Yerushalmi Sukkah 3 ירושלמי סוכה ג׳

MISHNAH: A robbed or dried up lulav¹Lev.23:40: You shall take for yourselves on the First Day a fruit of the splendor tree, date-tree palms, a branch of the rope tree, and brook-willows. The lulav is the young palm branch. While in the verse it is called “palm”, because the leaves of the palm-tree spread out from the spine of the branch like fingers of a hand, it is traditional to take a young branch with the leaves still tightly clinging to its spine. From this the name לולב “tube” (cf. Note 27). is disqualified. Of an ashera²A tree worshipped as a pagan deity, forbidden for all use. or a seduced city³An apostate city practicing idolatry which has to be destroyed and all its property burned, forbidden for all usufruct, Deut13:13–18., it is disqualified. If it was truncated, its leaves broken out, it is disqualified. If its leaves were spread out, it is qualified; Rebbi Jehudah says, he shall tie them at the top⁴As long as the leaves are connected they can be tied together to produce the desired shape of a solid tube.. The stone palms of Iron Mountain are qualified. Any lulav three hand-breadths long to shake it⁵As explained in Mishnaiot 8 ff., the main use of the “four kinds” mentioned in the verse is to shake them during the recitation of Hallel, Ps. 113–118. is qualified.

HALAKHAH: “A robbed or dried up lulav is disqualified,” etc. Rebbi Ḥiyya stated: You shall take for yourselves¹Lev.23:40: You shall take for yourselves on the First Day a fruit of the splendor tree, date-tree palms, a branch of the rope tree, and brook-willows. The lulav is the young palm branch. While in the verse it is called “palm”, because the leaves of the palm-tree spread out from the spine of the branch like fingers of a hand, it is traditional to take a young branch with the leaves still tightly clinging to its spine. From this the name לולב “tube” (cf. Note 27)., from what is your own⁶Babli 29b; Sifra Emor Pereq17(2). The paragraph is a much shortened version of Lev.r. 30(6), starting with R. Ḥiyya’s statement and ending with the lesson “woe to this one …”. Rebbi Levi said, to what is one compared who takes a robbed lulav? To one who honored the ruler with a basket and it turned out that it belonged to the latter. One says, woe to this one whose defender⁷Greek συνήγορος. became his prosecutor⁸Greek κατήγορος..

⁹This paragraph is part of a text in Yebamot12:2 (Notes 50–59,ז). A ram’s horn of idolatry¹⁰The ram's horn used on New Year's Day. or a seduced city¹¹The usufruct of any implements of idolatrous worship is forbidden. The horn is only permitted since Divine Commandments are not for enjoyment or use. The Babli, Roš Haššanah28a, agrees.. Rebbi Eleazar said, it is qualified. Rebbi Ḥiyya stated, it is qualified. Rebbi Hoshaia stated, it is disqualified¹²The Babli, Roš Haššanah28a, disagrees in this case since a ram's horn in a “seduced city” must be burned and therefore is considered to be ashes even if not burned. Arguments of this kind are absent in the Yerushalmi.. Everybody agrees about a lulav that it is disqualified. What is the difference between a ram’s horn and a lulav? Rebbi Yose said, about a lulav it is written: You shall take for yourselves¹Lev.23:40: You shall take for yourselves on the First Day a fruit of the splendor tree, date-tree palms, a branch of the rope tree, and brook-willows. The lulav is the young palm branch. While in the verse it is called “palm”, because the leaves of the palm-tree spread out from the spine of the branch like fingers of a hand, it is traditional to take a young branch with the leaves still tightly clinging to its spine. From this the name לולב “tube” (cf. Note 27)., from what is your own⁶Babli 29b; Sifra Emor Pereq17(2). The paragraph is a much shortened version of Lev.r. 30(6), starting with R. Ḥiyya’s statement and ending with the lesson “woe to this one …”. Not from what is forbidden for usufruct. But here, a day of horn blowing it shall be for you¹³Num. 29:1.. Rebbi Eleazar said, there he fulfills his obligation by the thing itself¹⁴It is a general rule that a stolen or robbed object has to be returned in kind to its owner only if it is unchanged. Once the thief or robber has changed it so its original shape cannot be restored, it becomes the property of its current holder and the original owner only has a claim for its money’s worth and eventual fines (Or zarua § 274). Therefore it is the robber’s property and even in the case of a lulav could be used on the holiday.. But here he fulfills his obligation by the sound. Is there a sound which is forbidden for usufruct?

Where do they disagree¹³Num. 29:1.? If he robbed it smoothed. But if he robbed it and smoothed it, he owes him money¹⁴It is a general rule that a stolen or robbed object has to be returned in kind to its owner only if it is unchanged. Once the thief or robber has changed it so its original shape cannot be restored, it becomes the property of its current holder and the original owner only has a claim for its money’s worth and eventual fines (Or zarua § 274). Therefore it is the robber’s property and even in the case of a lulav could be used on the holiday.. If he robbed a lulav from one, a myrtle branch from another, and a willow branch from a third and tied them together¹⁵The Babli 30a holds that this case certainly is disqualified since the tie is reversible and a reversible change does not transfer ownership.? Let us hear from the following: A robbed sukkah, there are Tannaim who stated, it is qualified; there are Tannaim who stated, it is disqualified. Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: He who said, it is qualified, if he robbed the real estate¹⁶Since he changed the real estate by building a sukkah on it. The Babli 31a disagrees since (1) real estate cannot be robbed since the owners eventually will be able to reclaim their property by proving their title in court (a principle accepted in the Yerushalmi, Peah2:7 Note 132, Kilaim7:5 Note 72, Bava qamma10:6 Note 66) and (2) the sukkah is only a temporary building.. He who said, it is disqualified, if he robbed the agricultural waste. It is impossible that he not tie them together¹⁷Therefore even if he robbed the material for the roof it should become the robber’s property.. If he places it from the top. The rabbis of Caesarea in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: In every case it is disqualified¹⁸They hold that only permanent change can effect a transfer of ownership, the doctrine of the Babli.. What is the robbed one which is disqualified¹⁹This question does not contradict the statement of the rabbis from Caesarea. Accepting their reasoning, what are the limits of “robbing a sukkah”?? Any time a person enters another’s sukkah without his knowledge²⁰The Babli 31a characterized this as R. Eliezer’s minority opinion.. As the following. Gamliel the twin made himself a sukkah on the market²¹Using public property for a sukkah without proper authorization is robbing the public.. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish passed by and told him, who gave you permission?

