Sukkah

upon a sherd, and cast it into the Deep that its waves should subside?" There was none who answered a word. Said David, "Whoever knows the answer and does not speak, may he be suffocated". Whereupon Ahitophel1 adduced an a fortiori argument to himself: "If, for the purpose of establishing harmony between man and wife, the Torah said, Let My name that was written in sanctity2 be blotted out by the water,3 how much more so may it be done in order to establish peace in the world!" He, therefore, said to him, "It is permitted!" [David] thereupon inscribed the [Ineffable] Name upon a sherd, cast it into the Deep and it subsided sixteen thousand cubits. When he saw that it had subsided to such a great extent, he said, "The nearer it is to the earth, the better the earth can be kept watered" and he uttered the fifteen Songs of Ascent and the Deep reascended fifteen thousand cubits and remained one thousand cubits [below the surface]’.’Ulla remarked, Deduce therefrom that the thickness of the earth's surface is one thousand cubits.4 But do we not see that one has but to dig a little for the waters to emerge? — R. Mesharsheya answered, That5 is due to the high level6 [of the source] of the Euphrates.7 TWO PRIESTS STOOD BY THE UPPER GATE WHICH LEADS DOWN etc. R. Jeremiah asked, [What is meant by] ‘THE TENTH STEP’? Does it mean that they descended five [of the fifteen] and stood upon the remaining ten, or rather that they descended ten and stood upon the five? — It cannot be decided.8 Our Rabbis taught, Since it is said, And their faces toward the east,9 is it not obvious that their backs were toward the Temple of the Lord?9 What then is the import of the statement, ‘their backs were toward the Temple of the Lord’? It teaches that they uncovered themselves and committed there a nuisance. WE ARE THE LORD'S AND OUR EYES ARE TURNED TO THE LORD etc. But can it be so? Did not R. Zera in fact rule, He who repeats Shema’, Shema’10 is as though he said Modim, Modim [and he is silenced]?11 — The fact is that it was this that they used to say, "They worshipped the sun toward the east" but as for us we give thanks unto the Lord, and to the Lord do our eyes hope’. 12 MISHNAH. THEY NEVER SOUNDED LESS THAN TWENTY-ONE BLASTS IN THE TEMPLE,13 AND NEVER MORE THAN FORTY-EIGHT. EVERY DAY THEY BLEW TWENTY-ONE BLASTS14 IN THE TEMPLE, THREE AT THE OPENING OF THE GATES,15 NINE AT THE DAILY MORNING SACRIFICE,16 AND NINE AT THE DAILY EVENING SACRIFICE. AT THE ADDITIONAL SACRIFICES17 THEY SOUNDED AN ADDITIONAL NINE; AND ON THE EVE OF THE SABBATH THEY ADDED SIX, THREE AS A SIGN TO THE PEOPLE TO CEASE FROM WORK AND THREE TO MARK A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE HOLY AND THE PROFANE.18 ON THE EVE OF THE SABBATH IN THE INTERMEDIATE DAYS OF THE [SUKKOTH] FESTIVAL, THERE WERE [THEREFORE] FORTY-EIGHT BLASTS, [VIZ.,] THREE AT THE OPENING OF THE GATES,15 THREE AT THE UPPER GATE,19 THREE AT THE LOWER GATE,20 THREE AT THE WATER-DRAWING, THREE AT THE ALTAR,21 NINE AT THE DAILY MORNING SACRIFICE, NINE AT THE DAILY EVENING SACRIFICE, NINE AT THE ADDITIONAL SACRIFICES, THREE AS A SIGN TO THE PEOPLE TO CEASE FROM WORK, AND THREE TO MARK A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE HOLY AND THE PROFANE.18 GEMARA. Our Mishnah does not agree with R. Judah, for it has been taught: R. Judah ruled, The minimum number of blasts is seven, and the maximum sixteen.22 What is the basic principle of their dispute? — R. Judah is of the opinion that Teki'ah, Teru'ah and Teki'ah23 are counted as one, and the Rabbis24 are of the opinion that the Teki'ah and the Teru'ah are separate and distinct notes. What is the reason of R. Judah? — Scripture says, And ye shall sound a Teki'ah Teru'ah,25 which clearly proves that the Teki'ah and the Teru'ah are regarded as one.26 And the Rabbis?27 — That verse is required to teach that the Teru'ah must be preceded and followed by a sustained blast.28 What then is the reason of the Rabbis? — Because it is written, And when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall sound a Teki'ah, but not a Teru'ah.29 Now if you could imagine that the Teki'ah and the Teru'ah form one note, would the Divine Law say, ‘Perform one half of the commandment, but not the other half’?30 And R. Judah?31 — That sounding was a mere signal.32 And the Rabbis? — It was indeed a signal, but the Divine Law33 made it into a commandment. Whose view is followed in that which R. Kahana stated, There must be no interval whatever between the Teki'ah and the Teru'ah?34 — In agreement with whose view [you ask]? In agreement with that of R. Judah.35 But36 is not this obvious? (Deut. VI, 4), or the word modim (‘we give thanks’) in the ‘Amidah. (Ber. 33b). arise]. interval there was one quavering blast preceded and followed by a sustained blast (cf. Tamid VII, 3). the Teki'ah and the Teru'ah as one’. insert, ‘And whence does R. Judah deduce the necessity of a sustained blast preceding and following the Teru'ah? — He deduces it from the expression, a second time’ (Num. X, 6).