On the seven days of the festival, water is poured on the altar — a law given to Moshe at Sinai —, together with the wine libation of the morning tamid. The kohen fills a golden tzelochit holding three log at the Shiloach; at Sha'ar HaMayim they sound the trumpets. He goes up the kevesh, turns to his left and pours the water from the tzelochit into the western sefel, the one for water. They tell him: “Raise your hand!” — once, one poured it on his feet, and all the people pelted him with their etrogim.
Dimensions
- the golden tzelochit, three log
- the raised hand
Sources
- Sukkah 4:9“צְלוֹחִית שֶׁל זָהָב מַחֲזֶקֶת שְׁלשֶׁת לֻגִּים הָיָה מְמַלֵּא מִן הַשִּׁלּוֹחַ… עָלָה בַכֶּבֶשׁ וּפָנָה לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ… וְלַמְנַסֵּךְ אוֹמְרִים לוֹ, הַגְבַּהּ יָדֶךָ”
- Rambam, Hilchot Temidin uMusafin 10:6“כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הֶחָג מְנַסְּכִין אֶת הַמַּיִם עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. וְדָבָר זֶה הֲלָכָה לְמשֶׁה מִסִּינַי. וְעִם נִסּוּךְ הַיַּיִן שֶׁל תָּמִיד שֶׁל שַׁחַר הָיָה מְנַסֵּךְ הַמַּיִם”
- Rambam, Hilchot Temidin uMusafin 10:7“עָלָה לַכֶּבֶשׁ וּפָנָה לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ וְנוֹתֵן הַמַּיִם מִן הַצְּלוֹחִית לְתוֹךְ הַסֵּפֶל שֶׁהָיָה שָׁם”
Project decisionTour's choice: the shape of the tzelochit; the kohen carrying it in both hands at Sha'ar HaMayim; at the altar, facing west behind the wine sefel, and the height of his hand. The kohen pouring the wine is not shown.