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 Summary 

We learned in the mishna (38.5): The basins were perforated like two thin nostrils. One hole was thicker, and one was thinner, so that the wine and water would drain at the same time.

 Question: It seems that the mishna is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda and not the Chachomim, as we learned in the mishna, “Rabbi Yehuda: All eight days 1 lug of water is poured”. But according to the Chachomim both the wine and the water were 3 lug? 

 Response: Even according to the Chachomim, wine is thick and water is thin, and therefore wine flows more slowly than water and requires a wider opening.

This is indeed logical because in a beraisa, Rabbi Yehuda uses different wording to describe the difference between the apertures (and a Tanna’s wording was always preserved as he said it). 

 This is indeed a proof.

 We learned in the mishna (38.5): The western bowl was for the water, and the eastern bowl was for the wine. 

 Beraisa: It once happened that a Tzeduki (they were a sect who sought to seize power. In those days you couldn’t disdain the Torah but they sought to discredit the sages. This Tzeduki refers to Yannai Hamelech - the Hasmonean kings would take the kehunah gedolah. The gemara is very considerate of the honor of Jews and doesn’t speak ill even of the disloyal) poured the water over his feet and the multitude pelted him with their esrogim (the rest of the story is that Yannai had gentile mercenaries waiting outside and he sent them in to massacre the crowd and the sages. Later he ended up giving the power to the Chachomim who led the nation through his wife’s reign. Those were the best 9 years in the second temple period).

On that day, the corner of the mizbeach was broken off. They brought a big chunk of salt (which looks like the material the mizbeach is made from) and repaired that place where it was broken off, the mizbeach remained possul, but they did it for appearances sake - to honor the mizbeach. 

A mizbeach which is missing its kevesh or its karnos (a block that was mounted on the four corners) or its yesod (a step on the bottom of the mizbeach) or is lacking in squareness (that what happened here), it is possul (this is because there is repetition in the possuk regarding these things).

 Rabbi Yosi bar Yehuda: Also the soveiv renders the mizbeach possul if it is missing.