Yoma 59 a, b

Amud (a) offers further detail about the sprinkling of blood on the golden Ark.  Did the rabbis walk around the Ark (ie. sprinkling "by foot") or did they lean around the ark (ie. sprinkling "by hand")? Some rabbis believe that the Ark was placed in a less central position.  This change in placement would allow the High Priest to begin with the corner "closest to his entrance".  Additionally, some rabbis assert that the blood is sprinkled downward or upward at different corners and for different reasons.  Ultimately, the rabbis put aside this conversation to allow analysis of the next part of our last Mishna.

The remaining blood was poured at the base of the Ark where it combined with the water flowing under and away from the Temple.  But was the blood poured at the western base or the southern base?  This determination might help us understand where the Ark was placed where the High Priest was standing during this ritual.  A number of maps might be helpful in understanding these possibilities.

The rabbis wonder: if we are allowed to use the discarded blood on farmers' fields, are we misusing a consecrated item?  The rabbis discuss other circumstances in which consecrated items are sold or otherwise put to use following their sanctified usage.  They look at a number of prooftexts to justify that blood represents life and that blood itself brings about atonement.  Shouldn't blood maintain its status before and after atonement, they wonder?  Rabbi Yochanan teaches us that blood is not subject to the prohibition against misuse of consecrated items before it represents atonement. Why should it be subject to this prohibition after atonement?

The Gemara challenges this idea - the same notion can be used to prove that the blood should not be used in farmers' fields.  Isn't blood subject to misuse both before and after atonement?   Immediately, the Gemara rejects this possibility.  After used for a mitzvah, any and all consecrated items lose their consecrated status and can be used for other purposes.

And then the Gemara questions its rejection: what about the ashes?  Once the ashes have been created and then removed (their purpose has been achieved), they must be buried. Wouldn't this suggest that the ashes maintain their consecrated status?

To answer this and other questions, stay tuned for tomorrow's episode of Masechet Yoma!