A pillared, double building called the stoa stood all along the Temple Mount. Because it was double it was also called "the Stoa inside the Stoa" or the "Instavnit." This Stoa was covered by a roof and protected against the rains. When the festival of Sukkot occurred on Shabbat, the officials of the Temple placed the four species that belonged to the elderly pilgrims on top of a shelf in the Stoa so that they could be used later that day. When the Sages saw that this led to strife and that people would snatch the species from each other, they made a decree that the blessing over the four species on Sukkot that fell on Shabbat should only be done at home. Later a decree was made that the four species should not be used on Shabbat at all.  Continued
Contents:   Part I,    Part II,    Part III,    Part IV,    Part V,    Part VI,    Part VII