Sukkah 46 - August 22, 14 Elul

Study Guide Sukkah 46

Today’s daf is sponsored by Dodi Lamm in memory of her sister Judy Young, Yehudis Leiba bat Shprintza A’HS. “My sister’s whole life revolved around teaching Torah, being mekarev the disenchanted, and dedicating herself to her beautiful family. She had an abundance of energy and radiated that love of life to all those she encountered far and wide. Her motto was, ‘how can I make Hashem proud of me?’ We were all proud of her.” And by Mark and Debbie Ziering in memory of Mark’s mother, Lea bat Mazalta and Yosef on her yahrzeit. "Lea was a dignified woman who raised her family dedicated to the values of modesty and commitment to Judaism."

The gemara brings a difficulty from the Tosefta on the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan (according to Rabba Bar Bar Hanna) who held that one makes a blessing the sukkah all seven days and the lulav only one day. The Tosefta says the reverse. The gemara answers that regarding lulav, the Tosefta was referring to when the Temple was around and Rabbi yochanan was referring to after the Temple was dstroyed. Regarding sukkah, they say that there is a tanaitic dispute on the issue and they bring a braita regarding tefillin. Rabbi Yochanan holds like the other tanna. Various amoraim disagree regarding the lulav blessing on all other days (excluding the first day). Rav held that he blesses all seven days - some people learn this from his opinion on Hanukkah and some say that he said this directly about the lulav. In the Tosefta quoted above, it says that one should make a shehechiyanu when building the sukkah and when binding the lulav. Another braita is brought regarding shehechiyanu on building the sukkah. And Rav Kahana’s practice is brought that he would say it with Kiddush. When one has to do several mitzvot, does one make one blessing on all or separate blessings for each? Usually, an empty vessel can accept contents and a full one cannot but with Torah and mitzvot, it is the opposite. Only those who have learned, can hold more. And only who reviews can one hold more. There is a controversy between Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish: At what point can one benefit from one's etrog? How is our mishna used to question each opinion? Rabbi Zeira did not allow people to give a lulav to a child before performing the mitzvah on the first day because it is possible to give a gift to a child but the child is not able to return it as their action of passing on ownership is not considered in halakha. When can you enjoy lulav abroad when the eighth day is potentially also the seventh?