סוכה 49 — Soncino English Talmud

¹for an altar which has not the ascent, the horn, the base and the square shape is invalid for the service. R. Jose b. Judah adds, Also the circuit. Rabbah b. Bar Hana citing R. Johanan stated, The Pits have existed since the Six days of creation, for it is said, The roundings of thy thighs are like the links of a chain the work of the hands of a skilled workman. ‘The rounding of thy thighs’ refers to the Pits; ‘like the links of a chain’ implies that their cavity descends to the abyss; ‘the work of the hands of a skilled workman’ means that they are the skillful handiwork of the Holy One, blessed be He. The school of R. Ishmael taught: Bereshith; read not bereshith but bara shith. It has been taught, R. Jose says, The cavity of the Pits descended to the abyss, for it is said, Let me sing of my well-beloved, a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. And he digged it, and cleared it of stones, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a vat therein. ‘And planted it with the choicest vine’, refers to the Temple; ‘and built a tower in the midst of it’, refers to the altar; ‘and also hewed out a vat therein’, refers to the Pits. It has been taught, R. Eleazar b. Zadok stated, There was a small passage-way between the ascent and the altar, on the westward of the ascent, and once in seventy years the young of the priesthood used to descend there and gather up therefrom the congealed wine which had the appearance of rounds of pressed figs, and proceeded to burn it in a state of sanctity as it is said, In the holy place shalt thou pour out a drink-offering of strong drink unto the Lord, 22^ᵃ^ᵇ^ᶜ^ᵈ^ᵉ^ᶠ^ᵍ^ʰ^ⁱ^ʲ^ᵏ^ˡ^ᵐ^ⁿ^ᵒ^ᵖ^ᵠ^ʳ^ˢ^ᵗ^ᵘ^ᵛ

^ᵃnote:The reason why it was unfit for service.
^ᵇnote:A stone of one cubic cubit at each of the four corners.
^ᶜnote:A ledge of one cubit in width and one cubit in height from the ground round the altar.
^ᵈnote:Cf. Ex. XXVII, 1.
^ᵉnote:V. Mid. III, 1. Its absence also invalidates the altar. Cf. Zeb. 62a.
^ᶠnote:‘Shithin’, the pits under the altar into which the wine flowed after the libation.
^ᵍnote:Lit., ‘were created’.
^ʰnote:I.e., they were a natural formation.
^ⁱnote:Cant. VII, 2.
^ʲnote:Of the rt. hamak ‘hidden’, ‘covered up’.
^ᵏnote:From hala.
^ˡnote:From halal, similar (cf. prev. n.) to hala.
^ᵐnote:‘In the beginning’, Gen. I, 1.
^ⁿnote:‘He created the pit’ (of the altar).
^ᵒnote:Palestine.
^ᵖnote:Isa. V, 1 and 2.
^ᵠnote:Tosef. Sukkah III, 15.
^ʳnote:[The ascent did not adjoin closely the altar at the top, but was removed from it by two cubits].
^ˢnote:Lit., ‘flowers’.
^ᵗnote:The cavity through which the wine passed was fenced up along four sides, forming a vat reaching to the marble floor of the court (not as the Rabbis maintain, to the abyss).
^ᵘnote:Sc. in a holy place in the Temple.
^ᵛnote:Num. XXVIII, 7.