“Dried up is disqualified.” Rebbi Abbin in the name of Rebbi Jehudah bar Pazi: The dried-up is disqualified because the dead ones cannot praise the Eternal²²Ps. 115:17.. It was stated in the name of Rebbi Jehudah, “the dried up one is qualified. Rebbi Jehudah told them, do they not have their sons inherit their lulavim in the port cities overseas²³Northern ports in countries without palm trees, where it may be impossible to get a new lulav every year. כרך is Greek χάραξ “palisade”. Tosephta 2:9, Babli 31a/b.? They told him, one does not make inferences from emergency situations.” They asked before Rebbi Avinna, if its fringe was dried up²⁴If the top leaves were wilted., what? What is the difference to when its head was chopped off? He told them, the first is splendor²⁵While “splendor” is mentioned only for the fruit of the splendor tree, if at all possible the entire bundle has to look its best., the second is not splendor.

Rebbi Maluk in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: If the spine is split it is as if the leaves were spread out²⁶In this case, the Mishnah states that it is qualified. In the Babli 32a R. Matun in the name of R. Johua ben Levi is reported to state that it is disqualified.. Date-palm palms¹Lev.23:40: You shall take for yourselves on the First Day a fruit of the splendor tree, date-tree palms, a branch of the rope tree, and brook-willows. The lulav is the young palm branch. While in the verse it is called “palm”, because the leaves of the palm-tree spread out from the spine of the branch like fingers of a hand, it is traditional to take a young branch with the leaves still tightly clinging to its spine. From this the name לולב “tube” (cf. Note 27).. Rebbi Tarphon says, tied date-palms²⁷While in biblical Hebrew כַּפּוֹת is the plural of כַּף “palm, hand”, in rabbinic Hebrew (and Aramaic) there exists a verb כפת “to tie down”. R. Tarphon reads the verse in rabbinic Hebrew and disqualifies palm branches which are not tied tightly, a position attributed to R. Jehudah in Tosephta 2:10.. Rebbi Aqiba says, palms of date palms as they are called²⁸He reads the verse in biblical Hebrew and accepts the palm branch even if its leaves are spread out.. Rebbi Jehudah says, if they are spread out he shall tie them together²⁹In principle he agrees with R. Tarphon (Babli 31a, 32a) but he requires actual tying only if otherwise the leaves would be spread out. Attributed to R. Tarphon in Sifra Emor Pereq16(4)..

The following are the stone palms of Iron Mountain which are qualified: Any of which the top of one reaches the root of the next³⁰There is no lower limit on the length of the leaves, but the spine of the branch has to be completely covered by leaves. Babli 32a.. It was stated: Burned is disqualified, looking like burned is qualified³¹“Burned” means not really burned but stone dry and dark. As long as there is moisture in the spine, the color is irrelevant. Babli 32a..

Rebbi Simeon bar Abba in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan. So is the Mishnah: If one can shake it, it is qualified³²The lulav must be large enough so that one may hold it in his hand, and it visibly bends somewhat if one shakes it.. It was stated: Myrtle and willow twig three, and lulav four³³Since the numerals are in the masculine they denote hand-breadths.. It was stated, by the cubit of five {hand-breadths}, the words of Rebbi Tarphon, but the Sages are saying, by the cubit of six. For Rebbi Tarphon, large hand-breadths³⁴The standard is the cubit, 1/8000 of an Egyptian parasang. The hand-breadth of the vessel standard, 5 to a cubit, is 6/5 of the hand-breadth of the distance standard, 6 to a cubit.; in the opinion of the Sages, thin hand-breadths. Rebbi Jonah and Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish in the name of Rebbi Jehudah the Patriarch: The lulav a hand-breadth³⁵Exceeding the accompanying branches by a hand-breadth. The Babli 32b identifies this with Rebbi Joḥanan’s criterion (Note 32).. Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: the hyssop³⁶Needed to sprinkle, e. g., the water to purify a person healed from skin disease.. a hand-breadth. Rebbi Ze`ira asked, the lulav a hand-breadth, the hyssop a hand-breadth? Rebbi Yose said, Rebbi Simon confirmed it. Rebbi Ḥinena, Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: the lulav a hand-breadth, the hyssop a hand-breadth, the ram’s horn a hand-breadth<sup>37</sup>The ram’s horn for New Year’s Day must extend one hand-breadth outside the hand which holds it., the placenta a hand-breadth<sup>38</sup>As sign of a miscarriage., and some are saying, also the third wall a hand-breadth<sup>39</sup>Tosephta 1:13; Chapter 1 Note 10.. Rebbi Ze`ira asked, the lulav a hand-breadth except the spine⁴⁰The excess length of the lulav has to be formed by its leaves, not the spine. Similarly, the top of the hyssop dipped in the purifying water is not counted for the minimum length.? The hyssop a hand-breadth except for the stalk? Rebbi Yose, Rebbi Tabi in the name of Rav; Rebbi Ḥinena, Rebbi Parnakh, Rav Mattanah, Yose bar Manisha in the name of Rav: The lulav a hand-breadth except for the spine; the hyssop a hand-breadth except for its stalks.

MISHNAH: A robbed or dried up myrtle is disqualified. Of an ashera²A tree worshipped as a pagan deity, forbidden for all use. or a seduced city³An apostate city practicing idolatry which has to be destroyed and all its property burned, forbidden for all usufruct, Deut13:13–18., it is disqualified. If it was truncated, its leaves broken out, or its berries more than its leaves, it is disqualified; if one reduced their number it is qualified but one may not reduce on the holiday.

HALAKHAH: It is written, and a branch from the rope tree¹Lev.23:40: You shall take for yourselves on the First Day a fruit of the splendor tree, date-tree palms, a branch of the rope tree, and brook-willows. The lulav is the young palm branch. While in the verse it is called “palm”, because the leaves of the palm-tree spread out from the spine of the branch like fingers of a hand, it is traditional to take a young branch with the leaves still tightly clinging to its spine. From this the name לולב “tube” (cf. Note 27)., a tree whose branches cover it and it rises like plaiting⁴¹The tops of the leaves look like forming a spiral.. Which one is this? The myrtle. If you would say the olive tree, it rises like plaiting but its branches do not cover it. If you would say the vine⁴²Arabic (from the Persian) זרגון “gold colored”, used for branches of the vine (French sarment)., its branches cover it but it does not rise like plaiting. Therefore, which one is this? The myrtle.

