was serving in the Temple. Like all of the priests, et seq.). On Yom Kippur he alone entered the Holy of
he had to immerse himself in the ritual bath before vest- Holies, to make atonement for his house and for the peo-
ing and wash his hands and his feet before performing ple (Lev. xvi). He alone could offer the sacrifices for the
any sacred act. The Talmud teaches that neither the ko- sins of the priests, or of the people, or of himself (Lev.
hanim nor the Kohen Gadol were fit to minister unless iv.); and only he could officiate at the sacrifices follow-
they wore their priestly vestments: "While they are ing his own or another priest’s consecration (Lev. ix.). He
clothed in the priestly garments, they are clothed in the also offered a meal- offering every morning and evening
priesthood; but when they are not wearing the garments, for himself and the whole body of the priesthood (Lev.
the priesthood is not upon them" (B.Zevachim 17:B). It vi. 14-15, though the wording of the law is not altogeth-
is further taught that just as the sacrifices facilitate an er definite). Other information concerning his functions
atonement for sin, so do the priestly garments is not given. Though other priests would serve only when
(B.Zevachim 88b) The High Priest had two sets of holy it was their week on rotation and on feast days (and even
garments: the "Golden Garments" detailed above, and a then their function was decided by lot), he was privileged
set of white "Linen Garments" (bigdei ha-bad) which he to take part at his own pleasure in any of the priestly rites
wore only on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) (Leviti- at any time. Josephus contends that the high priest al-
cus 16:4). On that day, he would change his holy garments most invariably participated in the ceremonies on Shab-
four times, beginning in the golden garments but chang- bat, the New Moon, and the festivals.[11] This may also be
ing into the Linen Garments for the two moments when inferred from the glowing description given in the Wis-
he would enter the Holy of Holies (the first time to offer dom of Sirach i. of the high priest’s appearance at the al-
the blood of atonement and the incense, and the second tar.
time to retrieve the censer), and then change back again
into the golden garments[citation needed] after each time. He
would immerse in the ritual bath before each change of
In rabbinical literature
garments, washing his hands and his feet after remov- The high priest is the chief of all the priests; he should be
ing the garments and again before putting the other set anointed and invested with the pontifical garments; but
on. The linen garments were only four in number, those if the sacred oil is not obtainable,[12] investiture with the
corresponding to the garments worn by all priests (un- additional garments (see Biblical Data, above) is regard-
dergarments, tunic, sash and turban), but made only of ed as sufficient.[13] A high priest so invested is known
white linen, with no embroidery. They could be worn on- as merubbeh begadim. This investiture consists of arraying
ly once, new sets being made each year. him in the eight pieces of dress and in removing them
again on eight successive days, though (the anointing
and) the investiture on the first day suffices to qualify
Consecration him for the functions of the office.[14] The only distinc-
The ceremonial of consecration, extending through an tion between the "anointed" and the "invested" high
entire week (Exodus 28-29; Leviticus 8), included certain priest is that the former offers the bull for an uninten-
rites which all priests were required to undergo: purifica- tional transgression.[15]
tion; the sacrifices; the "filling" of the hands; the smear-
ing with blood. But Aaron the high priest was anointed
with sacred oil, hence the title of the "anointed priest";
His powers
other passages have it that all priests were anointed (Ex- The Great Sanhedrin alone had the right to appoint, or
odus 28:41, 30:30; Leviticus 7:36, 10:7; Numbers 3:3). confirm the appointment of, the high priest. His con-
The first consecration was performed by Moses; the secration might take place only in the day-time. Two
Bible does not state who consecrated subsequent high high priests must not be appointed together. Every high
priests. Leviticus 21:10 states emphatically that every priest had a "mishneh" (a second) called the Segan, or
new high priest shall be anointed; and Exodus 29:29 et "memunneh", to stand at his right; another assistant was
seq. commands that the official garments worn by his the "Catholicos" ("Yad," l.c. 16-17). The right of succes-
predecessor shall be worn by the new incumbent while sion was in the direct, or, the direct failing, the collateral,
he is anointed and during the seven days of his consecra- line, provided the conditions concerning physical fitness
tion (comp. Numbers 20:28; Psalm 133:2). were fulfilled (ib. 20; Ket. 103b; Sifra, Ḳedoshim).
