In the first three miracles in this mishnah we can see reflected the practical problems that one would have imagined to have occurred in Jerusalem and specifically in the Temple. Many of these are issues of cleanliness. The Temple would have been full of animals and of meat, and in times when there was no refrigeration and running water was a luxury, it must have been very difficult to keep the place clean. Therefore the mishnah teaches that miracles were wrought that prevented a woman from miscarrying due to the smell of the sacrifices, the meat from going bad and flies from gathering.
If the high priest were to have a seminal emission, he would be disqualified from performing the special Yom Kippur worship.
Even though the altar was uncovered, the fire underneath never was extinguished by rain.
The pillar of smoke coming up from the altar always went straight up without being effected by the wind (according to the Rambam, there was never wind at the time when sacrifices were being offered).
On the sixteenth of Nissan they would bring the omer sacrifice, which consisted of barley. After this sacrifice people were allowed to eat from the new harvest. The two loaves refers to the two loaves brought on Shavuoth. After these two loaves were offered, new wheat could be used for minhah sacrifices. The showbread was baked on the eve of the Sabbath and remained on the table for a week. According to the mishnah, disqualifying defects were never found in these three things.
Although it must have been crowded in the Temple during the pilgrimage festivals, and people stood pressed up against each other, when it came time to bow, miraculously there was room to do so.
If a snake or scorpion killed someone in Jerusalem, it would have potentially caused sudden impurity to any of those standing near. The miracle that this didn’t ever happen would have prevented this problem.
Although it must have been unpleasantly crowded in Jerusalem during the pilgrimage festivals, no one ever complained.
Questions for Further Thought:
• What is the difference between the last miracle and all of the previous ones?