סוכה 51 — Soncino English Talmud

¹[This dispute is] on the same principle as the one between the following Tannas concerning which we have learnt, [The instrument players in the Temple] were the slaves of the priests; so R. Meir. R. Jose says, They were the families of Beth Ha-Pegarim, and Beth Zipporia who hailed from Emmaus and were married into the priestly stock. R. Hanina b. Antigonus says, They were Levites. Now do they not differ on the following principles: He who says that they were slaves is of the opinion that the essential feature of the [Temple] music was the vocal singing, while he who says that they were Levites holds the opinion that the essential feature of the [Temple] music was the instrument? — But do you understand this? What then is the opinion upheld by R. Jose? If he is of the opinion that the essential feature of the [Temple] music was the singing, then even slaves [should be allowed to play the instruments], and if he is of the opinion that the essential feature was the instrument, should not then only Levites [be allowed to play] but not Israelites? But the fact is that all agree that the essential feature of the [Temple] music was the vocal singing, but it is on this that they differ: One Master holds that the practice was as he stated while the other Master holds that the practice was as he stated. In what respect could this matter? — In respect of taking the fact that a man stood upon the platform as proof of honourable descent or [as proof that he is eligible for] tithes. He who says that they were slaves is of the opinion that the fact that [one's ancestor] stood upon the platform is proof neither of honourable descent nor that [he is eligible for] tithes; he who says that they were Israelites [of honourable family] is of the opinion that we accept the standing upon the platform as proof of honourable descent, but not [of eligibility for] tithes; while he who says that they were Levites is of the opinion that the standing upon the platform is accepted as proof in regard to both honourable descent and [eligibility for] tithes. R. Jeremiah b. Abba, however, maintains that the dispute concerns only the music at the Water-Drawing, since R. Jose b. Judah is of the opinion that even an added expression of Rejoicing overrides the Sabbath, while the Rabbis are of the opinion that an added expression of Rejoicing does not override [either] the Sabbath [or the Festival], but as regards the music which accompanied the sacrifices, all agree that it is [an integral part of] the Service and overrides the Sabbath. An objection was raised: [It was taught,] The music which accompanied the Water-Drawing overrides the Sabbath. So R. Jose b. Judah. The Sages, however, rule that it does not override even the Festival. Is not this a refutation of R. Joseph? — It is indeed a refutation. Can we also say that they dispute only concerning the music which accompanied the Water-Drawing, but that with regard to the music that accompanied the sacrifices all agree that it overrides the Sabbath, and this would, therefore, constitute a double refutation of R. Joseph? — [No.] R. Joseph could answer you, They dispute concerning the music that accompanied the Water-Drawing and the same applies also to [that which accompanied] the sacrifices, and the reason that they expressed their different views with regard to the Water-Drawing was in order to acquaint you with the extent of the view of R. Jose b. Judah, viz., that even the music of the Water-Drawing overrides [the Sabbath]. Was it not, however, stated, THIS REFERS TO THE FLUTE-PLAYING AT THE PLACE OF THE WATER-DRAWING, WHICH OVERRIDES NEITHER THE SABBATH NOR ANY FESTIVAL DAY, [from which we can infer that] this [playing] does not override the Sabbath, but the playing which accompanied the sacrifices does override [the Sabbath]? Now whose view is it? If you were to say that it is that