Ḥiyya bar Ada in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish. They taught⁴³That the berries of the myrtle twig have to be removed. about the blackish ones. Why? Because they do not resemble its wood or because its fruit is ripened? What is the difference between these? If it is used to grow green ones. If you are saying, because they do not⁴⁴Clearly this has to be deleted. resemble its wood, they do not resemble its wood. Therefore the reason must be because its fruit is ripened.

MISHNAH: A robbed or dried up willow twig is disqualified. Of an ashera²A tree worshipped as a pagan deity, forbidden for all use. or a seduced city³An apostate city practicing idolatry which has to be destroyed and all its property burned, forbidden for all usufruct, Deut13:13–18., it is disqualified. If it was truncated, its leaves broken out, or the osier⁴⁵Arabic צפצפ “osier, willow from whose twigs one makes baskets.” are disqualified. Wilted, and of which part of the leaves have fallen off, and from an unirrigated place⁴⁶A field which gets its water exclusively from the rain, called ba`al., are qualified.

HALAKHAH: ⁴⁷Sifra Emor Pereq16(6), Babli 34a.“It is written, and brook-willows¹Lev.23:40: You shall take for yourselves on the First Day a fruit of the splendor tree, date-tree palms, a branch of the rope tree, and brook-willows. The lulav is the young palm branch. While in the verse it is called “palm”, because the leaves of the palm-tree spread out from the spine of the branch like fingers of a hand, it is traditional to take a young branch with the leaves still tightly clinging to its spine. From this the name לולב “tube” (cf. Note 27).. I admit not only from a brook, from where also from an unirrigated place or from mountains? The verse says, and willows⁴⁸The plural and the prefixed “and” indicate the inclusion of two additional kinds of willow twig.. Abba Shaul says, brook-willows, two. A willow twig for the lulav and a willow twig for the Temple⁴⁹He disputes the admission of willow twigs from trees growing far from water by pointing out that willow twigs were needed not only for the “4 kinds” tied to the lulav but also to surround the altar (Mishnah 4:4). This explains both the plural and the prefixed “and”..” Then why was it written and brook-willows? To exclude the osier. ⁵⁰Babli 34a, Tosephta 2:7.“What is an osier? If its is like a sickle. It was stated: Like a sickle it is disqualified, like a plane it is (qualified) [disqualified]⁵¹The correct text is the (scribe’s); the [corrector’s] clearly is erroneous.. What is a disqualified willow twig? The leaf is round and the stem white. What is a qualified willow twig? The leaf is long and the stem red.”

MISHNAH: Rebbi Ismael says, three myrtle branches and two willow twigs, one lulav and one etrog; even two truncated and one not chopped off. Rebbi Tarphon says, even all three truncated. Rebbi Aqiba says, just as there is one lulav and one etrog so there is one myrtle branch and one willow twig.

HALAKHAH: ⁵²Sifra Emor Pereq15(7), Babli 34b.“Rebbi Ismael explained, ¹Lev.23:40: You shall take for yourselves on the First Day a fruit of the splendor tree, date-tree palms, a branch of the rope tree, and brook-willows. The lulav is the young palm branch. While in the verse it is called “palm”, because the leaves of the palm-tree spread out from the spine of the branch like fingers of a hand, it is traditional to take a young branch with the leaves still tightly clinging to its spine. From this the name לולב “tube” (cf. Note 27).a fruit of the splendor tree, one. Date-palm roped, one⁵³He reads the verse in accordance with R. Tarphon, Note 27. The clause is in the singular.. A branch of the rope tree, three⁵⁴While “branch” is in the singular, there are three words to describe the myrtle branch.. And brook-willows, two⁵⁵As always, an unspecified plural means “2”, the smallest number > 1.. And two lifted ones; one which is not truncated. Rebbi Tarphon says, even if all three are truncated.” Rebbi Abba bar Mamal asked before Rebbi Immi: Since Rebbi Ismael adds for the myrtle⁵⁶While R. Ismael seems to accept that only one myrtle branch is really needed since עֲנַף is a singular, the additional two being inferred from the additional words used in his characterization requiring two additional branches, it is difficult to understand why he requires only one lulav and only one etrog instead of two each., should he not add for the other kinds? He answered, you are thinking that Rebbi Ismael thinks that truncated is splendor, and we have stated, “Rebbi Tarphon says, even if all three are truncates.” Nobody says “even” if he does not accept the preceding statement⁵⁷Since R. Tarphon and R. Ismael agree in the interpretation of the verse, the requirement that one branch be not truncated for R. Ismael is a rabbinic requirement, not derived from the verse.. Rebbi Ḥaggai asked before Rebbi Jose: What does Rebbi Tarphon add to the words of Rebbi Ismael? He answered him, Rebbi Ismael does not think that truncated is splendor, but Rebbi Tarphon thinks that truncated is splendor. When Rebbi Yasa came up here he saw them being selective about myrtle branches⁵⁸That they should not be truncated and tightly cover the stem of the branch.. He said, why are the Westerners selective about myrtle branches? He had not heard thar Rebbi Simon said in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: And they made known and proclaimed in all cities⁵⁹Neh. 8:15. In the verse, myrtle and branches of the `avot tree are mentioned separately. How can they be identified? etc. Myrtle is not the same as rope tree, but myrtle is for the sukkah, and rope tree for the lulav<sup>60</sup>Since the rope tree was mentioned in the Torah as part of the “four kinds” to be taken on the first day, “myrtle” must refer to a kind not satisfying the criteria specified in Halakhah 2 which only may be used for roofing the sukkah. Babli 12a.. Rebbi Ze`ira blew it⁶¹At the time of shofar blowing on New Year’s Day he instructed on the requirement for a qualified myrtle..

