Talmud for Sukkah 1:1

HALAKHAH: “The fife five and six,” etc. Therefore the one of sacrifices supersedes¹Since it is emphasized that at the water-drawing festivity fifes may not be used, it is implied that on other occasions fifes may be played in the Temple on the Sabbath. Babli 51a.. The Mishnah is Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Jehudah’s, as it was stated: The fife accompanying the sacrifices supersedes the Sabbath²Playing a musical instrument on the Sabbath and holidays in general is rabbinically forbidden, so one should not be tempted to tune or repair the instrument, which would be a biblical infraction. Since it is stated in Eruvin Chapter 10 that in general rabbinic Sabbath prohibitions are not to be observed in the Temple, the burden of proof is on those authorities who deny the use of fifes in the Temple on a Sabbath., the words of Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Jehudah, but the Sages say, it supersedes neither the Sabbath nor the holiday. There we have stated³Mishnah Arakhin 2:3.: “On twelve days in the year the fife beats the time before the altar, at the sacrifice of the First Pesaḥ, the sacrifice of the Second Pesaḥ, on the first day of Passover, on the day of Pentecost, and on the eight days of Tabernacles.” Are there eight days without a Sabbath? Rebbi Yose said it anonymously, Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: It is Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Jehudah’s⁴Since the Mishnah implicitly states that fifes were used on the Sabbath in the week of Tabernacles.. In the opinion of those rabbis why does it not supersede? Because it is not clear⁵There is no biblical indication that fifes be used in Temple worship. A popular usage is no reason to disregard rabbinic prohibitions (i. e., popular restrictions) in the Temple.. But is it not written⁶1K. 1:40, a description of Solomon’s coronation., and the people blew fifes? That is written for Solomon’s festivity. Rebbi Jonah in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Mamal: And heartfelt joy like one marching with a fife⁷Is. 30:29. The verse starts with a reference to song of the night starting the holiday, referring to the recital of Hallel in the Passover night, as explained in Jonathan’s paraphrase of the verse. Therefore the verse shows that the combination of playing the fife and reciting the Hallel is traditional.. Any time one uses a fife one recites the Hallel. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Mamal: Why does one recite Hallel all seven days of Tabernacles⁸In contrast to Passover, where Hallel is recited (and therefore the fife played) only on the first day. (Later practice to recite a truncated form of Hallel on these days is a Babylonian peculiarity unknown to and irrelevant for Galilean sources.)? Corresponding to the lulav which is renewed all seven days⁹Because it frequently needs new willow branches and occasionally also new myrtle branches.. And why a fife for all these things? We have stated, for one is at stated times and the other is at stated times; this is beloved and that is beloved. They attached the beloved to the beloved. “On Pentecost one says to him, here you have maṣsah, here you have leavened.¹⁰Mishnah 1:10.” There are Tannaim who state, here you have leavened, [here you have maṣsah.]¹¹Corrector’s addition, unnecessary since the question is which of the breads, the azyme shew-bread or the leavened two extra loaves of Pentecost (Lev. 23:17) are distributed first. He who said, here you have maṣsah, because it is beloved; he who said, here you have leavened, because it is frequent¹²Even though this text is repeated in Halakhah 5:8, it seems that text should read that maṣsah is frequent, and therefore leavened bread better liked. In fact the two breads of Pentecost are the only leavened breads permitted in the Temple area during the entire year and it is a general principle that in the Temple service the more frequent must have precedence over the less frequent..

HALAKHAH: “One who sleeps under the bed,” etc. There, we have stated:⁵Mishnah 1:4. “But one may spread it over single posts of the bed.” And here he says so⁶What is the difference between sleepimg under a mosquito net and sleeping under a bed?? Rebbi Eliezer said, there he and his toga are under the sukkah, but here he and his (bed) [toga] are under the (sukkah) [bed]⁷For R. Eliezer read R. Eleazar.
