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Succah 26b

סוכה כ״ו ע״ב

Sukkah 26b

Learn Succah 26b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Succah 26b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Sleeping in תפילין, limits on daytime sleep, and eating small amounts in the סוכה

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a ברייתא about sleeping in תפילין. The חכמים allow a short nap (שינת עראי) in תפילין, about the time it takes to walk 100 אמות, but not real sleep. The word 'sleep' leads to רב's rule that no one should sleep during the day longer than a horse sleeps, which is sixty breaths. אביי traces this practice back through great people to דוד המלך, and רב יוסף rebukes אביי for napping longer. The גמרא then returns to תפילין: רבי נתן allows keeping them on for a daytime nap but not at night, and רבי יוסי says young men must always remove them. אביי explains that רבי יוסי's worry is relations with their wives, not impurity itself, and a ברייתא says to wash hands before touching תפילין after such a lapse. A new משנה tells how רבן יוחנן בן זכאי and רבן גמליאל ate even small foods in the סוכה, while רבי צדוק ate a tiny snack outside it. The גמרא asks why a story would contradict the rule. It answers that the משנה is missing a line: a person may be strict with himself without it counting as יוהרא. The supporting story continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְאֵינוֹ אוֹחֵז בַּקְּצִיצָה,

and he does not hold the box (of the tefillin),

דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב.

these are the words of Rabbi Yaakov.

וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים:

And the Sages say:

יָשֵׁן אָדָם בִּתְפִילִּין שֵׁינַת עֲרַאי,

a person may sleep with tefillin a brief nap,

The steps (20)

  1. StatementEnd of רבי יעקב's opinion: hold the strap, not the box
  2. StatementThe חכמים: a short nap in תפילין is fine, real sleep is not
  3. QuestionHow long is a short nap?
  4. ResponseA short nap is the time to walk 100 cubits
  5. Statementרב: don't sleep during the day longer than a horse sleeps
  6. QuestionHow long does a horse sleep?
  7. ResponseSixty breaths
  8. Statementאביי's chain: great people who slept like a horse
  9. Statementאביי slept for the length of a short walk
  10. Challengeרב יוסף criticizes אביי with a verse about the lazy person
  11. StatementSleeping in תפילין: day versus night
  12. Statementרבי יוסי: young men must always remove them
  13. ChallengeDoes רבי יוסי forbid תפילין to one who had an emission?
  14. Resolutionאביי: the worry is young men sleeping with their wives
  15. StatementWash hands before removing תפילין after relations
  16. StatementNew משנה: sages bring even small foods to the סוכה
  17. Statementרבי צדוק eats a tiny snack outside the סוכה
  18. ChallengeWhy tell a story that contradicts the rule?
  19. ResolutionThe משנה is missing words: being strict is allowed
  20. ProofThe story re-read as support for being strict