Commentary for Sukkah 15:3

הישן תחת המטה לא יצא ידי חובתו א"ר יהודה נוהגין היינו ישינים תחת המטות בפני הזקנים ולא אמרו לנו דבר. א"ר שמעון מעשה בטבי עבדו של רבן גמליאל שהיה ישן תחת המטה אמר רבן גמליאל לזקנים ראיתם טבי עבדי שהוא תלמיד חכם יודע שעבדים פטורין מן הסוכה וישן לו תחת המטה. ולפי דרכינו למדנו שהישן תחת המטה לא יצא ידי חובתו:

Originally, whosoever wanted to remove [the ashes from] the Altar, removed [it]. At a time that they were many they would run and ascend the ramp [of the altar] and he that came first into the four cubits won [the privilege]. And if two were even, the appointed one would say to them [all]: Raise the finger(s). And what did they put forward [i.e. raise]? One or two. And [but] they do not put forth [raise] the thumb in the Temple: It happened [once] that two were even, and [they] were running and ascending the ramp. And one [of them] pushed his fellow and his foot was broken. And when the court saw that they were coming into danger, they enacted that they shall not remove [the ashes from] the altar except by lot. There were four lots there, and this [one] was the first lot.

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