⁶²The first sentences of this paragraph are in Tosephta Berakhot6:10, Yerushalmi Berakhot 9:3, Note 185; Babli Sukkah 46a. He who makes a lulav for himself says, praise to Him who sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us to make a lulav. For another, to make a lulav in his name⁶³Cf. Chapter 1, Note 124.. When he takes it he says, praise to Him who sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us about taking the lulav. If he prayed with it he says, praise to Him Who let us live, and kept us, and let us reach this time. He says the benediction every time when he takes it. How does one recite the benediction for the Ḥanukkah light? Rav said, praised to Him who sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us the commandment [to kindle]⁶⁴Corrector’s addition, to be deleted as shown by the quote later in the paragraph. The mention of “kindling” is Babylonian, Babli Šabbat23a. the light of Ḥanukkah. Everybody agrees that on the first day he says, about taking the lulav. What do they disagree about? The remaining days. Rebbi Joḥanan said, about taking the lulav. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, about commandments of the Elders⁶⁵Since, as explained in Mishnah 3:12, the biblical commandment to take the “four kinds” for seven days is restricted to “before the Eternal”, i. e., at the Temple. Without a Temple the obligation at other places is purely rabbinical except for the first day mentioned in Lev. 23:40.. What did Rav say for the lulav? Since for Ḥanukkah which is from their words he is saying, about the commandment of the light of Ḥanukkah, for lulav which is from the Torah⁶⁶Everywhere, at least for the first day of the festival. not so much more? What did Rebbi Joshua ben Levi say on Ḥanukkah? Since for lulav which is from the Torah he is saying, about commandments of the Elders, for Ḥanukkah which is from their words not so much more? The only problem is, what did Rebbi Joḥanan say on Ḥanukkah?

Ḥiyya the son of Rav was reciting the benediction every single time⁶⁷Accepted as general practice Berakhot 3:3, Note 131.. Rav Ḥuna recited it only once. Rebbi Ḥuna in the name of Rav Joseph: The reason of Rav Ḥuna. Demay⁶⁸Produce of the Land of which one may be sure that heave was taken but probably not tithes (nor heave of the tithe). Cf Introduction to Tractate Demay. is from their words and the remaining days are from their words. Since for demay one does not recite a benediction⁶⁹When separating heave of the tithe. Rejected by the Babli, Šabbat23a., also for the remaining days one does not recite a benediction.

MISHNAH: A robbed or dried up etrog⁷⁰The Persian name of cedrat, citrus medica, identified as “fruit of the Hadar tree”. is disqualified. Of an ashera²A tree worshipped as a pagan deity, forbidden for all use. or a seduced city³An apostate city practicing idolatry which has to be destroyed and all its property burned, forbidden for all usufruct, Deut13:13–18., it is disqualified. Of `orlah⁷¹An edible fruit produced during the first three years of the tree’s planting, forbidden for all usufruct., it is disqualified. Of impure heave⁷²Forbidden as fruit, must be burned., it is disqualified; of pure one should not take⁷³Since by biblical commandment heave and Second Tithe in Jerusalem have to be consumed. but if he took it is qualified. Of demay⁶⁸Produce of the Land of which one may be sure that heave was taken but probably not tithes (nor heave of the tithe). Cf Introduction to Tractate Demay., the House of Shammai disqualify⁷⁴Since they do not permit demay to be given even to the poor without separating the heave of the tithe, it is not edible at this moment. but the House of Hillel qualify; of Second Tithe in Jerusalem⁷³Since by biblical commandment heave and Second Tithe in Jerusalem have to be consumed. one should not take but if he took it is qualified.

HALAKHAH: It is written, a fruit of the splendor tree, a tree whose fruit is splendor and its wood is splendor. Which one is that? This is the etrog. If you would say, the pomegranate, its (wood) [fruit] is splendor but its (fruit) [wood] is not splendor⁷⁵It is difficult to decide whether the text of the (scribe) or that of the [corrector] is the correct one. The corrector’s is preferable since (1) it is not parallel to the next sentence and (2) the pomegranate, while not easy to eat, is on the list of preferred fruits of the Holy Land (Deut. 8:8) and certainly tastes much better than carob pods.. If you would say, the carob, its wood is splendor but its fruit is not splendor. Which one is it? The etrog. Hadar; Rebbi Levi said, for it stays on its tree from one year to the next⁷⁶His Hebrew must pronounce ־ָ as /a/ and make no difference between ד nd דּ since he reads הָדָר “splendor” as הַדָּר “who dwells”.. Rebbi Tanḥuma said, Aquila translated הדָר by ‘ύδωρ ⁷⁷“Water.” This again makes no difference between ד and דּ but reads ־ָ either as /o/ or as Polish /ó/.; a tree which grows on the water. “Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai stated: You shall take for yourselves . . a fruit of the splendor tree, a tree whose fruit is splendor and its wood is splendor; the smell of its fruit is the smell of its wood, the smell of its wood is the smell of its fruit; its fruit looks like its wood, its wood looks like its fruit. Which one is it? The etrog.”⁷⁸Babli 35a; Sifra Emor Pereq16(4), with different name traditions.

⁷⁹This paragraph does not belong here; it is copied from Eruvin Chapter 3, Notes 76–78. If the text is read as relevant to the discussion here, the question must be why the use of Second Tithe in Jerusalem, while disapproved of, is accepted by everybody when it should be disqualified by the House of Shammai. Rebbi Jacob the Southerner asked, is our Mishnah not following the House of Shammai? As we have stated, “of demay, the House of Shammai disqualify but the House of Hillel qualify. Of Second Tithe in Jerusalem one should not take but if he took it is valid.”

MISHNAH: If scabs covered most of it⁸⁰The etrog., or its protuberance was removed, or it was perforated, or peeled, or cracked, if anything was missing it is disqualified. If scabs covered a smaller part, or the stem was removed, or it was perforated but nothing was missing, it is qualified. A black etrog is disqualified, and the green like leeks Rebbi Meïr qualifies but Rebbi Jehudah disqualifies.

HALAKHAH: Rebbi Isaac bar Naḥman in the name of Samuel: All disqualifications only disqualify on the first day of the holiday⁸¹When the standards have to be biblical. Quoted by Tosaphot 35b s. v. עלתה.. There, they are saying, most of it on one side; its protuberance is disqualifying like most of it⁸²The etrog is disqualified if either on one side most of it is covered by scab, as noted here, or if all around it has infected spots, as noted in the next Halakhah. Therefore if the top was covered by scab it is covered on all sides and therefore disqualified..

