Sukkah 5

הֶחָלִיל חֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁשָּׁה. זֶהוּ הֶחָלִיל שֶׁל בֵּית הַשּׁוֹאֵבָה, שֶׁאֵינָה דּוֹחָה לֹא אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת וְלֹא אֶת יוֹם טוֹב. אָמְרוּ, כָּל מִי שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה שִׂמְחַת בֵּית הַשּׁוֹאֵבָה, לֹא רָאָה שִׂמְחָה מִיָּמָיו:

The chalil [(There were many different types of instruments there, but because the chalil is heard above the others it receives distinct mention.)] — five and six [sometimes five, sometimes six. If the first day of the festival fell on a Sabbath — six; if on a weekday — five. For it overrides neither Sabbath nor festival.] This is the chalil of simchath Beth Hashoevah, [so called because the entire joy is over the drawing (sheivah) of water for the libation, in keeping with (Isaiah 12:3): "And you shall draw water with joy"], which overrides neither Sabbath nor festival. They said: "Whoever did not see simchath Beth Hashoeva never saw joy in his life."

בְּמוֹצָאֵי יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חָג, יָרְדוּ לְעֶזְרַת נָשִׁים, וּמְתַקְּנִין שָׁם תִּקּוּן גָּדוֹל. וּמְנוֹרוֹת שֶׁל זָהָב הָיוּ שָׁם, וְאַרְבָּעָה סְפָלִים שֶׁל זָהָב בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶן, וְאַרְבָּעָה סֻלָּמוֹת לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, וְאַרְבָּעָה יְלָדִים מִפִּרְחֵי כְהֻנָּה וּבִידֵיהֶם כַּדִּים שֶׁל שֶׁמֶן שֶׁל מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים לֹג, שֶׁהֵן מַטִּילִין לְכָל סֵפֶל וָסֵפֶל:

At the conclusion of the first day of the festival, they would go down to the women's enclosure, where they would institute a great ordinance. [They surrounded it with balconies and placed women above and men below so that they not come to levity.] There were golden menorahs (candelabras) there, with four bowls of gold on the heads of each, four ladders to each menorah, and four fledgling priests with pitchers of oil in their hands of one hundred and twenty logs, which they would pour into each bowl.

מִבְּלָאֵי מִכְנְסֵי כֹהֲנִים וּמֵהֶמְיָנֵיהֶן מֵהֶן הָיוּ מַפְקִיעִין, וּבָהֶן הָיוּ מַדְלִיקִין, וְלֹא הָיְתָה חָצֵר בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁאֵינָהּ מְאִירָה מֵאוֹר בֵּית הַשּׁוֹאֵבָה:

They would take strips from the worn-out breeches and belts of the priests and use them as wicks. And there was no courtyard in Jerusalem that was not illuminated by the light of the Beth Hashoeva. [For the menorahs were fifty cubits high, and the Temple Mount was high, and the light shone in all the city.]

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."

אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מֵעֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת תְּקִיעוֹת בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְאֵין מוֹסִיפִין עַל אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה. בְּכָל יוֹם הָיוּ שָׁם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת תְּקִיעוֹת בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ, שָׁלשׁ לִפְתִיחַת שְׁעָרִים, וְתֵשַׁע לְתָמִיד שֶׁל שַׁחַר, וְתֵשַׁע לְתָמִיד שֶׁל בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם. וּבַמּוּסָפִין הָיוּ מוֹסִיפִין עוֹד תֵּשַׁע. וּבְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת הָיוּ מוֹסִיפִין עוֹד שֵׁשׁ, שָׁלשׁ לְהַבְטִיל הָעָם מִמְּלָאכָה, וְשָׁלשׁ לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחֹל. עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הֶחָג הָיוּ שָׁם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה, שָׁלשׁ לִפְתִיחַת שְׁעָרִים, שָׁלשׁ לַשַּׁעַר הָעֶלְיוֹן, וְשָׁלשׁ לַשַּׁעַר הַתַּחְתּוֹן, וְשָׁלשׁ לְמִלּוּי הַמַּיִם, וְשָׁלשׁ עַל גַּבֵּי מִזְבֵּחַ, תֵּשַׁע לְתָמִיד שֶׁל שַׁחַר, וְתֵשַׁע לְתָמִיד שֶׁל בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם, וְתֵשַׁע לַמּוּסָפִין, שָׁלשׁ לְהַבְטִיל אֶת הָעָם מִן הַמְּלָאכָה, וְשָׁלשׁ לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחֹל:

