Sukkah

WITH LIGHTED TORCHES IN THEIR HANDS,1 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 ASCENTS2 IN THE PSALMS.3 IT WAS UPON THESE4 THAT THE LEVITES STOOD5 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.6 WHEN THEY REACHED THE TENTH STEP THEY SOUNDED A TEKI'AH, A TERU'AH AND AGAIN A TEKI'AH. WHEN THEY REACHED THE COURT7 THEY SOUNDED A TEKI'AH, A TERU'AH AND AGAIN A TEKI'AH.8 AND WHEN THEY REACHED THE GROUND9 THEY SOUNDED A TEKI'AH, A TERU'AH, AND AGAIN A TEKI'AH.10 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 WEST11 AND PROCLAIMED, OUR FATHERS12 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,13 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?14 — Abaye, or it might be said, R. Hisda, replied, The reference is to the building of Herod.15 Of what did he build it? — Rabbah16 replied, Of yellow and white marble. Some there are who say, With yellow, blue and white marble. The building rose in tiers17 in order to provide a hold for the plaster. He18 intended at first to overlay it with gold, but the Rabbis told him, Leave it alone for it is more beautiful as it is, since19 it has the appearance of the waves of the sea. It has been taught, R. Judah stated, He who has not seen the double colonnade20 of Alexandria in Egypt21 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 held22 twice the number of people that went forth from Egypt.23 There were in it seventy-one cathedras of gold, corresponding to the seventy-one members of the Great Sanhedrin,24 not one of them containing less than twenty-one25 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,26 he waved his scarf and all the congregation27 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 applying28 to that quarter obtained a livelihood for himself and for the members of his family.29 Abaye stated, Alexander of Macedon30 slew them all. Why were they so punished? — Because they transgressed this verse: Ye shall henceforth return no more31 that way,32 and they did return. When he33 came and found them reading from The Book, ‘The Lord will bring a nation against thee from afar’,34 he remarked, ‘I35 should have brought my ships in a ten days’ journey, but as a strong wind arose the ships arrived in five days’! He, therefore, 36 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,37 but [later the Court] was surrounded with a gallery, and it was enacted that the women should sit above and the men below.38 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 above39 and the men below. But how could they do so?40 Is it not written, All this [do I give thee] in writing as the Lord hath made me wise by His hand upon me?41 — Rab answered, They found a Scriptural verse and expounded it: catching one after the other (Rashi). population with their own places of worship and other rights and privileges. Synagogale Altertumer, p. 261ff argues that this basilica was no Synagogue but a trading mart where the Jews would also hold services.] Jews in Alexandria under Trajan in 116 recorded by Eusebius. V. Derenbourg, Essai, p. 410ff and Graetz, Geschichte IV, p. 117ff.] D.S.].