Study Sukkah folio 50B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
גמ׳ איתמר: רב יהודה ורב עינא, חד תני: שואבה, וחד תני: חשובה. אמר מר זוטרא: מאן דתני שואבה לא משתבש, ומאן דתני חשובה לא משתבש. מאן דתני שואבה לא משתבש, דכתיב: ״ושאבתם מים בששון״. ומאן דתני חשובה לא משתבש, דאמר רב נחמן: מצוה חשובה היא, ובאה מששת ימי בראשית.
Talmud: It was stated that Rav Yehuda and Rav Eina disagreed: One of them teaches that the celebration was called the Celebration of Drawing [sho’eva] and one of them teaches that it was called the significant [ḥashuva] celebration. Mar Zutra said: The one who taught sho’eva is not mistaken, and the one who taught ḥashuva is not mistaken. The one who taught sho’eva is not mistaken, as it is written: “And you should draw [ushavtem] water with joy from the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3), and its name reflects the fact that it is a celebration of the water libation. And the one who taught ḥashuva is not mistaken, as Rav Naḥman said: It is a significant mitzva and it originated from the 6 days of Creation.
תנו רבנן: החליל דוחה את השבת, דברי רבי יוסי בר יהודה. וחכמים אומרים: אף יום טוב אינו דוחה. אמר רב יוסף: מחלוקת בשיר של קרבן, דרבי יוסי סבר: עיקר שירה בכלי, ועבודה היא, ודוחה את השבת. ורבנן סברי: עיקר שירה בפה, ולאו עבודה היא, ואינה דוחה את השבת. אבל שיר של שואבה, דברי הכל שמחה היא, ואינה דוחה את השבת.
§ A baraita states: The flute overrides Shabbat; this is the statement of R' Yosei bar Yehuda. And the Rabbis say: It does not override even a Festival. Rav Yosef said: The dispute is with regard to the song that the Levites sang accompanying the daily offering. As R' Yosei bar Yehuda holds that the primary essence of song is the accompaniment by musical instruments, and consequently these instruments are a component of the Temple service and override Shabbat. The Rabbis hold that the primary essence of song is singing with the mouth, and consequently the instruments are not a component of the service; they merely accompany the singing on occasion and therefore they do not override Shabbat. However, with regard to the song of the Drawing of the Water, everyone agrees that it is rejoicing and not a component of the Temple service; therefore it does not override Shabbat.