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Succah 48b

סוכה מ״ח ע״ב

Sukkah 48b

Learn Succah 48b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

ניסוך המים on סוכות: the משנה's procedure, the source for drawing the water, the stories of ששון, and the גמרא's explanations of the משנה

Overview

This עמוד finishes the משנה about the ניסוך המים on סוכות. The two bowls on the מזבח had spouts of different widths, the water bowl was on the west and the wine bowl on the east, and switching them is still valid after the fact. רבי יהודה says the water was poured with a one-לוג vessel on all eight days. The pourer was told to raise his hand because a צדוקי once poured the water on his feet. On שבת the water was drawn on ערב שבת, and spilled or uncovered water was replaced from the כיור. The גמרא asks for the source of drawing the water, and רב עינא quotes "ושאבתם מים בששון". Two stories follow in which מינים named ששון, and then רבי אבהו, play on that פסוק. Next a ברייתא explains why the כהן turned left on the ramp, and the גמרא explains why even the water bowl turned black. It then proves that the משנה about the spouts follows the רבנן, not רבי יהודה. The עמוד ends with a ברייתא about the צדוקי who was pelted with אתרוגים and the damaged corner of the מזבח, which was sealed with salt.

Opening lines

כְּמִין שְׁנֵי חוֹטָמִין דַּקִּין,

like two thin nose-shaped spouts,

(וְאֶחָד) מְעוּבֶּה וְאֶחָד דַּק,

one wide and one thin,

כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם כָּלִין בְּבַת אַחַת.

so that both would finish at the same time.

מַעֲרָבוֹ — שֶׁל מַיִם,

its western one — for water,

The steps (24)

  1. StatementThe two spouts of the silver bowls
  2. StatementWhich bowl is where, and what happens if they are switched
  3. Statementרבי יהודה: one לוג, all eight days
  4. Statement"Raise your hand" and the story of the אתרוגים
  5. StatementHow the water libation was done on שבת
  6. StatementSpilled or uncovered water is replaced from the כיור
  7. QuestionThe גמרא asks for the source
  8. Responseרב עינא cites the verse about drawing water with joy
  9. StatementTwo מינים named ששון and שמחה argue
  10. Challengeשמחה answers with a פסוק where he comes first
  11. Challengeששון mocks שמחה as a messenger
  12. Responseשמחה mocks ששון as a water bucket
  13. StatementA heretic named Sason boasts to רבי אבהו
  14. Responseרבי אבהו turns the verse against him
  15. StatementGeneral rule: go up on the right, come down on the left
  16. StatementThree exceptions where you turn left
  17. ChallengeWhy would the water bowl turn black?
  18. ResolutionWine sometimes ends up in the water bowl
  19. QuestionDoes the משנה follow only רבי יהודה?
  20. RejectionWine is thick and water is thin
  21. Proofרבי יהודה describes the holes differently
  22. ConclusionConclusion: the משנה follows the Rabbis
  23. StatementThe צדוקי who poured the water on his feet
  24. StatementThe damaged altar corner sealed with salt