intended to increase the knowledge, interest, and anticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.

Z'man Simchateinu – the Time of Our Rejoicing
More than any other Chag celebrated in the Mikdash, the Festival of Sukkot had an aura of universality. And not by coincidence, Sukkot, more than any other Chag, was blessed with an abundance of Korbanot Tzibur. "You shall offer as Olot … 13 young bullocks, two rams, 14 male lambs in their first year …aside from the OlatTamid…". 13 bullocks were sacrificed on the first day of the Chag and the number decreased by one every day, for a total of 70 for the seven days of Sukkot.

"…To what do these 70 bullocks correspond? To the 70 primordial nations (enumerated in Bereishit 10). R. Yochanan said, 'Alas for the idolaters …When the Mikdash stood, the Mizbei'ach atoned for them, but now, in the absence of the Bayit, what atones for them?'" (Sukka 55b) A Midrash states that if the nations had under- stood the vital importance of the Mikdash to them, instead of destroying it, they would have surrounded it with armies to protect it. During one of the later Maccabean wars, the Seleucid King Antiochus VII Sidetes, even while he was the process of administering the Jews a crushing defeat, honored the Beit HaMikdash and Sukkot. As the fortifications of Jerusalem crumbled before him, "because of the festival (of Sukkot)", the Syrian king granted the beleaguered defenders a truce.

"And besides that, he sent in a magnificent sacrifice, bulls with their horns guilded, with all sorts of sweet spices, and with cups of gold and silver… which was quite a different con- duct from Antiochus Epiphanes, who, when he had taken the city, offered swine on the altar…" (Antiquities 13:8). Perhaps this unexpected benevolence could be seen as an adumbration of the future. "And it shall come to pass, that everyone that is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall go up (to Jerusalem) from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts and keep Chag HaSukkot." (Zecharia 14:16)

Two unique Mitzvot symbolize the Chag, "dwelling" in the Sukka and the "taking up" of the Arba Minim. In the early days of Bayit Sheini, the people "made themselves Sukkot, everyone upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the House of the Lord… (Nechemia 8). We can understand why the people built Sukkot for themselves but why did they construct them in the Beit HaMikdash? To provide the Kohanim a place where they could eat their Kodashim, sacrificial meat, etc. during the Chag. Vayikra 23:40 says, "You shall take for yourselves the fruit of a Eitz Hadar (Etrog)… and you shall rejoice before the Lord your G-d seven days." Tif'eret Yisrael explains, "'Before the Lord your G-d' means only in the Mikdash. The Mishna says, "Originally the Lulav (and the other three Minim) was carried seven days in the Mikdash but in the 'provinces' one day only" (Sukka 3:12). The Bartenura notes that, "In this case, the definition of 'provinces 'included Jerusalem outside of the Mikdash." The Mishna continues, "After the Mikdash was destroyed, R. Yochanan ben Zakkai ordained that in the provinces, (the Arba Minim) should be "taken up" all seven days in memory of the Mikdash…"

Perhaps more than Avodot of any other Chag, the evolution of Temple rites performed on Sukkot reflect the gradual transfer of authority from the Sadducee-dominated high priesthood to the Pharisaic Sages, a.k.a. Chazal. The beloved Simchat Beit HaSho'eva celebrations and the Mitzvat HaArava - the "Precept of the Willow Branch"were bitterly opposed by the Sadducee high priests. (The Sages contended that the Nisuch HaMayim - water libation - the "excuse" for the Simchot Beit HaSho'eva celebrations, though not specifically written, was a Halacha l'Moshe MiSinai. Similarly they posited that Mitzvat HaArava rite "was ordained by the Prophets".)Simchot Beit HaSho'eva were held in conjunction with the Nisuch HaMayim which accompanied the morning Tamid and its obligatory Nisuch HaYayin (wine libation) on Chol Hamo'ed Sukkot. The Mishna reads, " They used to say to the Kohein who performed the water libation, 'Lift up thine hand!' for once a certain one (according to the Gemara, a "certain Sadducee") poured the libation over his feet, and all the people (in the Azara) threw their Etrogim at him (Sukka 4:9).

Josephus, though varying in important details, is more descriptive. "As to Alexander (Yannai), his own people were rebellious against him; for at a festival which was then celebrated, when he stood upon the Altar, and was going to sacrifice, the nation rose upon him and pelted him with citrons… (Antiquities 13:13). The Gemara says, "He who has not seen the joy of Simchat Beit HaSho'eva has never seen rejoicing in his life", which explained its popularity. The celebrations started after the conclusion of the afternoon Tamid – and went on through the night. The Mishna says, "Fifteen stairs led up from the Ezrat Nashim to the Ezrat Yisrael, corresponding to the fifteen Songs of Ascents in Tehilim (120-134) and upon them the Leviyim used to sing" during the Simchat Beit HaSho'eva and play their musical instruments.While the jubilant crowds watched the proceedings, "men of piety and good deeds danced with burning torches in their hands singing songs and praises". Some sang, "'Happy is our youth which did not disgrace our old age.' These were the men of piety and good deeds. Others used to sing, 'Happy is our old age which has atoned for (the misdeeds of) our youth.' These were the Ba'alei Teshuva. And all of them sang, 'Happy is he who has not sinned but let he who has sinned repent and G-d will forgive them.'" At "cock-crow", the Kohanim opened the Nicanor Gates and sounded silver trumpets; this signalled the conclusion of that night's celebrations. The enormous crowd "cascaded" down to the Shilo'ach spring south of Jerusalem. Upon sounding the trumpets, the Kohanim drew water into a golden flagon and returned to the Mikdash. They entered the Azara through Sha'ar Hamayim, the Water Gate, which was located in close proximity to the Mizbei'ach. During the morning Tamid,to the accompaniment of trumpets, the Kohein Gadol (while not halachically required, it was usual for him to do so) ceremoniously poured the water into the western of two silver cups embedded on the southwestern corner of the Mizbei'ach. Simultaneously, another Kohein poured Nisuch HaYayin into the eastern cup.

"How was the Mitzvat HaAravah observed? …they set (willow branches) on the sides of the Mizbei'ach and bent their tops over. Then they blew on the Shofar… Each day (the first six days of the Sukkot festival) they marched around the Mizbei'ach (carrying their Arba Minim) saying, "We beseech Thee O Lord save (us) now, we beseech Thee Lord, make us prosper." But on the (seventh) day (Hoshana Rabba), they circumambulated the Mizbei'ach (with their Arba Minim) seven times" (Sukka 4:5). "As the rite was during the week, so it was on Shabbat, except that they would gather them on the eve of Shabbat and place them in (water) in golden basins so they would not wither" (Sukka 4:6). One Shabbat, the "Boethusians" (akin to Sadducees) removed the branches and hid them under stones "The next day, some Amei HaAretz, found them and removed them from under the stones. The Kohanim then brought them in and fixed them to the sides of the Mizbei'ach." (Sukka 43b)

Catriel is in the process of writing a book: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service