IS THERE ANY SOURCES THAT SUGGEST THAT THE COHANIM DID NOT ACTUALLY DIE WITHIN THE YEAR BUT THAT THEIR TERM IN OFFICE WAS ONLY ONE YEAR DUE TO THE CORRUPTION OF THE PROCESS? I KNOW THE PSHAT OF THE GEMARA SUGGESTS THAT THEY PHYSICALLY DIED DURING THE YEAR
MOSHE SMITH, LAWRENCE, NY
ACTUALLY -HAVE FOUND KEY SOURCES --SEE TOSEFTA YOMA 1:6, NEW MANUSCRIPTS FOUND AND SEFER HADOROS MEIROSH BY R AVRAHAM SILBER--NY -1959.
Moshe Smith
Yes, the Bach in our Gemara is the one who included the text that they died during the year, based on Rashi.
See also the Yerushalmi here that says clearly of the Kohanim Gedolim in the Second Temple that they were switched so often either because they paid their way into the position, or because they would "kill each other using sorcery"!
Be well,
Mordecai Kornfeld
Kollel Iyun Hadaf