Sukkah 49a (מט.) — the Talmud in English

Every altar that lacks a ramp, a horn, a base, or a square shape—

is unfit for service.

Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda says: Even the surrounding ledge,

if it is lacking, the altar is unfit for service.

Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The shittin—

the hollow channels in the altar, beneath the opening for the libations on the roof of the altar—

were created during the six days of Creation.

As it is stated

Song of Songs 7] “

The curves of your thighs are like jewels, the handiwork of a craftsman.” “

The curves”—

the hidden places—

“

of your thighs”—

these are the shittin, which are concealed beneath the roof of the altar, at its side, which is called “the thigh of the altar.” “

Like jewels”—

which are hollowed out and descend to the depths. “

The handiwork of a craftsman”—

this is the handiwork of the craftsmanship of the Almighty.

The tanna of the school of Rabbi Yishmael: [

Genesis 1] “

In the beginning.”

Do not read it bereshit, but bara shit.

It was taught: Rabbi Yosei says: The shittin—

are hollowed out and descend to the depths.

As it is stated [

Isaiah 5], Isaiah the prophet said: “

Let me sing now to

the Almighty,

my beloved,

on His behalf and in His place,

the song of my beloved for his vineyard” [

the song of complaint concerning the people of Israel, who are likened to his vineyard]:

“A vineyard belonged to

the Almighty,

my beloved, on a fertile hill.”

In the Land of Israel, which is more fertile [“oily”] than all other lands.

“And he fortified it,”

he built fortified cities there, surrounded like a ring [called an izka].

“And he cleared it of stones,”

he cleared away and removed the inhabitants of the land from before them.” “

And he planted it with choice vines.

And he built a tower within it, and also hewed out a winepress in it.”

And we interpret this verse as follows: “

And he planted it with choice vines”—

this is the Temple,

which he built like a choice vineyard, in which new saplings with roots are planted, rather than cuttings of other grapevines. “

And he built a tower within it”—

this is the altar,

which was made within it like a mighty tower [Rashi’s wording].

“And also he hewed out a winepress in it,”

in that same tower—

these are the shittin. [

Shit is a term for a pit, a dug-out hollow.]

It was taught: Rabbi Elazar bar Tzadok said: There was a small shaft [

like an opening extending from above to below]

between the ramp and the altar

[the ramp was not attached to the altar, but was separated from it slightly],

on the western side of the ramp.

At the bottom of the shaft was a marble floor, and the wine was not absorbed into the ground, according to Rabbi Elazar bar Tzadok.

And once every seventy years,

they would

young priests descend there and gather congealed wine from there, which

was

similar to fig cakes.

And they would bring it and burn it in sanctity,

in a sacred place in the Temple courtyard, since it is forbidden to derive benefit from it.

As it is stated [

Numbers 28] “

In the sacred place pour a libation of strong drink to the Lord.”

As will be explained below.