Sukkah

for1 an altar which has not the ascent, the horn,2 the base3 and the square shape4 is invalid for the service. R. Jose b. Judah adds, Also the circuit.5 Rabbah b. Bar Hana citing R. Johanan stated, The Pits6 have existed7 since the Six days of creation,8 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.9 ‘The rounding10 of thy thighs’ refers to the Pits; ‘like the links11 of a chain’ implies that their cavity12 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;13 read not bereshith but bara shith.14 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.15 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.16 ‘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. 17 It has been taught, R. Eleazar b. Zadok stated, There was a small passage-way between the ascent and the altar,18 on the westward of the ascent, and once in seventy years the young19 of the priesthood used to descend there20 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 sanctity21 as it is said, In the holy place shalt thou pour out a drink-offering of strong drink unto the Lord, 22 floor of the court (not as the Rabbis maintain, to the abyss).