Sukkah 4

לוּלָב וַעֲרָבָה, שִׁשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעָה. הַהַלֵּל וְהַשִּׂמְחָה, שְׁמֹנָה. סֻכָּה וְנִסּוּךְ הַמַּיִם, שִׁבְעָה. וְהֶחָלִיל, חֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁשָּׁה:

Lulav [the taking of the lulav] and aravah [for the circling of the altar] — (sometimes the mitzvah is) six (days) and (sometimes) seven. [Sometimes it overrides the Sabbath and is seven days; and sometimes it does not override the Sabbath and is six (to be explained later)]. Hallel and rejoicing are eight. [(Hallel:) to complete the Hallel all eight days (as opposed to Pesach), for the days of the festival (of Succoth) are distinct in their offerings. (rejoicing:) to eat the flesh of peace-offerings at the time of the Temple, it being written (Deuteronomy 16:14): "And you shall rejoice in your festival," and there is no rejoicing at the time of the Temple except with peace-offerings, viz. (Ibid. 27:7): "and you shall slaughter peace-offerings, and you shall eat them there, and you shall rejoice."] Succah [sitting in the succah] and the water libation [at the morning temidim of the festival] — seven. And the chalil (the flute), five and six. [At the simchath Beth Hashoeva, they rejoiced in the festival in honor of the drawing of the water for the libations, and they would play on flutes and viols. And that chalil overrides neither Sabbath nor festival.]

לוּלָב שִׁבְעָה כֵּיצַד, יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חָג שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, לוּלָב שִׁבְעָה, וּשְׁאָר כָּל הַיָּמִים, שִׁשָּׁה:

Lulav — seven. How so? If the first day of the festival fell out on Shabbath, lulav — seven. [For the first day (of the festival) overrides Shabbath, it having a basis in the Torah (for taking the lulav even) in the borders (i.e., outside of the Temple), viz. (Leviticus 23:40): "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day"]. All the other days, six. [If the first day of the festival falls out on any of the weekdays, so that Shabbath falls out on Chol Hamoed, it does not override. And even though all seven days obtain in the Temple by Torah law, the sages established their decree (against taking the lulav) for the other days of the festival, since they have no Torah basis (for taking the lulav) in the borders (on those days). And, in truth, even today the taking of the lulav should override Shabbath on the first day of the festival; but because we are not expert in the fixing of the New Moon, so that it (that day) may not be the first day of the festival, we do not override the Sabbath on the basis of a possibility. And in taking it, there is no (Torah proscribed) Sabbath labor, but merely the moving of it. (Still, it is forbidden) lest he take it in his hand and go to an expert to learn the blessing or the order of the shakings (na'anuim) and come to carry it four cubits in the public domain. And this is also the reason that we do not blow the shofar or read the Megillah (on Shabbath)].

עֲרָבָה שִׁבְעָה כֵּיצַד, יוֹם שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁל עֲרָבָה שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, עֲרָבָה שִׁבְעָה, וּשְׁאָר כָּל הַיָּמִים שִׁשָּׁה:

Aravah — seven. How so? If the seventh day of aravah fell out on Shabbath, aravah — seven. All the other days, six. [The sages made a distinct sign to show that aravah is Torah ordained, i.e., a halachah to Moses on Sinai. In keeping with this, they instituted that on the seventh day, in the Temple, aravah override Sabbath (for they would circle the altar with the aravah.) And today, it is only a custom of the prophets, who had the people take the aravah on the seventh day (Hoshanah Rabbah) aside from the aravah in the lulav (and no blessing is made over it.)]

