The house of Garmu were experts in preparation of the showbread and its removal from the oven, but they were unwilling to teach it.69Due to its unique size and shape, the showbread had to be prepared in a special way, and it took great skill to remove it from the oven without tearing it. It should be noted that bread was at that time generally baked by sticking it onto the inside wall of the oven.
The Sages sent and brought craftsmen from Alexandria who were expert in preparation of the showbread, but they were not expert in its removal from the oven. The house of Garmu would ignite the oven toward the outside and [the bread] was removed toward the inside, but these would ignite toward the inside and would bake toward the outside.70They would ignite the fire deeper inside the oven and bake the bread toward the front of the oven.
Alternatively, they would bake the bread by attaching it to the outside of the oven, which was hot because of the fire on the inside. Some say that it would become moldy. When the matter became known to the Sages, they said: ‘Everything that the Holy One blessed be He did, He did only for His sake,’ as it is stated: “Everything done by the Lord is for His own sake” (Proverbs 16:4), and they restored the house of Garmu to its position.
They sent for them, but they did not want to come until they doubled their wages. They had been receiving twelve maneh each day and they then received twenty-four maneh, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yehuda says: They had been receiving twenty-four maneh each day and now forty-eight maneh.71Some interpret this passage to mean that the sums mentioned were paid per year, on behalf of their preparation of the showbread for the entire year (Rashash, Yoma 38a).
They said to them: ‘Why did you see fit not to teach?’ They said: ‘Our patrilineal house knew that the Temple is destined to be destroyed and perhaps an unworthy person will learn [how to produce the showbread] and will go engage in idol worship with it.’ Regarding this matter, they are commended; moreover, no bread from fine flour was ever found in the possession of their sons and daughters, so Israel would not say that they are sustained by the showbread, to fulfill what is stated: “You shall be vindicated before God and before Israel” (Numbers 32:22), and it says: “you will find grace and good favor in the eyes of God and man” (Proverbs 3:4).
All of them found a response to their words except for the house of Kamtzar, who did not find an answer.72The house of Kamtzar were expert scribes. They were able to grasp four quills in one hand and write the four letters of the name of God at the same time (Yoma 38b). It was considered advantageous for the name of God to be written in this way so as not to be incomplete for even a small amount of time.
They said to them: ‘Why did you see fit not to teach?’ They were silent and did not respond with an answer. Because they sought to increase their glory and diminish the glory of the Omnipresent, their glory diminished and the kingdom of Heaven remains in its place. Moreover, they have no descendant or offspring among Israel.
Regarding the first ones, it is stated: “The memory of the righteous is for a blessing” (Proverbs 10:7), and regarding these it is stated: “and the name of the wicked will rot” (Proverbs 10:7). From here, ben Azzai said: From your own they will give you,73People will be rewarded or punished in a manner commensurate with their actions. by your name they shall call you, and in your place they shall seat you, and there is no forgetfulness before the Onmipresent. No person touches what is prepared for another. And one reign does not overlap with another even one hairbreadth.