Succah 37b

סוכה ל״ז ע״ב

Sukkah 37b

Learn Succah 37b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Laws of taking, holding and smelling the ארבעה מינים, and where and why the לולב is waved

Overview

The עמוד opens by finishing a proof from a משנה in מסכת פרה: tipping ashes into water through a tube still counts, so לקיחה על ידי דבר אחר שמה לקיחה. This supports רבא, who allows holding the לולב through a cloth. Next, רבה gives a series of practical rulings about the ארבעה מינים. Twice he warns that loose leaves inside the bundle may be a חציצה, and twice רבא answers that מין במינו אינו חוצץ. רבה also rules on smelling: one may not smell a הדס set aside for the מצוה, but one may smell the אתרוג, and on שבת an attached הדס may be smelled while an attached אתרוג may not. He then rules that the לולב goes in the right hand and the אתרוג in the left. רבי זריקא explains that the ברכה names only the לולב because the palm is the tallest of the species. A new משנה follows, listing where in הלל the לולב is waved. בית הלל and בית שמאי disagree about הצליחה נא, and רבי עקיבא's report supports בית הלל. The גמרא explains how waving is done and gives two reasons for it: praising the Owner of the world, or holding back harmful winds and dews. A final lesson from this begins here and continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (29)

1. ProofInference from the משנה: if he poured the ashes in himself, it is valid
2. ChallengeWhy should it be valid if the Torah requires taking and placing?
3. ProofConclusion: taking through another object counts as taking
4. Statementרבה: do not push the לולב into the bundle after it is tied
5. Statementרבא: the same species is not a barrier
6. Statementרבה: do not trim the לולב while it is in the bundle
7. Statementרבא again: the same species is not a barrier
8. Statementרבה: smelling the מצוה הדס is forbidden, smelling the מצוה אתרוג is allowed
9. QuestionWhat is the reason for the difference?
10. ResponseEach species is set aside only from its main use
11. StatementSmelling an attached הדס versus an attached אתרוג
12. QuestionAsking for the reason behind the difference
13. ResponseSmelling does not lead to cutting a הדס, but it may lead to picking an אתרוג
14. Statementלולב in the right hand, אתרוג in the left
15. QuestionAsking why the לולב gets the right hand
16. ResponseThree מצוות outrank one
17. QuestionWhy the ברכה names only the לולב
18. ResponseBecause the לולב is the highest
19. ChallengeThen just raise the אתרוג higher
20. ResolutionThe palm tree is the tallest of the species
21. Statementמשנה: where in הלל the לולב is waved, according to בית הלל
22. Statementבית שמאי add waving at הצליחה נא
23. Proofרבי עקיבא's eyewitness report
24. ChallengeWho mentioned waving at all?
25. ResolutionThe משנה builds on an earlier משנה
26. StatementHow the שבועות loaves and lambs are waved
27. Statementרבי יוחנן: the waving honors the Owner of the world
28. StatementIn the West: the waving holds back harmful winds and dews
29. Statementרבי יוסי בר אבין begins to draw a lesson