Out Of One’s Box
‘All May Enter the Heichal to Build, Repair…’
(Eruvin 105a)
A blemished kohen and a non-kohen may not go beyond the mizbe’ach in the courtyard of the Beis HaMikdash. Also, a tamei person is forbidden under penalty of kares from entering the Temple courtyard.
Two Conflicting Baraisos
Our Gemara cites a baraisa that states that anyone may enter the Beis HaMikdash to make repairs or remove tumah. Preferably, a kohen should perform these tasks; however, if there is no kohen available, a levi or a yisrael may enter and perform them. This baraisa indicates that a tahor yisrael is preferred over a tamei kohen.
Rav Kahana cites another baraisa that states if there are no unblemished kohanim available to make the necessary repairs, a blemished kohen should make them, and if there are no tahor kohanim available, a tamei kohen should make them. This baraisa indicates that a tamei kohen is preferred over a tahor yisrael.
Resolution
The Yad Dovid (novella ad.loc.) suggests reconciling these two baraisos as follows: The first baraisa refers to entering the Heichal whereas the second baraisa refers to entering the Kodesh Kodashim. With regard to entering the Heichal, a tahor yisrael is preferred over a tamei kohen because the sin of entering the Beis HaMikdash while tamei carries the penalty of kares.
With regard to the Kodesh Kodashim, a tamei kohen is preferred over a tahor yisrael. Why? Because no one – not even if he’s tahor – is allowed to enter the Kodesh Kodashim except on Yom Kippur. There is an exception for making repairs in the Kodesh Kodashim, but since normally both a tamei kohen and a tahor yisrael are barred from the Kodesh Kodashim on penalty of death, the death penalty ceases to be a relevant factor in terms of who should enter, so we send in a tamei kohen because a kohen is imbued with more sanctity.
How Were The Repairs Done
The Mishnah (Middos 4:5) states that repairmen were not permitted to walk into the Kodesh Kodashim. Rather, they were lowered from the roof in boxes. The Rambam (Hilchos Beis HaBechirah 7:23) states that boxes were used when repairing the Heichal as well. However, he writes that if it wasn’t feasible to make the necessary repairs standing in a box, they were allowed to enter normally.