Mishnah
Mishnah

Midrash for Sukkah 5:4

חֲסִידִים וְאַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֶׂה הָיוּ מְרַקְּדִים לִפְנֵיהֶם בַּאֲבוּקוֹת שֶׁל אוֹר שֶׁבִּידֵיהֶן, וְאוֹמְרִים לִפְנֵיהֶן דִּבְרֵי שִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת. וְהַלְוִיִּם בְּכִנּוֹרוֹת וּבִנְבָלִים וּבִמְצִלְתַּיִם וּבַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת וּבִכְלֵי שִׁיר בְּלֹא מִסְפָּר, עַל חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מַעֲלוֹת הַיּוֹרְדוֹת מֵעֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעֶזְרַת נָשִׁים, כְּנֶגֶד חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת שֶׁבַּתְּהִלִּים, שֶׁעֲלֵיהֶן לְוִיִּים עוֹמְדִין בִּכְלֵי שִׁיר וְאוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה. וְעָמְדוּ שְׁנֵי כֹהֲנִים בַּשַּׁעַר הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁיּוֹרֵד מֵעֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעֶזְרַת נָשִׁים, וּשְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת בִּידֵיהֶן. קָרָא הַגֶּבֶר, תָּקְעוּ וְהֵרִיעוּ וְתָקָעוּ. הִגִּיעוּ לְמַעְלָה עֲשִׂירִית, תָּקְעוּ וְהֵרִיעוּ וְתָקָעוּ. הִגִּיעוּ לָעֲזָרָה, תָּקְעוּ וְהֵרִיעוּ וְתָקָעוּ. הָיוּ תוֹקְעִין וְהוֹלְכִין, עַד שֶׁמַּגִּיעִין לַשַּׁעַר הַיּוֹצֵא מִזְרָח. הִגִּיעוּ לַשַּׁעַר הַיּוֹצֵא מִמִּזְרָח, הָפְכוּ פְנֵיהֶן לַמַּעֲרָב, וְאָמְרוּ, אֲבוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁהָיוּ בַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה אֲחוֹרֵיהֶם אֶל הֵיכַל ה' וּפְנֵיהֶם קֵדְמָה, וְהֵמָּה מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים קֵדְמָה לַשָּׁמֶשׁ, וְאָנוּ לְיָהּ עֵינֵינוּ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, הָיוּ שׁוֹנִין וְאוֹמְרִין, אָנוּ לְיָהּ, וּלְיָהּ עֵינֵינוּ:

The saintly ones and the men of (good) deeds would dance before them with flaming torches in their hands, [four or eight torches, throwing one and catching another, chanting before them song and praise, some saying: "Happy our youth that did not shame our old age!" — the saintly ones and the men of deeds; others; "Happy our old age that atoned for our youth" — the penitents. And both say: "Happy he who never sinned, and he who sinned and was forgiven."], and the Levites, with lutes, lyres, cymbals, and trumpets, an infinite number of instruments of all kinds, on the fifteen ascents from the enclosure of the Israelites to the enclosure of the women, corresponding to the fifteen "Songs of Ascents" in the Book of Psalms, the Levites standing on them with instruments and singing [in the simchath Beth Hashoeva. But the podium for the singing at the offerings was near the altar.] Two priests would stand in the upper gate leading from the enclosure of Israel to the enclosure of the women, with two shofars in their hands. When the rooster crowed, they would blow: tekiah, teruah, tekiah, [this being the sign to go and fill up water for the libation from the Shiloach.] When they reached the tenth ascent, they would blow: tekiah, teruah, tekiah. When they reached the azarah [the floor of the women's enclosure], they would blow: tekiah, teruah, tekiah, and they would draw out the tekiah until they reached the gate issuing to the east. When they reached the gate issuing to the east, they turned their faces to the west [towards the azarah and the sanctuary], and they said: "Our forefathers who were in this place — their backs were to the sanctuary and their faces eastward; and they prostrated themselves eastward to the sun. But we — to Kah are our eyes." R. Yehudah said: They would repeat: "We are to Kah, and to Kah are our eyes."

Explore midrash for Sukkah 5:4. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.

Previous VerseFull ChapterNext Verse