מִצְוַת לוּלָב כֵּיצַד. יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חָג שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, מוֹלִיכִין אֶת לוּלְבֵיהֶן לְהַר הַבַּיִת, וְהַחַזָּנִין מְקַבְּלִין מֵהֶן וְסוֹדְרִין אוֹתָן עַל גַּב הָאִצְטַבָּא, וְהַזְּקֵנִים מַנִּיחִין אֶת שֶׁלָּהֶן בַּלִּשְׁכָּה. וּמְלַמְּדִים אוֹתָם לוֹמַר, כָּל מִי שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לוּלָבִי בְיָדוֹ, הֲרֵי הוּא לוֹ בְמַתָּנָה. לְמָחָר מַשְׁכִּימִין וּבָאִין, וְהַחַזָּנִין זוֹרְקִין אוֹתָם לִפְנֵיהֶם. וְהֵן מְחַטְּפִין וּמַכִּין אִישׁ אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ. וּכְשֶׁרָאוּ בֵית דִּין שֶׁבָּאוּ לִידֵי סַכָּנָה, הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהֵא כָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נוֹטֵל בְּבֵיתוֹ:

The mitzvah of lulav — how so? (i.e., How did they fulfill it in the Temple on Shabbath?) If the first day of the festival fell out on Shabbath, they would take their lulavim to the Temple Mount [on Sabbath eve] and the sextons [who were there for the needs of the congregation] would take them and arrange them atop the Itzteva. [The square of the Temple Mount was surrounded with itztevaoth (colonnades) where people would sit, and which were covered on top against the rain.] And the elders, [who were worried about being jostled when they came the next day to get their lulavim] would leave theirs in the lishkah. And they [beth-din] taught them [all of the people] to say: "If someone else gets my lulav, it is his as a gift" [so that it not be in a status of "stolen" or "borrowed" by him.] The next day they would rise early and come, and the sextons would throw them (the lulavim) before them. They would grab at them (trying to get their own) and would come to blows. When beth-din saw that there was danger in this, they instituted that each one take his own lulav in his house.

מִצְוַת עֲרָבָה כֵּיצַד, מָקוֹם הָיָה לְמַטָּה מִירוּשָׁלַיִם, וְנִקְרָא מוֹצָא. יוֹרְדִין לְשָׁם וּמְלַקְּטִין מִשָּׁם מֻרְבִּיּוֹת שֶׁל עֲרָבָה, וּבָאִין וְזוֹקְפִין אוֹתָן בְּצִדֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וְרָאשֵׁיהֶן כְּפוּפִין עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. תָּקְעוּ וְהֵרִיעוּ וְתָקָעוּ. בְּכָל יוֹם מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ פַּעַם אַחַת, וְאוֹמְרִים, אָנָּא ה' הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא, אָנָּא ה' הַצְלִיחָה נָּא. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, אֲנִי וָהוֹ הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא. וְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים. בִּשְׁעַת פְּטִירָתָן, מָה הֵן אוֹמְרִים, יֹפִי לְךָ מִזְבֵּחַ, יֹפִי לְךָ מִזְבֵּחַ. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, לְיָהּ וּלְךָ, מִזְבֵּחַ. לְיָהּ וּלְךָ, מִזְבֵּחַ:

The mitzvah of aravah — how so? There was a place below Jerusalem called Motza. [The gemara states that it was called Kalanya (a colony), by which name it is still called. Aravoth are plentiful there. It is but a small distance from Jerusalem. "Kalanya" means "free from taxation," for which reason it was also called "Motza," "released" from royal taxation because of the aravoth that were taken from there.] They would go down there and pick young aravoth and come and stand them on the sides of the altar with their heads bent. They would sound (on the shofar) tekiah, teruah, tekiah. Every day (of the festival) they would circle the altar once, saying: "I pray, You, O L rd, ("Ana Hashem"), save, I pray"; "I pray You, O L rd, prosper, I pray." R. Yehudah says: "Ani, Veho, save, I pray." [("Ani Veho":) the gematria (numerical equivalent) of "Ana Hashem." Also, they are two of the names (of the L rd) in the seventy-two name formulation (Exodus 14:19-21). Another interpretation: I (ani) and He (ho) are in affliction," as in (Psalms 91:15): "I am with him in affliction," "save, I pray."] And on that day (the seventh) they would circle the altar seven times. When they take leave (of the altar), what do they say? "This beauty is for you, O altar; this beauty is for you, O altar!" R. Eliezer says: "To Him and to you, O altar; to Him and to you, O altar!"

כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ בְחֹל כָּךְ מַעֲשֵׂהוּ בְשַׁבָּת, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיוּ מְלַקְּטִין אוֹתָן מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וּמַנִּיחִים אוֹתָן בְּגִיגִיּוֹת שֶׁל זָהָב, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִכְמֹשׁוּ. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן בְּרוֹקָה אוֹמֵר, חֲרִיּוֹת שֶׁל דֶּקֶל הָיוּ מְבִיאִין, וְחוֹבְטִין אוֹתָן בַּקַּרְקַע בְּצִדֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם נִקְרָא יוֹם חִבּוּט חֲרִיּוֹת:

As they did (with the aravoth) on a weekday, so they did on Shabbath; but they would pick them on Sabbath eve. And they would put them in golden vases [filled with water] so that their leaves not wither. R. Yochanan b. Beroka says: They would bring palm shoots [both on a weekday and on Shabbath], and not aravoth, it being written (Leviticus 23:40): "kapoth (plural) of date palms" — one for the lulav, the other for the altar.] And they would strike them on the floor at the side of the altar. And that day was called "The day of the striking of the shoots." [The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yochanan b. Beroka.]

מִיַּד הַתִּינוֹקוֹת שׁוֹמְטִין אֶת לוּלְבֵיהֶן וְאוֹכְלִין אֶתְרוֹגֵיהֶן:

Immediately, the children release their lulavim [i.e., the adults release the lulavim of the children from their hands], and they eat their ethrogim. [The adults eat the children's ethrogim. And there is no "theft" in this, this being their custom in rejoicing. Another interpretation: The children would cast away their lulavim and eat their ethrogim on the seventh day. But the adults would not eat theirs the entire day, for since they were set aside for a mitzvah for part of the day, they are "set aside" (huktzah) for all of it.]

הַהַלֵּל וְהַשִּׂמְחָה שְׁמֹנָה כֵּיצַד. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁחַיָּב אָדָם בַּהַלֵּל וּבַשִּׂמְחָה וּבִכְבוֹד יוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל חָג, כִּשְׁאָר כָּל יְמוֹת הֶחָג. סֻכָּה שִׁבְעָה כֵּיצַד. גָּמַר מִלֶּאֱכֹל, לֹא יַתִּיר סֻכָּתוֹ, אֲבָל מוֹרִיד אֶת הַכֵּלִים מִן הַמִּנְחָה וּלְמַעְלָה, מִפְּנֵי כְבוֹד יוֹם טוֹב הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל חָג:

Hallel and rejoicing are eight. How so? We are hereby taught that one is obligated in Hallel and rejoicing and in honoring the concluding festival day of the holiday, just as all the days of the festival. Succah — seven. How so? When he finishes eating, he does not undo [the ties of] his succah [in order to dismantle it], but from minchah on he takes down [from it] the [fine] vessels [and spreads that he had brought into it ] in honor of the concluding festival day of the holiday [so that he show himself to be preparing the place for his evening repast.]

נִסּוּךְ הַמַּיִם כֵּיצַד. צְלוֹחִית שֶׁל זָהָב מַחֲזֶקֶת שְׁלשֶׁת לֻגִּים הָיָה מְמַלֵּא מִן הַשִּׁלּוֹחַ. הִגִּיעוּ לְשַׁעַר הַמַּיִם, תָּקְעוּ וְהֵרִיעוּ וְתָקָעוּ. עָלָה בַכֶּבֶשׁ וּפָנָה לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ, שְׁנֵי סְפָלִים שֶׁל כֶּסֶף הָיוּ שָׁם. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, שֶׁל סִיד הָיוּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיוּ מֻשְׁחָרִין פְּנֵיהֶם מִפְּנֵי הַיָּיִן. וּמְנֻקָּבִין כְּמִין שְׁנֵי חֳטָמִין דַּקִּין, אֶחָד מְעֻבֶּה וְאֶחָד דַּק, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם כָּלִין בְּבַת אַחַת. מַעֲרָבִי שֶׁל מַיִם, מִזְרָחִי שֶׁל יָיִן. עֵרָה שֶׁל מַיִם לְתוֹךְ שֶׁל יַיִן, וְשֶׁל יַיִן לְתוֹךְ שֶׁל מַיִם, יָצָא. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בְּלֹג הָיָה מְנַסֵּךְ כָּל שְׁמֹנָה. וְלַמְנַסֵּךְ אוֹמְרִים לוֹ, הַגְבַּהּ יָדֶךָ, שֶׁפַּעַם אַחַת נִסֵּךְ אֶחָד עַל גַּבֵּי רַגְלָיו, וּרְגָמוּהוּ כָל הָעָם בְּאֶתְרוֹגֵיהֶן:

