Sukkah, Daf Nun Bet, Part 6

 

Introduction

Today’s section returns to interpreting the mishnah about the Simchat Bet Hashoevah.

ארבעה סולמות כו’. תנא: גובהה של מנורה חמשים אמה (כו’). –

 

And four ladders etc:

It was taught: The height of each lamp was fifty cubits.

 

Each lamp used to light up the Bet Hashoevah was fifty cubits high about 25 meters, quite high.

 

וארבעה ילדים של פרחי כהונה ובידיהם כדי שמן של מאה ועשרים לוג. איבעיא להו: מאה ועשרים לוג כולהו, או דלמא לכל חד וחד? – תא שמע: ובידיהם כדי שמן של שלשים שלשים לוג, שהם כולם מאה ועשרים לוג.

 

And four youth from the priesthood in whose hands were jars of oil containing one hundred and twenty log.

It was asked: Were there one hundred and twenty log for all of them or one hundred and twenty log for each?

Come and hear: With jars of oil in their hands, each of thirty log making a total of one hundred and twenty log.

 

The baraita cited here shows that there were thirty log in each jar, not one hundred and twenty in each.

תנא: והן משובחין היו יותר מבנה של מרתא בת בייתוס. אמרו על בנה של מרתא בת בייתוס שהיה נוטל שתי ירכות של שור הגדול, שלקוח באלף זוז, ומהלך עקב בצד גודל. ולא הניחוהו אחיו הכהנים לעשות כן משום +משלי יד+ ברב עם הדרת מלך.

 

It was taught: And they were superior to the son of Martha bat Baytos. It was said of the son of Martha the daughter of Boethus, that he could take two sides of a huge ox which cost one thousand zuz and walk with them, heel to toe, but the Sages would not permit him to do so because in the multitude of the people is the King’s glory.

 

The baraita claims that these four youth were stronger than the legendary son of Martha bat Baytos, a priest. Marta’s son could carry two sides of a huge ox up the altar while walking slowly, heel to toe, because one shouldn’t run up the altar. Nevertheless, the sages wouldn’t allow him to do so because they held it would be better for more priests to participate in the sacrificial ceremony. Indeed, they ruled that twenty four people would be involved in bringing the meat of the ox up to the altar.

 

מאי משובחים? אילימא משום יוקרא – הני יקירי טפי! – אלא, התם כבש ומרובע ולא זקיף, הכא סולמות, וזקיף טובא.

 

In what respect, however, were they superior? If you will say because of the weight, these are heavier!

Rather, in that case there was an ascent and it wasn’t straight up, whereas here it perpendicular.

 

The Talmud questions what makes the young priests superior to Marta’s son. After all, clearly the meat was much heavier than the oil.

The answer is that the ladders were basically perpendicular, making the ascent much more difficult. In contrast, the ramp up the altar was a gentle slope.