מתני׳ יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חַג הָיוּ שָׁם שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר פָּרִים, אֵילִים שְׁנַיִם, וְשָׂעִיר אֶחָד. נִשְׁתַּיְּירוּ שָׁם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר כְּבָשִׂים לִשְׁמוֹנָה מִשְׁמָרוֹת. בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן – שִׁשָּׁה מַקְרִיבִין שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, וְהַשְּׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד.

On the first Festival day of Sukkot there were thirteen bulls, two rams, and one goat there. The mishna proceeds to discuss the division of labor for the Festival offerings among the twenty-four priestly watches, Fourteen sheep remained to be divided among the eight remaining watches. On the first day of the Festival, six of the eight remaining watches sacrifice two sheep each for a total of twelve, and the remaining two watches sacrifice one sheep each.

בַּשֵּׁנִי – חֲמִשָּׁה מַקְרִיבִין שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם – וְהַשְּׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד. בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי – אַרְבָּעָה מַקְרִיבִין שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, וְהַשְּׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד.

On the second day of the Festival, i.e., the first day of the intermediate days, when twelve bulls were sacrificed, fifteen of the priestly watches sacrifice the bulls, rams, and goat, five of the remaining watches sacrifice two sheep each, and the remaining four watches sacrifice one sheep each. On the third day of the Festival, when eleven bulls were sacrificed, fourteen of the priestly watches sacrifice the bulls, rams, and goat, four of the remaining watches sacrifice two sheep each, and the remaining six watches sacrifice one sheep each.

בָּרְבִיעִי – שְׁלֹשָׁה מַקְרִיבִין שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, וְהַשְּׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד. בַּחֲמִישִׁי – שְׁנַיִם מַקְרִיבִין שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, וְהַשְּׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד. בַּשִּׁשִׁי – אֶחָד מַקְרִיב שְׁנַיִם, וְהַשְּׁאָר אֶחָד אֶחָד.

On the fourth day of the Festival, when ten bulls were sacrificed, thirteen of the priestly watches sacrifice the bulls, rams, and goat, three of the remaining watches sacrifice two sheep each, and the remaining eight watches sacrifice one sheep each. On the fifth day, when nine bulls were sacrificed, twelve watches sacrifice the bulls, rams, and goat, two of the twelve remaining watches sacrifice two sheep each, and the remaining ten watches sacrifice one sheep each. On the sixth day, when eight bulls were sacrificed, eleven watches sacrifice the bulls, rams, and goat, one of the remaining watches sacrifices two sheep, and the remaining twelve watches sacrifice one sheep each.

בַּשְּׁבִיעִי – כּוּלָּן שָׁוִין. בַּשְּׁמִינִי – חָזְרוּ לְפַּיִיס כְּבַרְגָלִים. אָמְרוּ – מִי שֶׁהִקְרִיב פָּרִים הַיּוֹם לֹא יַקְרִיב לְמָחָר, אֶלָּא חוֹזְרִין חֲלִילָה.

On the seventh day they are all equal and bring one offering each. On the eighth day, when there was a completely different configuration of offerings, they returned to the standard lottery system used to determine which of the priestly watches would sacrifice the offerings, as they did on the other pilgrimage Festivals, which do not have as many offerings as does Sukkot . They said about the ordering of the priestly watches: One who sacrificed bulls today will not sacrifice bulls tomorrow; rather, they will sacrifice one of the other types of offerings. They rotate, so that each of the watches will have the opportunity to sacrifice bulls as well as other animals.

גמ׳ נֵימָא מַתְנִיתִין רַבִּי הִיא וְלָא רַבָּנַן, דְּתַנְיָא: פַּר הַבָּא בַּשְּׁמִינִי – בַּתְּחִילָּה מְפַיְּסִין עָלָיו, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: אַחַת מִשְּׁתֵּי מִשְׁמָרוֹת דְּלֹא שִׁלְּשׁוּ בַּפָּרִים עוֹשָׂה אוֹתוֹ!