For offenses which entailed flagellation the high
priest could be sentenced by a court of three; after sub-
Sanctity and functions mitting to the penalty he could resume his office ("Yad,"
The distinguished rank of the high priest is apparent l.c. 22). The high priest was expected to be superior to all
from the fact that his sins are regarded as belonging also other priests in physique, in wisdom, in dignity, and in
to the people (Lev. iv. 3, 22). He was entrusted with the material wealth; if he was poor his brother priests con-
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia High Priest (Judaism)
tributed to make him rich (Yoma 18a; "Yad," l.c. v. 1); but other regulations concerning the high priest see "Yad,"
none of these conditions was indispensable. Biat ha-Miḳdash, ii. 1, 8; for details in regard to the vest-
The high priest was required to be mindful of his hon- ments see "Yad," Kele ha-Miḳdash, viii. 2-4, 5 (in refer-
or. He might not mingle with the common people, nor ence to soiled vestments: the white could be worn only
permit himself to be seen disrobed, or in a public bath, once); l.c. vii. 1 ("ẓiẓ"), vii. 3 ("me’il"), vii. 6 ("ḥoshen"),
etc.; but he might invite others to bathe with him (Tosef., vii. 9 (ephod), ix.
Sanh. iv.; "Yad," l.c. v. 3). He might not participate in a Josephus enumerates only fifty-two pontificates un-
public banquet, but he might pay a visit of consolation to der the Second Temple, omitting the second appoint-
mourners, though even then his dignity was guarded by ments of Hyrcanus II., Hananeel, and Joazar.
prescribed etiquette (Sanh. 18-19; "Yad," l.c. v. 4).
Post-Exilic conditions
Restrictions
The high priest might not follow the bier of one in his
own family who had died, nor leave the Temple or his
house during the time of mourning. The people visited
him to offer consolation; in receiving them, the Segan
was at his right, the next in rank and the people at his
left. The people said: "We are thy atonement." He an-
swered: "Be ye blessed from heaven" ("Yad," l.c. v. 5; and
Mishneh Kesef, ad loc.). During the offering of consola-
tion he sat on a stool, the people on the floor; he rent his
garments, not from above, but from below, near the feet, A traditional list of the Jewish High Priests.
the penalty for rending them from above being flagella-
tion (Semag, Lawin, 61-62). He could not permit his hair After the Babylonian Exile, Joshua appears vested with
to be disheveled, nor could he cut it ("Yad," l.c. v. 6). He the prominence that P ascribes to the high priest (Zech.
had one house attached to the Temple (Mid. 71b), and an- iii.; Hag. vi. 13).[citation needed] In Ezra and Nehemiah, again,
other in the city of Jerusalem. His honor required that he but little consideration is shown for the high priest.[cita-
should spend most of his time in the Sanctuary ("Yad," tion needed] The post-exilic high priests traced their pedi-
l.c. v. 7). The high priest was subject to the jurisdiction of gree back to Zadok, appointed as chief priest at Jerusalem
the courts, but if accused of a crime entailing capital pun- by Solomon (I Kings ii. 35), and Zadok was held to be a de-
ishment he was tried by the Great Sanhedrin; he could, scendant of Eleazar, the son of Aaron (II Chron. v. 34). Im-
however, refuse to give testimony (Sanh. 18). mediately after the return from the Captivity, as is clear-
The high priest must be married, and "should only ly to be inferred from Zechariah and Haggai, political au-
marry a virgin"; to guard against contingencies it was thority was not vested in the high priest. Political (Mes-
proposed to hold a second wife in readiness immediately sianic) sovereignty was represented by, or attributed to,
before the Day of Atonement (Yoma i. 1); but polygamy a member of the royal house, while religious affairs were
on his part was not encouraged ( = "one wife"; Yoma 13a; reserved to the high-priesthood, represented in the Book
"Yad," l.c. v. 10). He could give the "halizah," and it could of Zechariah by Joshua. But in the course of time, as the
be given to his widow, as she also was subject to the Levi- Messianic hope, or even the hope of autonomy under for-
rate; his divorced wife could marry again (l.c.; Sanh. 18). eign (Persian, Greek, Egyptian,or Syrian) suzerainty be-
When entering the Temple ("Hekal") he was supported came weaker, the high priest also became a political chief
to the curtain by three men (Tamid 67a; this may per- of the congregation, as much, perhaps, through the con-
haps have reference to his entering the Holy of Holies; sideration shown him by the suzerain powers and their
but see "Yad," l.c. v. 11, and the Mishneh Kesef ad loc.). viceroys as through the effect of the increasingly thor-
He could take part in the service whenever he desired ough acceptance of the Levitical code by pious Judeans.
("Yad," l.c. v. 12; Yoma i. 2; Tamid 67b; see Rashi ad loc.). In this connection the report (I Macc. vii. 14) that the rig-
On the Day of Atonement only he wore white garments, orists received Alcimus, the high priest, with confidence
while on other occasions he wore his golden vestments because he was "a priest of the seed of Aaron" is signifi-
(Yoma 60a; comp. 68b, ). The seven days preceding the cant.
