The Eddie B. Sit edition of the Talmud Bavli, specifically Masechet Sukkah, has been dedicated by Celia and Isaac Jamal, may Hashem bless them, for the success of their dear children. May they witness much nachat from all of them, and may they all grow up, marry at the appropriate time, and have healthy and happy children, with blessings and success, until the arrival of the righteous redeemer, amen. This Masechet has also been dedicated for the elevation of the soul of Sarah bat Adele, may her soul be at rest in Gan Eden, amen, again by Celia and Isaac Jamal. May they merit to perform mitzvot. Today's daf has been dedicated by Mr. Isaac Shchebar in honor of his parents, Jack and Marilyn, may Hashem bless them, amen. We study Daf mem tet today, also for the elevation of the soul of Avraham ben Esther, may his soul be at rest in Gan Eden, amen. Additionally, we study for the elevation of the soul of Mazal bat Frida, who passed away at a young age, may her soul be at rest in Gan Eden, amen.
We begin today's daf on mem chet amud bet, starting three lines after the section widens, with the words ella she-hayu mashchirin. Previously, we had a machloket in the Mishna regarding the bowls positioned atop the southwestern corner of the Mizbeach, which were used for nisuch hamayim ve-yayin. According to Tanna Kamma, these bowls were made of silver, while Rabbi Yehuda stated they were made of limestone. However, due to the wine causing them to appear blackened, they resembled silver. The Gemara asks: bishelama di-yayin mashchir. It is understandable that the receptacle for wine became blackened from the wine. But how did the water bowl become blackened if it only contained water? The Gemara explains: kevan de-amar mar, since we learned that if they mistakenly poured wine into the water bowl and vice versa, it is valid. Thus, the water bowl could have become blackened due to these mistakes, leading people to believe it was silver when it was actually limestone.
The Gemara continues, stating there were two spouts on the bowls, resembling nostrils. One was wider, and one was narrower, as the Mishna states: echad me'ubad ve-echad dak. The Gemara queries whether the Mishna aligns with Rabbi Yehuda rather than the Rabbis. The Gemara assumes at this point that the Mishna reflects Rabbi Yehuda's opinion. What does Rabbi Yehuda state? de-tnan: Rabbi Yehuda says that nisuch hamayim was performed with one log of water, while nisuch hayayin was performed daily with three lugin. Therefore, to maintain an equal flow, the water spout had to be narrower to ensure it flowed out at the same time as the wine, which had three times the amount.
The Gemara suggests that even if the Mishna follows the Rabbis, it is still logical. de-i rabanan, because according to the Rabbis, there are three logs of water and three logs of wine, which are equal in measure. So why would the spouts need to differ in size? The Gemara responds, even if it were the Rabbis, the wine is thicker in consistency, while the water is thinner. Therefore, to achieve an even flow, the water spout must be narrower, allowing it to flow out more slowly compared to the thicker wine, which can flow out faster through a wider spout.
The Gemara concludes that it makes sense to say that the Mishna aligns with the Rabbis. If it were Rabbi Yehuda, he would use terms like rachav (wide) and katzar (narrow), whereas the language of the Mishna uses me'ubad (thick) and dak (thin), indicating a lesser divergence in measurement. The Gemara supports this with a teaching: Rabbi Yehuda omer that there were two sacred vessels on the Mizbeach: one for water and one for wine. The vessel for wine had a wide mouth, while the one for water had a narrow mouth, so they would both empty simultaneously. This implies that the Mishna indeed follows the Rabbis.
Next, we examine the commentary of Rashi. Rashi explains why the Mishna requires one to be thick and one to be thin, indicating it is Rabbi Yehuda's view that the water is measured in log and the wine in revi'is. The Gemara continues to clarify that the spouts were designed to ensure both liquids could flow out together. The Gemara then recounts a story about a Tzeduki who poured water on his feet instead of the Mizbeach. The people stoned him with their etrogim, resulting in damage to the corner of the Mizbeach. They subsequently brought a fistful of salt to seal the breach, but this did not render the Mizbeach valid for service.
The Mishna states that any Mizbeach lacking a ramp, corner, foundation, or square shape is unfit for service. The Gemara explains that the Mizbeach must possess specific features to be valid. Rashi elaborates that every Mizbeach must have a corner, ramp, foundation, and square shape. If any of these elements are missing, it is deemed invalid for service. The Gemara states that all these requirements stem from the Torah's stipulations regarding the Mizbeach.
Following this, the Gemara discusses the pipes that were installed in the Mizbeach, which extended to the depths of the earth, indicating they were fashioned during the six days of creation. The Gemara cites a verse from Shir Hashirim to illustrate this point, explaining that the concealed pipes were crafted by Hashem himself. The Gemara maintains that these pipes were integral to the Mizbeach and were prepared from the onset of creation.
As the Gemara progresses, it discusses the compartment located between the ramp and the Mizbeach, which was used to collect congealed wine. Every seventy years, young priests would enter this compartment to collect the congealed wine, which would then be burned in a sacred manner. The Gemara emphasizes the importance of this process, noting that the wine must be treated with sanctity.
The Gemara concludes with various teachings on the significance of acts of kindness and the value of studying Torah for the sake of teaching others. Rabbi Elazar states that those who engage in charity and justice fill the world with kindness, highlighting the profound impact of these actions. The discussion underscores the importance of humility and the necessity of sharing knowledge and resources with others, reinforcing the idea that true fulfillment comes from giving and serving the community.