Sukkah 56 - Siyum Masechet Sukkah - September 1, 24 Elul

For the full Siyum Masechet Sukkah

English Study Guide Sukkah 56

Siyum Masechet Sukkah is dedicated by Miriam Tannenbaum in memory of her dear mother, Ruth Zemsky, רייזל בת יהושע הלוי וחיה קילא ז”ל whose 5th yahrzeit was observed yesterday, 23 Elul. In her life’s quest of Avodat Hashem, she embodied the oft-quoted motif in Masechet Sukkah of “דרכיה דרכי נעם” “her ways were ways of pleasantness”. Her example continues to inspire her children and grandchildren. Yehi Zichra Baruch.

On the holidays, all 24 groups of kohanim would work in the Temple. From where do we derive that they would divide the showbread equally among all of them and not the voluntary and peace offerings? On Shavuot, they would receive a part of the showbread and a part of the loaves of bread that accompanied the Shavuot sacrifice. The one distributing it would say “This is your matza” as he handed him the showbread, (which was unleavened) and “This is your chametz” as he handed him the bread from the Shavuot sacrifice. Why in that order? Does it connect with the debate between Beit Hillel and Beit Shamai regarding the order of the blessings of Kiddush: wine before the sanctification of the day or the day before the wine? Is it also similar to the debate regarding the order of the shehechiyanu blessing and the sitting the sukkah blessing? What parts of the sacrifice go to the group whose week fell out on the week of the holiday? How was the showbread distributed when the holiday fell out right after or finished right before Shabbat? Why? The showbread was usually distributed between the past week’s group and the upcoming week. Was it equal or did the incoming group get more? What is the debate between Rabbi Yehuda and the rabbis? Where did each group stand when they received their portion? Why? At what point in the day did they switch jobs? How were the sacrifices of Shabbat split between them? The family of Bilga was treated differently than the other groups of kohanim – in what way and why? Was it because of the action of Miriam, the daughter of Bilga who left Judaism and disgraced the Temple, or was it because they didn’t show up to work in the Temple?