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Succah 43b

סוכה מ״ג ע״ב

Sukkah 43b

Learn Succah 43b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Why the ערבה in the מקדש overrides שבת on the seventh day, and why it does not override שבת today

Overview

This amud opens by finishing the source that a person must sit in the סוכה at night as well as by day, through a גזירה שוה from the word "תשבו" in the מילואים. Then the גמרא turns to the משנה's rule that the ערבה in the מקדש overrides שבת on the seventh day. רבי יוחנן explains that this publicizes that the ערבה is a Torah-level מצוה. A chain of challenges then explains why the לולב does not do the same, why the ערבה is not blocked by a decree, and why it overrides on the seventh day and not every day, the first day, or a middle day. Next the גמרא asks why the ערבה does not override שבת today. In בבל the reason is doubt about the calendar, and travelers from ארץ ישראל disagree about whether the seventh day even falls on שבת there. רב יוסף suggests the ערבה מצוה was only standing the branches by the מזבח, but אביי challenges him. A ברייתא about the בייתוסין then refutes רב יוסף and shows the ערבה was taken in hand. The amud ends with a new answer, that ארץ ישראל matches the practice of חוץ לארץ. That answer is challenged from the first day of סוכות, and the discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

״תֵּשְׁבוּ״ ״תֵּשְׁבוּ״ — לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה.

"You shall sit," "you shall sit": for a verbal analogy.

נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ״תֵּשְׁבוּ״,

It is said here "you shall sit,"

וְנֶאֱמַר בְּמִלּוּאִים ״תֵּשְׁבוּ״.

and it is said about the inauguration "you shall sit."

מָה לְהַלָּן — ״יָמִים״ וַאֲפִילּוּ לֵילוֹת,

Just as there, "days" means even nights,

The steps (36)

  1. StatementNights in the סוכה learned from the מילואים
  2. StatementQuoting the משנה about the ערבה for seven days
  3. QuestionWhy does the seventh-day ערבה override שבת?
  4. ResponseTo publicize that the willow is a Torah מצוה
  5. ChallengeThen the לולב should also override שבת
  6. ResolutionThe לולב is restricted by רבה's decree
  7. ChallengeThen decree on the willow as well
  8. ResolutionCourt agents bring the ערבה; the לולב is up to everyone
  9. ChallengeThen the ערבה should override שבת every day
  10. ResolutionPeople would doubt the importance of the לולב
  11. ChallengeThen let the willow override on the first day
  12. ResolutionOn the first day the message would be lost
  13. ChallengeWhy not one of the middle days?
  14. ResolutionMoved from the first, placed on the seventh
  15. ChallengeThen why not override שבת nowadays?
  16. ResolutionWe don't know the exact calendar
  17. ChallengeThose who know the calendar should do it
  18. Resolutionבר הדיא: It never falls on שבת
  19. Statementרבין: It does happen, but they don't override
  20. ChallengeThen the question returns
  21. ResolutionMaybe the ערבה מצוה is standing it by the מזבח
  22. Challengeאביי: the משנה pairs לולב and ערבה, so both are taken in hand
  23. ResolutionEach מצוה keeps its own method
  24. Challengeאביי: they circled the altar with the willow
  25. ResolutionNo, they circled with the לולב
  26. ChallengeBut רב נחמן said it was with the willow
  27. ResolutionHe says ערבה, I say לולב
  28. StatementThe אמוראים disagree: לולב or ערבה
  29. Statementרבא reports רבי אלעזר's view through רבה בר בר חנה
  30. Challengeאביי opens a challenge from the story of the בייתוסין
  31. ChallengeEnd of the story: the branches are rescued and stood by the altar
  32. ChallengeThe inference: the willow מצוה is done by taking it
  33. Conclusionרב יוסף is refuted
  34. ChallengeSo why not override שבת for the ערבה today?
  35. ResolutionSince we in the Diaspora don't, they don't either
  36. ChallengeBut on the first day of סוכות, practice differs