of R. Jose b. Judah, did he not state that the playing which accompanies the Water-Drawing also overrides the Sabbath? Consequently it must be, [must it not,] the view of the Rabbis, and thus arises a double refutation of R. Joseph? It is indeed a refutation. What is the reason of him who stated that the essential feature of the [Temple] music was the instrument? — Because it is written, And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt-offering upon the altar. And when the burnt-offering began, the song of the Lord began also, and the trumpets together with the instruments of David, King of Israel. What is the reason of him who stated that the essential feature of the Temple music was the vocal singing? — Because it is written, It came even to pass, when the trumpeters and the singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard. As to the other also, is it not written, ‘and Hezekiah commanded etc.’? — It is this that was meant: The song of the Lord began’ vocally ‘together with the instruments of David, King of Israel’, which were but to sweeten the voice. And as to the other one too, is it not written, ‘it came even to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one’? — It is this that was meant: ‘The singers’ performed in the same manner as ‘the trumpeters’. Just as the trumpeters [performed] with instruments, so did the singers [perform] with instruments. MISHNAH. HE WHO HAS NOT SEEN THE REJOICING AT THE PLACE OF THE WATER-DRAWING HAS NEVER SEEN REJOICING IN HIS LIFE. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FIRST FESTIVAL DAY OF TABERNACLES THEY DESCENDED TO THE COURT OF THE WOMEN WHERE THEY HAD MADE A GREAT ENACTMENT. THERE WERE THERE GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS WITH FOUR GOLDEN BOWLS ON THE TOP OF EACH OF THEM AND FOUR LADDERS TO EACH, AND FOUR YOUTHS DRAWN FROM THE PRIESTLY STOCK IN WHOSE HANDS WERE HELD JARS OF OIL CONTAINING ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY LOG WHICH THEY POURED INTO THE BOWLS. FROM THE WORN-OUT DRAWERS AND GIRDLES OF THE PRIESTS THEY MADE WICKS AND WITH THEM THEY KINDLED THE LAMPS; AND THERE WAS NOT A COURTYARD IN JERUSALEM THAT WAS NOT ILLUMINED BY THE LIGHT OF THE PLACE OF THE WATER-DRAWING. MEN OF PIETY AND GOOD DEEDS USED TO DANCE BEFORE THEM^ᵃ^ᵇ^ᶜ^ᵈ^ᵉ^ᶠ^ᵍ^ʰ^ⁱ^ʲ^ᵏ^ˡ^ᵐ^ⁿ^ᵒ^ᵖ^ᵠ^ʳ^ˢ^ᵗ^ᵘ^ᵛ^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

^ᵃnote:Whether the vocal singing or the instrumental playing was the essential feature of the Temple service.
^ᵇnote:Cur. edd. in parenthesis ‘it was taught’.
^ᶜnote:Near Tiberias.
^ᵈnote:Because they were Israelites of pure and honourable descent (cf. Kid. IV, 5).
^ᵉnote:V. ‘Ar. 10a.
^ᶠnote:The three Tannas just mentioned.
^ᵍnote:As this was done by the Levites, slaves were allowed to play the instruments.
^ʰnote:Hence only the Levites were allowed to play it.
^ⁱnote:Supra n. 5.
^ʲnote:Why then does he allow Israelites.
^ᵏnote:Lit., ‘thus’.
^ˡnote:The type of the instrument players.
^ᵐnote:Dukan, the platform upon which the Levites stood in the Temple during the singing of the Psalms (cf. ‘Ar. II, 6).
^ⁿnote:Lit., ‘whether we raise one from the dukan to (an honourable) pedigree’. The Jews were proud of their lineage and investigated the descent of the women whom they wished to marry for four generations back. (V. Kid. IV, 4 and 5).
^ᵒnote:I.e., that he is a Levite.
^ᵖnote:Hence it is permitted even for slaves to take part.
^ᵠnote:Honourable Israelites only were, therefore, allowed to participate.
^ʳnote:Levites only were, therefore, allowed to ascend the platform.
^ˢnote:Contrary to the view of R. Joseph supra 50b.
^ᵗnote:Of R. Jose b. Judah and the Rabbis.
^ᵘnote:Sc. the instrument playing.
^ᵛnote:Even if it is not an integral part of the Service.
^ʷnote:To R. Joseph's view.
^ˣnote:Who stated that R. Jose agreed that the music at the Water-Drawing did not override the Sabbath.
