Succah 55b

סוכה נ״ה ע״ב

Sukkah 55b

Learn Succah 55b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Succah 55b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

How the משמרות shared the offerings of סוכות and the רגלים, and the meaning of the 70 פרים

Overview

The first משנה explains how all 24 משמרות of כהנים shared the many מוסף offerings of סוכות. Each day the number of פרים drops by one, so more watches are free to share the 14 כבשים, until on the seventh day every watch brings exactly one animal. On שמיני עצרת they go back to the regular פייס, and the פרים rotate so no watch brings them two days in a row. The גמרא asks whether this fits only רבי or also the חכמים, who give the שמיני עצרת bull to one of the two watches that brought only two פרים, and it shows that both views work. רבי אלעזר then teaches that the 70 פרים stand for the 70 nations and the single פר of שמיני עצרת stands for ישראל, and the גמרא illustrates this with a parable of a king's great feast and small private meal. רבי יוחנן mourns that the nations lost this atonement when the בית המקדש was destroyed. A new משנה teaches that on the three רגלים all the משמרות share equally in the festival portions and the לחם הפנים, while the scheduled watch keeps the regular offerings. The גמרא explains what 'אימורי הרגלים' means and brings a verse limiting the equal sharing to the רגלים. It then begins asking for the source for sharing the לחם הפנים, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. StatementThe animals offered on the first day of סוכות
2. StatementSplitting fourteen sheep among the eight remaining watches
3. StatementThe sheep distribution on the second and third days
4. StatementThe sheep distribution on the fourth, fifth and sixth days
5. StatementSeventh day all equal, and the eighth day goes back to the lottery
6. StatementRotation rule: the bull offerings rotate among the watches
7. QuestionDoes our משנה follow only רבי?
8. ProofThe ברייתא: lottery for everyone, or only the two watches
9. RejectionEven the חכמים need a lottery between two watches
10. QuestionDoes the ברייתא about two watches follow only רבי?
11. Resolution'Not three times' means only during סוכות
12. ChallengeIsn't that just simple math?
13. ResolutionThe new point: the watches rotate
14. StatementThe 70 bulls stand for the 70 nations
15. StatementParable of the king's great feast and small feast
16. StatementThe nations lost their atonement without knowing it
17. StatementNew משנה: all the משמרות share equally on the three רגלים
18. StatementOn שבועות, each כהן gets מצה and חמץ
19. StatementThe scheduled watch keeps the regular offerings
20. ChallengeFestival portions go on the altar
21. Resolutionרב חסדא: it means what is stated for the festivals
22. ProofSource that all watches share the festival portions
23. QuestionMaybe this applies all year
24. ResponseOnly when all Israel enters through one gate
25. QuestionSource for sharing the showbread