Commentary for Sanhedrin 20:3

הדא אמרה ספסל אין בו משום כפיית המיטה. כהן גדול חייב בכפיית המיטה. תני אין מוציאין את המת סמוך לקרית שמע אלא אם כן הקדימו שעה אחת או איחרו שעה אחת כדי שיקראו ויתפלל. והתנינן קברו את המת וחזרו תיפתר באינון דהוון סברין דאית בה ענה ולית בה ענה. תני ההספד וכל העסוקין בהספד מפסיקין לקרית שמע ולא לתפילה. מעשה היה והפסיקו רבותינו לקרית שמע ולתפילה.

הדא אמרה ספסל אין בו משום כפיית המיטה. כהן גדול חייב בכפיית המיטה. תני אין מוציאין את המת סמוך לקרית שמע אלא אם כן הקדימו שעה אחת או איחרו שעה אחת כדי שיקראו ויתפלל. והתנינן קברו את המת וחזרו תיפתר באינון דהוון סברין דאית בה ענה ולית בה ענה. תני ההספד וכל העסוקין בהספד מפסיקין לקרית שמע ולא לתפילה. מעשה היה והפסיקו רבותינו לקרית שמע ולתפילה. Rabbi Eliezer says: One is obligated to eat fourteen meals in the sukkah, one in the morning, and one at night [on each of the seven days of the festival]. And the Sages say: the matter does not have a dictated amount, except on the first nights of the festival [when there is an obligation to have a meal]. And Rabbi Eliezer also said: One who did not eat [a meal in the sukkah] on the first night of the festival can compensate [for his obligation by having a meal] on the last night of the festival. And the Sages say: in such a matter there is no compensating; regarding this it was said: (Ecclesiastes 1:15) "That which is defective cannot be amended, and the deficiency cannot be counted." What is Rabbi Eliezer's reason? It is said here "sit". And it says later (Leviticus 8:35): "And you shall sit at the door of the tent of meeting day and night." Just as sitting later [the tent] the nights are like the days, so too here the nights are like the days. Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Yishmael: It is written (Leviticus 23:6) "the fifteenth" in Pesach, and it is written (Leviticus 23:34) "the fifteenth" in Sukkot. Just as "the fifteenth" in Pesach means that the first night is obligatory [to eat matza], and afterwards is optional; so too here "the fifteenth" means that the first night is obligatory [to eat in the Sukkah], and afterwards is optional. and said, “O Carob, O Carob, if the law is according to their words, uproot yourself,” but it did not uproot itself. “If the law is according to my words, uproot yourself,” and it uprooted itself. “If the law is according to them, return,” and it did not return. “If the law is according to my words, return,” and it returned. All this praise and the law is not according to Rabbi Eliezer? Rabbi Hanania said, “When it was given, it was given only such that incline after the majority” (Exodus 23:2). But did not Rabbi Eliezer know incline after the majority (Exodus 23:2)? He became angry only because they burned his purities in front of him. We learned there: If cut it (an oven) into segments and placed sand between the segments, Rabbi Liezer rules that it is pure and the sages rule that it is impure. This is the oven of Akhnai. Rabbi Yirmiyah said, “A great burning occurred on that day. Every place that Rabbi Eliezer cast his eye was burned. Not only that but even one grain of wheat, half of it [that he looked upon] was blighted and half of it [that he did not look upon] was not blighted.” And the columns of the assembly house were trembling. Rabbi Yehoshua said to them, “If the sages are fighting, what care is it of yours?” A heavenly voice went forth and said, “the law accords with my son Eliezer.” Rabbi Yehoshua said, “It is not in heaven” (Deuteronomy 30:12). Rabbi Kerispa, Rabbi Yohanan in the name of Rabbi said, “If someone says to me, ‘thus teaches Rabbi Eliezer,’ then I teach according to his words. But the Tannaim change [the names and attribute Eliezer’s opinions to others].” Once he (Eliezer) was passing through a market and he saw a woman cleaning her house, and she threw it out and it fell on his head. He said, “it seems that today my colleagues will bring me near (i.e. forgive me), as it is written, “He lifts up the needy from the refuse heap” (Psalm 113:7).

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