^ʸnote:R. Jose and the Sages.
^ᶻnote:Even the Sages.
^ᵃᵃnote:Since he submitted that the Sages hold that this music does not override the Sabbath.
^ᵃᵇnote:Both with regard to the Water-Drawing and the sacrifices. In the case of the former he maintained that R. Jose holds that it does not override the Sabbath, while here it is shown that according to R. Jose it does override it; while in the case of the latter he maintained that the Sages hold that it does not override the Sabbath, from here it might be inferred that according to their view it does.
^ᵃᶜnote:Apparently we can.
^ᵃᵈnote:While here it is stated that it does not override it.
^ᵃᵉnote:Since the Rabbis here admit that the music at the sacrifice overrides the Sabbath while R. Joseph maintained that according to their view it does not override it.
^ᵃᶠnote:V. p. 240, n. 11.
^ᵃᵍnote:II Chron. XXIX, 27. Thus the other instruments no less than the trumpets sounded at the time of sacrifice, make ‘the song of the Lord’; v. next note.
^ᵃʰnote:II Chron, V, 13, where no instrumental music is mentioned. ‘The trumpeters’ refers not to the players of the instruments that accompanied the singing, but to those who sounded the trumpets at the time of sacrifice. Hence it was ‘the singers’ alone who made here the music (V. Rashi).
^ᵃⁱnote:Who holds that the vocal music was an essential feature of the Temple service.
^ᵃʲnote:Which proves that the instruments were an essential.
^ᵃᵏnote:Who stated that the instruments were an essential feature.
^ᵃˡnote:Which, as shown supra,implies that the music was only vocal.
^ᵃᵐnote:Separate edd. of the Mishnah read, ‘They said: He who’ etc.
^ᵃⁿnote:The priests and Levites.
^ᵃᵒnote:The fifteen steps (mentioned later in our Mishnah) that led from the Court of the Israelites.
^ᵃᵖnote:Cf. Mid. II, 5.
^ᵃᵠnote:The Gemara infra explains this.
^ᵃʳnote:To ascend to the top, since they were fifty cubits high (v. infra).
^ᵃˢnote:This is explained in the Gemara infra.
^ᵃᵗnote:Owing to the considerable height of the lamps (cf. prev. n.) and the high altitude of the Temple mount on which the court was situated.
^ᵃᵘnote:Or ‘miracle workers’, lit., ‘men of work’ (cf. Sot. IX, 15).

²WITH LIGHTED TORCHES IN THEIR HANDS, AND SING SONGS AND PRAISES. AND LEVITES WITHOUT NUMBER WITH HARPS, LYRES, CYMBALS AND TRUMPETS AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS WERE THERE UPON THE FIFTEEN STEPS LEADING DOWN FROM THE COURT OF THE ISRAELITES TO THE COURT OF THE WOMEN, CORRESPONDING TO THE FIFTEEN SONGS OF ASCENTS IN THE PSALMS. IT WAS UPON THESE THAT THE LEVITES STOOD WITH THEIR INSTRUMENTS OF MUSIC AND SANG THEIR SONGS. TWO PRIESTS STOOD BY THE UPPER GATE WHICH LEADS DOWN FROM THE COURT OF THE ISRAELITES TO THE COURT OF THE WOMEN, WITH TWO TRUMPETS IN THEIR HANDS. WHEN THE COCK CROWED THEY SOUNDED A TEKI'AH [LONG DRAWN-OUT BLAST], A TERU'AH [TREMULOUS NOTE] AND AGAIN A TEKI'AH. WHEN THEY REACHED THE TENTH STEP THEY SOUNDED A TEKI'AH, A TERU'AH AND AGAIN A TEKI'AH. WHEN THEY REACHED THE COURT THEY SOUNDED A TEKI'AH, A TERU'AH AND AGAIN A TEKI'AH. AND WHEN THEY REACHED THE GROUND THEY SOUNDED A TEKI'AH, A TERU'AH, AND AGAIN A TEKI'AH. THEY PROCEEDED, SOUNDING THEIR TRUMPETS, UNTIL THEY REACHED THE GATE WHICH LEADS OUT TO THE EAST. WHEN THEY REACHED THE GATE WHICH LEADS OUT TO THE EAST, THEY TURNED THEIR FACES FROM EAST TO WEST AND PROCLAIMED, OUR FATHERS WHO WERE IN THIS PLACE [STOOD] WITH THEIR BACKS TOWARD THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD, AND THEIR FACES TOWARD THE EAST, AND THEY WORSHIPPED THE SUN TOWARD THE EAST, BUT AS FOR US, OUR EYES ARE TURNED TO