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Sukkah 43b

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Babylonian Talmud · folio map

Sukkah 43b

Sukkah 43b. The full printed text of this folio side — 15 numbered segments, about 345 words — with the classic commentaries printed on the page.

Original text

Segment 1

״תֵּשְׁבוּ״ ״תֵּשְׁבוּ״ — לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה. נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ״תֵּשְׁבוּ״, וְנֶאֱמַר בְּמִלּוּאִים ״תֵּשְׁבוּ״. מָה לְהַלָּן — ״יָמִים״ וַאֲפִילּוּ לֵילוֹת, אַף כָּאן — ״יָמִים״ וַאֲפִילּוּ לֵילוֹת.

“You shall reside,” “you shall reside,” by means of a verbal analogy. It is stated here, with regard to sukka : “You shall reside in sukkot seven days” (Leviticus 23:42), and it is stated with regard to the inauguration of the Tabernacle: “And at the door of the Tent of Meeting you shall reside day and night seven days” (Leviticus 8:35). Just as there, with regard to the inauguration, the meaning is days and even nights, so too here, with regard to sukka , the meaning is days and even nights.

Segment 2

עֲרָבָה שִׁבְעָה. כֵּיצַד? עֲרָבָה בִּשְׁבִיעִי מַאי טַעְמָא דָּחֲיָא שַׁבָּת? אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כְּדֵי לְפַרְסְמָהּ שֶׁהִיא מִן הַתּוֹרָה. אִי הָכִי, לוּלָב נָמֵי לִידְחֵי, כְּדֵי לְפַרְסְמוֹ שֶׁהוּא מִן הַתּוֹרָה!

§ The mishna continues: The altar is encircled with the willow branch for seven days. How so? If the seventh day of performing the mitzva of the willow branch occurs on Shabbat, since on that day the mitzva of the willow branch is a mitzva by Torah law, it overrides Shabbat and the mitzva of the willow branch is then performed seven days. The Gemara asks: With regard to the mitzva of the willow branch on the seventh day, what is the reason that it overrides Shabbat? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is in order to publicize that it is a mitzva that applies by Torah law, since it is not written explicitly in the Torah. The Gemara raises an objection: If so, lulav too should override Shabbat in the Temple on the other days of Sukkot as well and not only on the first day in order to publicize that it is a mitzva by Torah law all seven days, since that too is not written explicitly in the Torah.

Segment 3

לוּלָב — גְּזֵרָה מִשּׁוּם דְּרַבָּה. אִי הָכִי, עֲרָבָה נָמֵי נִגְזוֹר! עֲרָבָה — שְׁלוּחֵי בֵּית דִּין מַיְיתִי לַהּ. לוּלָב — לַכֹּל מָסוּר.

The Gemara answers: One is prohibited from taking the lulav on Shabbat by rabbinic decree due to the concern expressed by Rabba (42b) lest he take the lulav in his hand and go to an expert to learn how to wave the lulav and thereby carry it in the public domain. The Gemara objects: If so, with regard to the willow branch as well let us issue a decree due to the same concern. The Gemara answers: The two cases are different. With regard to the willow branch, agents of the court bring it to the priests who perform the mitzva in the Temple, and they carefully prepare the willow branch prior to the onset of Shabbat and will not come to carry it in a prohibited manner on Shabbat. However, performance of the mitzva of lulav is incumbent upon every individual. Therefore, there is concern lest one unwittingly perform the prohibited labor of carrying on Shabbat.

Segment 4

אִי הָכִי, כׇּל יוֹמָא נָמֵי לִידְחֵי! אָתֵי לְפַקְפּוֹקֵי בְּלוּלָב. וְלִידְחֵי בְּיוֹם טוֹב רִאשׁוֹן! לָא מוֹכְחָא מִלְּתָא, אָמְרִי: לוּלָב הוּא דְּקָא דָחֵי.

The Gemara objects: If so, i.e., because the willow branch is supplied by agents of the court there is no concern that Shabbat will be desecrated, let the mitzva of the willow branch override Shabbat on every day of the Festival as well. The Gemara answers: In that case people would come to raise doubts about the significance of the mitzva of lulav , as, unlike the mitzva of the willow branch, it would override Shabbat on only one day of the Festival and not on all seven. The Gemara asks: And let the mitzva of the willow branch override Shabbat on the first day of the Festival, just as the mitzva of lulav does, and not on the seventh day. The Gemara answers: The matter of publicizing that the mitzva of willow branch is a mitzva by Torah law would not be apparent, as people would say that it is really the mitzva of lulav that overrides Shabbat, and once lulav is permitted the willow branch is permitted as well.

