(Fol. 62 b) R. Simlai came before R. Jochanan, and said to him: "Teach me the Book of Records (Chronicles)." "Whence art thou?" asked R. Jochanan. "From Lydia," he answered. "And where dost thou reside? "I reside in Nechardea." Whereupon R. Jochanan said to him: "It is prohibited to teach to inhabitants of either Lydia or Nehardea the contents of the Book of Chronicles, and so much the more to thee who art both a native of Lydia and resideth at Nehardea." R. Simlai, however, compelled R. Jochanan to give him the instruction. "I wish that the master would teach me all the contents within three months," said R. Simlai. Whereupon R. Jochanan replied: "Behold! If Beruria, the wife of R. Meier, the daughter of R. Chanan b. Teradion, who could learn three hundred traditions [of law) in one winter day from three hundred great men, was unable to master the contents of the Book of Chronicles after she had studied it for three years, how couldst thou ask me to teach it all to thee in three months? " R. Jochanan then took a clod of earth and threw it at him. While R. Simlai was running away, he said: "Rabbi, can you explain to me what the difference is between him who slays the paschal lamb for its actual purpose, and him who slays it not for its actual purpose [upon which the Mishnah declares the latter act to be invalid]; and that between one who slays the paschal lamb for those who will partake of it, and him who slays it for those who may not partake of it [both of which the Mishnah declares are valid]?" "So! Then thou art a young scholar," remarked R. Jochanan. "Come, and I shall teach thee."Rami b. Abin, in the name of Rab, said: "From the day when the Book of Genealogy was forgotten, the power of the sages diminished and the light of their eyes became dim; for the master said between the passages (I Chr. 8, 38) From one Azel unto the other Azel, the sages had four hundred camel-loads of critical researches."
(Fol. 64) Mishnah: The Passover sacrifice was slaughtered for three successive divisions of men, as it is said (Ex. 12, 6) And then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it toward evening. Assembly, Congregation and Israel, [each stands for a division]. The first division entered and filled the Temple court, the doors [of the Temple court] were closed, and [the Shofar blasts] Tekiah, Teruah and Tekiah were sounded. The priests then arrayed themselves in line, each priest holding in his hand either a silver bowl [in which to receive the blood of the sacrifice] or a golden bowl. The line which held silver bowls had only silver and the line which held golden bowls had only gold; they were not permitted to mingle. These bowls had no stands at the bottom, lest they [the priests] place them down [while full of blood] and the blood become congealed. An Israelite performed the slaughter, the priest received the blood and gave it to his colleague [the priest] who in turn passed it to his colleague, each one receiving the full bowl and returning the empty one [the contents of which had already been sprinkled]. The priest nearest the altar made one continuous sprinkling [opposite the base of the altar]. The first division then left and the second one entered; when the second division went out, the third one entered; in the same manner as the first division, so did the second and the third. The Hallel was recited [while the sacrifices were performed]; if they had finished [the Hallel before the ceremony was completed] they commenced reciting it over again. They might even say it a third time. However, it never happened [that the work should last] for the duration of three recitations. R. Juda said: "It never happened that the third division read as far as the chapter beginning, I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice (Ps. 116), because the third section had few in number [and they performed it quietly]."
(Ib. b) Our Rabbis were taught: It never happened that a man should be crushed in the Temple court, except on one Passover, in the days of Hillel, when an old man was crushed to death. The people called it Pesach Me'ucha (the Passover of the Crushers). Our Rabbis were taught: Once King Agrippa, being anxious to ascertain the number of the male population of Israel, instructed the High-priest to set a watchful eye on the paschal lambs and take accurate note. So he took one kidney of each and every one, and it was found that there were sixty myriad couples [which indicated] double the number of those that came forth out of Egypt, not counting those that were levitically unclean and those that were out travelling; and there was not a single paschal lamb or. whiel less than ten were counted [so that the number represented over six hundred myriads of men]. And it was called by the people Pesach Me'ubin (the crowded Passover) because of its big population.