A List of Ten Extremely Powerful Sounds and Smells of the Temple, According to the Mishnah (Mishnah Tamid 3:8)

Appendix: From the Diaspora to the Holy of Holies – The Seven Levels of Prayer Focus (Berakhot 30a)

This Mishnah describes the powerful sensory experiences linked to the Temple in Jerusalem as perceived from Jericho.¹

Sounds heard from Jericho:

1.  The opening of the large gate ( שער הגדול)

2.  The shovel (מגרפה)

3.  The “machine”² crafted by Ben-Katin³ for the Basin

4.  Gabini, the Temple crier⁴

5.  The flute⁵

6. The cymbals (צלצל)

7.  Levites singing (they sang during Temple service)

8.  The shofar (blown several times a day)

9.  The High Priest uttering the Tetragrammaton on Yom Kippur.

Smells noticeable from Jericho:

The incense

R’ Elazar ben Diglai⁶ noted that his father’s goats in distant Mikhvar / Mkawer⁷ would sneeze from the fragrance of the incense, highlighting its potent reach.

The Passage

Mishnah_Tamid.3.8:

1. מיריחו היו שומעין

   1. קול שער הגדול שנפתח. 

2. מיריחו היו שומעין

   1. קול המגרפה

3. מיריחו היו שומעין

   1. קול העץ שעשה בן קטין מוכני לכיור

4. מיריחו היו שומעין

   1. קול גביני כרוז. 

5. מיריחו היו שומעין

   1. קול החליל. 

6. מיריחו היו שומעין

   1. קול הצלצל. 

7. מיריחו היו שומעין

   1. קול השיר. 

8. מיריחו היו שומעים

   1. קול השופר. 

9. ויש אומרים:

   1. אף קול של כהן גדול

   2. בשעה שהוא מזכיר את השם ביום הכפורים. 

10. מיריחו היו

    1. מריחים ריח פטום הקטרת. 

אמר רבי אליעזר בן דגלאי:

עזים היו לבית אבא בהר מכור,

והיו מתעטשות מריח פטום הקטרת

1. From Jericho they would hear

   1. the sound indicating that the large gate had been opened. 

2. From Jericho they would hear

   1. the sound produced in the Temple by the instrument that had the form of a shovel. 

3. From Jericho they would hear

   1. the sound of the wood that Ben-Katin crafted into a mechanism of pulleys for the Basin. 

4. From Jericho they would hear

   1. the voice of Gabini the crier

5. From Jericho they would hear

   1. the sound of the flute that was played in the Temple twelve days each year. 

6. From Jericho they would hear

   1. the sound of Ben-Arza clashing the cymbals in the Temple. 

7. From Jericho they would hear

   1. the sound of the song of the Levites in the Temple. 

8. From Jericho they would hear

   1. the sound of the shofar that was sounded several times each day in the Temple. 

9. And some say:

   1. in Jericho the people would hear even the voice of the High Priest

   2. at the moment that he mentioned the ineffable name of God on Yom Kippur. 

10. From Jericho they would smell

    1. the fragrance emanating from the preparation of the incense in the Temple. 

R[‘ Elazar ben Diglai said:

There were goats belonging to my father that grazed in the cities of Mikhvar, located at a distance from Jerusalem,

and they would sneeze from the fragrance of the preparation of the incense that they smelled.

Appendix 1 - From the Diaspora to the Holy of Holies – The Seven Levels of Prayer Focus (Berakhot 30a)

Berakhot.30a.8-9

A baraita outlines a detailed progression of prayer direction:⁸

1. Blind individuals or anyone else unable to determine (לכוין) directions (רוחות): focus toward God (I Kings 8:44)

2. Diaspora (חוץ לארץ): Focus toward Eretz Yisrael (I Kings 8:48).

3. Eretz Yisrael: Focus toward Jerusalem (I Kings 8:44).

4. Jerusalem: Focus toward the Temple (II Chronicles 6:32).

5. Temple: Focus toward the Holy of Holies (I Kings 8:35).

6. Holy of Holies: Focus toward the ark-cover (kapporet).

7. Behind the kapporet: Visualize oneself as standing before it.

Wherever one stands in prayer—east, west, south, or north—they turn to face toward the central direction, aligning their prayer focus. Thus, all Jews direct their hearts and focus toward “one place” (the Holy of Holies in the Temple).

תנו רבנן:

1. סומא, ומי שאינו יכול לכוין את הרוחות —

   1. יכוין לבו כנגד אביו שבשמים,

   2. שנאמר: ״והתפללו אל ה׳״.

