Succah 52a

סוכה נ״ב ע״א

Sukkah 52a

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Topic

Separating men and women at the שמחת בית השואבה, the future הספד in זכריה, and a series of אגדות about the power and names of the יצר הרע.

Overview

This amud opens with a פסוק in זכריה about a great הספד in the future, where men and women mourn separately. From it the חכמים build a קל וחומר: if men and women are separated even during mourning, when the יצר הרע is weak, they must surely be separated at the joyous שמחת בית השואבה. The גמרא then asks what that future הספד is for. One view says it is for משיח בן יוסף, who is killed. The other says it is for the יצר הרע, and רבי יהודה explains that the righteous and the wicked will both weep when it is slaughtered, each for a different reason. Next the גמרא gathers teachings about the יצר הרע. It starts thin like a spider's thread and becomes strong like wagon ropes, and it has seven names given by God and the נביאים. A ברייתא on a פסוק in יואל describes the damage it has done, and אביי adds that it attacks תלמידי חכמים most of all. A story about אביי leads to the famous rule כל הגדול מחבירו יצרו גדול הימנו. The amud ends as רבי יצחק begins to teach that a person's יצר grows strong against him every day, and his proof continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. ProofThe verse about separate mourning in the future
2. ConclusionAll the more so during celebration
3. QuestionWhat is the future mourning for?
4. ResponseTwo views: משיח בן יוסף or the יצר הרע
5. ChallengeWhy cry when the יצר הרע dies?
6. ResolutionRighteous and wicked both weep at the יצר הרע's slaughter
7. ProofEven הקדוש ברוך הוא wonders with them
8. StatementThe evil inclination starts thin and grows strong
9. StatementGod invites משיח בן דוד to ask for anything
10. Statementמשיח בן דוד asks only for life
11. ProofGod answers that דוד המלך already prophesied it
12. StatementThe evil inclination has seven names, and God called it evil
13. Proofמשה called it uncircumcised
14. Proofדוד called it impure
15. Proofשלמה called it enemy
16. ConclusionGod will make peace between you and the evil inclination
17. ProofFifth name: ישעיה calls it a stumbling block
18. ProofSixth name: יחזקאל calls it stone
19. ProofSeventh name: יואל calls it the hidden one
20. StatementA teaching explains why it is called the hidden one
21. StatementGod will banish it to a place with no people
22. StatementIt destroyed both Temples and killed the scholars in them
23. StatementIt leaves the nations alone and targets the Jewish people
24. Statementאביי: it attacks Torah scholars most of all
25. Proofאביי follows a man and woman to prevent sin
26. Proofאביי realizes he could not have held back, and is distressed
27. ConclusionAn elder: the greater the person, the greater his evil inclination
28. StatementA person's inclination overpowers him every day