Sukkah 51a Part 3/4

AI summary (may contain mistakes)

Why were there fifteen steps in the Beis HaMikdash, and what made its building so beautiful? In the Mishnah the Leviim play on fifteen steps matching the fifteen Shir HaMaalos, and the kohanim blow trumpets as they go down to the east gate. In the Gemara, Hordus built in marble and the Rabbanan kept him from covering it with gold. A thought heard long ago draws a lesson from the waves: give full effort to today's avodah, even when it will soon end.

Key points

• The Mishnah sets the fifteen steps opposite the fifteen Shir HaMaalos in Tehillim.
• In the Mishnah they turn west, setting their fathers' bowing to the sun against eyes turned to Hashem.
• The beautiful Beis HaMikdash of the Gemara is the binyan Hordus, with marble set in and out.
• The Rabbanan told Hordus to leave off the gold, since the marble resembled waves of the sea.
• A thought heard long ago: avodas Hashem gives full effort now, like a wave before it breaks.

In this shiur

1. 0:00Chasidim dancing with torches
2. 1:15Leviim and the fifteen steps
3. 4:59Kohanim blowing trumpets at dawn
4. 6:47Turning to face west
5. 11:11Gemara on simchas beis hashoeva
6. 12:48Binyan Hordus and its marble
7. 17:13The waves of the sea
8. 20:55Rabbeinu Bachya on the waters

Topics

• Simchas Beis HaShoeva
• Shir HaMaalos
• Beis HaMikdash
• Avodas Hashem