Sukkah 29

The Mishnah states that a dry lulav is invalid, and the Gemara explains that the reason why it is invalid is because the Torah requires that the four species be hadar, beautiful, and a dry lulav is not beautiful. The Yerushalmi states that the reason why a dry lulav is invalid is because it is said (Tehillim 115:17) the dead cannot praise HaShem. What is the connection between the four species and praising HaShem? It is said (Ibid 96:12-13) the field and everything in it will exult; then all the trees of the forest will sing with joy. Before HaShem, for He will have arrived, He will have arrived to judge the earth. The Medrash states that these verses allude to the idea that after the judgment of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, one takes the trees of the forest, i.e. the lulav. It is said that the trees of the forest will sing with joy, and this alludes to the idea that the lulav is used to praise HaShem. Additionally, Rabbeinu Bachye (Vayikra 23:40) writes that the four species are fresh and alive, and the Torah and its recipients are alive, and we take the four species that have life and we praise HaShem, Who is referred to as the Living G-d.

Sukkah 28

The Gemara states that Hillel had many great students, thirty of whom were worthy that the Divine Presence should rest on them like it did on Moshe our teacher. The Rashbam in Bava Basra 134a writes that the reason they did not have the Divine Presence rest on them was due to the sins of the generation.

We find in a few instances in the Gemara that one Amora referred to another Amora by the name Moshe, which implies that that Amora was comparable to Moshe in his generation. The Rambam writes (Hilchos Teshuvah 5:2) that anyone amongst the Jewish People has the potential to be as righteous as Moshe Rabbeinu. This is a sobering thought. Even in our generation, which is considered by many to be the lowest generation ever, one can strive to be as great as Moshe Rabbeinu. The Aruch writes that the Gemara in Sanhedrin states that animals do not have the concept of marriage. Nonetheless, the Torah accorded the animals in the times of Noach who did not cohabitate with other species the status of being married.

Rabbi Yaakov Galinsky zt”l said that this teaches us that someone in our generation who does not become influenced by the outside world could be as great as Rabbi Akiva Eiger in his generation. Let us take this lesson to heart during the High Holidays, as we each strive to become the best that we possibly can, and our efforts should lead us to inspire all those around us.

Sukkah 27

The Gemara states that Rabbi Yitzchak said that one is obligated to visit his teacher during the festival. This is derived from the verse that states why are you going to him today? It is neither a New Moon nor a Shabbos!
This verse was said regarding the woman from Shuneim, who Elisha had blessed with a child and then the child became ill and died. When the woman told her husband that she was returning to Elisha to inform him of the child’s demise, her husband, unaware of what had occurred, inquired why she was going to Elisha.

The Gemara states that the verse implies that on the New Moon and on Shabbos one is obligated to visit his teacher.
It would seem that the reason for this obligation is because the Zohar states that a Torah scholar is in the category of Shabbos. If one wishes to truly experience the Shabbos, he should visit his teacher on the Shabbos.
The Arizal writes that the essential obligation of one visiting his teacher is on Shabbos, because that is when a person has a neshama yeseira, an extra soul, for the whole Shabbos.

Sukkah 26

The Gemara states that the sleep of Dovid HaMelech was as long as a horse, and a horse’s nap is sixty respirations. The Zohar states that Dovid did not wish to sleep more than sixty respirations, because sleep is one sixtieth of death, and Dovid did not wish to taste death. Rabbi Yonasan Eibschutz writes in Ya’aros Devash that the Medrash states that when the angels observed Adam HaRishon, they wished to declare on him kadosh, the Holy One i.e. that he was g-dly and thus eternal. For this reason HaShem cast a slumber on Adam, to demonstrate to the angels that Adam was mortal and would eventually die. Nonetheless, had Adam not sinned by eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad, he would have lived forever. For this reason, writes Reb Yonasan, in the future there will only be day and no night, because the purpose of night in this world is for sleep, and in the future the righteous will not experience death. Since sleep is one sixtieth of death, in the future there will be no need for night.

Sukkah 25

The Gemara states that a woman can only be divorced through writing, not by the husband giving his wife money and stating that the money should effect the divorce. The Torah states in the Tochachah, the rebuke that Moshe delivered to the Jewish People, that the Jewish People will be sold to Egypt and there will be no willing buyers. HaShem is forewarning the Jewish People that he will return them ‘to their roots,’ i.e. Egypt, indicating that He wishes to divorce Himself from them, but there will be no one interested in purchasing the Jewish People. This is because a divorce cannot be effected through money. Only HaShem’s word can distance us from Him, and even then the prophet declares that HaShem never delivered a bill of divorce to the Jewish People. This idea demonstrates the great love that HaShem has for His Chosen Nation.

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The Gemara discusses the halacha of oseik bimitzvah patur min hamitzvah, one who is engaged in the performance of one mitzvah is exempt from performing another mitzvah. The question is raised with regard to Avraham Avinu who was receiving the Shechinah after he had been circumcised. When the angels came to visit him, Avraham left the Shechinah and went to attend to the guests. Why did Avraham not employ the principle of one who is engaged in one mitzvah, i.e. receiving the Shechinah, is exempt from performing another mitzvah, i.e. hosting the guests?

