Succah 26a

סוכה כ״ו ע״א

Sukkah 26a

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Topic

Who is exempt from סוכה (מצוה-doers, travelers, guards, the sick and suffering), and the rules of casual eating and sleeping (סוכה 26a)

Overview

This עמוד continues the list of people who are exempt from סוכה. It starts with רבי שילא's view that only the חתן is exempt, and with רבי חנניא בן עקביא's ruling that scribes and sellers of holy items are exempt from other מצוות, based on העוסק במצוה פטור מן המצוה. Ordinary travelers and city guards are exempt only during the hours they travel or guard, but someone traveling for a מצוה is exempt even while resting. Guards of gardens and orchards are always exempt, and אביי and רבא give different reasons why. Next, the גמרא teaches that even a mildly sick person and his attendants are exempt. Then רבא's rule that a מצטער is exempt, though his attendants are not, is defended against the משנה. The גמרא then defines אכילת עראי and explains why even a short nap outside the סוכה is forbidden. That leads to a discussion of sleeping in תפילין, which continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (37)

1. Statementרבי שילא: only the חתן is exempt, not his wedding party
2. StatementScribes and sellers of holy items are exempt from other מצוות
3. StatementThe source principle: one busy with a מצוה is exempt from another
4. StatementTravelers are exempt from סוכה only during their travel time
5. StatementTravelers for a מצוה are exempt day and night
6. Proofרב חסדא and רבה בר רב הונא sleep by the river
7. StatementCity guards are exempt from סוכה during their guarding hours
8. StatementGarden and orchard guards are exempt day and night
9. ChallengeWhy not build a סוכה right in the garden?
10. Resolutionאביי: a סוכה must be like your home
11. Resolutionרבא: a guard sitting still invites thieves
12. QuestionWhat is the practical difference between them?
13. ResponseThe difference: guarding a pile of fruit
14. StatementEven a mildly sick person is exempt
15. Proofרבן שמעון בן גמליאל's eye pain in Caesarea
16. Proofרב allows sleeping under a canopy because of flies
17. Proofרבא allows sleeping outside because of a bad smell
18. Statementרבא's ruling follows his own rule about a person who is suffering
19. ChallengeChallenge: the משנה exempts only the sick
20. ResolutionAnswer: the difference is whether the attendants are exempt
21. QuestionHow much food counts as a casual meal?
22. Responseרב יוסף: two or three egg-sizes
23. Challengeאביי: that amount is often a full meal
24. Responseאביי: as much as a student eats before a lecture
25. Statementברייתא: casual eating is allowed outside the סוכה, but casual sleep is not
26. QuestionWhy is a nap different from a snack?
27. Responseרב אשי: a decree, in case he falls into deep sleep
28. ChallengeChallenge from napping while wearing tefillin
29. ResolutionAnswer: with tefillin he asks others to wake him
30. ChallengeThe one who wakes you needs someone to wake him
31. ResolutionHe sleeps with his head between his knees
32. Resolutionרבא: sleep has no 'short' category
33. ChallengeThree ברייתות disagree about sleeping in תפילין
34. ResolutionEach ברייתא describes a different situation
35. QuestionHow long is a brief nap?
36. ResponseThe time it takes to walk 100 cubits
37. ProofA supporting ברייתא about seminal emission during sleep