2. היה עומד בחוץ לארץ —

   1. יכוין את לבו כנגד ארץ ישראל,

   2. שנאמר: ״והתפללו אליך דרך ארצם״.

3. היה עומד בארץ ישראל —

   1. יכוין את לבו כנגד ירושלים,

   2. שנאמר: ״והתפללו אל ה׳ דרך העיר אשר בחרת״.

4. היה עומד בירושלים —

   1. יכוין את לבו כנגד בית המקדש,

   2. שנאמר: ״והתפללו אל הבית הזה״.

5. היה עומד בבית המקדש —

   1. יכוין את לבו כנגד בית קדשי הקדשים,

   2. שנאמר: ״והתפללו אל המקום הזה״.

6. היה עומד בבית קדשי הקדשים —

   1. יכוין את לבו כנגד בית הכפורת.

7. היה עומד אחורי בית הכפורת —

   1. יראה עצמו כאילו לפני הכפורת.

נמצא:

1. עומד במזרח --

   1. מחזיר פניו למערב.

2. במערב --

   1. מחזיר פניו למזרח.

3. בדרום —

   1. מחזיר פניו לצפון.

4. בצפון —

   1. מחזיר פניו לדרום.

נמצאו:

כל ישראל מכוונין את לבם למקום אחד.

The Sages taught in a Tosefta:

1. A blind person and one who is unable to approximate the directions and, therefore, is unable to face Jerusalem in order to pray,

   1. should focus his heart towards his Father in Heaven,

   2. as it is stated: “And they shall pray to YHWH” (I Kings 8:44).

2. One who was standing in prayer in the Diaspora

   1. should focus his heart toward Eretz Yisrael,

   2. as it is stated: “And they shall pray to You by way of their land which You have given to their fathers” (I Kings 8:48).

3. One who was standing in Eretz Yisrael

   1. should focus his heart toward Jerusalem,

   2. as it is stated: “And they shall pray to YHWH by way of the city that You have chosen” (I Kings 8:44).

4. One who was standing in Jerusalem

   1. should focus his heart toward the Temple,

   2. as it is stated: “And they shall pray toward this house” (II Chronicles 6:32).

5. One who was standing in the Temple

   1. should focus his heart toward the Holy of Holies,

   2. as it is stated: “And they shall pray toward this place” (I Kings 8:35).

6. One who was standing in the Holy of Holies

   1. should focus his heart toward the seat of the ark-cover [kapporet], atop the ark, the dwelling place of God’s glory.

7. One who was standing behind the seat of the ark-cover

   1. should visualize himself as if standing before the ark-cover and turn toward it.

Consequently:

1. one standing in prayer in the east

   1. turns to face west,

2. and one standing in the west

   1. turns to face east.

3. One standing in the south

   1. turns to face north,

4. and one standing in the north

   1. turns to face south;

Consequently:

all of the people of Israel focus themselves focusing their hearts toward one place, the Holy of Holies in the Temple.

Appendix 2 - Daily and Festival Music in the Temple (Mishnah Arakhin 2:3)

Mishnah_Arakhin.2.3

This Mishnah section sets (or: describes) minimums and maximums for musical elements of Temple worship and enumerates calendrical occasions marked by musical performance.

Number Ranges of Shofar Blasts (תקיעות), Harps (נבלין), and Flutes (חלילין)

Trumpet Blasts: never included fewer than 21 trumpet blasts per day.⁹

The maximum number of blasts was 48.¹⁰

Instruments Accompanying the Levite Song: When Levites sang, they used between 2 and 6 lyres.

Flutes: ranged from 2 to 12 in number.

1. 1. אין פוחתין מעשרים ואחת תקיעות במקדש

   2. ולא מוסיפין על ארבעים ושמנה.

2. 1. אין פוחתין משני נבלין

   2. ולא מוסיפין על ששה.

3. 1. אין פוחתין משני חלילין

   2. ולא מוסיפין על שנים עשר

1. 1. No fewer than 21 trumpet blasts are sounded daily in the Temple,

      1. as each day:

         1. 3 blasts were sounded for the opening of the gates in the morning,

         2. 9 for the daily morning offering,

         3. and 9 for the daily afternoon offering,

         4. totaling 21

   2. And no more than 48 are ever sounded on a single day.

      1. This would occur on the Friday of Sukkot,

         1. when they would sound an additional 12 blasts during the ritual of drawing the water for the water libation;

         2. 9 for the additional offerings;

         3. 3 to signal the population to cease their work before Shabbat;

         4. and 3 more to mark the beginning of Shabbat.