²just as its libation was done in sanctity, so must its burning be done in sanctity. But what is the proof? — Rabina answered, An analogy is made between two expressions of ‘holy’. It is written here, ‘In the holy place shalt thou pour out a drink-offering of strong drink unto the Lord’, and it is written elsewhere, Then shalt thou burn the remainder with fire, it shall not be eaten, because it is holy. Whose view is followed in what we learned, ‘The law of sacrilege applies to drink-offerings at the beginning, but after they have descended into the Pits, the law of sacrilege does not apply to them’? Must we say that it is that of R. Eleazar b. Zadok, for if it were that of the Rabbis [the objection could be raised: Did they not state] that the Pits descended to the abyss? You may even say that it is that of the Rabbis, [but it refers to] where it was collected. There are some who read: Must we say that it is that of the Rabbis, and not that of R. Eleazar b. Zadok, for if it were that of R. Eleazar b. Zadok, [the objection would arise:] Do they not still retain their hallowed character? — You may even say that it is that of R. Eleazar, for sacrilege cannot apply to anything whose commandment has already been fulfilled. Resh Lakish stated, When the wine-libation was poured upon the altar, the Pits were stopped up, in order to fulfil what is written, ‘In holiness shalt thou pour out a drink-offering of strong drink unto the Lord’. But how does this imply it? — R. Papa answered, Shekar is an expression suggestive of drink, satiety and plenty. From this it may be inferred, R. Papa observed that when a man has his fill of wine, it is due to his filling of his throat. Raba remarked, A young scholar who has not much wine should swallow it in quaffs. Raba used to gulp down the cup of benediction. Raba made the following exposition: What is the implication of what was written, How beautiful are thy steps in sandals, O prince's daughter? How beautiful are the steps of Israel when they go up [to Jerusalem] to celebrate a festival. ‘O prince's daughter’, means, daughter of our father Abraham, who is called prince, as it is said, The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. ‘The God of Abraham’! And not the God of Isaac and Jacob? But the meaning is, The God of Abraham who was the first of proselytes. The School of R. Anan taught: It is written, The roundings of thy thighs. Why are the words of the Torah compared to the thigh? To teach you that just as the thigh is hidden, so should the words of the Torah be hidden, and this is the import of what R. Eleazar said, What is the implication of the text, It hath been told thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord doth require of thee: Only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? ‘To do justly’ means [to act in accordance with] justice; ‘to love mercy’ refers to acts of loving kindness’ ‘and to walk humbly with thy God’ refers to attending to funerals and dowering a bride for her wedding. Now can we not make a deduction a fortiori: If in matters which are normally performed publicly the Torah enjoins ‘to walk humbly’, how much more so in matters that are normally done privately? R. Eleazar stated, Greater is he who performs charity than [he who offers] all the sacrifices, for it is said, To do charity and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. R. Eleazar further stated, Gemiluth Hasadim is greater than charity, for it is said, Sow to yourselves according to your charity, but reap according to your hesed; if a man sows, it is doubtful whether he will eat [the harvest] or not, but when a man reaps, he will certainly eat. R. Eleazar further stated, The reward of charity depends entirely upon the extent of the kindness in it, for it is said, ‘Sow to yourselves according to charity, but reap according to the kindness’. Our Rabbis taught, In three respects is Gemiluth Hasadim superior to charity: charity can be done only with one's money, but Gemiluth Hasadim can be done with one's person and one's money. Charity can be given only to the poor, Gemiluth Hasadim both to the rich and the poor. Charity can be given to the living only, Gemiluth Hasadim can be done both to the living and to the dead. R. Eleazar further stated, He who executes charity and justice is regarded as though he had filled all the world with kindness, for it is said, He loveth charity and justice, the earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord. But lest you say that whoever wishes to do good succeeds without difficulty, Scripture expressly says, How precious is Thy lovingkindness, O God etc. As one might say that this applies also to a man who fears God, Scripture expressly says, But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him. R. Hama b. Papa stated, Every man who is endowed with grace is without doubt a God-fearing man, for it is said, ‘But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to them that fear Him.’ R. Eleazar further stated, What is the purport of what was written, She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and the Torah of lovingkindness is on her tongue? Is there then a Torah of lovingkindness and a Torah which is not of lovingkindness? But the fact is that Torah [which is studied] for its own sake is a ‘Torah of lovingkindness’, whereas Torah [which is studied] for an ulterior motive is a Torah which is not of lovingkindness. Some there are who say, Torah [which is studied] in order [subsequently] to teach it is a ‘Torah of lovingkindness’, but Torah [which is] not [studied subsequently] to teach it is a Torah which is not of lovingkindness. AS WAS ITS PERFORMANCE ON WEEKDAYS etc. But why [bring the water in an UNHALLOWED vessel]? let him bring it in a hallowed one? — Ze'iri replied, [The author of our Mishnah] is of the opinion that no fixed amount has been prescribed for the water [of libation] and that vessels of ministry hallow their contents even if there was no intention.^ʷ^ˣ^ʸ^ᶻ^ᵃᵃ^ᵃᵇ^ᵃᶜ^ᵃᵈ^ᵃᵉ^ᵃᶠ^ᵃᵍ^ᵃʰ^ᵃⁱ^ᵃʲ^ᵃᵏ^ᵃˡ^ᵃᵐ^ᵃⁿ^ᵃᵒ^ᵃᵖ^ᵃᵠ^ᵃʳ^ᵃˢ^ᵃᵗ^ᵃᵘ^ᵃᵛ^ᵃʷ^ᵃˣ^ᵃʸ^ᵃᶻ^ᵇᵃ^ᵇᵇ^ᵇᶜ^ᵇᵈ^ᵇᵉ^ᵇᶠ^ᵇᵍ^ᵇʰ^ᵇⁱ^ᵇʲ^ᵇᵏ^ᵇˡ^ᵇᵐ^ᵇⁿ^ᵇᵒ^ᵇᵖ^ᵇᵠ^ᵇʳ^ᵇˢ^ᵇᵗ

^ʷnote:Tosef Me'il. I, 16.