There are to be no less than twenty-one tekioth in the Temple, and no more than forty-eight. Every day there were twenty-one tekioth in the Temple: three at the opening of the gates [When the gates of the azarah were opened, they blew tekiah, teruah, tekiah (which are considered "three tekioth")], nine at the morning tamid [When they poured the tamid libations, the Levites sang. They paused three times, and for each pause the Cohanim blew tekiah, teruah, tekiah — hence, nine tekioth.], and nine at the afternoon tamid. At the mussafin, they would add another nine, and on Sabbath eve, they would add another six: three, to (signal) the people to stop working: [the first, for the people in the fields; the second, for the removal of shutters and closing of the shops; the third, for the removal (of food from the fire), storing warm dishes, and lighting the Sabbath candles], and three to separate the holy from the profane. [After the first tekioth, he would wait the amount of time it takes to roast a small fish and blow: tekiah, teruah, tekiah — these last three tekioth to announce the arrival of the Sabbath.] On Sabbath eve in the midst of the festival (Succoth), there were forty-eight (tekioth): three at the opening of the gates [of the azarah, as on all days], three at the upper gate, [as stated above (5:4): "Two priests would stand in the upper gate … When the rooster crowed, they would blow: tekiah, teruah, tekiah"], three at the lower gate, [as we learned above: "When they reached the azarah, they would blow: tekiah, teruah, tekiah, and they would draw out the tekiah until they reached the lower gate." As it was taught: "They blew as they went until they reached the lower gate" — hence: "three at the lower gate." (The three of the tenth ascent are not reckoned, this tanna holding with R. Eliezer b. Yaakov, who says that they did not blow at the tenth ascent.)], three at the filling of the water [After they drew it and came to the azarah through the Water Gate, they blew: tekiah, teruah, tekiah.], three "atop the altar" [(Ibid. 4:5): "They would stand them on the sides of the altar … They would blow: tekiah, teruah, tekiah." Our tanna does not adduce here the instance of Pesach eve falling out on a Sabbath. (For the Pesach offering is slaughtered in three groups and there were many tekioth there.) (Still, he does not adduce it) for it is not that common for Pesach eve to fall on a Sabbath. As to our learning: "There are to be no more than forty-eight (tekioth)" — not necessarily. For when Pesach eve falls out on a Sabbath, sometimes there are as many as fifty-seven tekioth.], nine at the morning tamid, nine at the afternoon tamid, nine at the mussafin, three to (signal) the people to stop working, and three to separate the holy from the profane.

יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חָג הָיוּ שָׁם שְׁלשָׁה עָשָׂר פָּרִים, וְאֵילִים שְׁנַיִם, וְשָׂעִיר אֶחָד. נִשְׁתַּיְּרוּ שָׁם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר כְּבָשִׂים לִשְׁמֹנֶה מִשְׁמָרוֹת. בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, שִׁשָּׁה מַקְרִיבִין שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, וְהַשְּׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד. בַּשֵּׁנִי, חֲמִשָּׁה מַקְרִיבִין שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, וְהַשְׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד. בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי, אַרְבָּעָה מַקְרִיבִין שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, וְהַשְׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד. בָּרְבִיעִי, שְׁלשָׁה מַקְרִיבִין שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, וְהַשְּׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד. בַּחֲמִשִּׁי, שְׁנַיִם מַקְרִיבִין שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, וְהַשְּׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד. בַּשִּׁשִּׁי, אֶחָד מַקְרִיב שְׁנַיִם, וְהַשְּׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד. בַּשְּׁבִיעִי, כֻּלָּן שָׁוִין. בַּשְּׁמִינִי, חָזְרוּ לַפַּיִס כְּבָרְגָלִים. אָמְרוּ, מִי שֶׁהִקְרִיב פָּרִים הַיּוֹם, לֹא יַקְרִיב לְמָחָר, אֶלָּא חוֹזְרִין חֲלִילָה:

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.

בִּשְׁלשָׁה פְרָקִים בַּשָּׁנָה הָיוּ כָּל מִשְׁמָרוֹת שָׁווֹת בְּאֵמוּרֵי הָרְגָלִים וּבְחִלּוּק לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים. בַּעֲצֶרֶת אוֹמְרִים לוֹ, הֵילָךְ מַצָּה הֵילָךְ חָמֵץ. מִשְׁמָר שֶׁזְּמַנּוֹ קָבוּעַ, הוּא מַקְרִיב תְּמִידִין, נְדָרִים וּנְדָבוֹת וּשְׁאָר קָרְבְּנוֹת צִבּוּר, וּמַקְרִיב אֶת הַכֹּל. יוֹם טוֹב הַסָּמוּךְ לְשַׁבָּת, בֵּין מִלְּפָנֶיהָ בֵּין מִלְּאַחֲרֶיהָ, הָיוּ כָל הַמִּשְׁמָרוֹת שָׁווֹת בְּחִלּוּק לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים:

