Before us is Mishnah 15 in the first chapter of Maseches Maaser Sheni, the closing Mishnah of the tractate. The Mishnah lists a series of enactments instituted by Yochanan Kohen Gadol, who served as High Priest after Shimon HaTzaddik.
"Yochanan Kohen Gadol he'evir hoda'as hama'aser":
Yochanan Kohen Gadol abolished the recitation of the confession over the tithes. The reason: the text of the confession includes the words "and I have also given it to the Levi" - that I gave the tithe to the Levi, and this statement could no longer be made truthfully. For Ezra the Scribe, since the Levites did not come up with him (and according to some explanations they did come up, but not willingly), penalized them so that the first tithe would no longer be given to the Levites but to the kohanim. And since it was impossible to say that line, Yochanan Kohen Gadol held that the entire confession should not be recited.
"Af hu bitel es hame'orerim":
Who were the me'orerim? The name comes from the word 'orer', from the root meaning to awaken. The Levites would sing the song accompanying the offering, and included in their recitation was the verse in Tehillim, "Urah lamah sishan Hashem" - Awake, why do You sleep. Yochanan Kohen Gadol abolished this recitation with the argument: is there such a thing as sleep before the Holy One, blessed is He? After all, elsewhere in Tehillim it says, "Hineh lo yanum velo yishan shomer Yisrael" - Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The verse "Awake, why do You sleep, Hashem" was said by David HaMelech with reference to a time when Israel is in distress and hardship, and therefore this recitation was not fitting for the era when the Beis HaMikdash stood.
"Ve'es hanokfim":
The nokfim were those people who would strike the animals designated for offering in the Beis HaMikdash. They would strike the animal between its horns and tear its flesh, so that the blood would run down into its eyes and it would become disoriented, making it easier to bring it to a state in which it could be slaughtered. Yochanan Kohen Gadol abolished this practice: even though technically this was not considered a blemish that disqualifies the animal as an offering, it nevertheless presented an unseemly sight. In its place he installed metal rings, fashioned in such a way that the animal's neck could be inserted into them and the animal held in place, allowing it to be slaughtered without resorting to the earlier method.
"Ve'ad yamav hayah patish makeh biYerushalayim":
This refers to the days of Chol HaMoed: on Chol HaMoed one is permitted to perform work of a davar ha'aved, work whose omission would cause a monetary loss, and such was the practice in Jerusalem. Yochanan Kohen Gadol prohibited even the striking of the hammer on the anvil, which was technically permitted, because the sound of the striking carried far and marred the atmosphere of Chol HaMoed throughout Jerusalem.
"Uvyamav ein adam tzarich lish'ol al hademai":
Demai is produce purchased from an am ha'aretz. The amei ha'aretz were suspected of not separating tithes - Terumah they did separate, but tithes not necessarily. Even though it is stated that "most amei ha'aretz do tithe," because of the minority who do not tithe, one had to clarify in every single case whether the tithes had been separated, and whether this was someone who could be trusted.
Yochanan Kohen Gadol established a simpler solution: one who buys produce from an am ha'aretz assumes from the outset that tithes were not separated from it, and proceeds as follows:
Terumas maaser: He separates the tithe, and from the tithe he separates terumas maaser - a tenth of the tithe, which is one hundredth of the total quantity - and gives it to a kohen.
Maaser rishon: He does not need to give it to a Levi, since an Israelite is permitted to eat it, and he can say to the Levi: "Prove that the tithe was not separated from it. It is a matter of doubt, and I am being stringent with myself, but I am not obligated to give it to you."
Maaser sheni: He separates it and redeems it, redeeming it onto a coin, and so on.
This procedure was established by Yochanan Kohen Gadol, and from then on there was no need to investigate in each and every case whether the person is trustworthy. One sweeping rule was set down, according to which only terumas maaser and maaser sheni require separation.
In summary: In this Mishnah we listed the enactments of Yochanan Kohen Gadol - the abolition of the tithe confession following Ezra's penalty on the Levites, the abolition of the me'orerim, the abolition of the nokfim and the installation of metal rings in their place, the prohibition of striking the hammer in Jerusalem on Chol HaMoed, and the sweeping rule in the law of demai.
Thank you very much for joining us for Maseches Maaser Sheni. We hope you will join us for Maseches Challah and onward.