The Order of the Daily Rites in the Temple in Tannaitic Literature

This article examines the debate in tannaitic literature regarding the
proper sequence of daily ritual services in the Temple. While the Torah does not
explicitly define this order, the Tannaim developed different approaches to determining
it, based on scriptural interpretation: one, represented in the Sifra, prioritizes
rites performed inside the sanctuary (arranging the fire, tending the lamps, burning
incense) before the daily offering on the outer altar; the second, found in Sifrei Zuta
and the Mishnah, divides the daily offering ritual, placing the slaughter and blood
sprinkling before the sanctuary services while reserving the burning of animal parts
for last. These differences seem to reflect competing theological perspectives about
the focal point of divine presence: whether in the Holy of Holies or at the altar of
burnt offering. This disagreement appears within Rabbi Akiva's school and may have
been influenced by the historical absence of the Ark in the Second Temple, which
potentially shifted emphasis toward the outer altar.