Day of Atonement were devoted to preparing for his high
function, precautions being taken to prevent any acci-
dent that might render him Levitically impure (Yoma i. 1
Political aspects
et seq.). The ceremonial for that day is described in de- Ecclus. (Sirach) l. is another evidence of the great rever-
tail in Mishnah Yoma (see also Haneberg, "Die Religiösen ence in which the high priest was held.[citation needed] The
Alterthümer der Bibel," pp. 659–671, Munich, 1869). For assumption of the princely authority by the Maccabean
4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia High Priest (Judaism)
high priests (the Hasmoneans) was merely the final link
in this development, which, beginning with the death of
See also
Zerubbabel, was to combine the two ideals, the politico- • Kohen
Messianic and the religio-Levitical, in one office. But af- • List of High Priests of Israel
ter the brief heyday of national independence had come • Segan - Deputy High Priest
to an inglorious close, the high-priesthood changed again • Samaritan High Priest
in character, insofar as it ceased to be a hereditary and a
life office. High priests were appointed and removed with
great frequency (see above). This may account for the
References
otherwise strange use of the title in the plural (ἀρχιερεῖς) • This article incorporates text from a publication
in the New Testament and in Josephus ("Vita," § 38; "B. J." now in the public domain: Emil G. Hirsch
ii. 12, § 6; iv. 3, §§ 7, 9; iv. 4, § 3). The deposed high priests (1901–1906). "High Priest". Jewish Encyclopedia.
seem to have retained the title, and to have continued to http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/
exercise certain functions; the ministration on the Day of view.jsp?artid=721&letter=H.
Atonement, however, may have been reserved for the ac-
tual incumbent. This, however, is not clear; Hor. iii. 1-4
mentions as distinctive the exclusive sacrifice of a bull by
Notes
the high priest on the Day of Atonement and the tenth [1] Cf. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews xx. 10, § 1.
of the ephah (that is, the twelve "ḥallot"; comp. Meg. i. 9; [2] Josephus, "Ant." xii. 5, § 1; II Maccabees iii. 4, iv. 23.
Macc. ii. 6). But even in the latest periods the office was [3] Comp. Num. v. 35:25, 28.
restricted to a few families of great distinction (proba- [4] Maimonides, "Yad," Kele ha-Mikdash, v. 15; Ḥul.
bly the bene kohanim gedolim; Ket. xiii. 1-2; Oh. xvii. 5; 24b; ’Ar. 13b.
comp. Josephus, "B. J." vi. 2, § 2; see Schürer, "Gesch." 3d [5] "Ant." xv. 3, § 3.
ed., ii. 222). 001 [6] ib. xii. 5, § 1.
[7] Josephus, Contra Apion i., § 7.
[8] "Ant." xiii. 10, § 5; Adolf Jellinek, "B. H." i. 133-137;
Connection with Sanhedrin Ḳid. 66a; John see Hyrcanus.
The high priest was the presiding officer of the San- [9] "Ant." xv. 3, § 1.
hedrin. This view conflicts with the later Jewish tradition [10] Tekhelet - Biblical Blue Dye for Tzitzit
according to which the Pharisee tannaim (the Zuggim) [11] Flavius Josephus, Wars of the Jews v. 5, § 7
at the head of the yeshivot presided over the great San- [12] see Hor. 13a; "Semag," 173, end
hedrin also (Ḥag. ii. 2). However, a careful reading of the [13] Maimonides, "Yad," Kele ha-Miḳdash, iv. 12
sources ("Ant." xx. 10; "Contra Ap." ii., § 23; comp. "Ant." [14] ib. iv. 13
iv. 8, § 14; xiv. 9, §§ 3-5 [Hyrcanus II. as president]; xx. [15] Hor. 11b
9, § 1 [Ananus]), as well as the fact that in the post-Mac-
cabean period the high priest was looked upon as exer-
cising in all things, political, legal, and sacerdotal, the
External links
supreme authority, shows it to be almost certain that the • The Mysterious White Garments of Yom Kippur
presidency of the Sanhedrin was vested in the high priest • Burial artifact inscribed ’Son of High Priest’ found
(see Isidore Loeb in "R. E. J." 1889, xix. 188-201; Jelski, "Die near West Bank fence route
Innere Einrichtung des Grossen Synhedrions," pp. 22–28,
according to whom the "Nasi" was the high priest, while
the "Av Beth Din" was a Pharisaic tanna).
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Categories:
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia High Priest (Judaism)
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