1)

(a)Our Mishnah, elaborating on the previous one, explains that 'ha'Hallel v'ha'Simchah Shemonah' means - Hallel, Simchah and Kavod ha'Chag pertain to Shemini Atzeres no less than to the previous days.

(b)the Beraisa learns from the Pasuk in Re'eh "Vehayisa Ach Same'ach"- that one is Chayav Simchah on the night of Shemini Atzeres. Note, that based on the fact that "Ach" always comes to exclude, not to include, the Gra explains that "Ach" also implies that there is only Simchah, and no other Mitzvah - clearly referring to Shemini Atzeres, when the other Mitzvos of Sukos no longer apply.)

(c)The day of Shemini Atzeres is also included in Simchah - from a Kal va'Chomer (seeing as the day is more important than the night with regard to Simchah - e.g. one brings the Shalmei Simchah exclusively by day).

(d)Despite the fact that one cannot Shecht Kodshim by night - one can nevertheless fulfill the Mitzvah with Shelamim that were Shechted on the previous day.

2)

(a)The first night of Yom-Tov is precluded from Simchah - from the Pasuk in Re'eh "v'Hayisa Ach Same'ach".

(b)All the other nights of Sukos are included, because the word "Shiv'as Yamim" (unlike the word "Yom") incorporates the nights.

(c)We prefer to include the last night in the Mitzvah of Simchah rather than the first - because it follows days on which Simchah applied, whereas the first night does not.

3)

(a)Based on the earlier statement 'Sukah Shiv'ah', the Mishnah forbids dismantling the Sukah after one's main meal on the seventh day - seeing as one remains obligated to eat or sleep in the Sukah until nightfall, should the need arise.

(b)In honor of Shemini Atzeres however (whose sanctity exceeds that of Chol ha'Mo'ed) - one is permitted to transfer one's Yom-Tov vessels from the Sukah into the house.

4)

(a)If, for some reason, one has no house into which to move on Shemini Atzeres - there is a problem of 'Bal Tosif' (adding an eighth day to the Mitzvah of Sukah - because even though he does not really intend to eat in the Sukah for the Mitzvah, it looks as if he is).

(b)There are two ways of solving the above problem. If it is a small Sukah, one can either remove the Sechach from an area of four by four Tefachim (Rebbi Chiya bar Ashi [and fill it in with Pasul Sechach see Rashash]) - or light a lamp there (Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi).

(c)When we say that the two answers are complementary - we means that removing an area of Kasher Sechach is only possible for the Bnei Eretz Yisrael, who no longer have any need of the Sukah, but not for the Bnei Bavel, who will still require the services of the Sukah on Shemini Atzeres day-time (Note: this Sugya appears to hold that the Chiyuv to sit in the Sukah on Shemini Atzeres in Chutz la'Aretz applies only by day but not by night).

(d)A lamp will not invalidate a large Sukah however - in which case one is able to invalidate one's Sukah by bringing dirty crockery into the Sukah.

5)

(a)The Mishnah now discusses the ceremony of Nusich ha'Mayim. The spring of Shilo'ach is close to Yerushalayim.

(b)They drew the water for the Simchas Beis ha'Sho'evah - they with a golden jug that could hold three Lugin.

(c)The significance of three Lugin - is the fact that this was the equivalent amount of the smallest of the Nesachim (a Revi'is ha'Hin for a lamb).

(d)We derive from the Pasuk in Yeshayah "u'She'avtem Mayim b'Sason" - that the water drawing ceremony should be performed with joy, which is why they blew the trumpets many times during the ceremony - the first of these, as they entered the Azarah via the Sha'ar ha'Mayim on the south side.

6)

(a)When the Kohen performing the Nisuch ha'Mayim reached the top of the Mizbe'ach with the jar of water - he turned left and made his way to the nearest Keren (the one on the south-western corner).

(b)According to the Tana Kama, there were two silver basins beside the south-western Keren, and there was a hole in the middle of each bowl. The Kohen poured the water (for the Nisuch ha'Mayim) into the western bowl - and the wine for the Nisuch ha'Yayin (that accompanied the Korbanos, not just now, but throughout the year) into the eastern one.

(c)The hole in the eastern basin was slightly larger than the hole in the western one - to allow the wine and the water to finish draining simultaneously.

(d)The Tana rules - that if the Kohen poured the water into the eastern bowl and the wine into the western one he would nevertheless be Yotzei.

7)

(a)Rebbi Yehudah argues with the Tana Kama in two points. According to him ...

1. ... the two basins - were made (not of silver, but) of lime.

2. ... the pouring ceremony was performed for eight days (on Shemini Atzeres, as well as on Sukos.

3. ... the jar contained (not three Lugin, but) one Log.

(b)With regard to Rebbi Yehudah's first ruling, it was the wine that was poured into them that gave them the appearance of being silver - leading people to believe that that was what they were made of.

8)

(a)It became necessary to ask the Kohen who was performing the ceremony, to raise his hands - because once, the Kohen, poured the water at his feet.

