Friday, October 06, 2006

Daf Yomi - Sukkah 34- Highlights

1. The words brook willows refer to aravos that grow by a brook whereas a tzaftzafah grows in the mountains. (34a1)
2. Hashem desired that the Jewish People should be like an aravah that is taken from many waters but they made themselves to be like a tzaftzafah that grows in the mountains. (34a1)
3. An aravah has a red stem, a straight leaf, and its leaves are smooth, whereas a tzaftzafah has a white stem, rounded leaves and the edges of its leaves are serrated like a sickle. (34a2)
4. Rav Chisda maintained that three things had a change in name from when the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed, and they are the aravah, the shofar and the pesorsa, which is a table. The change in name of aravah and chilfa has relevance regarding the willows that are used together with the lulav. The practical difference between a shofar and chatzotzarta is regarding the shofar of Rosh Hashanah. The practical difference between pesorsa and pesora is regarding one who wishes to sell a table. Abaye maintains that a part of the stomach called the bei casei is now called huvlila and what was called huvlila is now called bei casei. The practical difference in this name change is regarding a needle that was discovered in the thick wall of the beis hakosos, the reticulum of an animal. Rava bar Yosef maintains that the place that was called Babylonia is now called Bursif and the place that was called Bursif is now called Babylonia, and the practical difference regarding these names is related to a bill of divorce. (34a2-34a3-34b1)
5. There is a dispute regarding the requirement of quantities for the taking of the four species. Rabbi Yishmael maintains that one must take three hadassim, two aravos, one lulav, and one esrog. The hadassim are valid even if two of the hadassim are clipped and there is only one hadas that is not clipped. Rabbi Tarfon, however, maintains that even if all three hadassim are clipped, they are valid. Rabbi Akiva maintains that one is only required to take one hadas and one aravah, similar to the requirement of taking one lulav and one esrog. (34b1)
6. We derive that the four species must all be taken together for one to fulfill the mitzvah, because it is said ulekachtem, and you shall take, which teaches us that it should be a lekicha tama, a complete taking. (34b2)
7. Shmuel maintained that the Halacha follows Rabbi Tarfon who rules that a clipped hadas is valid. Shmuel told the hadassim merchants that they should not raise the prices for hadassim and if they do, he would rule publicly like Rabbi Tarfon that clipped hadassim are valid. The Gemara attempts to prove from Shmuel’s threat that he ruled like Rabbi Tarfon, because otherwise Shmuel could have threatened the merchants with a ruling like Rabi Akiva, who maintains that one only requires a single hadas. The Gemara rejects this proof because although the ruling of Rabbi Akiva appears to be more lenient than that of Rabbi Tarfon, in truth the ruling of Rabbi Akiva is more stringent. The reason for this is because it is easier to find three clipped hadassim than to find one whole hadas. (34b2-34b3)

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