2. When accompanying their song with instruments,

   1. the Levites do not use fewer than 2 lyres

   2. and do not use more than 6.

3. When flutes are played,

   1. they do not use fewer than 2 flutes

   2. and do not use more than 12.

Occasions for Flute Performance Before the Altar

The flute was played in front of the altar on 12 specific days each year:

1. 14th of Nisan – 1st Paschal offering

2. 14th of Iyyar – 2nd Paschal offering

3. 1st day of Passover

4. Shavuot

5. # 5-12: All 8 days of Sukkot

ובשנים עשר יום בשנה החליל מכה לפני המזבח:

1. בשחיטת פסח ראשון,

2. ובשחיטת פסח שני,

3. וביום טוב ראשון של פסח,

4. וביום טוב של עצרת,

5. ובשמונת ימי החג,

And there are 12 days during the year when the flute plays before the altar:

1. At the time of the slaughter of the 1st Paschal offering, on the 14th of Nisan;

2. and at the time of the slaughter of the 2nd Paschal offering, on the 14th of Iyyar;

3. and on the 1st festival day of Passover;

4. and on the festival of Shavuot;

5. and on all 8 days of the festival of Sukkot.

Appendix 3 - Occasions of Festival Flute Playing in the Temple (Mishnah Sukkah 4:1, 5:1)

Mishnah_Sukkah.4.1

1. לולב

2. וערבה —

ששה ושבעה.

1. ההלל

2. והשמחה —

שמנה.

1. סכה

2. ונסוך המים —

שבעה.

והחליל —

חמשה וששה

1. The lulav is taken

2. and the altar is encircled together with the willow branch —

either 6 or 7 days,

depending on which day of the Festival occurs on Shabbat.

1. The obligation to recite the full hallel

2. and the mitzva of rejoicing, i.e., eating the meat of the peace-offering —

is in effect for 8 days, seven days of Sukkot and the Eighth Day of Assembly.

1. The mitzva of sukka

2. and the ritual of the water libation on the altar —

are in effect for 7 days.

The flute —

is played in the Temple for 5 or 6 days,

depending on which day of the Festival occurs on Shabbat, to enhance the rejoicing on the Festival.

Ibid., Mishnah_Sukkah.5.1:

החליל —

חמשה וששה.

זהו החליל של בית השואבה

[…]

The flute —

is played on the festival of Sukkot for 5 or 6 days.

This is the flute of the Place of the Drawing of the Water

[…]

1. Jericho is roughly 12 miles north-east of Jerusalem), emphasizing the reach and impact of the Temple's activities.

Each statement in the list follows the following formula:

מיריחו היו שומעין קול [חפץ]

From Jericho they would hear the sound of [X]

2. מוכני.

From Greek mēkhanḗ - “contrivance, machine, device, gear”, which is also the source for the English word “machine”.

3. בן קטין

Ben-Katin is mentioned in a few other Mishnahs as well, see the citations in the Hebrew Wikipedia entry linked.

4. גביני כרוז.

Gabini is also mentioned in a different Mishnah, in Tractate Shekalim 5:1. See my discussion of this Mishnah here.

5. חליל - played during specific days, see my appendices at the end of this piece.

6. רבי אליעזר בן דגלאי - an otherwise-unknown tanna.

7. הר מכור, in modern-day Jordan.

8. Starting from the broadest category of individuals and locations and narrowing down to the most specific and sacred focal point—the Holy of Holies.

Each step emphasizes the physical and spiritual alignment required during prayer, reflecting a unified connection to the divine.

The first five levels cite a biblical prooftext. Four of those prooftexts are taken from Solomon's dedicational prayer at the First Temple (I Kings 8:22–61), specifically verses 35, 44, and 48.

The formula of each item in the list is as follows:

1. היה עומד ב - [מקום פלוני] —

   1. יכוין את לבו כנגד - [מקום אלמוני],

   2. שנאמר: [פסוק]

1. One who was standing [in prayer] in [location X]

   1. should focus his heart toward [location Y]

   2. as it is stated: [verse]

9. Steinsaltz explains:

• 3 for opening the gates

• 9 for the morning offering

• 9 for the afternoon offering

10. Steinsaltz:

occurring on a Friday during Sukkot, with additional blasts for the water libation (12), the additional offerings (9), ceasing work for Shabbat (3), and marking the beginning of Shabbat (3).