Segment 5

וְלִידְחֵי בְּחַד מֵהָנָךְ? כֵּיוָן דְּקָא מַפְּקַתְּ לַהּ מֵרִאשׁוֹן, אוֹקְמַהּ אַשְּׁבִיעִי.

The Gemara asks: And let the mitzva of the willow branch override Shabbat on one of these other days of Sukkot ; why specifically the seventh day? The Gemara answers: Once you moved it from the first day, establish it on the seventh day, which is also a unique day of Sukkot , and not on one of the other intermediate days of Sukkot .

Segment 6

אִי הָכִי, הָאִידָּנָא נָמֵי לִידְחֵי! אֲנַן לָא יָדְעִינַן בְּקִיבּוּעָא דְיַרְחָא.

The Gemara asks: If so, i.e., if the mitzva of the willow branch is so significant that it overrides Shabbat, let it override Shabbat today as well, even though the Temple is not standing. The Gemara answers: We do not know when precisely the establishment of the month was determined by the court. Therefore, it is possible that the day observed as the seventh day of Sukkot is not the seventh day at all. Certainly, one does not violate the rabbinic decree to fulfill a mitzva that is not definitely a mitzva by Torah law.

Segment 7

אִינְהוּ, דְּיָדְעִי בְּקִיבּוּעָא דְיַרְחָא — לִידְחֵי! כִּי אֲתָא בַּר הֶדְיָא, אָמַר: לָא אִיקְּלַע. כִּי אֲתָא רָבִין וְכׇל נָחוֹתֵי, אָמְרִי: אִיקְּלַע וְלָא דָּחֵי.

The Gemara asks: If so, with regard to the people of Eretz Yisrael, who know the establishment of the month, let them override Shabbat for the mitzva of willow branch on the seventh day of Sukkot even today. When bar Hedya came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia he said: That is not a practical question, as the seventh day does not coincide with Shabbat, since the Sages fixed the calendar to avoid that possibility. When Ravin and all those emissaries who descended to Babylonia, or who originally left Babylonia for Eretz Yisrael and returned, came, they said: It does coincide with Shabbat, but it does not override Shabbat.

Segment 8

וְאֶלָּא קַשְׁיָא? אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: מַאן לֵימָא לַן דַּעֲרָבָה בִּנְטִילָה? דִּלְמָא בִּזְקִיפָה!

The Gemara asks: But then it is difficult; why doesn’t the mitzva of the willow branch override Shabbat on the seventh day today? Rav Yosef said: Who will say to us definitively that the mitzva of the willow branch is performed by taking it? Perhaps it is performed by standing the branches upright against the altar. Since there is no altar today, the mitzva does not override Shabbat.

Segment 9

אֵיתִיבֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי: לוּלָב וַעֲרָבָה שִׁשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעָה. מַאי לָאו, כְּלוּלָב: מָה לוּלָב בִּנְטִילָה — אַף עֲרָבָה בִּנְטִילָה! מִידֵּי אִירְיָא? הָא כִּדְאִיתֵיהּ וְהָא כִּדְאִיתֵיהּ.

Abaye raised an objection to Rav Yosef from the mishna, which states: The lulav is taken and the altar is encircled with the willow branch either six or seven days. What, is it not learned from the juxtaposition of these mitzvot in the mishna that the mitzva of the willow branch is like the mitzva of lulav in that just as the mitzva of lulav is performed by taking it, so too, the mitzva of the willow branch is performed by taking it and not by standing it upright? He answered him: Are the cases necessarily comparable? Perhaps this mitzva of lulav is as it is, by means of taking, and this mitzva of the willow branch is as it is, by means of standing it upright.

Segment 10

אֵיתִיבֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי: בְּכׇל יוֹם מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ פַּעַם אַחַת, וְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים. מַאי לָאו, בַּעֲרָבָה? לָא, בְּלוּלָב. וְהָא אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ: בַּעֲרָבָה! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הוּא אָמַר לָךְ בַּעֲרָבָה, וַאֲנָא אָמֵינָא בְּלוּלָב. אִתְּמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: בְּלוּלָב. רַב שְׁמוּאֵל [בַּר נָתָן] אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: בַּעֲרָבָה. וְכֵן אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ: בַּעֲרָבָה.

Abaye raised an objection to Rav Yosef from a mishna: On every day the people circle the altar one time, and on that day, the seventh day of the willow branch, they circle it seven times. What, is the mishna not referring to circling the altar with the willow branch in hand? He answered him: No, it is referring to circling the altar with a lulav . Abaye objects: But didn’t Rav Naḥman say that Rabba bar Avuh said: They would circle the altar with the willow branch? Rav Yosef said to him: He said to you with the willow branch; however, my authority is no less than his, as we are both amora’im , and I say that they circle the altar with a lulav . It was stated that this was the subject of dispute between other amora’im as well. Rabbi Elazar says: They circle the altar with a lulav . Rav Shmuel bar Natan said that Rabbi Ḥanina said: They circle the altar with the willow branch. And likewise, Rav Naḥman said that Rabba bar Avuh said: They would circle the altar with the willow branch.

