Yoma 3 a, b

Today's daf continues the rabbis' conversations about when, why and how we sequester the High Priest.  Questions abound regarding the requirement of sequestering: what are the clues found in the Torah that teach us the proper ways to prepare for Yom Kippur?

Much energy is spent on differentiating the rituals for different Festivals and comparing these with Yom Kippur rituals.  Debates about related rituals abound - like whether one or two rams are slaughtered on different days, for example.  All of these arguments seem to be leading us toward one argument: that Yom Kippur is set apart from Rosh HaShana and other Festivals.  As important as these other holy days are, we are learning that the rabbis are more concerned with the sanctity of Yom Kippur.  And, in particular, they are concerned about the practice of atonement.

The rabbis seem to agree that we are examining two separate rituals surrounding Yom Kippur.  They analyze the phrases "to do" and "to make" to better understand these rituals.  Our Sages even look at G-d's conversations with Moses to help them figure this out.  Sequestering the High Priest toward offering the parah adumah is what we do in our rituals of preparation.  Our rabbis have created a clear distinction between these rituals and the role of atonement on Yom Kippur.

I found today's daf difficult in an interesting way.  The material itself was not terribly challenging, nor were the concepts foreign or complex.  However, the rituals and ideas to which the rabbis frequently referred; the references made in detail or in passing, these were challenging.  Either I had to reread the words to clarify the meaning or I had to look up secondary sources to have any grasp at all on these related materials.

It seems that one of the difficulties of learning Gemara as an outsider, as a beginner late in life, is that the referential knowledge is missing.  Without understanding how everything is connected to everything else, it is almost impossible to truly understand any isolated concept.  But I'm not giving up yet...