There are two versions here. The scribe's sentence is: but here he and his bed are under the sukkah, the corrector’s sentence is: but here he and his toga are under the bed. The scribe’s version notes that the mosquito net is no different from a nightgown, but the bed represents a flat roof of the space under it and therefore the person sleeping under the bed is under the bed which is under the sukkah, not under the sukkah. The corrector’s version expresses the same idea in a more complicated way.. The argument of Rebbi Jehudah seems inverted. There⁸We do not know where R. Jehudah said this explicitly but it is generally accepted as doctrine of R. Tarphon (Pesaḥim3:7, Note 142, Ḥagigah1:7; Babli Qiddušin40b, Bava Qamma17a; Sifry Deut. 41, Cant. rabba2:14, Mekhilta dR. Simeon ben Ioḥai19:17 p. 100), a teacher of R. Jehudah. he said, action has precedence over study, and here he says so? Rebbi Jehudah thinks that one sleeping under the bed is like the one sleeping under the sukkah⁹The question presupposes that R. Jehudah agreed that one may not sleep under a bed, only he was taught that listening to the Elders in order to learn from them was so meritorious that it overrides the biblical obligation. This is wrong; R. Jehudah holds that one satisfies the obligation to live in the sukkah by staying there, even under the bed.. So much more is Rebbi Jehudah’s argument inverted, as we have stated there10, “[Rebbi Jehudah says,] if there are no dwellers in the upper one the lower is qualified.” Therefore if there are dwellers in the upper one the lower is disqualified. Rebbi Yose said, there is another space, but here there is no other space¹¹Since there is only one roofing, the argument of the preceding Note is invalid..

HALAKHAH: “An alley which is higher than twenty,” etc. ³⁵The same text also is the introduction to Tractate Sukkah1:1 (ס). Rebbi Yose said it without attribution, Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rav: The rabbis inferred it from the door of the Sanctuary, but Rebbi Jehudah inferred it from the door of the Hall³⁶The rabbis hold that one does not realize that a beam is there to indicate a door if it is higher than 10 cubits since the entrance door to the Herodian Temple was 10 cubits. R. Jehudah disputes this since the inner door between the antechamber and the main room, visible only to the officiating priests, was larger. The biblical accounts of Solomon’s Temple (1K. 6:2–3, 2Chr. 3:3–4) do not give measurements of the doors. Babli 2a.. An argument from the door of the Hall is sufficient only up to forty cubits, as we have stated there³⁷Mishnah Middot 3:4.: “The door of the Hall was forty cubits high and twenty cubits wide.” Rebbi Ḥiyya stated, even forty or fifty cubits; Bar Qappara stated, even a hundred cubits³⁸He disputes any connection with Temple measurements since R. Jehudah rejects height limitations in general. Babli 2b.. Rebbi Abin said, Rebbi Jehudah follows his opinion and the rabbis follow their opinion, as we have stated there³⁹Mishnah 9:5., “and similarly one carries under panelled bridges on the Sabbath, the words of Rebbi Jehudah, but the Sages forbid it.⁴⁰The bridge is supported by a structure of beams underneath with beams running lengthwise on both sides. R. Jehudah holds that the boundary of the space below the bridge is clearly indicated if there are virtual walls hanging down from the beams enclosing the space which therefore assumes the role of a house. The rabbis accept only real walls.” As you are saying there, one considers the cross-beam⁴¹Greek μέλαθρον, τό. This is a substantial load-carrying beam used in construction. as if it came down⁴²As a virtual wall, Note 40. and closed, here also one considers the roof as if it came down and closed. This is the opinion of Rebbi Jehudah in the case of a sukkah, this is his opinion in the case of an alley. Also the opinion of the rabbis in the case of a sukkah is their opinion in the case of an alley. But they do not compare⁴³The fact that the rabbis take 20 cubits as upper height limit for both the entrance to an alleyway and a sukkah is accidental since the rules in both cases diverge widely.. There