Rabbinic Criticism of the High Priest

b. Pesaḥim 57a

With regard to [the prominent priests] and those like them, Abba Saul ben Batnit said in the name of Abba Joseph ben Ḥanin: Woe is me due to [the high priests of] the house of Boethus, woe is me due to their clubs. Woe is me due to [the high priests of] the house of Ḥanin; woe is me due to their whispers [and the rumors they spread]. Woe is me due to [the high priests of] the house of Katros; woe is me due to their pens [that they use to write lies]. Woe is me due to [the servants of the high priests of] the house of Ishmael ben Piakhi; woe is me due to their fists. [The power of these households stemmed from the fact] that [the fathers] were high priests, and their sons were [the Temple] treasurers, and their sons-in-law were [Temple] overseers. And their servants strike the people with clubs, [and otherwise act inappropriately].

b. Yoma 8b–9a

Rather, initially, [during the era of Simeon the Just and his colleagues, who were rewarded with long lives due to their righteousness,] they would call it the Chamber of Balvatei, [a term connoting significance, since it was a place designated for the high priest]. However, because [people were] giving money [in order to be appointed] to the [high] priesthood, [the position was filled by unworthy individuals. Due to their wickedness, they did not survive the year, and they were] replaced every twelve months like the parhedrin [officials appointed for a one-year term—Ed.] who are replaced every twelve months. Therefore, the chamber was called [disparagingly the Chamber of] Parhedrin. [ . . . ]

Rabbah bar Bar Ḥanah said [that] R. Yoḥanan said: What is [the meaning of that] which is written: The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened (Proverbs 10:27)? The fear of the Lord prolongs days; that [is a reference to the] First Temple, which stood [for] four hundred and ten years and in [which] only eighteen high priests served, [as is written in the lists of the genealogy of the priests in the Bible]. But the years of the wicked will be shortened; that [is a reference to the] Second Temple, which stood [for] four hundred and twenty years and in [which] over three hundred high priests served. [In calculating the tenures of the high priests,] deduct from [the figure of four hundred and twenty years] forty years that Simeon the Just served, and eighty [years] that Yoḥanan the High Priest served, ten [years] that Ishmael ben Pavi served, and some say eleven [years] that R. Eleazar ben Ḥarsum served. [These men were all righteous and were privileged to serve extended terms. After deducting those one hundred and thirty or one hundred and forty-one years,] go out and calculate from this [point] forward [and conclude]: Each and every one [of the remaining high priests] did not complete his year [in office, as the number of remaining high priests is greater than the number of years remaining].