THE LORD’. R. JUDAH STATED, THEY USED TO REPEAT [THE LAST WORDS] AND SAY ‘WE ARE THE LORD'S AND OUR EYES ARE TURNED TO THE LORD’. GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught, He who has not witnessed the rejoicing at the place of the Water-Drawing has never seen rejoicing in his life. He who has not seen Jerusalem in her splendour, has never seen a desirable city in his life. He who has not seen the Temple in its full construction has never seen a glorious building in his life. Which Temple? — Abaye, or it might be said, R. Hisda, replied, The reference is to the building of Herod. Of what did he build it? — Rabbah replied, Of yellow and white marble. Some there are who say, With yellow, blue and white marble. The building rose in tiers in order to provide a hold for the plaster. He intended at first to overlay it with gold, but the Rabbis told him, Leave it alone for it is more beautiful as it is, since it has the appearance of the waves of the sea. It has been taught, R. Judah stated, He who has not seen the double colonnade of Alexandria in Egypt has never seen the glory of Israel. It was said that it was like a huge basilica, one colonnade within the other, and it sometimes held twice the number of people that went forth from Egypt. There were in it seventy-one cathedras of gold, corresponding to the seventy-one members of the Great Sanhedrin, not one of them containing less than twenty-one talents of gold, and a wooden platform in the middle upon which the attendant of the Synagogue stood with a scarf in his hand. When the time came to answer Amen, he waved his scarf and all the congregation duly responded. They moreover did not occupy their seats promiscuously, but goldsmiths sat separately, silversmiths separately, blacksmiths separately, metalworkers separately and weavers separately, so that when a poor man entered the place he recognized the members of his craft and on applying to that quarter obtained a livelihood for himself and for the members of his family. Abaye stated, Alexander of Macedon slew them all. Why were they so punished? — Because they transgressed this verse: Ye shall henceforth return no more that way, and they did return. When he came and found them reading from The Book, ‘The Lord will bring a nation against thee from afar’, he remarked, ‘I should have brought my ships in a ten days’ journey, but as a strong wind arose the ships arrived in five days’! He, therefore, fell upon them and slew them. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FIRST FESTIVAL DAY etc. What was the GREAT ENACTMENT? — R. Eleazar replied, As that of which we have learnt. Originally [the walls of the Court of the Women] were smooth, but [later the Court] was surrounded with a gallery, and it was enacted that the women should sit above and the men below. Our Rabbis have taught, Originally the women used to sit within [the Court of the Women] while the men were without, but as this caused levity, it was instituted that the women should sit without and the men within. As this, however, still led to levity, it was instituted that the women should sit above and the men below. But how could they do so? Is it not written, All this [do I give thee] in writing as the Lord hath made me wise by His hand upon me? — Rab answered, They found a Scriptural verse and expounded it:^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^ᵇᵘ^ᵇᵛ^ᵇʷ^ᵇˣ^ᵇʸ^ᵇᶻ^ᶜᵃ^ᶜᵇ^ᶜᶜ^ᶜᵈ^ᶜᵉ^ᶜᶠ^ᶜᵍ^ᶜʰ^ᶜⁱ^ᶜʲ

^ᵃᵛnote:Throwing them up and catching them again, and performing this feat with four or eight torches throwing up and catching one after the other (Rashi).
