Libation

Jesus is famously associated with the holiday of Passover. However, according to the Gospel of John, Jesus makes his debut and final visit at the temple on Sukkot, while the Book of Revelation uses Sukkot imagery to describe Jesus’ future appearance on earth. These repurposings of Sukkot and its rituals highlight Sukkot’s eschatological significance for Jews in Second Temple times (Zechariah 14).

The Rabbis describe the ritual of “water libation,” ניסוך המים, performed during Sukkot in the Temple, as a major point of contention between the Pharisees and Sadducees. Why was this seemingly obscure ritual so contentious, and what was really at stake in performing it?

The nazir must abstain from shekhar (שֵׁכָר), and it must be poured on the altar as a libation – but what is it? Understanding the ecology of ancient Israel can help answer the question.