On the first day of the festival [of Succoth], there were thirteen bullocks, two rams, and one goat, so that fourteen lambs were left for eight watches. On the first day, six (watches) sacrificed two each, and the (two) others, one each. [There were twenty-four priestly watches in the Temple, and all went up (to Jerusalem) for the festival and acquired the (privileges in the) obligatory festival offerings. Sixteen watches sacrificed sixteen beasts — thirteen bullocks, two rams, and one goat. There remained eight watches for fourteen lambs. Six of the eight sacrificed two each, making twelve lambs. The two remaining watches sacrificed one each.] On the second day, [when there was one bullock less, so that nine watches were left for fourteen lambs], five [of them] sacrificed two each [making ten], and the remaining [four watches sacrificed] one each. On the third day, [when there was an additional bullock less, so that ten watches were left for fourteen lambs], four [watches] sacrificed two each [making eight], and the remaining [six watches sacrificed] one each. On the fourth day, three (watches) sacrificed two each, and the remaining (eight), one each. On the fifth day, two (watches) sacrificed two each, and the remaining (ten) one each. On the sixth day, one (watch) sacrificed two, and the remaining (twelve) one each. On the seventh, all [the watches] were alike [and they sacrificed an equal number of lambs, each watch sacrificing one. For there were only seven bullocks, two rams, and one goat for ten watches, leaving fourteen lambs for fourteen watches.] On the eighth day, they reverted to the lottery, as on the (other) festivals. [The one bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the eighth day are not sacrificed according to the order of the sacrifices of the (Succoth) festival relative to the order of the watches, but all the watches come and cast lots for them as they do on the other festivals. The order of the lottery is explained in Yoma (2:1).] They [the watch that had sacrificed lambs that day] said: "He who sacrificed bullocks today shall not do so tomorrow," but they took turns.
Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
יום טוב הראשון של חג וכו' – there were twenty-four divisions for duty for the Kohanim/priests in the Temple and all of them ascend for the Festival [of Sukkot] and all of them are worthy of the obligatory sacrifices that come on account of the Festival, and sixteen divisions for duty offer sixteen cattle, which are thirteen bulls and two rams and one goat, hence, there remained eight divisions of duty for the fourteen sheep, six of the divisions of duty from the eight would each offer two lambs, which are twelve lambs and the rest of them, the remaining two divisions of duty, would offer one apiece.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
Introduction
The priests were divided into twenty-four watches, each watch serving for a week at the Temple. During a watch’s week the priests of that watch kept all of the sacrificial meat and any other part of the sacrifice that they were allowed to use. However, during pilgrimage festivals all twenty-four watches equally divided the sacrifices that were offered on account of the festival. Our mishnah teaches how the numerous Sukkot offerings were divvied up.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
בשני – when one of the bulls is diminished and there remained nine divisions for duty for fourteen sheep, five of them would offer two apiece, which is ten. But the rest which are the remaining four divisions for duty each one offers one lamb.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
On the first festival day of Sukkot there were thirteen bulls, two rams and one goat. Fourteen lambs remained for the other eight priestly watches. On the first day, six [watches] offered two each and the remaining [two] one each. On the first day of Sukkot there were thirty animals sacrificed: thirteen bulls, two rams, one goat (for a sin-offering) and fourteen lambs (Numbers 29:13-16). This means that 16 priestly watches could take one animal each, leaving fourteen animals for the other eight watches. On the first day of the festival, six watches would sacrifice two lambs and the other two watches would get one lamb each.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
בשלישי – when another bull is diminished from the bulls [offered], and there remained ten divisions of duty for fourteen lambs. Four divisions of duty would offer two apiece, which is eight, and the rest [offer] one apiece, six lambs for six divisions of duty.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
On the second day five offered two each and the remaining [four] one each. On the second day there was one less bull, so the total number of animals was only 29. Fifteen watches would take the fifteen non-lamb animals, leaving nine watches to split 14 lambs. Five would take two lambs, leaving four to each take one.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
בשביעי כולו שוין – the divisions of duty [are equal. And they offer equivalent [numbers] of lambs, for each one offers one each, for there are only seven bulls, two rams and one goat for ten divisions of duty. There remained fourteen lambs for fourteen divisions of duty.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
On the third day four offered two each and the remaining [six] one each. On the third day there were 11 bulls, for a total of 28 animals. Fourteen watches would take the fourteen non-lamb animals, leaving ten watches to split 14 lambs. Four would take two lambs, leaving six to each take one.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
בשמיני חוזרים לפייס כברגלים – one bull, one ram and seven sheep which are offered on the eighth [day of Solemn Assembly/Shemini Atzeret] which are not offered according to the order of the sacrifices of the Festival [of Sukkot] according to the order of the divisions of duty, but each of the divisions of duty come and appease them [through a lottery], just as they appease during the rest of the Festivals. And the order of the allotment is described in the first chapter of Yoma (actually, in the second chapter, Mishnayot 2-4).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
On the fourth day three offered two each and the remaining [eight] one each. On the fourth day there were only 10 bulls, for a total of 27 animals. Thirteen watches would take the thirteen non-lamb animals, leaving 11 watches to split 14 lambs. Three would take two lambs, leaving eight to each take one.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
אמרו משמר שהקריבו פרים היום – they would not offer bulls on the morrow, for the division of duty that offered lambs yesterday, we don’t allow them , but they return in the nighttime.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
On the fifth day two offered two each and the remaining [ten] one each. On the fifth day there were only 9 bulls, for a total of 26 animals. Twelve watches would take the twelve non-lamb animals, leaving 12 watches to split 14 lambs. Two would take two lambs, leaving ten to each take one.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
On the sixth day one offered two and the remaining [twelve] one each. On the sixth day there were only 8 bulls, for a total of 25 animals. Eleven watches would take the eleven non-lamb animals, leaving 13 watches to split 14 lambs. One would take two lambs, leaving 12 to each take one.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
On the seventh day all were equal. On the seventh day there were 24 animals for 24 watches each watch got one.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
On the eighth day they again cast lots as on the other festivals. On Shmini Atzeret there were only 10 animals sacrificed, one bull, one ram, one goat and seven lambs (Numbers 29:35-38). The watches would then cast lot to see who received what (see Yoma 2:1).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
They said: the [watch] that offered bulls on one day should not offer them on the next, but that they should take their turns in rotation. It is obviously better to receive a large meaty bull than a small goat. It wouldn’t have been fair for one watch to monopolize the larger animals. Therefore a watch that got a bull one day would not get a bull the next day. Without going through all the math, with a total of 70 bulls offered over the seven days of Sukkot, 22 of the watches would have been able to offer 3 bulls and two would have had to suffice with only 2 bulls. I think they should put this mishnah as a word problem (everyone's favorite) on a math exam!
