AU Hillel Beit Midrash The Nature of Sukkot 30 September 2015/17 Tishrei 5776

(25) In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, in the feast, shall he do the like the seven days; to the sin-offering as well as the burnt-offering, and the meal-offering as well as the oil.

(16) And the feast of harvest, the first-fruits of thy labours, which thou sowest in the field; and the feast of ingathering, at the end of the year, when thou gatherest in thy labours out of the field.

(2) Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt-offerings thereon, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. (3) And they set the altar upon its bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of the countries, and they offered burnt-offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt-offerings morning and evening. (4) And they kept the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt-offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required;

(9) How are the water libations done? A golden flask, that could hold three logim [a measure], was filled from the Shiloach [spring]. When they would arrive [with it] at the Gate of Water, they would blow a tekiyah, and a teruah, and a tekiyah. He [the priest] would then ascended the ramp [of the altar], and turned to his left; two silver basins were there. Rabbi Yehudah says: they were [made] of plaster, but their surfaces would darken from the wine. And they had perforations [at their bases] like two narrow nostrils, one [the basin for the wine, had a] wider [perforation], and one [the basin for the water, had a perforation that was] narrower, so that they would both run out at once. The western one was for water, and the eastern one was for wine. If one empties the one for water into the one for wine, or the one for wine into the one for water, one [nonetheless] fulfilled [the requirement]. Rabbi Yehudah says: The libations would be done with one log on each of the eight [days]. And they [the people] would say to the one doing the libations, "Raise your hands," because one time it happened that one [priest] poured the libations on his feet, and all the people pelted him with their citrons.

They [the Sages] said: Anyone who has never seen the rejoicing at the place of [water] drawing, has never seen rejoicing in all his days.

(40) And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook, and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.

(paraphrase) “Etrog refers to the heart, the place of understanding and wisdom. Lulav refers to the backbone, uprightness. Myrtle corresponds to the eyes, enlightenment. Willow represents the lips, the service of the lips (prayer).”

“How is the commandment of the sukkah performed? One should sit and eat and drink and live in his sukkah night and day, just like he lives in his home all year round. For all seven days one should make his home his temporary residence and his sukkah his permanent residence.”

A sukkah which is more than twenty cubits high is not valid. Rabbi Judah validates it. One which is not ten handbreadths high, or which does not have three walls, or which has more sun than shade, is not valid. GEMARA. We have learned elsewhere : [The crossbeam] of an alley [whose entrance] is more than twenty cubits high should be lowered. Rabbi Judah says: this is unnecessary. Now why is it different that when it comes to the Sukkah it is declared invalid, while with when it comes to [the cross-beam over] the alley, a remedy is indicated? With regard to the Sukkah, since it is a toraitic mitzvah, it taught that it was invalid; with regard to [the cross-beam over] an alley, since it is only derabanan, a remedy is given. And, if you wish, you may say that even with a toraitic mitzvah a remedy may be given, but with regard to the sukkah, since there are many rules about it, it was briefly stated, invalid. [While in the case of a cross-beam over] an alley, since it has only one rule, it taught a remedy. From where do we know this? Rabbah answered: Scripture says, "That your generations will know that I caused the children of Israel to dwell in sukkot" (Leviticus 23:43). Up to twenty cubits [high] one knows that he is dwelling in a sukkah, but with one higher than twenty cubits he does not ‘know’ that he is dwelling in a sukkah, since his eye does not catch sight of it. Rabbi Zera said: From the following verse, "And there shall be a sukkah for shade in the daytime from the heat" (Isaiah 4:6). Up to twenty cubits [high] one sits in the shade of the sukkah; but with one higher than twenty cubits he sits, not in the shade of the sukkah but in the shade of its walls. Abaye said to him: If so, if a man made his sukkah in Ashteroth Karnayim would it also not be a valid sukkah? He answered him: In that case, remove the Ashteroth Karnayim and there will remain the shade of the sukkah, but here, remove the walls, and youn have no shade of a sukkah. Rava replied: From the following verse, "You shall dwell in sukkot for seven days" (Leviticus 23:42) the Torah declared: For seven days leave your permanent dwelling place and dwell in a temporary dwelling place. Up to twenty cubits [high] one makes his home a temporary one; higher than twenty cubits, one does not make his home temporary, but permanent. Abaye said to him: If so, if he made walls of iron and placed the [proper] skhakh over them, would it also not be a valid Sukkah. He answered him: This is what I mean to tell you: Up to twenty cubits, which a man makes his temporary home, even if he makes it permanent,he has fulfilled his mitzvah; [but in one] higher than twenty cubits, such as a man makes his permanent home, even if he makes it temporary, he has not fulfilled his obligation.