Two kohanim stand at the upper gate that leads down from the Ezrat Israel to the Ezrat Nashim, two trumpets in hand. When the gever calls — the rooster according to Rabbi Sheila, the Temple crier according to Rav (Yoma 20b) — they sound teki'a, teru'a, teki'a: the signal to go and draw the water of the libation from the Shiloach. They sound again at the tenth step, again on reaching the floor of the court, then go on sounding as far as the gate that leads out to the east. There they turn to the west: “and as for us, our eyes are to HaShem”. On the night of Sukkot, the tour shows them at the gate, before they go down.
Dimensions
- two kohanim, two trumpets
- teki'a, teru'a, teki'a
- from the upper gate to the east gate
Sources
- Sukkah 5:4“וְעָמְדוּ שְׁנֵי כֹהֲנִים בַּשַּׁעַר הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁיּוֹרֵד מֵעֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעֶזְרַת נָשִׁים, וּשְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת בִּידֵיהֶן. קָרָא הַגֶּבֶר, תָּקְעוּ וְהֵרִיעוּ וְתָקָעוּ”
- Tamid 7:3“שְׁנֵי כֹהֲנִים עוֹמְדִים עַל שֻׁלְחַן הַחֲלָבִים וּשְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת שֶׁל כֶּסֶף בְּיָדָם”
- Numbers 10:2“עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרֹת כֶּסֶף מִקְשָׁה תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם”
Project decisionTour's choice: the upper gate is Sha'ar Nikanor, the only gate between the two courts. The trumpets of the tamid are silver (Tamid 7:3); the tour gives them that metal here as well, and their length is a choice. The descent while sounding is not shown.