for dessert. They said: Throughout all the days of Yoḥanan ben Nedavai there was never sacrificial meat left over in the Temple courtyard, as he would ensure that it was eaten.

The third cry was: Lift your heads, O gates, and let Elishama ben Pikai, the student of Pineḥas, son of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest, enter and serve as High Priest, as he is worthy.

The fourth cry was: Open the gates and expel Yissakhar from the village of Barkai, as he honors himself and desecrates items consecrated to Heaven. What would he do to deserve such a reputation? He would wrap silk [shira’ei] over his hands and perform the Temple service, as he was unwilling to dirty his hands.

The Gemara asks: What ultimately happened to Yissakhar from the village of Barkai? Yannai the king, and the queen were sitting and discussing food. The king said that goat meat is better food than lamb meat, and the queen said lamb meat is the better food. They said: Let us ask Yissakhar from the village of Barkai, as he is the High Priest and is very familiar with various dishes.

They asked him, and he said to them: If goat meat were better, it would be sacrificed as the daily offering. The fact that the daily offering is lamb proves that its meat is preferable to that of goat. As he spoke, he signaled contemptuously with his hand. The king said to his attendants: Since he signaled contemptuously with his hand, sever his right hand. Yissakhar gave a bribe, and the official severed his left hand instead. The king heard that Yissakhar had deceived him, and said: Let the official sever his right hand as well. Rav Yosef said: Blessed is the Merciful One, who took retribution [lematrapsei] on Yissakhar of the village of Barkai. His punishment fit his crime; since he would not dirty his hands with sacrificial blood, both his hands were severed.

Rav Ashi said, with regard to this incident: Yissakhar of the village of Barkai did not study that which we learned in the mishna: Lambs precede goats almost everywhere in the Torah that they are both mentioned. One might have thought that it is due to the fact that sheep are more select than goats. Therefore, the verse states: “And he shall bring for his offering a goat” (Leviticus 4:28), after which it is written: “And if he bring a lamb as his offering for a sin offering” (Leviticus 4:32), which teaches that both of them are equal.

Ravina said: Yissakhar did not even read the Torah, as it is written with regard to the peace offering: “If he sacrifices a lamb” (Leviticus 3:7), and it further states: “If a goat is his offering” (Leviticus 3:12). These verses indicate that one is permitted to bring whichever animal he wishes, and there is no preference.

Rabbi Elazar says that Rabbi Ḥanina says: Torah scholars increase peace in the world, as it is stated: “And all your children [banayikh] shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children [banayikh]” (Isaiah 54:13). The Sages interpreted this verse homiletically: Do not read: Your children [banayikh], but rather: Your builders [bonayikh], referring to the scholars who build the world through their Torah study and performance of mitzvot.