Eruchin 2:5 - 2:6

אין פוחתין מששה טלאים המבוקרים (there are no less than six inspected lambs) – this Tanna/teacher holds that lambs of the daily burnt-offering require examination from blemish four days prior to their slaughter, similar to the Passover offering of Egypt, that was taken from the tenth [of Nisan] and its slaughter was on the fourteenth, for we derive (Numbers 28:2): "מועדו"/”at stated times,” that is stated in the daily offerings: “Be punctilious in presenting to Me at stated times [the offerings of food due Me],” from [the word] "מועדו"/at its set time, that is stated (Numbers 9:2): “[Let the Israelite people offer] the Passover sacrifice at its set time.” Therefore, prior to the day of inauguration [as a common priest] is four days of examination of eight lambs and we place them in the chamber of lambs, and on the day of inauguration, we take two for daily burnt-offerings and here remains there six inspected lambs, and after that, prior to the night, we examine two and place them there. And because that those are not yet at the time of the taking up of the two, they are not considered. And always, we take two and give two, an those two that we give, we take them on the fifth day of their being given.

כדי לשת ושני ימים טובים של ראש השנה – he took a general sign, for just as that if Shabbat and two Festival days of Rosh Hashanah fall together I was necessary to advance and to examine this lamb for Shabbat on the Eve of the Sabbath, for he was not able prior to that day to go and to request a lamb and to examine it, for that is taking four days prior to slaughter, here also we always require four days prior to slaughter.

ומוסיפין עד לעולם – if they wanted to add examined lambs in the chamber of the lambs, they add according to as they will want.

משתי חצוצרות – when they sounds the trumpets, there are no less than two.

ומוסיפין עד לעולם – But in the Gemara (Tractate Arakhin 13b – quoting Rav Zabdi in the name of Rav Huna) until one-hundred and twenty, as it states (II Chronicles 5:12): “and with them were one-hundred and twenty priests who blew the trumpets.”

והצלצל לבד – one cymbal was there and no more. For it states in Scripture (First Chronicles 16:5): “And Asaph sounding the cymbals” (note: the Hebrew in the verse is slightly different – ואסף במצלתים להשמיע in the Bartenura – than what is found in the Bible: ואסף במצלתים משמיע ). But even though the word מצלתים is written in a plural form, because they are two wide pieces of metal that strike each other, but however, it is one occupation/trade that he is performing (i.e., playing the cymbals, with one set of utensils), for one of them does not work without its partner, and one person plays them.

אין פוחתין משנים עשר לוים – nine [Levites] for the nine lutes/citherns and two [Levites] for the two lyres and one for the cymbals.

דוכן – a kind of balcony/portico that the Levites stand upon it.

אין קטן נכנס – no minor Levite enters into the Temple courtyard for any Divine service, as for example, to sweep the Temple courtyard or to close the doors.

אלא בשעה שהלוים עומדים – on the Dukhan in song or the minor Levites enter to sing with them.

ולא היו – those minors sing with a lyre and lute/cithern, but only by mouth.

כדי ליתן תבל – to give spices to the chanting of the Levites, because the voice of the children is thin and clear and spices up the voice of the adults.

לא עולין – those minors. למנין – of the twelve Levites that are need for the Dukhan.

ואין עולין – on the balcony/portico that is prepared for the Dukhan. But rather they stand on the ground.

וצוערי הלוים היו נקראים – that they cause pain to the adult Levites, for they are not able to make fragrant and to sweeten their voices like they can.