“If its protuberance was removed.” There, they say: its lily. Rebbi Isaac bar Ḥaqula said, the peak⁸³Arabic פוק “acme”. The etrog has to beheld so that the protuberance is the top.. If it was perforated but not pierced inside it is qualified, as we have stated there, “if the stem was removed, or it was perforated but nothing was missing, it is qualified.”

“A black etrog is disqualified.” What comes from the black one is qualified⁸⁴The black etrog is infected and probably inedible; its seeds may produce normal trees and normal fruit..

“The green like leeks.” Rebbi Ze`ira asked before Rebbi Immi: Leek-colored or like leek-colored⁸⁵Somewhat less dark.? He told him, leek-colored. What is the deepest ירק⁸⁶Lev. 13:49, cf. Sifra Tazria Pereq 14(2).? Rebbi Eleazar said, like wax⁸⁷Yellow colored. In biblical Hebrew both green and yellow are subsumed under ירק. The word used in modern Hebrew for yellow, צָהוֹב, biblically means “shiny, shiny red.” and like the flower of the qarmal tree; Symmachos says, like a peacock’s wings. What is the deepest red? That is deep crimson. And here, he says so⁸⁸Why is it green for the etrog but yellow for skin disease?? Rebbi Phineas said, there is a difference there because it says, deepest green.

MISHNAH: The measure of a small etrog, Rebbi Meïr says, like a walnut, Rebbi Jehudah says, like an egg⁸⁹A chicken egg.. And a large one, so that he is able to hold the two of them⁹⁰The etrog and the lulav together. in one hand, the words of Rebbi Jehudah; Rebbi Yose says, even one in both of his hands.

HALAKHAH: ⁹¹The origin of the paragraph is in Ma`serot 1:4, Notes 99–106, ע. A parallel but different discussion is in the Babli 36a/b. Rebbi Aqiba says an unripe cedrat is not a fruit, but the Sages say it is a fruit. Rebbi Hila, Rebbi Yasa, in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: It follows that Rebbi Simeon<sup>92</sup>In Mishnah Ma`serot1:4 he frees unripe etrog from tithes. follows the argument of his teacher, Rebbi Aqiba. Just as Rebbi Aqiba said it is not a fruit, so Rebbi Simeon said it is not a fruit. Rebbi Yose said, is everything qualified for lulav subject to tithes and everything disqualified for lulav not subject to tithes? Did they not object, there is the spotted one⁸²The etrog is disqualified if either on one side most of it is covered by scab, as noted here, or if all around it has infected spots, as noted in the next Halakhah. Therefore if the top was covered by scab it is covered on all sides and therefore disqualified., one that grew in a form⁹³Greek τύπος., or one shaped like a ball, which are disqualified for lulav but subject to tithes! It is reasonable {to hold that} Rebbi Simeon agrees with Rebbi Aqiba but Rebbi Aqiba does not agree with Rebbi Simeon. Rebbi Simeon agrees with Rebbi Aqiba since it is written fruit⁹⁴Lev.23:40. and it is not a fruit. Rebbi Aqiba does not agree with Rebbi Simeon, there is the spotted one, one that grew in a form, or one shaped like a ball, which are disqualified for lulav but subject to tithes.

We have stated, “like a walnut.” There are Tannaim who state, “up to a walnut.” He who says “like a walnut”, as a walnut itself is qualified. He who says “up to a walnut”, as a walnut itself is disqualified.

Rebbi Yose⁹⁵This possibly might refer to R. Yose the Tanna. The argument that the omission of the connective “and” in the list indicates that the etrog must be kept separate from the other items is ascribed to R. Eleazar (the Tanna) in Sifra Emor Pereq15(7). said, if there were written and date-palm palms, it would be correct. Only date-palm palms is written, even one in one hand and the other in the other hand. They said about Rebbi Aqiba that he entered the synagogue with an etrog on his shoulders⁹⁶Babli 36b..

MISHNAH: One ties the lulav only with its own kind⁹⁷One ties myrtle and willow branches to the palm branch only with palm leaves, myrtle or willow branches, in order not to add an unauthorized kind to the 4 authorized ones., the words of Rebbi Jehudah. Rebbi Meïr says, even with a string⁹⁸In his opinion the tying of myrtle and willow branches to the palm branch is common usage, not biblical commandment, and the string never is counted as another kind.. Rebbi Meïr said, it happened that the people of Jerusalem did tie their lulavim with golden jewels⁹⁹Arabic גִמָאנ “jewels”.. They told him, under these they tied it with its own kind. Where did they move¹⁰⁰In the synagogue the main service involving the lulav is the recitation of Hallel, Pss. 113–118, where the lulav is moved at the recitation or repetition of designated verses.? At thank the Eternal¹⁰¹Ps. 118:1,29. beginning and end, and also at please, Eternal, please save¹⁰²Ps. 118:25., following the words of the House of Hillel. The House of Shammai say, also at please, Eternal, please give success¹⁰²Ps. 118:25.. Rebbi Aqiba said, I was watching Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Joshua, when all the people were shaking their lulavim but they moved them only at please, Eternal, please save.
If somebody returns from a trip where he had no lulav, when he enters his house he can take it at his table¹⁰⁴And make the benediction (Note 67).. If he did not take it in the morning he may take it in the afternoon since the entire day is qualified for the lulav.

HALAKHAH: Therefore not at thank¹⁰³Does R. Aqiba imply that Rabban Gamliel and R. Joshua did not move their lulav at the beginning and the end of Ps. 118, which is accepted by all traditions and was never in doubt? The answer is that he only excludes action following the House of Shammai.? To exclude also at please, Eternal, please give success.

Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi in the name of Rav: If one rises early to go on a trip, he takes a lulav and moves it, or the shofar and blows it¹⁰⁵Babli Berakhot30a.. When the time arrives to read the shema`<sup>106</sup>At dawn., he reads and prays. It was stated, he was to move three times. Rebbi Ze`ira asked, so one and so one, or so and so one one¹⁰⁷The movement of the lulav is to move it away and return it near one’s body. The question is whether this counts as one or as two motions.? There, we have stated¹⁰⁸Mishnah Niddah9:7. In a test of a stain whether it is from blood or not one has to move each chemical three times over the stain. The same question arises, are forth and back counted as two or one motions? Babli Niddah63a; also Menaḥot76a, Bava qamma119b, in the name of R. Ze`ira’s student R. Jeremiah.: “He has to rub each kind three times.” Rebbi Ze`ira asked, so one and so one, or so and so one?