^ᵃʷnote:So with sep. edd. of the Mishnah. Cur. edd. omit ‘SONGS OF’ and insert ‘ASCENTS’ in parenthesis.
^ᵃˣnote:Pss. CXX-CXXXIV.
^ᵃʸnote:And not at the side of the altar where they performed at the time of the offering of the sacrifices.
^ᵃᶻnote:At the festivities of the Water-Drawing.
^ᵇᵃnote:This was a call to proceed to draw the water of libation from Siloam.
^ᵇᵇnote:Sc. the floor of the Court of the Women.
^ᵇᶜnote:The last sentence is deleted by Elijah Wilna.
^ᵇᵈnote:Elijah Wilna adds, ‘of the court’.
^ᵇᵉnote:Cur. edd. enclose the last sentence in parenthesis.
^ᵇᶠnote:Thus facing the Temple.
^ᵇᵍnote:In the days of the first Temple.
^ᵇʰnote:Cf. Ezek. VIII, 16.
^ᵇⁱnote:Lit., ‘what is it (to which the reference is made)’. There were the Temples of Solomon, Nehemiah and Herod.
^ᵇʲnote:Herod rebuilt the Temple. For a full description cf. Josephus, Ant. XV, 11 v. also B.B. 4a.
^ᵇᵏnote:Cur. edd. in parenthesis, ‘Raba’.
^ᵇˡnote:Lit., ‘he brought out an edge and brought in an edge’.
^ᵇᵐnote:Herod.
^ᵇⁿnote:On account of the variegated hues of the marble.
^ᵇᵒnote:** i.e., the basilica-synagogue.
^ᵇᵖnote:From the foundation of the city by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.E., the Jews formed an important section of the population with their own places of worship and other rights and privileges.
^ᵇᵠnote:Cur. edd. in parenthesis, ‘600,000 X 600,000’.
^ᵇʳnote:I.e., 1,200,000.
^ᵇˢnote:Bah read ‘elders’ for ‘members of... Sanhedrin’.
^ᵇᵗnote:The reading ‘twenty-one myriads’ of cur. edd. is deleted by Elijah Wilna.
^ᵇᵘnote:When e.g., the Reader concluded a benediction.
^ᵇᵛnote:To whom owing to the huge size of the Synagogue, the reader's voice was inaudible.
^ᵇʷnote:For employment.
^ᵇˣnote:[Whether this is to be identified with the beautiful Synagogue mentioned by Philo is not certain. Krauss S., Synagogale Altertumer, p. 261ff argues that this basilica was no Synagogue but a trading mart where the Jews would also hold services.]
^ᵇʸnote:Var. lec., Trajan (Elijah Wilna). [Trajan is the name given in J. Suk. V, I, and the reference is to the massacre of the Jews in Alexandria under Trajan in 116 recorded by Eusebius. V. Derenbourg, Essai, p. 410ff and Graetz, Geschichte IV, p. 117ff.]
^ᵇᶻnote:Sc. to Egypt.
^ᶜᵃnote:Deut. XVII, 16.
^ᶜᵇnote:The tyrant.
^ᶜᶜnote:Ibid. XXVIII, 49.
^ᶜᵈnote:Lit., ‘that man’.
^ᶜᵉnote:Finding in the Scriptural verse and in the kindness of the elements that his expedition was providential.
^ᶜᶠnote:[So Rashi on basis of reading vekj; var. lec. veukj ‘(the floor spacing) was divided (into two sections)’. V. D.S.].
^ᶜᵍnote:Cf. Mid. II, 5.
^ᶜʰnote:On the gallery.
^ᶜⁱnote:Alter the original structure of the Temple.
^ᶜʲnote:I Chron. XXVIII, 19, referring to the construction of the First Temple.