Monday, July 17, 2006

Daf Yomi - Yoma 39 NEW - Yerushalayim - Yericho

The Raavad in Tamid (34b) discusses the different sounds from the Beis Hamikdash that were heard in Yericho. In one explanation, he comments that it was only heard there for on the way to Yericho from yerushalayim, there were no mountains and there wasn't anything that would prevent the sound from travelling or perhaps because Yericho was situated on a high ground. However, these sounds would not be heard from Yerushalayim to other directions. Then he brings from his Rebbe Hachasid that the sounds being heard in Yericho were a miracle and only there it was heard and nowhere else. He explains that Yericho was similar to Yerushalayim for it was the initial city that was captured in Eretz Yisroel. He compares Yericho to the taking of terumah from grain, so too Yericho was chosen to be the terumah of Eretz Yisroel and that is why Yehoshua made it kodosh. It was for this reason that the sounds from the Beis Hamikdosh were heard there, so the people should realize that there is kedusha in Yericho just like Yerushalayim. Look there as to the reason why it was only certain sounds that were heard, such as the announcements to wake the kohanim, the sound of the pully from the kiyor and the gates of the azarah opening.

There is a midrash that says Yericho was chosen as a city with kedusha before Yerushalayim was chosen as the mokom hakodosh.

This Raavad and the midrash need explanation.

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