MISHNAH: A person to whom a slave, or a woman, or a minor, read for him, repeats after them what they say, and it should be a curse for him. If a male adult reads for him, he answers halleluja after him¹⁰⁹An illiterate who does not know the Hallel by heart, must have the psalms recited to him to make the movements prescribed in Mishnah 8. If a person who is not obligated to recite the Hallel and to move the lulav(a slave, woman, or minor) recites for him, he does not fulfill his duty by listening to them; he must repeat word for word. He is cursed for being an adult illiterate. If an obligated person reads for him, he is not different from people listening to the reader in the synagogue and answers halleluja123 times (cf. Šabbat Chapter 16, Note 59)..

HALAKHAH: ¹¹⁰This Halakhah is copied from Berakhot3:3, Notes 153–157, ב. It also is copied in Roš Haššanah3:10, ר. It is stated: ¹¹¹Babli 38a, Berakhot20b; Tosephta Berakhot5:11.“In truth, they said a woman may say Grace for her husband, a slave for his master, and a minor for his father. One understands a woman for her husband, a slave for his master¹¹²Since they are obligated to say Grace after a meal. The Yerushalmi has no problem with women or slaves but for the Babli the question remains whether women may in fact recite Grace for males who have an obligation from the Torah, i. e., who actually ate their fill.. A minor for his father? Did not Rebbi Aḥa say in the name of Rebbi Yose bar Nahora: All they said about a minor is for the latter's education¹¹³The minor must be educated; there is an obligation on the father to teach him all religious obligations but the minor himself is not obligated and therefore cannot perform any religious duty for others.? Explain it that he recites after him, as we stated there¹¹⁴Verses Ps. 118:21–29 are customarily recited twice; either everybody recites them twice or the reader sings them first and the congregation repeats after him; cf. the author’s The Scholar’s Haggadah, p.368. In the Yemenite rite, also the starting clauses of Pss. 114, 116, 117, 118 are repeated by the congregation.: “A person to whom a slave, or a woman, or a minor, read for him, repeats after them what they say, and it should be a curse for him.” [Also they said,] there should be a curse on the man of twenty years who needs the child of ten.

MISHNAH: At a place where there is the custom to repeat, one repeats¹¹⁴Verses Ps. 118:21–29 are customarily recited twice; either everybody recites them twice or the reader sings them first and the congregation repeats after him; cf. the author’s The Scholar’s Haggadah, p.368. In the Yemenite rite, also the starting clauses of Pss. 114, 116, 117, 118 are repeated by the congregation., to recite a blessing afterwards, one recites a blessing afterwards¹¹⁵At the conclusion of the recitation of Pss.113–118.; everything follows local custom. If one buys a lulav from another in the Sabbatical year he has to give him the etrog as a gift since one is not permitted to buy it in the Sabbatical year¹¹⁶Edible fruits of the Land in the Sabbatical year are not the private property of the owner of the land; they cannot be objects of trade. But the branches of palm, myrtle, and willow are not edible and therefore can be objects of trade. In the Sabbatical year the etrog may not be sold separately; one sells the 4 kinds together and declares that payment is taken only for the three inedible kinds..

HALAKHAH: ¹¹⁷The source of the text for this and the next paragraphs is Megillah1:11 (fol. 72a, מ). Cf. Babli Pesaḥim117a. Rav and Samuel. One said hallelu yah, and the other one said hallēluja. For him who said hallelu yah it is split but cannot be erased¹¹⁸Since the name of God may not be erased (Deut. 12:4, referring to vv. 2,3.). For him who said hallelujah it may be erased but cannot be split¹¹⁹Biblical spelling does not admit splitting of words.. We do not know who said what. Since Rav said, I heard from my uncle¹²⁰R. Ḥiyya the elder., if somebody would give me a book of Psalms written by Rebbi Meïr I could erase all hallelujah in it since he did not intend to sanctify them. This implies that he said hallelujah. The words of the rabbis disagree, as Rebbi Simon said in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi, the book of Psalms was said with ten expressions of praise, with “hail”¹²¹Psalms starting with אֲשְׁרֵי., with “excellence”¹²²Psalms starting with לַמְנַצֵּחַ., with melody, with song, with chant, with instruction,¹²³Psalms starting with מַשְׂכִּיל. with shout, with thanksgiving, with prayer, with blessing. The most beatific of all of them is hallelujah since both the Name and praise are contained in it¹²⁴Therefore hallelujah cannot be erased since it contains the Name..

Rebbi Ze`ira asked before Rebbi Abbahu: He told him, (as it comes in the mouth before you) [Rebbi Abba is on top before you.]<sup>125</sup>The scribe’s text, supported by the text in Megillah, is the only one which makes sense. One may answer either hallelu yah or hallelujah. Rebbi Jonah answered both ways. Rebbi Eliezer<sup>126</sup>With the text in Megillah read: Eleazar. did not answer any way<sup>127</sup>Here is a sentence missing, which is found in the origin in Megillah:“As it was stated: if he heard but did not answer he fulfilled his obligation, if he answered but did not hear he did not fulfill his obligation.”. Rav in the name of Rav Abba bar Ḥana <sup>128</sup>Again a clause missing from the parallel sources: {Some say, Rav Abba bar Ḥama} in the name of Rav. Both statements are possible; the authors were cousins. Here starts a parallel in Berakhot8:9, Notes 177–182,ב. Babli 38b. in the name of Rav: Only if he answered at the start of the Chapters. Rebbi Ze`ira asked, what are the starts of Chapters? Hallelujah, praise, servants of the Eternal, praise the Name of the Eternal¹²⁹Ps. 113:1. In Yemenite prayer books the instructions for the recitation are, with the responses added in brackets: Hallelujah [hallelujah], praise, servants of the Eternal, [hallelujah], praise the Name of the Eternal [hallelujah]. Babli 38b.. They asked before Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: From where that he who heard but did not answer has fulfilled his obligation? He told them, since we are seeing great rabbis standing among the public when these say praised be he who comes and the others say in the name of the Eternal¹³⁰Ps. 118:26. Approved in the Babli 38b. Yerushalmi Berakhot8:9 Note 178., and both have fulfilled their obligation.