Three times a year (i.e., in the three festivals) all the watches were equal in eimurei haregalim [i.e., "what was stated" (amur) concerning the festivals, e.g., the breast and shoulder of the individual festival peace-offerings, the burnt-offerings of the (Temple) visitation burnt-offerings (oloth re'iah), the congregational mussafim, and the goat sin-offerings], and in the distribution of the show bread [when Shabbath fell out on a festival. For on Shabbath the (previous) show bread was removed and a different one arranged, viz. (Leviticus 24:8): "On the day of Sabbath he shall arrange it." On Atzereth (Shevuoth), he is told: "Here is matzah; here is chametz." [When Atzereth falls out on Shabbath, and he (a Cohein) shares in the two breads, which are chametz, and in the show bread, which is matzah — each one is told when he is given his share in the show bread: "Here is matzah"; and when he is given his share in the two breads: "Here is chametz." For one offering is not distributed in place of another; but he takes a share from each offering, viz. (Ibid. 7:10): "To all the sons of Aaron shall it be, one man as well as another." Therefore, he is apprised that he is being given his share, whether of chametz or of matzah.] The watch whose time is fixed [to serve on this Shabbath on which the festival falls] sacrifices the temidin, [for they are not for the sake of the festival], vows and gift offerings [of the entire year, which were brought on the festival] and the other congregational offerings, [to include the bullock of "forgetfulness" of the congregation and the goats for (atonement of) idolatry, where beth-din erred in their ruling and most of the congregation acted according to their ruling. If these were offered on a festival, the fixed watch sacrifices them.], and he sacrifices everything, [including the (offerings of the) "summertime of the altar," when it (the altar) is idle: When the tamid has been sacrificed and there are no vow or gift-offerings, money is taken from what is left over in the lishkah, beasts for burnt-offerings are bought for it, and they are sacrificed as congregational gift-offerings. These, too, if they are sacrificed on the festival — the fixed watch sacrifices them.] If the festival fell out next to Shabbath — either before or after it — all of the watches were equal in the distribution of the show bread. [If the festival fell out after Shabbath, even though Shabbath was not in the midst of the festival, still, since they had to come on Sabbath eve because of the festival (not being able to come on Shabbath), they shared in the show bread. Likewise, if the eighth day (of Succoth) fell out on Sabbath eve, even though Shabbath was not in the midst of the festival, they shared in the show bread, since they could not leave.]

חָל לִהְיוֹת יוֹם אֶחָד לְהַפְסִיק בֵּינְתַיִם, מִשְׁמָר שֶׁזְּמַנּוֹ קָבוּעַ, הָיָה נוֹטֵל עֶשֶׂר חַלּוֹת, וְהַמִּתְעַכֵּב נוֹטֵל שְׁתָּיִם. וּבִשְׁאָר יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה, הַנִּכְנָס נוֹטֵל שֵׁשׁ, וְהַיּוֹצֵא נוֹטֵל שֵׁשׁ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, הַנִּכְנָס נוֹטֵל שֶׁבַע, וְהַיּוֹצֵא נוֹטֵל חָמֵשׁ. הַנִּכְנָסִין חוֹלְקִין בַּצָּפוֹן, וְהַיּוֹצְאִין בַּדָּרוֹם. בִּלְגָּה לְעוֹלָם חוֹלֶקֶת בַּדָּרוֹם, וְטַבַּעְתָּהּ קְבוּעָה, וְחַלּוֹנָהּ סְתוּמָה:

If it (the festival) fell out so that one day separated them (Shabbath and the festival), the fixed watch takes ten chaloth and the tarrying (watches), two, [i.e., If the first day of the festival fell on Monday, in which instance they (the other watches) could have come on Sunday, and they came earlier, on Friday — or if the last day of the festival fell on Thursday, in which instance they (the incumbent watches) could have left on Friday, and they remained there for Shabbath — all of the tarrying watches take only two chaloth, and the fixed watch takes ten, which are divided between the incoming and the outgoing watch as on all the Sabbaths of the year.] And on the other days of the year, the incoming watch takes six and the outgoing watch takes six. [For the watches change on Shabbath, one performing the morning service; the other, the evening.] R. Yehudah says: The incoming takes seven and the outgoing five. [The incoming takes two additional chaloth for locking the doors, [which the outgoing watch opened in the morning. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehudah.] The incoming divide [the breads due them] in the north [so that it be evident to all that they are entering, the north being the prime location, designated for the slaughtering of holy of holies], and the outgoing, in the south [so that it be evident that they are leaving — wherefore they changed their location to one which is not prime.] [The watch of] Bilga always divides in the south, [even upon entering], and its ring is clamped down. [There were twenty-four rings in the azarah at the slaughtering site for the twenty-four priestly watches. The rings of all the watches were open on one end. They were turned upwards, the animal's neck was placed inside, and they were then turned downwards into the ground. The ring of Bilga was clamped down and could not be turned, so that it had to use the rings of others, and it was demeaned thereby], and its window was closed [There were windows in the lishkoth of the (priestly) vestments where they secreted their knives; and the window of the watch of Bilga was closed, the rabbis having penalized it because of a particular episode, viz.: A woman of (i.e., kin to one of) the watch of Bilga, Miriam the daughter of Bilga, became an apostate and married a Greek officer. When the Greeks entered the sanctuary, she went and kicked the altar with her sandal, crying: "Lukos ("wolf" in Greek), Lukos, how long will you (continue) to consume the wealth of Israel and not stand up for them in time of need!" And when the sages heard of this (after the ascendancy of the Hasmoneans), they clamped down the ring and closed the window to the entire watch of Bilga, saying that if she had not heard her father demeaning the priestly service, she never would have spoken thus. And because of her father they penalized the entire family — "Woe to the wicked one, and woe to his neighbor! Happy is the righteous one, and happy is his neighbor!"