Yoma 38 a, b

Today we look at a number of stories and ideas, mostly with regard to righteous and wicked behaviour.  Because we are learning masechet Yoma, these conversations focus on the behaviour of priestly families.  After discussing the Gates of Nicanor (the use of gold, copper and wood), we begin a Mishna that explains this concept:

• Some priestly families guard their official duties - some in the name of holiness and some to maintain their control
• The protection of shewbread (House of Garmu), incense (House of Avtinas), and music (Hugrs ben Levi) led the Sages to question these priests and even hire Alexandrians
• The quality of offerings diminished, and so the Sages returned the original families to their posts at higher wages
• The families explained that they protected their crafts to ensure that their 'recipes' would not be profaned (used toward idol worship or their own benefit, etc)

• "their name will rot" may refer to a decay spreading up one's arms
• Doeg ben Yosef's father died, and his mother donated pieces of gold to the Temple with each handbreadth that he grew.  When a famine struck, she ate this child.  Apparently, this was because of the legacy of a bad name
• the righteous are praised for their own actions while the wicked are cursed by their actions and the actions of those around them
• The Gemara shares many further proof texts for "the memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing" and "the name of the wicked shall rot", including when one who is wicked is surrounded by righteousness
• G-d ensures that there is one righteous person in each generation.

The details of today's daf are worthy of much more detailed descriptions.  The words of the Gemara are highly fantastical and extremely logical at the same time.