¹³¹It seems that the original of this paragraph is in Berakhot8:9. Rebbi Hoshaya stated: One answers Amen even if he did not eat¹³²A person hearing other people reciting Grace has to say Amen; obviously he cannot participate in reciting part of the text; cf. Berakhot7:2., but he may not say: “Let us praise Him, of Whose bounty we ate,” except if he did eat. It is stated¹³³Tosephta Megillah3:27, Babli Berakhot 47a.: “One answers neither an orphan Amen, nor a plucked¹³⁴Amen not completely pronounced.
The other sources have here an addition: “Ben Azai said, if one answered an orphan Amen, may his children be orphans; hurried, may the end of his days be hurried; plucked, may his soul be plucked off. For a long Amen, they lengthen his days and years in a good way.” Amen. What is an orphan Amen? Rebbi Huna said, that is one who is obligated to recite a blessing, he answers Amen, and is not conscious for what he answered Amen. It is stated: One answers Amen after a Gentile who recited a benediction for the Eternal, but if he recited a benediction with the Name one does not answer¹³⁵Since the Gentile is not subject to our rules, if he praises the Eternal, one answers after him Amen. But if he uses a Jewish formula one may not answer after him Amen unless one has ascertained that he conformed with our rules (S. Liebermann.). Rebbi Tanḥuma said, if a Gentile blesses you, answer after him Amen since it is written¹³⁶Deut. 7:14. You shall be blessed by all peoples. A Gentile met Rebbi Ismael and blessed him. He answered: The word about you has already been said. He met a second one who cursed him; he answered: The word about you has already been said. His students said to him: Rebbi, did you say to the one what you said to the other? He said to them, so it is written¹³⁷Gen. 27:29. Those who curse you are cursed, but those who bless you are blessed.

Rebbi used to repeat things in it; Rebbi Eleazar ben Proteus recited simply in it¹³⁸In Mishnaic times the order of recital of Hallel was not uniform; uniformity was not intended..

Rebbi Eleazar said, this follows the Elders of Galilea, for the Elders of Galilea say, it is forbidden to hand over food for two meals to a person suspect in matters of Sabbatical¹³⁹This refers to the last part of the Mishnah, where one has to be careful in a Sabbatical year not to buy the edible etrog from a person trading in Sabbatical produce. The Elders of Galilee do not permit to deal with such a person except for the absolute necessities of sustenance.. Rebbi Mattaniah said, explain it as opinion of everybody, in case that etrogim are sold at an elevated price¹⁴⁰In this case there are great incentives to trade in etrogim in the Sabbatical year. The only way not to “put a stone before a blind man”, in this case to prevent the non-observant from trading in etrogim, is to eliminate all considerations of money from the transfer of possession of the etrog.. ¹⁴¹Gittin2:3, Note 68. As the following: The cedrats¹⁴²Persian turung, Farsi תרנגִ toranj, used for all citrus fruits. were scarce there when Rav Naḥman bar Jacob gave an etrog as gift to his son and told him, if you have acquired it and fulfilled its obligation, return it to me¹⁴³This proves that the requirement that the etrog must be the personal property of the user may be satisfied even by a gift given on condition that it be returned; therefore certainly a permanent gift as described in the Mishnah..

MISHNAH: Originally the lulav was taken in the Temple for seven {days} and in the country¹⁴⁴Anywhere in the world outside of the Temple Mount. one day. After the destruction of the Temple, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted that the lulav be taken in the country for seven {days} as remembrance of the Temple, and that the day of waving be entirely forbidden¹⁴⁵New flour is permitted for consumption by the `omer sacrifice of newly cut barley, by pharisaic tradition on the 16^th of Nisan; Lev. 23:14. In the Temple the sacrifice was brought early in the morning; therefore new grain was permitted on that day. Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted that new grain should not be used until it automatically became permitted on the 17^th..
If the first day of Tabernacles is a Sabbath, everybody brings their lulav to the synagogue¹⁵¹On Friday afternoon since the lulav may not be carried in the public domain on the Sabbath. As Mishnah 4:3 shows, this refers to any place outside the Temple Mount, where the obligation to take the lulav is biblical only on the first day.. The next day they come in the morning and everybody recognizes his own and takes it, since they said that nobody can fulfill his obligation with another person’s lulav on the first day of Tabernacles; but on the other days of the holiday a person can fulfill his obligation with another person’s lulav¹⁵²Since the verse says: You shall take for yourselves on the First Day, implying it need not be yours on any other day.. Rebbi Yose says, if somebody forgot and took the lulav into the public domain on the first day of Tabernacles which is a Sabbath he is not liable¹⁶⁰He is not liable for a purification sacrifice even though bringing an object from the private into the public domain is a Sabbath violation (Mishnah Šabbat 1:1). since he took it out with permission¹⁶¹Not that he has permission to violate the Sabbath, but to take up the lulav which would be muqṣeh if the Sabbath were on another day of the holiday week..

HALAKHAH: It is written¹⁴⁶Lev. 23:40, the verse about the lulav and the 4 kinds.: and you shall enjoy before the Eternal, your God, for seven days. There are Tannaim who state, the verse speaks of the enjoyment of well-being sacrifices¹⁴⁷The general exhortation to enjoy the holidays (Deut. 16:11,15) is read as referring to the joyous family meals connected with the holiday pilgrimage to the Temple. This interpretation would read the verse as duplicate of the same exhortation in Deut. 16:15.. There are Tannaim who state, the verse speaks of the enjoyment of the lulav¹⁴⁸This interpretation reads Lev. 23:40 separate from Deut. 16:15, commanding a lulav festivity in the Temple, “before the Eternal”, in addition to the requirement of taking the lulav on the first day, independent of location. Babli 43a.. For him who is saying, the verse speaks of the enjoyment of well-being sacrifices, the first day is from a word of the Torah and the other days are from a word of the Torah, and Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted on basis of a word from the Torah¹⁴⁹It is obvious that instead of “well-being sacrifices” one has to read “lulav”. Since in this case there is a biblical requirement to take the lulav for seven days in the Temple, taking the lulav for seven days has biblical roots, and the statement about Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai makes sense.. For him who is saying, the verse speaks of the enjoyment of lulav, the first day is from a word of the Torah and the other days are from their words, and Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted on basis of their words. But is there institution after institution¹⁵⁰Here one has to read “well-being sacrifices”. If the verse does not force a 7-day observation of lulav anywhere, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai would have extended a purely customary observation from the Temple to the outside world. Since rabbinic extensions of Biblical prescriptions are legitimate only as “fences around the law”, extending any of these is unnecessary. Therefore Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai must have held that Lev. 23:40 refers to lulav(Note 149). Babli Šabbat11a.?

