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Succah 41b

סוכה מ״א ע״ב

Sukkah 41b

Learn Succah 41b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Succah 41b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The end of the יום הנף discussion, and the new משנה on the first day of סוכות falling on שבת: the need to own your לולב, the gift rule, and love of מצוות.

Overview

The עמוד opens by finishing a discussion about new grain (חדש). רבן יוחנן בן זכאי forbade eating it all of יום הנף, and the גמרא explains that this follows רבי יהודה's Torah-level reading of 'עד עצם היום הזה.' A ברייתא seems to show רבי יהודה arguing with him. The גמרא answers that רבי יהודה misunderstood him, and that 'הִתְקִין' means he expounded the פסוק and made it public practice. Then a new משנה begins. When the first day of סוכות falls on שבת, everyone brings his לולב to the בית הכנסת beforehand, because on the first day a person must use his own לולב. רבי יוסי adds that someone who forgot it was שבת and carried his לולב out is פטור. The גמרא learns the ownership rule from 'וּלְקַחְתֶּם' and 'לָכֶם', and shows it in action with four חכמים on a ship passing one לולב to each other as a gift. From that story it learns that a gift given on condition of return is a real gift, and רבא adds that the gift counts only if the item is actually returned. The גמרא then praises love of מצוות: אמימר prayed holding his לולב, a מצוה object does not distract a person during תפילה, and the people of ירושלים carried their לולב almost everywhere. At the end the גמרא returns to רבי יוסי's ruling, and אביי's comment on it continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

״עַד עֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה״

"Until this very day"

— עַד עִיצּוּמוֹ שֶׁל יוֹם,

means until the essence (full body) of the day,

וְקָסָבַר ״עַד״ וְעַד בַּכְּלָל.

and he holds that "until" means until and including.

וּמִי סָבַר לֵיהּ כְּווֹתֵיהּ?

And does he really hold like him?

The steps (25)

  1. StatementThe verse forbids new grain for the whole day
  2. ChallengeA ברייתא shows רבי יהודה arguing with רבן יוחנן בן זכאי
  3. Resolutionרבי יהודה misunderstood רבן יוחנן בן זכאי
  4. ChallengeBut the word 'הִתְקִין' sounds rabbinic
  5. Resolution'הִתְקִין' means he expounded and then set the practice
  6. StatementWhen the first day falls on שבת, everyone brings their לולב to shul beforehand
  7. StatementOn the first day you must use your own לולב
  8. Statementרבי יוסי: carrying the לולב by mistake on שבת is פטור
  9. QuestionWhere do we learn that you need your own לולב?
  10. ResponseLearning the rule from 'וּלְקַחְתֶּם' and 'לָכֶם'
  11. StatementThe practical rule: a friend's לולב works only as a gift
  12. StatementThe story begins: four חכמים on a ship with one לולב
  13. StatementPassing the לולב from one חכם to the next as a gift
  14. QuestionWhy mention that רבי עקיבא returned it?
  15. ResponseA gift given on condition it be returned is a real gift
  16. Proofרבא: an אתרוג given on condition of return, and what happens if it is not returned
  17. QuestionWhy mention the thousand-זוז price?
  18. ResponseTo show how beloved מצוות were to them
  19. Statementאמימר prayed holding the לולב
  20. ChallengeChallenge: one may not pray holding objects
  21. ResolutionA מצוה object does not distract
  22. ProofThe people of ירושלים carried their לולב everywhere
  23. QuestionWhy does the ברייתא give so many details?
  24. ResponseThe details show how eager they were to do מצוות
  25. StatementBack to the משנה: רבי יוסי's ruling, and אביי begins to comment