Sukkah, Daf Mem Heh, Part 1

 

Introduction

This section refers to the line in the mishnah concerning how they would set up the lulavim on Shabbat in the Temple so that they would not have to carry them to get them there.

 

מצות לולב כיצד. תני תנא קמיה דרב נחמן: סודרין על גג האיצטבא. – אמר ליה:

וכי לייבשן הוא צריך? אלא אימא: על גב האיצטבא. אמר רחבא אמר (רב) +מסורת הש"ס: [רבי]+ יהודה: הר הבית סטיו כפול היה, סטיו לפנים מסטיו.

 

The mitzvah of the lulav. How so?

A tanna recited in front of R. Nahman: They arranged them upon the roof of the portico.

He said to him: What, does he really want to dry them out?

Rather say on top of the portico.

Rehava said in the name of R. Judah: The Temple Mount had a double colonnade, one colonnade being within the other.

 

According to the tanna’s (the professional reciter’s) version of the mishnah the lulavim were set up on the roof of the "portico." This was the covering for the outer portion of the Temple, a sort of patio that was open but that had benches. This was called the "portico."

R. Nahman finds this set up problematic for it would dry the lulavim out.

Therefore, he reads in the Mishnah "on top of the portico." In Hebrew, there is only one letter difference גב vs. גג. The portico was covered by an overhanging. This would prevent the lulavim from drying out.

The last statement in this section describes how the collonades were set up in the Temple. There was an inner and an outer colonnade. This statement has no bearing on the previous issue about the lulavim.