are items qualified for a sukkah which are disqualified for an alley and those qualified for an alley but disqualified for a sukkah. Double pointed stakes⁴⁴Greek δίκρανον, τό. are qualified for a sukkah but disqualified for an alley, and it was stated thus: If he brought four double pointed stakes and thatched over them it is qualified as a sukkah⁴⁵One may make a sukkah by putting up four poles carrying a frame on which one thatches a roof on condition that the poles qualify as walls, i. e., each of them is at least 4 hand-breadths wide. Otherwise one would have to make makeshift walls between the poles as described in Mishnah 9. but disqualified for an alley⁴⁶The poles carrying the cross beam may not be much higher than the walls of the alley (or the cross beam cannot be fastened to the tops of the poles, Babli 9a top).. That is, if they are higher by more than three [hand-breadths] than the walls of the alley. But if they are not higher by more than three [hand-breadths] than the walls of the alley it is qualified. If they are not, but if they are four [hand-breadths] wide they are qualified even if arbitrarily high⁴⁷If a pole qualifies as a wall it is clear that it may be 20 cubits high for the rabbis and arbitrarily high for R. Jehudah.. Walls may be qualified for a sukkah but disqualified for an alley, and it was stated thus: “Two regular and the third even one hand-breadth is qualified⁴⁸Tosephta Sukkah 1:13. A sukkah must be at least 10 hand-breadths high and the sides have to be at least 7 hand-breadths wide..” Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Two of four hand-breadths each and the third even one hand-breadth is qualified⁴⁹As explained in Mishnah 9, a space of slightly less that 3 hand-breadths is disregarded. Therefore a wall qualifies as being 7 hand-breadths wide if the actual material wall extends to slightly more than 4 hand-breadths.. But for an alley only if it is closed in its four directions⁵⁰It must have three actual walls and a symbolic door on the fourth side.. Wider than ten cubits is qualified for a sukkah but disqualified for an alley⁵¹Mishnah 1 for the alley. There are no limitations on the surface area covered by a sukkah.. “If he drew a vine or squash.⁵²This may refer either to Mishnah Sukkah 1:4 or to Tosephta Eruvin 1:7; shortened to leave out all of the argument. The thatched roof of a sukkah must be vegetal material not connected to the ground. Therefore vine or squash are disqualified to be used for thatching. But a vine growing in an arch over the entrance of an alley is as good as a beam to mark the entrance.” That means, up to an area of two bet se’ah. But more than an area of two bet se’ah it is a partition made for agriculture where one may transport only four cubits⁵³A vine used to designate the entrance to an alley may be used only if the total area of the alley does not exceed 5’000 square cubits since this is the maximal size of farming or ranching corrals permitted for Sabbath use. Babli 23b.. If its sunshine is more than its shadow it is disqualified as sukkah⁵⁴Mishnah Sukkah 1:1. Since alleys usually have no roof, they are not expected to provide shade. but qualified for an alley. A roofed sukkah is disqualified, a roofed alley is qualified⁵⁵The essence of a sukkah is its makeshift thatched roof; it is not a sukkah if it has a waterproof roof. But if the entrance to an alley passes under a permanent roof at least 4 hand-breadths wide it does not need any other sign at the entrance. If the alley is open at both ends and one end is roofed, it is considered a dead-end alley. Cf. S. Liebermann, Tosephta ki-Fshutah part 3, p. 309, on Tosephta 1:7.. Rebbi Immi in the name of Rav Oshaia:⁵⁶It is difficult to decide between this reading, quoting Babylonians, and ס “R. Aḥa in the name of R. Hoshaia”, quoting Galileans. In the Babli 3a the rule is given in the name of other Babylonian Amoraim. Not only roofed, but if he put there a cross beam four hand-breadths wide, it makes the alley permitted⁵⁷A cross-beam 4 hand-breadths wide is a roof and not subject to any restrictions imposed on beams or laths in order to permit carrying in an alley..