{"id":10236,"date":"2006-09-21T01:18:00","date_gmt":"2006-09-21T01:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/production.ou.org\/life\/other\/masechet_sukkah2026\/"},"modified":"2015-10-22T06:54:36","modified_gmt":"2015-10-22T11:54:36","slug":"masechet_sukkah2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_sukkah2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Masechet Sukkah 20a-26b"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Coming Week’s Daf Yomi by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz<\/em><\/p>\n

This essay is based upon the insights and chidushim (original ideas) of Talmudic scholar Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, as published in the Hebrew version of the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud.<\/em><\/p>\n

This month\u2019s Steinsaltz Daf Yomi is sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Alan Harris, the Lewy Family Foundation, and Marilyn and Edward Kaplan<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Sukkah 20<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

The second perek <\/em>of Masechet<\/a> Sukkah<\/a><\/em> focuses on defining the commandment that one must “sit” in the sukkah<\/a><\/em> for seven days (Vayikra<\/a> 23:42<\/a>). The perek<\/em> deals with such questions as \u2013 Is one obligated to sit in the sukkah<\/em> during both day and night? Must one remain throughout the day, or only when performing specific activities? Are women and children obligated to sit in the sukkah<\/em>, too? Are there circumstances in which an individual may be freed of this obligation?<\/p>\n

Another type of question dealt with in this perek<\/em> involves clarifying whether a person \u2013 for reasons of comfort, for example \u2013 can cover the sukkah<\/em> or cover himself while sitting in the sukkah<\/em>. The first Mishnah<\/a> deals with this question when it teaches that a person cannot sleep under a bed in the sukkah<\/em>, a ruling disputed by Rabbi Yehuda<\/a>, who testifies that it was common practice to do so. Furthermore, Rabbi Yehuda argues, the Sages never objected to such behavior.<\/p>\n

The Mishnah closes with Rabbi Shimon’s<\/a> testimony about Rabban Gamliel’s<\/a> slave, Tavi<\/a>, who would sleep under the bed in the sukkah<\/em>. According to Rabban Gamliel he did so specifically because he knew that non-Jewish slaves were not commanded in the mitzvah<\/a><\/em> of sukkah<\/em>, from which we can derive that someone obligated in the mitzvah<\/em> would not be permitted to do so.<\/p>\n

Tavi is a character who appears throughout the Gemara<\/a>, identified as the slave belonging to Rabban Gamliel d’Yavneh. In all of these stories he is presented as someone who was well-known for his personal piety and learning. Not only Rabban Gamliel, but other sages sang his praises. Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria<\/a>, for example, was known to say that based on Tavi\u2019s Torah<\/a> knowledge it would have been appropriate for Tavi to be reclining and for Rabbi Elazar to be serving him. Rabban Gamliel tried on several occasions to find a way to set him free, but was stymied in his efforts because of the prohibition to set Canaanite slaves free. Nevertheless, when Tavi passed away, Rabban Gamliel accepted consolation as if he was a family member, explaining that Tavi was different than other slaves \u2013 he was a good and honest man.<\/p>\n

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Sukkah 21<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

The second Mishnah<\/a> in the perek <\/em>discusses a case of someone who built his sukkah<\/a><\/em> by resting it on bedposts \u2013 al karei ha-mitah<\/a><\/em>. \u00a0The Tanna<\/a> Kamma <\/em>rules that the sukkah<\/em> is fit for use; Rabbi Yehudah<\/a> rules that if the sukkah<\/em> cannot stand on its own it is disqualified.<\/p>\n

Several explanations are given that attempt to clarify the case of building a sukkah<\/em> al karei ha-mitah. <\/em>Most commentaries appear to accept the definition offered by the TalmudYerushalmi<\/a> that the bed is part of the sukkah<\/em> \u2013 in effect, the floor of the sukkah<\/em>. According to the Tosafot Ri”d<\/a>, we are talking about a case where the bed is so large that it is the size of a kosher sukkah<\/em>, and the s’khakh<\/a><\/em> is being placed on the four poles that extend up from the head and foot of the bed. A similar explanation has the bed acting as support<\/a> for the sukkah<\/em> on one side.<\/p>\n

The Ra’avad<\/a> disagrees, and offers an alternative understanding of the case in the Mishnah. He argues that the bed is not part of the structure of the sukkah<\/em> at all; it is merely near the supports for the sechach<\/em> which are leaning against it. The concern is that if the bed falls down or is removed, without the support offered by the bed the entire sukkah<\/em> may collapse. The Ramban<\/a> offers another approach, suggesting that we are talking about a case where the legs of the bed are ten tefachim<\/em> (handbreadths) high (i.e. the minimum height of a kosher sukkah<\/em>), and that the bed is turned over so that its legs are used to hold the sechach<\/em>. The concern in this case is that the bed might be removed by someone who wants to use it for its actual purpose.<\/p>\n

As far as Rabbi Yehuda’s position is concerned – that if the sukkah<\/em> cannot stand on its own it is disqualified \u2013 the Rosh<\/a> sees this comment as a clarification, rather than a disagreement with the position of the Tanna Kamma<\/em>. Other commentaries disagree, and according to them it is not clear whether halakha<\/a><\/em> follows the opinion of the Tanna Kamma<\/em> or that of Rabbi Yehuda.<\/p>\n

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Sukkah 22<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Our daf<\/em>\u00a0opens with a new Mishnah<\/a>, which teaches one of the most basic rules of a sukkah<\/a><\/em> \u2013 that its shade must be greater than the sunlight in the sukkah<\/em>. In that context we are taught that a sukkah meduvlelet<\/em> is kosher.<\/p>\n

What is a sukkah meduvlelet<\/em>?<\/p>\n

According to Rav<\/a> it is a “poor” sukkah<\/em> \u2013 aniyah<\/em> \u2013 i.e. one whose s’khakh<\/a><\/em> is not very thick.<\/p>\n

According to Shmuel<\/a> it is a “confused” sukkah<\/em> \u2013 mebulbelet<\/em> \u2013 i.e. one with some pieces of s’khakh<\/em> pointing upward and others downwards.<\/p>\n

Several of the commentaries feel a need to explain Rav’s position. If the sechach<\/em> is not very thick, but there is more shadow than sunlight, then the sukkah<\/em> is kosher. Why does a separate clause need to be added to the Mishnah to teach this obvious law?<\/p>\n