Sukkah, Daf Nun Heh, Part 3
Introduction
This section is a mishnah. My commentary here is taken from Mishnah Yomit.
The priests were divided into twenty-four watches, each watch serving for a week at the Temple. During a watch s week the priests of that watch kept all of the sacrificial meat and any other part of the sacrifice that they were allowed to use. However, during pilgrimage festivals all twenty-four watches equally divided the sacrifices that were offered on account of the festival. Our mishnah teaches how the numerous Sukkot offerings were divvied up.
משנה. יום טוב הראשון של חג היו שם שלשה עשר פרים, אילים שנים, ושעיר אחד. נשתיירו שם ארבעה עשר כבשים לשמונה משמרות.
1) ביום ראשון – ששה מקריבין שנים שנים, והשאר אחד אחד.
2) בשני – חמשה מקריבין שנים שנים, והשאר אחד אחד.
3) בשלישי – ארבעה מקריבין שנים שנים, והשאר אחד אחד.
4) ברביעי – שלשה מקריבין שנים שנים, והשאר אחד אחד.
5) בחמישי – שנים מקריבין שנים שנים, והשאר אחד אחד.
6) בששי – אחד מקריב שנים, והשאר אחד אחד.
7) בשביעי – כולן שוין.
8) בשמיני – חזרו לפייס כברגלים.
9) אמרו – מי שהקריב פרים היום לא יקריב למחר, אלא חוזרין חלילה.
On the first festival day of Sukkot there were thirteen bulls, two rams and one goat.
Fourteen lambs remained for the other eight priestly watches.
1) On the first day, six [watches] offered two each and the remaining [two] one each.
2) On the second day five offered two each and the remaining [four] one each.
3) On the third day four offered two each and the remaining [six] one each.
4) On the fourth day three offered two each and the remaining [eight] one each.
5) On the fifth day two offered two each and the remaining [ten] one each.
6) On the sixth day one offered two and the remaining [twelve] one each.
7) On the seventh day all were equal.
8) On the eighth day they again cast lots as on the other festivals.
9) They said: the [watch] that offered bulls on one day should not offer them on the next, but that they should take their turns in rotation.
Explanation
Section one: On the first day of Sukkot there were thirty animals sacrificed: thirteen bulls, two rams, one goat (for a sin-offering) and fourteen lambs (Numbers 29:13-16). This means that 16 priestly watches could take one animal each, leaving fourteen animals for the other eight watches. On the first day of the festival, six watches would sacrifice two lambs and the other two watches would get one lamb each.
Section two: On the second day there was one less bull, so the total number of animals was only 29. Fifteen watches would take the fifteen non-lamb animals, leaving nine watches to split 14 lambs. Five would take two lambs, leaving four to each take one.
Section three: On the third day there were 11 bulls, for a total of 28 animals. Fourteen watches would take the fourteen non-lamb animals, leaving ten watches to split 14 lambs. Four would take two lambs, leaving six to each take one.
Section four: On the fourth day there were only 10 bulls, for a total of 27 animals. Thirteen watches would take the thirteen non-lamb animals, leaving 11 watches to split 14 lambs. Three would take two lambs, leaving eight to each take one.
Section five: On the fifth day there were only 9 bulls, for a total of 26 animals. Twelve watches would take the twelve non-lamb animals, leaving 12 watches to split 14 lambs. Two would take two lambs, leaving ten to each take one.
Section six: On the sixth day there were only 8 bulls, for a total of 25 animals. Eleven watches would take the eleven non-lamb animals, leaving 13 watches to split 14 lambs. One would take two lambs, leaving 12 to each take one.
Section seven: On the seventh day there were 24 animals for 24 watches each watch got one.
Section eight: On Shmini Atzeret there were only 10 animals sacrificed, one bull, one ram, one goat and seven lambs (Numbers 29:35-38). The watches would then cast lot to see who received what (see Yoma 2:1).