משנה: מִצְוַת עֲרָבָה כֵּיצַד. מָקוֹם הָיָה לְמַטָּה מִירוּשָׁלִַם וְנִקְרָא מוֹצָא וְיוֹרְדִין לְשָׁם וּמְלַקְּטִין מִשָּׁם מוּרְבִּיּוֹת שֶׁל עֲרָבָה וּבָאִין וְזוֹקְפִין אוֹתָן בְּצִדֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְרָאשֵׁיהֶן כְּפוּפִין עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. וְתָֽקְעוּ וְהֵרִיעוּ וְתָֽקְעוּ. בְּכָל־יוֹם מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ פַּעַם אַחַת וְאוֹמְרִים אָנָּא יי׳ הוֹשִׁיעָה נָא, אָנָּא יי׳ הַצְלִיחָה נָא. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי וָהוּא הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא. אֲנִי וָהוּא הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא. אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים. בִּשְׁעַת פְּטִירָתָן מָה הֵן אוֹמְרִים יוֹפִי לָךְ מִזְבֵּחַ יוֹפִי לָךְ מִזְבֵּחַ. רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר לְיָהּ וְלָךְ מִזְבֵּחַ לְיָהּ וְלָךְ מִזְבֵּחַ: MISHNAH: How is the order of the willow? There was a place below Jerusalem called Moṣa. They descended there to collect willow branches, and come and erect them on the sides of the altar, their heads bent on the altar. They trumpeted straight, treble, and straight. Every day they surround the altar once and say, please, Eternal, please save; please, Eternal, please let succed31Psalms.118.25">Ps. 118:25.. Rebbi Jehudah says, Ani wahu please save, ani wahu please save32The spelling וָהוּא is confirmed by Maimonides’s autograph Mishnah. In his interpretation the reference is to Deuteronomy.32.39">Deut 32:39: I, I am He, and no power competes with me.. On that day33The seventh day of Tabernacles. they surround the altar seven times. 34This part of the Mishnah is not discussed in the Halakhah; it is not in Maimonides’s autograph of the Mishnah nor in the Sukkah.45b">Babli (45b) it seems to be a baraita. What are they saying when taking leave? Beauty for you, altar, beauty for you, altar. Rebbi Eliezer says, to the Eternal and you, altar, to the Eternal and you, altar.
הלכה: מָהוּא מוֹצָא. מַמְצִייָא. אָמַא רִבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא. קָלוֹנִייָא הֲוָה שְׁמָהּ. HALAKHAH: What is Moṣa35In the bottom of the valley North of Jerusalem, near the water.? Memsia36This name is unexplained. It cannot be identified with a place מציא (in Galilee) mentioned in versions of the baraita about the borders of the Land (Ševi`it 6:1, Tosephta Ševi`it 4:11, Sifry Deut. 51), but missing in the mosaic from the synagogue of Reḥov.. Rebbi Tanḥuma said, its name was Colonia37A colony of Roman veterans..
בַּר קַפָּרָה אָמַר. וְגָבְהָן אַחַת עֶשְׂרֶה אַמָּה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵה. מַתְנִיתָא אָֽמְרָה כֵן. וְרָאשֵׁיהֶן כְּפוּפִין לִצְדָדֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. רִבִּי זְעוּרָא שְׁלַח שְׁאִיל לְרִבִּי דָנִיאֵל בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב קַטִּינָא. שָׁמַעְתָּ מֵאָבִיךָ טְעוּנָה בְרָכָה וְנִיטֶּלֶת בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ וְיֵשׁ לָהּ שֵׁיעוּר. אֲתַא רִבִּי אַייְבוֹ בַּר נַגָּרִי בְשֵׁם רַב חוּנָה וְאָמַר טַעֲמָא. טְעוּנָה בְרָכָה וְנִיטֶּלֶת בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ. וְיֵשׁ לָהּ שֵׁיעוּר לֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי. תַּמָּן אָֽמְרִין. רַב שֵׁשֶׁת וְרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יַעֲקֹב. חַד אָמַר. שְׁלֹשָׁה בַדֵּי עָלִין. וְחוֹרָנָה אָמַר. אֲפִילוֹ בַד אֶחָד. Bar Qappara said, they38The willow branches taken for the altar, in contrast to those taken with the lulav, which are short. are eleven cubits high. Rebbi Yose said, the Mishnah says so, “their heads bent on the altar.39Since the altar was 10 cubits high, the willows had to be appreciably larger in order to bend over. Sukkah.45a">Babli 45a.” Rebbi Ze`ira sent asking Rebbi Daniel ben Rav Qatina, did you hear from your father that it needs a benediction40A special benediction, “praise to You, Eternal, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to take willow branches.”, is taken alone41No lulav in the hands of the Cohanim circling the altar (as well as in the hands of the congregants during the prayers for rain, cf. Sukkah 4:1:2" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Sukkah.4.1.2">Note 19)., and has a minimum? Rebbi Ayvi bar Nagari came in the name of Rav Huna and said with reason that it needs a benediction and is taken alone. Whether it has a minimum I did not hear. There, they are saying Rav Sheshet and Rav Naḥman bar Jacob. One says, three leafed branches. But the other said, even one branch42It is clear that the Galilean authors Bar Qappara and R. Yose speak about the ceremony in the Temple. From the parallel in the Sukkah.44b-45a">Babli, 44b - 45a, it seems that the Babylonian authors, from R. Ze`ira to Rav Naḥman, speak about the ceremony in the synagogue, where on the seventh day a separate bunch of willow twigs is taken.