^ˣnote:That the text refers to burning. No proof is expected for the periodical cleaning of the Pits, since it is obvious that the wine could not be allowed to accumulate there for ever.
^ʸnote:Ex. XXIX, 34; as the latter expression of ‘holy’ applies to burning, so also does the former.
^ᶻnote:Cur. edd. in parenthesis ‘was taught’.
^ᵃᵃnote:Necessitating a trespass-offering (cf. Lev. V, 15).
^ᵃᵇnote:I.e.,from the time they were consecrated until libation, since during all this time they are consecrated for the altar.
^ᵃᶜnote:When they are no longer suitable for the altar.
^ᵃᵈnote:V. Me'il. 11a.
^ᵃᵉnote:Since it was necessary to state that the law of sacrilege does not apply to them.
^ᵃᶠnote:Who holds that the Pits reached only to the floor of the court and that the wine poured into them was retrievable.
^ᵃᵍnote:No law, surely, is required for an object that is for ever lost in the abyss.
^ᵃʰnote:By the suspension of a vessel in the Pit.
^ᵃⁱnote:Since the law of trespass does not apply to them after they descended into the Pits.
^ᵃʲnote:The case being one where the drink-offerings were intercepted in the Pits.
^ᵃᵏnote:Since he ruled that they are to be burnt in a holy place.
^ᵃˡnote:Why then should not the law of sacrilege still apply?
^ᵃᵐnote:The act of libation is regarded as the completion of the commandment.
^ᵃⁿnote:So that the wine should not run away immediately and the hole present the sight of a throat full of ‘drink, satiety and plenty’.
^ᵃᵒnote:Num. XXVIII, 7.
^ᵃᵖnote:E.V., ‘strong drink’.
^ᵃᵠnote:By swallowing large mouthfuls, and not by taking small draughts however large the total quantity consumed.
^ᵃʳnote:Since thereby (cf. prev. n.) he has the same satisfaction as if he drank much wine.
^ᵃˢnote:To show his love of the precept. [The text appears in slight disorder. MS.M. reads: ‘A young scholar who has no wine in excess of the cup of benediction should gulp it down’.]
^ᵃᵗnote:Cant. VII, 2.
^ᵃᵘnote:Ps. XLVII, 10.
^ᵃᵛnote:At that time God was only his and not Isaac's or Jacob's.
^ᵃʷnote:Lit., ‘what (means) that which is written’.
^ᵃˣnote:This is a continuation of Cant. VII, 2.
^ᵃʸnote:It should be taught in privacy, not in the market place (cf. M.K. 16a).
^ᵃᶻnote:Mic. VI, 8.
^ᵇᵃnote:Gemiluth Hasadim (v. infra). It is wider than charity including as it does all acts of kindness.
^ᵇᵇnote:Emphasis on ‘walk’.
^ᵇᶜnote:One's help in such cases should be given humbly and in privacy.
^ᵇᵈnote:Weddings and funerals.
^ᵇᵉnote:The giving of alms.
^ᵇᶠnote:Zedakah. E.V. ‘righteousness’.
^ᵇᵍnote:Prov. XXI, 3.
^ᵇʰnote:Translated ‘the practice of kindness’ (v. infra).
^ᵇⁱnote:Hos. X, 12; the last work signifying Gemiluth Hasadim.
^ᵇʲnote:[I.e., the grace, gentleness and sympathy that accompany the act of charity].
^ᵇᵏnote:By attending to their funeral and burial.
^ᵇˡnote:Ps. XXXIII, 5.
^ᵇᵐnote:Lit., ‘that whoever wishes to leap may leap’.
^ᵇⁿnote:Ps. XXXVI, 8; i.e., the opportunity of doing real, well-deserved charity and dispensing it in a judicious manner, is rare (Rashi).
^ᵇᵒnote:Cur. edd. in parenthesis, ‘the earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord’.
^ᵇᵖnote:Sc. that he also has difficulties in executing charity and justice.
^ᵇᵠnote:Ps. CIII, 17. Those that truly fear God find lovingkindness easily.
^ᵇʳnote:Var. lec., ‘lovingkindness’.
^ᵇˢnote:Prov. XXXI, 26.
^ᵇᵗnote:The questioner assumes that a vessel of ministry does not hallow its contents unless there is that intention, and that it does not hallow it unless it corresponds to the specific amount prescribed for that particular rite. In this case the water has neither of these desiderata.