daf bit: Yoma 26

[cellio]

(Today's daf is 27.)

Bringing an offering on the altar involved many priests. A mishna on this daf lists some of their job descriptions, including this: on the Shabbat that falls during Sukkot, one man carried in his hand a bottle of water. This was for the water libation that was specific to Sukkot. The g'mara discusses this case further: one would say to the priest "hold your hands up!", for it happened once that he poured out the water on his feet and all the people pelted him with their etrogim (the citrus fruit used ritually during this festival). What's that about? A note in the Soncino translation explains: the Sadducees rejected the water libation so when they were in charge they would invalidate it (by pouring it out like the man in this story). The people who saw this reacted by throwing etrogim at him. And why is this story in the g'mara here at all? To teach that the service we're talking about is the morning service, the only one at which etrogim are used -- and the only time at which the water libation is done. (26b)

Comments

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Okay, this is a hilarious mental image. Dude douses his feet, everyone throws etrogim at him. At least it's a sweet-smelling assault? And probably not fatal?

[cellio]

Presumably not fatal.

The thing I wonder about here is that by doing this, they're running the risk of damaging the etrogim in a way that renders them ritually invalid. (There's a little bit that can break off.) I guess it's the lesser of two evils.

[siderea]

You told me that Sukkot did not traditionally involve being pelted with produce!
*wounded look*

[cellio]

Ah, I see the problem: our memories differ. I did not tell you that Sukkot doesn't involve pelting; that's a little different from what you wrote. :-)

But really, it's those Sadducees' fault, and we haven't seen many of them around lately, so I hope you can forgive my lapse in failing to warn you of this.