Siman - Succah Daf 48
- The source of the chiyuv of simchah on Shemini Atzeres
The next Mishnah teaches that one is chayav in Hallel, simchah, referring to the eating of shelamim meat, and in kavod of the final day of the chag, referring to Shemini Atzeres, just like all other days of the chag. The Gemara asks for the source for rejoicing on the eighth day? Rashi explains the question, that the chiyuv of simchah is stated explicitly only with regard to the seven days of Succos, as it is written: חג הסוכות תעשה לך – Make for yourselves a festival of Succos for seven days, and next to it the passuk states: ושמחת בחגך – and you shall rejoice on your chag. The Gemara answers that it was taught in a Baraisa, that in reference to the rejoicing on Succos it is written: "והיית אך שמח" – and you shall be nothing but joyous. לרבות לילי יום טוב האחרון - This comes to include the final night of Yom Tov, meaning Shemini Atzeres, in the rejoicing of the previous seven days. The Baraisa asks that maybe the passuk is meant only to include the first night of the chag, and answers: כשהוא אומר "אך" חלק – When the Torah states “but,” it qualifies the content of the passuk and teaches only one of these times, referring to the last day, is designated a “time of simchah.” The last night is included שיש שמחה לפניו – because it is preceded by other days of simchah, and the first day is excluded since it is not preceded by days of simchah.
- ושאבתם מים בששון
The third Mishnah on the Daf describes how ניסוך המים, the water libation, was performed with the morning tamid during the seven days of the chag. A member of the group from the Beis Hamikdash would fill a golden flask, with a capacity of three lugin, from the Shiloach. הגיעו לשער המים - When they returned and reach the Water Gate, which Rashi explains was one of the southern gates of the Temple courtyard, and called the שער המים because the person entered through this gate with the flask of water, תקעו והריעו ותקעו – they sounded a tekiah, a teruah, and a tekiah. The Gemara seeks the source for the blowing of the trumpets, and Rav Eina said: For it states in the passuk, "ושאבתם מים בששון ממעיני הישועה" – And you shall draw water with rejoicing from the wellsprings of salvation. The Gemara brings an incident with a heretic named Sasson who told Rebbe Abahu that the Jewish people are destined to draw water for him in Olam Haba, as it says, "ושאבתם מים בששון". Rebbe Abahu responded that if the passuk had said לששון – to Sasson, perhaps it could be interpreted that way. But the passuk says "בששון" – and you shall draw water with Sasson, which means that your skin will be made into a canteen and will be used for water drawing.
- Three things that the Kohen ascends the ramp on the left side
It was taught in a Baraisa: All who ascend the ramp to the mizbayach ascend toward the right, go around the mizbayach, and then descend on the left side of the ramp, חוץ מן העולה לשלשה דברים הללו שעולין דרך שמאל וחוזרין על העקב – except for one who ascends for these three things, who would ascend the ramp toward the left, and then after performing the task, descend the way they had come. The three things are: ניסוך המים וניסוך היין ועולת העוף כשרבתה במזרח – the water libation, the wine libation, and the blood of the bird olah when there were too many bird olos, and thus too many Kohanim on the east side of the mizbayach. Rashi explains that these items might be adversely affected from the smoke of the mizbayach if the Kohen took the regular route around the mizbayach which is more than 100 amos long. Water and wine might absorb the smoke and become passul and the bird olah might die.
