- The reasons for the שיר של יום
A Baraisa taught the שיר של יום that was sung with the tamid each day of the week, and the reasons those specific Psalms were chosen: Rebbe Yehudah said in the name of Rebbe Akiva: On the first day of the week, Sunday, we recite "לה' הארץ ומלואה" – Hashem’s is the earth and its fullness, in reference to the fact that on the first day of Creation Hashem acquired the universe and bequeathed it to Mankind and ruled over His world by Himself. On the second day of the week, they would recite "גדול ה' ומהלל מאד" – Great is Hashem, and much praised, in the city of our G-d, Mount of His holiness, in reference to the fact that on the second day he separated the things that he made, and reigned over them. Rashi explains that on the second Day, Hashem created the rakia – the firmament, which divides between the upper and lower strata of creation and established His dwelling above. This Psalm speaks of a similar division on earth, the separation of Yerushalayim and the Har Habayis from the rest of the world, as the place where His Shechinah is manifest. The Baraisa continues, explaining the Psalms selected for the remaining days of the week.
- עשר מסעות נסעה שכינה
Rav Yehudah bar Idi said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan: עשר מסעות נסעה שכינה מקראי – The Shechinah journeyed ten journeys during the period of the destruction of Bayis Rishon, as can be derived from pesukim, וכנגדן גלתה סנהדרין מגמרא – and correspondingly, the Sanhedrin was exiled ten exiles during the period of the destruction of Bayis Sheini, as is known from Oral Tradition. The ten journeys of the Shechinah, were from the kapores to one Keruv, then to the other Keruv, then to the מפתן – the threshold, which Rashi explains is the threshold of the Heichal, then from there to the chatzeir, then to the mizbayach, then to the roof of the Heichal, and then to the wall of the chatzeir, and then to the city of Yerushalayim, and then to Har Hazeisim, and then to the midbar, and finally ממדבר עלתה וישבה במקומה – from the wilderness it ascended to Heaven and settled in its place, as it is stated: "אלך אשובה אל מקומי" – I will go, I will return to My Place. Rebbe Yochanan said: ששה חדשים נתעכבה שכינה לישראל במדבר – For six months the Shechinah lingered for Yisroel in the wilderness, hoping that they would do teshuvah. When they did not, He said: תיפח עצמן – May their very essence suffer agony!
- Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai’s nine takanos
It was taught in a Baraisa: אין כהנים רשאין לעלות בסנדליהן לדוכן – Kohanim are not permitted to ascend the duchan in their sandals for Birkas Kohanim. The Gemara in Sotah Daf 40a explains that this was instituted because of the concern that a Kohen might sit down during Birkas Kohanim to tie a loose strap, and people might suspect him of refraining from reciting the berachah because of a pesul in his yichus. וזו אחד מתשע תקנות שהתקין רבן יוחנן בן זכאי – and this is one of the nine enactments that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai instituted. Six of the takanos are in this perek, one is in the first perek. The eighth one, is that he annulled a decree that a ger must set aside a quarter shekel for his bird-pair, the minimum shiur, so he will be prepared to bring it when the Beis Hamikdash will be rebuilt. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai annulled it מפני תקלה – because of the stumbling block it created, since he might come to use the money for something else. There is a machlokes regarding what the ninth takanah was.