The Gemara suggests: Let us say that the mishna that says that on the eighth day they returned to the standard lottery of the other pilgrimage Festivals is according to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and not according to the Rabbis. As it is taught in a baraita : To determine the priestly watch that would sacrifice the bull that comes as an additional offering on the Eighth Day of Assembly, they draw lots over it from the beginning; this is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. And the Rabbis say: One of the two watches that did not sacrifice three bulls during Sukkot sacrifices it. Only two of the twenty-four watches sacrifices two bulls over the course of Sukkot . Each of the other watches sacrifices three bulls. Since the mishna mentions that a lottery was held, apparently the mishna is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi.

אֲפִילּוּ תֵּימָא רַבָּנַן, אַטּוּ שְׁתֵּי מִשְׁמָרוֹת לָא אֲפוּסֵי בָּעֵי?

The Gemara rejects this suggestion: Even if you say that it is in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis, is that to say that the two remaining priestly watches are not required to draw lots to determine which will merit sacrificing the bull?

כְּמַאן אָזְלָא הָא דְּתַנְיָא: כָּל הַמִּשְׁמָרוֹת שׁוֹנוֹת וּמְשַׁלְּשׁוֹת, חוּץ מִשְּׁנֵי מִשְׁמָרוֹת, שֶׁשּׁוֹנוֹת וְאֵין מְשַׁלְּשׁוֹת. נֵימָא רַבִּי וְלָא רַבָּנַן! אֲפִילּוּ תֵּימָא רַבָּנַן, מַאי לֹא שִׁלְּשׁוּ – בְּפָרֵי הֶחָג.

The Gemara asks: In accordance with whose opinion is that which is taught in a baraita : All of the priestly watches sacrifice a bull twice and three times, except for two watches that sacrifice a bull twice and do not sacrifice a bull three times? Let us say that it is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and not in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis, as they hold that one of those watches sacrifices a third bull on the Eighth Day of Assembly. The Gemara rejects this suggestion: Even if you say that it is in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis; what is the meaning of the phrase: They did not sacrifice a bull three times? It means that with regard to the bulls of the festival of Sukkot they did not sacrifice a bull three times.

וּמַאי קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן? הָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן; מִי שֶׁהִקְרִיב פָּרִים הַיּוֹם לֹא יַקְרִיב לְמָחָר, אֶלָּא חוֹזְרִין חֲלִילָה.

The Gemara asks: With regard to the bulls sacrificed on Sukkot , what does the baraita teach us? It is a simple calculation that seventy bulls divided by twenty-four watches leaves two watches that sacrificed only two bulls. The Gemara answers: This is what the baraita comes to teach us: One who sacrificed bulls today will not sacrifice bulls tomorrow; rather, they rotate. Therefore, each watch sacrifices at least two bulls, and most of them sacrifice three.

אָמַר רַבִּי (אֶלְעָזָר): הָנֵי שִׁבְעִים פָּרִים כְּנֶגֶד מִי – כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים אוּמּוֹת. פַּר יְחִידִי לָמָּה – כְּנֶגֶד אוּמָּה יְחִידָה.

Rabbi Elazar said: These seventy bulls that are sacrificed as additional offerings over the course of the seven days of Sukkot , to what do they correspond? They correspond to the seventy nations of the world, and are brought to atone for their sins and to hasten world peace. Why is a single bull sacrificed on the Eighth Day of Assembly? It corresponds to the singular nation, Israel.

מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁאָמַר לַעֲבָדָיו: עֲשׂוּ לִי סְעוּדָּה גְּדוֹלָה. לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן אָמַר לְאוֹהֲבוֹ: עֲשֵׂה לִי סְעוּדָּה קְטַנָּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁאֶהֱנֶה מִמְּךָ.

The Gemara cites a parable about a king of flesh and blood who said to his servants: Prepare me a great feast that will last for several days. When the feast concluded, on the last day, he said to his beloved servant: Prepare me a small feast so that I can derive pleasure from you alone.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אוֹי הֶם לְגוֹיִים שֶׁאִבְּדוּ וְאֵין יוֹדְעִין מַה שֶּׁאִבְּדוּ, בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים – מִזְבֵּחַ מְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶן, וְעַכְשָׁיו מִי מְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶן?

