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The Torah refers to the thumb as bohen, while Chazal refer to it as the gudal because of its thickness (as implied by the word kusd which means large). Rabbeinu Bachya notes the specific names which Chazal have given to each finger of the hand. He cites Rashi’s commentary on the Talmud, Kesubos 5b, which explains the reason for the name of each finger. Each reason is based upon the finger’s specific function reflected in holy endeavor. It is amazing that when Chazal identified each finger, they named it in accordance with its holy function. Most people who use each…

The first task assigned to the Kohen every morning in the Bais Hamikdash was the removal of the ashes of the previous day’s sacrifices from the altar. Horav M. Shapiro, z.l., explains that these ashes were removed, because their cooling effect on the embers prevented the new fire from burning properly. It is prohibited to wield iron on the Mizbayach, because iron shortens life, while the Mizbayach lengthens it. Likewise, it was necessary to remove anything that smothered the fire which was designated to burn constantly. This also applies to the Menorah, whose residue was cleaned out in order to…