(b)The ceremony differed on Shabbos from during the week - inasmuch as (seeing as it was forbidden to transport the water on Shabbos) they would fill a golden barrel with water from the Shilo'ach already on Erev Shabbos and left it in one of the rooms to be used the next morning.

(c)The golden barrel that they used was significant - in that it was not sanctified as a Kli Shares.

9)

(a)Finally, the Mishnah rules that if the water spilt or was left uncovered, they would take water from the Kiyor. Water (or wine) that was left uncovered could not be brought on the Mizbe'ach - because of the possibility that a snake drank from it, leaving behind some poison, which will detract from the required amount of water (see also Tosfos DH 'she'ha'Yayin').

(b)Despite the fact that the water in the Kiyor had remained in a Kli Shareis until morning (at which time Kodshim normally became Pasul b'Linah), it did not become Pasul b'Linah - because the Kiyor was lowered into the ground by means of a pulley, and the water joined to the stream that passed through the Azarah; and water that is joined to a natural stream does not become Pasul b'Linah.

10)

(a)There were two Minim (heretics) called Sason and Simchah.

1. Sason quoted the Pasuk in Yeshayah "Sason v'Simchah Yasigu" - to prove that the Navi considered him more important than his colleague Simchah, by placing him first.

2. Simchah countered Sason's proof by quoting the Pasuk in Esther "Simchah v'Sason la'Yehudim" (a proof that he was more important).

(b)When Sason (quoting the Pasuk in Yeshayah "Ki v'Simchah Setzei'u") informed Simchah that one day, he (Simchah) would be relegated to become a mere emissary - he replied that Sason would then have the distinction of being used as a bucket to draw water, because the Navi writes "u'She'avtem Mayim b'Sason".

(c)Sason (quoting the Pasuk "u'She'avtem Mayim b'Sason") - boasted to Rebbi Avahu - that one day, the Jews would draw water for him, as the Pasuk writes "u'She'avtem Mayim b'Sason".

(d)That might have been the case, Rebbi Avahu answered him, had the Navi written "u'She'avtem Mayim l'Sason". But "u'She'avtem Mayim b'Sason" implies rather that they would use his skin to make a water-flask with which they would draw water (just like his friend Simchah had told him).

11)

(a)The Kohanim would always turn right at the top of the Mizbe'ach (even if it meant going all the way round the Mizbe'ach to do whatever they needed to do. The Beraisa cites three exceptions to the rule, Nisuch ha'Mayim (as we learned in our Mishnah), Nisuch ha'Yayin - and Olas ha'Of, when there was no room at its normal location on the south-eastern Keren.

(b)We attribute this ruling with regard to ...

1. ... Nisuch ha'Yayin to the fact that - were they to go all the way round the Mizbe'ach (close to a hundred Amos in total [see Rashash]), in order to arrive at the south-western Keren via the right, the wine would get spoilt from the smoke of the Ma'arachah.

2. ... Nisuch ha'Mayim to the fact that - since it had to take place simultaneously with the Nisuch ha'Yayin, it was performed by the same Kohen as the Nisuch ha'Yayin.

3. ... Olas ha'Of - to the same reason as that of Nisuch ha'Yayin, to prevent the bird from getting killed by the smoke of the Ma'arachah before he could perform Melikah.

12)

(a)According to Rebbi Yehudah, the basins were really made of lime, and it was the wine that was poured into them that gave them the dark appearance. This applies even to the western basin (into which they poured water), seeing as we have learned that if one poured the water into the eastern basin, or the wine into the western one, one is Yotzei (and it appears that this is what happened fairly frequently).

(b)Three Lugin of wine (the Nesesch for a lamb) were brought together with the Korban Tamid.

(c)According to the Tana Kama (the Rabanan), the Nisuch ha'Mayim too, comprised three Lugin of water. Nevertheless, this does not preclude him from being the author of the ruling which prescribes a larger hole for the wine (in favor of Rebbi Yehudah, who gives the Shi'ur for Nisuch ha'Mayim as one Lug) - because wine, which is thicker than water, will take a little longer to drain through a thin hole than water.

(d)We even go on to prove that he must be the author of the Mishnah, from the Lashon of the Mishnah 'Echad Me'uveh, v'Echad Dak' - because Rebbi Yehudah in a Beraisa, refers to the two holes as 'Rachav' and 'Katzar' (which implies a slightly greater difference than the one between 'Me'uveh' and 'Dak').

13)

(a)When that Tzedoki (Yanai ha'Melech, who adopted the Kehunah Gedolah) poured the water for Nisuch ha'Mayim at his feet (because the Tzedokim did not believe in the entire institution of Nisuch ha'Mayim) - all the people pelted him with their Esrogim.

(b)He did that - because the Tzedokim did not believe in the entire institution of Nisuch ha'Mayim.

(c)To block the hole in the Mizbe'ach that ensued as a result - they used a fistful of salt ...

(d)... not because it rendered the Mizbe'ach Kasher - but to make defect less blatant.

(e)The Mizbe'ach was Pasul - because it was not perfectly square.