ג אין פוחתין משני נבלים ולא מוסיפין על ששה אין פוחתין משני חלילין ולא מוסיפין על שנים עשר ובשנים עשר יום בשנה החליל מכה לפני המזבח בשחיטת פסח ראשון ובשחיטת פסח שני ויום טוב הראשון של פסח וביום טוב של עצרת ובשמונת ימי החג ולא היה מכה באבוב של נחשת אלא באבוב של קנה מפני שקולו ערב ולא היה מחלק אלא באבוב יחידי מפני שהוא מחליק יפה
3 THEY PLAYED NEVER ON LESS THAN TWO HARPS,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'a kind of hose', nabla in Greek, which according to Josephus had twelve strings and was played with the hand.');"><sup>3</sup></span> OR MORE THAN SIX, NOR EVER ON LESS THAN TWO FLUTES OR MORE THAN TWELVE. ON TWELVE DAYS IN THE YEAR WAS THE FLUTE [HALIL] PLAYED BEFORE THE ALTAR:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On these days all the thanksgiving Psalms (Hallel. Ps. CXIII-CXVIII) were sung. The meaning here is doubtful: either, 'on these days the flute was played before the altar, whereas on other days it was played together with all other instruments on the Dukhan by the Levites', or on these vfn days alone the flute was played, on other days other instruments only. The technical term 'beat' () applies to the flute, because tunes are evoked thereon by beating with the fingers on the holes.');"><sup>4</sup></span> AT THE KILLING OF THE FIRST PASSOVER-SACRIFICE,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' During the singing of the Hallel, Pes. 64a.');"><sup>5</sup></span> AT THE KILLING OF THE SECOND PASSOVER-SACRIFICE,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On Iyyar the fourteenth, when the Passover-sacrifice of those who on Nisan the fourteenth were on a journey afar off, or in an unclean state, was offered up. V. Num. IX, 9ff.');"><sup>6</sup></span> ON THE FIRST FESTIVAL DAY OF PASSOVER, ON THE FESTIVAL DAY OF THE FEAST OF WEEKS, AND ON THE EIGHT DAYS OF THE FEAST [OF TABERNACLES].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The playing of the flute on these days was part of the official music in the Sanctuary, prescribed during the process of offering up the sacrifices, and overriding both Sabbath and Holy Days. But the playing of the flute at the Water Festival (Suk. 50a) overrode neither, and was permissible on a week-day only.');"><sup>7</sup></span>