The water libation — how so? He would fill up a golden flask holding three logs [(the least of the libations, a quarter of a hin for a lamb)] from the Shiloach [a spring near Jerusalem]. When he reached the Water Gate [(One of the gates of Ezra was thus called because through it was brought the flask of water for the festival libation)], they sounded (on the shofar) tekiah, teruah, tekiah, [in keeping with (Isaiah 12:3): "And you shall draw water with joy." He went up the ramp, [which was in the south of the altar] and turned left, [for the libations are at the southwest corner (of the altar), which is the first (he comes to) when he turns left.] There were two silver basins there. R. Yehudah says: They were of lime, but their surface was blackened because of the wine (poured therein) [so that they looked like silver, which is darker than lime.] And they had outlets [one to each] like two thin snouts, one (relatively) thick (for the wine); the other, (relatively) thin (for the water), so that both (the wine and the water) reach the bottom at the same time. [("like two thin snouts":) the Cohein would stir (the contents) in the mouth of the basins, and the libations would descend through the spouts upon the roof of the altar, where there was a duct whereby the water and the wine descended to the shittin (a pit by the side of the altar), which was hollow and very deep. ("one, thick; the other, thin":) One of the snouts (the wine snout) was thick; and one, (the water snout) was thin. This, so that they (the wine and the water) reach the bottom at the same time. For water flows more quickly than wine, which is thicker, and slower. Thus, the wine snout was made thicker (i.e., wider) than the water snout, so that they reach the bottom at the same time.] The western basin was for water, and the eastern one for wine. If he poured the wine into the water basin or the water into the wine basin, he has still fulfilled his obligation. R. Yehudah says: With one log he performed the libation all eight (days). [He differs with the first tanna in both, three logs and seven days, R. Yehudah saying (only one log, and that) the libation obtains on the eighth day, too. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehudah.] And the one performing the libation is told: "Hold your hand high!" [so that we can see if you pour water into the basin (for the Sadducees do not acknowledge the water libation to be a mitzvah)]. For once, one [Sadducee] poured [the water] upon his feet, and all the people "stoned" him with their ethrogim.

כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ בְחֹל כָּךְ מַעֲשֵׂהוּ בְשַׁבָּת, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה מְמַלֵּא מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת חָבִית שֶׁל זָהָב שֶׁאֵינָהּ מְקֻדֶּשֶׁת, מִן הַשִּׁלּוֹחַ, וּמַנִּיחָהּ בַּלִּשְׁכָּה. נִשְׁפְּכָה אוֹ נִתְגַּלְּתָה, הָיָה מְמַלֵּא מִן הַכִּיּוֹר, שֶׁהַיַּיִן וְהַמַּיִם הַמְּגֻלִּין, פְּסוּלִים לְגַבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ:

As they did (with the water libation) on a weekday, so they did on Shabbath, but they would fill up (with water) from the Shiloach a golden jug which had not been consecrated [for the service of the altar. For if it (the water) were brought in a consecrated vessel, it would become pasul by remaining overnight. For a ministering vessel consecrates (what is in it), as it is written (Leviticus 30:29): "Everything that touches them shall be consecrated"; and everything which becomes consecrated in itself becomes pasul by remaining overnight.] And they would place it in the lishkah. If it (the water) spilled out or became exposed, they would fill it up from the laver [And even though the laver is likened to a ministering vessel and consecrates its water, it did not become pasul by remaining overnight; for they would sink it in a well in the evening, as stated in Yoma (3:10): "And he also made a muchni for the laver (a wheel to sink it into a well) so that its water not be rendered unfit by standing overnight."], for exposed wine or water are unfit for the altar. [This is the reason that if it were exposed they would fill it up from the laver and not use the water for the libation.]