תַּנֵּי. וּבַעֲלֵי מוּמִין. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֵּן לָקִישׁ בְּעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין נִכְנָסִין בֵּין הָאוּלָם וְלַמִּזְבֵּחַ. אָמַר לֵיהּ. כְּשֵׁירִים הָיוּ. It was stated: Bodily defective ones43Since nobody but priests are permitted to enter the inner courtyard with the altar, by necessity only priests may circle the altar, and bodily defective priests are excluded from Temple service (Leviticus.21.16-24">Lev. 21:16–24).. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish asked before Rebbi Joḥanan, may bodily defective ones enter between the altar and the Temple entrance44It is stated in Kelim 1:9" href="/Mishnah_Kelim.1.9">Mishnah Kelim 1:9 that bodily defective priests may not enter the space between altar and Temple entrance.? He told him, they were qualified45The rule of Kelim 1:9" href="/Mishnah_Kelim.1.9">Mishnah Kelim 1:9 is rabbinic but the rite of the willows is a tradition ascribed to Moses; in this case the defective priests are qualified since the rite is not a sacrificial service. Sukkah.44a">Babli 44a..
רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. כֵּינִי מַתְנִיתָא. אֲנִי וָהוּ הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא. [אֲנִי וָהוּא הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא]. Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: So is the Mishnah, אֲנִי וָהוּ please save. [Ani wahu please save.]46The corrector’s addition in brackets has to be deleted. R. Abbahu notes that the text of the Mishnah, reading וָהוּא, has to be corrected to וָהוֹ. Both אני and והו are of the 72 secret names of God which can be derived fron Exodus.14.19-21">Ex. 14:19–21, 3 verses of 72 letters each, which have to be written boustrophedon, the first and last from left to right and the middle one from right to left, and then read from top to bottom. (Sukkah 45a" href="/Rashi_on_Sukkah.45a">Rashi 45a on the Mishnah; cf. the author’s The Scholar’s Haggadah, p. 300, Note 244.)
אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ. לְךָ לִישׁוּעָתָה לָּֽנוּ. לְךָ יוֹדִייָה. דָּרַשׁ רִבִּי בָּא סָרוֹנְגִייָה. וְהוֹשִׁ֧יעַ יְי אֶת־אָֽהֳלֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה בָּרִֽאשׁוֹנָה. וְהוֹשַׁע כְּתִיב. דָּרַשׁ רִבִּי זִיבַיי. כִּ֣י עַתָּה֩ תֵֽצְאִ֨י מִקִּירְיָה וְשָׁכַ֣נְתְּ בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה. וּשְׁכִינָתִי בַשָּׂדֶה. חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן אֲחִי רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר. אָֽנֹכִ֖י יְי אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֽוֹצֵאתִ֛יךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם. הוּצֵאתְךָ כָּתַב. Rebbi Abbahu said, for you as help for us47Psalms.80.3">Ps. 80:3.. For you is recognized48The reading of the text is unsafe and its meaning unclear. In line with the following homilies, the presumed meaning is that God liberated Himself by liberating Israel from Egypt.. Rebbi Abba from Saronga, and the Eternal will first save the tents of Jehudah49Sach. 12:17.. It is written “he saved.50Meaning: He saved Himself.” Rebbi Zibai explained, for now leavethe city and dwell in the field51Mica 4:10., my Shekhina is in the field52A homily on the word ושכנת which is revocalized וּשְּכִנָתִ “My Presence”, the field being a simile for the desert.. Ḥananiah the son of Rebbi Joshua’s brother says, I am the Eternal, your God, Who led you out of the land of Egypt53Exodus.20.2">Ex. 20:2., it is written “who was led out with you.54There is no textual evidence for a missing letter in this word.”
רִבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי חִייָה בַּר בָּא. דָּרַשׁ לֵוִי בַּר סִיסִי בְנַהַרְדֵּעָא. וַיִּרְא֕וּ אֵ֖ת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְתַ֣חַת רַגְלָ֗יו כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂה֙ לִבְנַ֣ת הַסַּפִּ֔יר וּכְעֶ֥צֶם הַשָּׁמַיִ֭ם לָטוֹהַר: זוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִגְאֲלוּ. אֲבָל מִשֶּׁנִּגְאֲלוּ (אֵין דַּרְכָּהּ תִּינָּתֵן) [אֵיכָן דַּרְכָּהּ שֶׁל לְבֵנָה לְהִינָּתֵן] שָׁם הִיא נְתוּנָה. אָמַר רִבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה. מַעֲשֶׂה אֵין כָּתוּב כָּאן אֶלָּא כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂה֙. הִיא וְכָל־אֶרְגָּלֵייָה שֶׁלָּהּ. (הִיא וְהַסָּל וְהַמַּגְרֵיפָה.) [הִיא וְכָל־פְּרַקְמַטִיָּא שֶׁלָּהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי מִייָשָׁא. בְּבָבֶל כְּתִיב כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה אֶֽבֶן־סַפִּ֖יר וּבְמִצְרַיִם כְּתִיב כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂה֙] לִבְנַ֣ת הַסַּפִּ֔יר. לְלַמְּדָךְ שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁהָאֶבֶן קָשָׁה מִן הַלְּבֵינָה כָּךְ שִׁיעְבּוּדָהּ שֶׁלְבָּבֶל הָיָה קָשֶׁה מִשִּׁעְבּוּדָהּ שֶׁלְמִצְרַיִם. תַּנֵּי בַּר קַפָּרָא. עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִגְאֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם הָֽיְתָה רְשׁוּמָה בָרְקִיעַ. מִשֶּׁנִּגְאֲלוּ עוֹד לֹא נִרְאֵית בָּרְקִיעַ. מַה טַעַם וּכְעֶ֥צֶם הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָטוֹהַר: שְׁמַייָא כַּד אִינּוּן נְקִייִן מִן עֲנָנִין. 55Most of this paragraph also is in Lev. rabba 23(8), Cant. rabba 4(17). Rebbi Berekhia, Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: Levi bar Sisi explained in Nahardea: They saw the God of Israel and below His feet like the work of a brick of sapphire, and like the true sky in purity56Exodus.24.10">Ex. 24:10.. That is, before they were freed. But after they were freed, (it was not its way to be put) [where usually the brick is put]57The sapphire brick was at God’s feet as symbol of the enslavement of Israel; after their freeing it was no longer necessary but took its place in the Heavenly Temple. The corrector’s text in brackets is that of the Midrashim. there it is put. Rebbi Berekhia said, it is not written here the work, but like the work, it and all its tools58Greek ʼεργαλεῑα “tools of trade”., (it and the basket and the rake.)59The scribe’s text in parentheses is confirmed by the Midrashim. The remainder of the text up to the statement of Bar Qappara is not in the parallel sources. [it and all its merchandise. Rebbi Miasha said, in Babylonia it is written60Ezekiel.1.26">Ez. 1:26., like the looks of sapphire stone, but in Egypt it is written, like the work of] a brick of sapphire. To teach you that just as the stone is harder than the brick, so the servitude of Babylonia was harder than the servitude of Egypt. Bar Qappara stated, before Israel was rescued from Egypt it61The brick of sapphire. was traced in the sky; after they were rescued it was no longer seen in the sky. What is the reason? and like the true sky in purity, the sky if it is empty of clouds.
תַּנֵּי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר. עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה עָֽבְרָה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּיָּם. מַה טַעַם. מִפְּנֵ֣י עַמְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּדִ֤יתָ לְּךָ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם גּוֹיִ֖ם וֵאלֹהָֽיו. אָמַר לוֹ רִבִּי עֲקִיבָה. חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. אִם אוֹמֵר אַתְּ כֵּן נִמְצֵאתָ עוֹשֶׂה אֶת הַקּוֹדֶשׁ חוֹל. מַה תַלְמוּד לוֹמַר אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּדִ֤יתָ לְּךָ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם. כִּבְיָכוֹל כְּאִילּוּ עַצְמְךָ פָדִיתָ. 62Mekhilta dR. Ismael Ba 14, Beshallaḥ Wayissa 1; Sifry Num. 84, partially Exodus.30.11-34.35">Tanḥuma Ki Tissa 14. It was stated in the name of Rebbi Eliezer, an idol crossed with Israel through the Sea. What is the reason? Before Your people which You redeemed for Yourself, peoples and his god632S. 7:24.. Rebbi Aqiba said to him, Heaven beware! If you are saying so it turns out that you profane the holy. Why does the verse say, which You redeemed for Yourself? If it were possible to say, as if You redeemed Yourself.
אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים. אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא. זֵיכֶר לִירִיחוֹ. “On that day33The seventh day of Tabernacles. they surrounded the altar seven times.” Rebbi Aḥa said, a remembrance of Jericho.