Proof: If the Kohen Gadol needed to do Terumas ha'Deshen, the Tevilah beforehand (and washing his hands before and after it) should be counted among the five times he must immerse and the 10 times he must wash his hands on Yom Kipur!

Support: The Piyut says "they rose from midnight to move the ashes according to the lottery for the ashes of what burned". This shows that there was a lottery on Yom Kipur for Terumas ha'Deshen!

Defense of our text (Ri): The text that says "Kohen Gadol" is fine. [Another Kohen] is early to do Terumas ha'Deshen and arrange the Ma'arachah and remove the limbs that were not consumed, so the Kohen Gadol will find ready everything he needs when he goes up [on the Mizbe'ach] at dawn, before he is hungry and weak.

Question: In Tamid (30b), a Mishnah says that in Yericho they heard the voice of Gevini Kruz. This is 10 Parsa'os away!

Answer: From 10 Parsa'os, they could perceive only a reverberation of his voice.

Support: We can similarly explain (below 39b) that the hinges of the doors of the Heichal were heard from eight Techum of Shabbos (a Techum is 2000 Amos), but the Mishnah [in Tamid] says that they heard them in Yericho.

Rav Pores' opinion: Also Dishun of the outer Mizbe'ach [was swallowed in its place].

Question #1 (R. Tam): What is the source for this reasoning? It is not counted with the other matters [that were swallowed in their place]!

Question #2: We say (Pesachim 26a, Temurah 34a) that ashes of Hekdesh are always forbidden, regarding matters that must be buried, like a Beraisa teaches "v'Sam'o" - gently; "v'Sam'o" - he does not spread them;

Inference: Since they must be buried, this shows that they are not swallowed in their place!

Answer #1 (to Question #2): We can say that the verse does not rely on a miracle. It means that if not for a miracle that they will be absorbed in their place, they must be buried.

Answer #2: If one dug there and removed the ashes, we teach that they are always forbidden.

Support: Rashi explained like this at the end of Temurah.

Citation: At the end of Chagigah (26b), the Gemara asks "it was covered with gold", and proves from the Mishnah in Kelim (1:3) that the law depends on the covering!

It answers that the Shulchan is different, for the Torah called it "Etz" - "ha'Mizbe'ach Etz Shalosh Amos... u'Chesiv va'Ydaber Elai Zeh ha'Shulchan."

Implied question: There were Urim v'Tumim in Bayis Sheni. If not, the Kohen Gadol would be missing Begadim [and he could not serve]!

Answer: [The Gemara means that] they did not answer one who asked from them.