Thus the law speaks of "Cities
great and walled up to heaven" (Deut. i. 28); the prophets speak of "the
earth rent with the sound of them" (1 Kings i. 40); the sages speak as
above and also as follows. There was a golden vine at the entrance of
the Temple, trailing on crystals, on which devotees who could used to
suspend offerings of fruit and grape clusters. "It happened once," said
Rabbi Elazer ben Rabbi Zadoc, "that three hundred priests were counted
off to clear the vine of the offerings."
_Chullin_, fol. 90, col. 2.
Three hundred priests were told off to draw the veil (of the Temple)
aside; for it is taught that Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel declared in the
name of Rabbi Shimon the Sagan (or high priest's substitute), that the
thickness of the veil was a handbreadth. It was woven of seventy-two
cords, and each cord consisted of twenty-four strands. It was forty
cubits long and twenty wide. Eighty-two myriads of damsels worked at it,
and two such veils were made every year. When it became soiled, it took
three hundred priests to immerse and cleanse it.
_Chullin._
When Moses was about to enter Paradise he turned to Joshua and said, "If
any doubtful matters remain, ask me now and I will explain them." To
this Joshua replied, "Have I ever left thy side for an hour and gone
away to any other? Hast thou not thyself written concerning me (Exod.
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