The colleagues asked before Rebbi Jonah: Since you are saying there, and you shall offer a gift to the Eternal seven days¹⁵³Lev. 23:8., there are no seven without a Sabbath¹⁵⁴In the detailed list of the holiday sacrifices, Num. 28–29, it is written in v. 28:24 that on the Holiday of unleavened bread there have to be sacrifices for seven days. Therefore the mention of the seven days of sacrifices in Lev. 23:8, in the holiday list whose emphasis is not on the sacrifices, can be read as emphasizing that these sacrifices have to be offered also on the Sabbath, the Sabbath prohibition being not applicable in this regard., why not similarly and you shall enjoy before the Eternal, your God, for seven days, there are no seven without a Sabbath¹⁵⁵By the argument of the preceding note, it should follow that the Sabbath prohibitions are nonexistent for taking the lulav on a Sabbath which is the first day of the holiday, since it was established in the preceding paragraph that the second part of Lev. 23:40 also refers to lulav.? He answered them, there is a difference, for it is written You shall take for yourselves on the First Day, He separated the first from them¹⁵⁶Since there is no direct evidence that the second part of Lev. 23:40 must refer to lulav.. Then it should push aside in the Temple, it should not push aside in the country¹⁵⁷Since both Lev.23:8 and Num. 28:24 refer to the Temple service, the argument should be transferable to Lev. 23:40.. Rebbi Jonah said, if it had said, “you shall take before the Eternal, your God,” I would have said, here he excluded and at another place included¹⁵⁸It would be reasonable to restrict the rules of lulav to the Temple.. But you shall take for yourselves everywhere, and you shall enjoy before the Eternal, your God, for seven days, in Jerusalem¹⁵⁹Since the first part of 23:40 is addressed to everybody everywhere, it excludes differentiating between Temple and outside for the rules of the first day. Since the rules “before the Eternal” refer either to the Temple, as in matters of sacrifices, or to the place of the Temple, as in the rules of Second Tithe (Deut. 14:26); by the previous argument this cannot apply to lifting the Sabbath rules on the first day, and, therefore, not to any other day..

The colleagues say, the words of Rebbi Yose¹⁶⁶The Tanna. are that a positive commandment pushes aside a prohibition¹⁶⁷The obligation to take the lulav has precedence over the prohibition of work on the Sabbath.. Rebbi Yose¹⁶⁸The Amora. told them, it is not from this¹⁶⁹Since the Sabbath involves both a prohibition of work and an obligation of rest, the argument of the colleagues is not applicable. but as Rebbi Ila said and as is stated there¹⁷⁰Babli 41b, Tosephta 2:10.: “This was the usage in Jerusalem, a person goes to the synagogue with his lulav in his hand, goes to visit the sick with his lulav in his hand. he recites the shema` and prays with his lulav in his hand. To lift his hands¹⁷¹A Cohen to pronounce the Priestly Blessing. or to read in the Torah, he hands it to another person¹⁷²In the Babylonian sources (Note 170): “Puts it down on the floor.”. If he put it down on the floor it is forbidden to move it¹⁷³In the Tosephta: Once he has completed his obligation he is forbidden to move it. In both versions of the baraita, if a person takes up the lulav and takes it outside when he does not need it any more on that day, he is liable for a Sabbath violation also for R. Yose..” Rebbi Abun said, this implies that it is forbidden for usufruct. It was stated: One moves fragrant wood¹⁷⁴Which is neither food nor implement and therefore not anything for which a general permission is given to be moved on the Sabbath. to let a sick person smell it on the Sabbath. The rabbis of Caesarea are saying, one may wave the myrtle branch for a sick person on the Sabbath. ¹⁷⁵The text from here to the end of the paragraph is from Šabbat19, Notes 140–141; also Pesaḥim6:7, Yebamot 8:1 Notes 106–107. Does the same hold for a knife for circumcision, the same for unleavened bread? Since Rebbi Joḥanan said, the words of Rebbi Yose, even if he finished he may return for fibers which do not invalidate the circumcision; this implies the same even for a knife for circumcision, the same for unleavened bread.

MISHNAH: A woman may receive¹⁶²The lulav when the men have performed the prescribed motions, since if it is not muqṣeh for one person it cannot be muqṣeh for another. from her son’s hand or her husband’s hand and return it to the water on the Sabbath. Rebbi Jehudah says, on the Sabbath one returns, on the holiday one adds, on the intermediate days one exchanges¹⁶³The water which keeps lulav and twigs fresh.. A minor who knows how to move is obligated¹⁶⁴The obligation is not the minor’s but his father’s; cf. Note 113. for the lulav.

HALAKHAH: If he knows how to move¹⁰⁰In the synagogue the main service involving the lulav is the recitation of Hallel, Pss. 113–118, where the lulav is moved at the recitation or repetition of designated verses. he is obligated for lulav. If he knows how to dress, he is obligated for ṣiṣit¹⁷⁶To have the tassels at the four corners of his toga. Babli 42a, Arakhin2b; Tosephta Ḥagigah1:2.. If he knows how to talk, his father teaches him the language of the Torah¹⁷⁷Biblical Hebrew.. If he knows how to keep his hands clean, one eats heave on his hands¹⁷⁸If he washes his hands and then touched heave, the latter is not impaired by his touch and may be eaten by pure Cohanim.. If he knows how to keep his body clean, one eats food in purity on his body¹⁷⁹If he knows what brings impurity and states that he is pure, the touch of his body does not contaminate food prepared in purity.. But he does not go before the Ark¹⁸⁰As an appointed reader to lead the congregation in prayer., nor lift his hands¹⁷¹A Cohen to pronounce the Priestly Blessing., nor stands on the podium¹⁸¹A Levite singing in the Temple., before he grows a beard. Rebbi says, all of them at the age of twenty years¹⁸²Irrespective of whether he grew a beard or not., as it is said¹⁸³Ezra3:8. The age limit was established for the second Temple, therefore it is valid for the future. The pentateuchal age limit for Levites was 25 years; Num. 8:24.: They appointed the Levites, twenty years or older, to direct the work of the Eternal’s House.