Segment 11

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַב יִצְחָק בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה: בַּר אוּרְיָא, תָּא וְאֵימָא לָךְ מִלְּתָא מְעַלַּיְתָא דַּהֲוָה אָמַר אֲבוּךְ. הָא דִּתְנַן: כׇּל הַיּוֹם מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ פַּעַם אַחַת, וְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים, הָכִי אֲמַר אֲבוּךְ מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: בְּלוּלָב.

Rava said to Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rabba bar bar Ḥana: Son of Torah [ bar urya ], come and I will tell you an outstanding statement that your father would say. With regard to that which we learned in a mishna: On every day the people circle the altar one time, and on that day, the seventh day of the willow branch, they circle the altar seven times; this is what your father said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: They circle the altar with a lulav .

Segment 12

אֵיתִיבֵיהּ: לוּלָב דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת בִּתְחִלָּתוֹ, וַעֲרָבָה בְּסוֹפוֹ. פַּעַם אַחַת חָל שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁל עֲרָבָה לִהְיוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת, וְהֵבִיאוּ מֻרְבִּיּוֹת שֶׁל עֲרָבָה מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וְהִנִּיחוּם בָּעֲזָרָה. וְהִכִּירוּ בָּהֶן בַּיְיתּוֹסִין, וּנְטָלוּם וּכְבָשׁוּם תַּחַת אֲבָנִים.

Abaye raised an objection to Rav Yosef from the Tosefta ( Sukka 3:1): The mitzva of lulav overrides Shabbat at the start of the Festival, and the willow branch overrides it at the end of the Festival. One time, the seventh day of the willow branch occurred on Shabbat, and they brought branches of the willow tree on Shabbat eve, before Shabbat, and placed them in the Temple courtyard for use on Shabbat. The Boethusians in the Temple, who disagreed with the Sages and held that there is no mitzva of the willow branch on the seventh day of the Festival, noticed them and took them and concealed them under the stones. This was an attempt to prevent fulfillment of the mitzva, as they knew that the Sages would prohibit moving the stones, which are set-aside on Shabbat.

Segment 13

לְמָחָר הִכִּירוּ בָּהֶן עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ, וּשְׁמָטוּם מִתַּחַת הָאֲבָנִים, וַהֲבִיאוּם הַכֹּהֲנִים וּזְקָפוּם בְּצִידֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. לְפִי שֶׁאֵין בַּיְיתּוֹסִין מוֹדִים שֶׁחִיבּוּט עֲרָבָה דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת.

The next day, some of the ignoramuses noticed the branches concealed under the stones. And since the ignoramuses identified with the opinion of the Sages, and at the same time were ignorant of the details of the mitzvot, they extracted them from under the stones. And the priests brought them and stood them upright at the sides of the altar. This happened because the Boethusians do not concede that waving the willow branch overrides Shabbat.

Segment 14

אַלְמָא בִּנְטִילָה הִיא! תְּיוּבְתָּא.

Apparently, based on the conclusion of the incident, the mitzva of the willow branch is fulfilled by taking it, as it is referring to waving the willow branch and not just standing it upright at the sides of the altar. The Gemara notes: Indeed, it is a conclusive refutation of Rav Yosef’s opinion.

Segment 15

וְאֶלָּא נִדְחוֹ! כֵּיוָן דַּאֲנַן לָא דָּחֵינַן, אִינְהוּ נָמֵי לָא דָּחוּ. וְהָא יוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן, דִּלְדִידַן לָא דָּחֵי וּלְדִידַהוּ דָּחֵי!

Given the refutation of Rav Yosef’s opinion, the original question is difficult: Rather, let them in Eretz Yisrael override Shabbat for the mitzva of the willow branch on the seventh day of Sukkot nowadays as well. The Gemara answers: Since we in the Diaspora do not override Shabbat for this purpose, they in Eretz Yisrael also do not override it. The Gemara objects: But doesn’t the first day of the Festival refute that contention, as for us in the Diaspora it does not override Shabbat and we do not take the lulav , and for them in Eretz Yisrael it overrides Shabbat and they take the lulav ?

Sukkah 43b

Sukkah 43b

Rashi

Tosafot

Rabbeinu Chananel

Ritva

Meiri

Maharsha (Chidushei Halachot)

Maharam

Penei Yehoshua

Ben Yehoyada

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