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Woe unto the nations of the world that lost something and do not know what they lost. When the Temple is standing, the seventy bulls sacrificed on the altar during the festival of Sukkot atones for them. And now that the Temple is destroyed, who atones for them?

מתני׳ בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה פְּרָקִים בַּשָּׁנָה הָיוּ כָּל מִשְׁמָרוֹת שָׁווֹת: בְּאֵימוּרֵי הָרְגָלִים, וּבְחִילּוּק לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים.

At three times during the year, all twenty-four priestly watches have equal status, in that all receive a share in the Temple service independent of the standard order of the watches and all receive a share in the accompanying gifts of the priesthood: In the portions of the offerings of the Festivals sacrificed on the altar and in the distribution of the shewbread on Shabbat during the Festivals.

בַּעֲצֶרֶת אוֹמֵר לוֹ: הֵילָךְ מַצָּה הֵילָךְ חָמֵץ. מִשְׁמָר שֶׁזְּמַנּוֹ קָבוּעַ הוּא מַקְרִיב תְּמִידִין נְדָרִים וּנְדָבוֹת וּשְׁאָר קָרְבְּנוֹת צִבּוּר – וּמַקְרִיב אֶת הַכֹּל.

On Shavuot that coincides with Shabbat, when the two loaves offered on Shavuot would be distributed together with the distribution of the shewbread, the priest charged with the distribution says to each priest: Here is matza from the shewbread for you, and here is leavened bread from the two loaves for you. The principle is that the priestly watch whose time is fixed during the Festival sacrifices the daily offerings during the Festival, as well as vow-offerings, free-will offerings, and all other communal offerings. And that watch sacrifices all of them even during the Festival,

גמ׳ אֵימוּרֵי הָרְגָלִים?! שֶׁל גָּבוֹהַּ נִינְהוּ! אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: מַה שֶּׁאָמוּר בָּרְגָלִים.

The Gemara wonders: How is it that the priests divide those portions of the Festival offerings? Don’t they belong to God, and must be placed on the altar? How do the priestly watches share these portions? Rav Ḥisda said: The mishna is referring not to portions sacrificed on the altar [ eimurim ] but to what was stated [ amur ] with regard to the pilgrimage Festivals, all those portions of the offerings that the Torah commanded to sacrifice at the Temple that are not burnt on the altar and are shared by the priests, e.g., hides of the burnt-offerings of appearance and the breast and thigh of the Festival peace-offerings.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מִנַּיִן שֶׁכָּל הַמִּשְׁמָרוֹת שָׁווֹת בְּאֵימוּרֵי הָרְגָלִים – תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וּבָא בְּכָל אַוַּת נַפְשׁוֹ וְשֵׁרֵת״. יָכוֹל אַף בִּשְׁאָר יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה כֵּן – תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״מֵאַחַד שְׁעָרֶיךָ״ לֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל נִכְנָסִין בְּשַׁעַר אֶחָד.

The Sages taught: From where is it derived that all of the priestly watches have equal status in the portions of the Festival offerings? The verse states: “And if a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel, where he sojourns, and comes with all the desire of his soul unto the place that the Lord shall choose; then he shall minister …as all his brethren…They shall have like portions to eat, besides the transactions of their fathers’ houses” (Deuteronomy 18:6–8). Based on these verses, one might have thought that this is the case even on the rest of the days of the year and the priestly watches would have equal status. Therefore, the verse states: From one of your gates. I said that all have equal status only when all of Israel enters through one gate, i.e., on a pilgrimage Festival.

״וּבְחִילּוּק לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים״ כו׳. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מִנַּיִן שֶׁכָּל הַמִּשְׁמָרוֹת שָׁווֹת בְּחִילּוּק לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים –

The mishna continues: And in the distribution of the shewbread on the three pilgrimage Festivals, The Sages taught: From where is it derived that all of the priestly watches have equal status in the distribution of the shewbread?