Succah 45b

סוכה מ״ה ע״ב

Sukkah 45b

Learn Succah 45b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Three teachings of רבי שמעון בן יוחי (via רבי ירמיה): adding a day to the festival (איסור חג), using מצוה objects דרך גדילתן (in the way they grow), and רשב״י's merit that protects the whole world.

Overview

The amud opens with the פסוק "אסרו חג בעבותים" and reads it as a source for celebrating a festive add-on day after the חג, which is credited like bringing a קרבן. More teachings of רבי שמעון בן יוחי follow through the same chain. מצוה objects must be used דרך גדילתן, learned from "עצי שטים עומדים", and a ברייתא adds two more readings of that word. רשב״י also describes how his merit can protect the world, and says the truly elevated are very few. The גמרא challenges this from רבא (18,000) and אביי (36) and answers by describing higher and higher levels of closeness to the שכינה. Back in the משנה, the גמרא explains that the people thanked ה׳ and praised the מזבח as two separate things. It then gives two reasons for רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה's palm branches: the plural כפות, and רבי לוי's image of ישראל's one heart. Finally, שמואל, רבה בר בר חנה and רבין disagree about how many days the ברכה on לולב and סוכה is said. רב יוסף tells us to follow רבה בר בר חנה, and a ברייתא challenging that view begins at the end of the amud and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (26)

1. StatementAdding a festive day counts like bringing an offering
2. Statementמצוה objects must be held the way they grow
3. ProofA ברייתא supports the 'way they grow' reading
4. StatementSecond reading: the beams hold up their plating
5. StatementThird reading: the beams last forever
6. Statementרשב״י's merit can protect the whole world
7. StatementThe truly elevated are very few
8. ChallengeChallenge: רבא counts eighteen thousand
9. ResolutionTwo levels: the clear view and the less clear view
10. ChallengeChallenge: אביי counts thirty-six
11. ResolutionWith permission or without permission
12. StatementBack to the משנה: what they said when leaving
13. ChallengeChallenge: joining ה׳ with something else
14. ResolutionTwo separate praises
15. StatementBack to the משנה: as on a weekday
16. QuestionWhat is רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה's source?
17. Responseכפות means two
18. StatementThe רבנן read it as one branch
19. Responseרבי לוי: ישראל has one heart, like the date palm
20. Statementשמואל: ברכה on לולב seven days, on סוכה one day
21. ResponseWhy שמואל ruled this way: nights split the days
22. Statementרבה בר בר חנה: סוכה seven days, לולב one day
23. ResponseWhy: סוכה is from the תורה, לולב is דרבנן
24. Statementרבין's report: both get a ברכה all seven days
25. Conclusionרב יוסף: follow רבה בר בר חנה, who is confirmed on סוכה
26. ChallengeThe גמרא introduces an objection from a ברייתא