I heard from Rav Chaim Uri Freund Shlita that Rav Noach Weinberg zt”l asked this questions and Rav Noach suggested that when Avraham was engaged in receiving the Shechinah, he then became aware of the necessity of performing the mitzvah of greeting guests. It is noteworthy that the Gemara in Shabbos states that we derive from Avraham Avinu the principle that receiving guests is greater than receiving the Shechinah. The Gemara should have challenged this principle based on the idea that one who is engaged in one mitzvah is exempt from other mitzvos. The mitzvah of receiving the Shechinah appears to be the mitzvah of uledavka bo, one is obligated to cleave to HaShem. According to the Netziv in Heemek Davar, Avraham was engaged in loving HaShem and receiving the Shechinah, and he was performing the mitzvah of loving HaShem. The Netziv writes that when one is engaged in the mitzvah of loving HaShem, he is obligated to interrupt his thoughts and perform another mitzvah, because the mitzvah of loving HaShem has no time frame. This, the Netziv writes, is the meaning of the Gemara in Shabbos that states that hosting guests is greater than receiving the Shechinah. This means that the action of hosting guests overrides the mitzvah of loving HaShem which has no time frame (see Netziv further). Receiving guests can be a number of mitzvos, such as gemilus chasadim, performing an act of loving-kindness (Netziv) or even vehalachta bedrachav, one should emulate HaShem. Just as HaShem is compassionate, also you must be compassionate.

Sukkah 24

The Mishnah states that if one makes his Sukkah among the trees and the trees serve as walls for the Sukkah, the Sukkah is valid.

This statement can be interpreted homiletically to mean that a Sukkah, which symbolizes man’s frailty, should be built amongst the trees, i.e. the righteous, who are likened in Scripture to trees. When the spies returned from Eretz Yisroel with their disparaging report, Calev responded to them, “their protection has departed from them; HaShem is with us. Do not fear them.

The Medrash states that the protection of the Canaanites was Iyov, a righteous person, who had died. Thus, we see that the righteous are referred to as the protectors, and the righteous protect the nation just like a Sukkah provides shade for one dwelling inside. When one dwells in the Sukkah, he is not alone, because the Ushpizin, the seven righteous Patriarchs and leaders of the past, are also with him in the Sukkah.

Sukkah 23

The Gemara states that Rabbi Yehudah maintains that it is said the festival of Sukkos you shall make for yourself for seven days. This means that a Sukkah that is fit for seven days is considered a valid Sukkah, but a Sukkah that is not fit for all seven days of Sukkos is not considered to be a valid Sukkah. It is noteworthy that it is said on that day I will raise up the fallen booth (Sukkah) of Dovid. Furthermore, it is said for though the righteous one may fall seven times, he will arise. These two verses can be interpreted homiletically to mean that although the Sukkah, i.e. the righteous one, may fall seven times, in the future everyone will see that the fall of the righteous was not a true downfall. Rather, the fact that the righteous occasionally fall is a sign that they will be raised up in the future. This is alluded to in the verse regarding the construction of a Sukkah. One must build a Sukkah that is fit for seven days, i.e. one should be prepared to fall at certain times in life, but in the future HaShem will raise up the booth of Dovid, i.e. the righteous.

Sukkah 22

The Mishna and Gemara rule that a Sukkah that is covered as thick as a house, even if the stars cannot be seen from inside the Sukkah, the Sukkah is nonetheless valid.

Why is it preferred that one see the stars while dwelling inside the Sukkah?

There is a custom by Jewish weddings that the chuppah take place under the stars, because this symbolizes that the couple should bear children who are as many as the stars of the heavens.

The Vilna Gaon writes that the Clouds of Glory departed after the Jewish People sinned by fashioning the Golden Calf. HaShem forgave the Jewish People on Yom Kippur, and the Clouds of Glory returned on Sukkos. The Giving of the Torah is referred to as the marriage between HaShem and the Jewish People. Perhaps this is the reason why it is preferred that one dwells in a Sukkah beneath the stars. Sukkos symbolizes that HaShem retains His love for the Jewish People, and by dwelling beneath the stars, we are likened to the bride who stands with the groom under the chuppah.

Sukkah 21

The Gemara states that from the שיחה, the casual speech of Rabban Gamliel, we learn two things. One thing that we learn is that slaves are exempt from the mitzvah of Sukkah, and the second thing that we learn is that one who sleeps under a bed inside the Sukkah has not fulfilled his obligation. The Gemara wonders why we do not say that מדבריו, from the words of Rabban Gamliel, we learn these rulings. The Gemara answers that the word שיחה comes to teach us the statement that was said in the name of Rav, that even the casual speech of Torah scholars requires understanding, as it is said (Tehillim 1:3) וְעָלֵהוּ לֹא יִבּוֹל, and its leaf will not wither, implying that even the light words of the Torah scholar are not to be taken for granted. Rashi, in explaining the word שיחה, speech, writes לשון שיחת חולין ושמחה, an expression of idle chatter and joy. Why did Rashi find it necessary to add the word joy to the explanation of idle chatter?

Perhaps we can apply the Gemara’s teaching to the words of Rashi, i.e that the seemingly “idle words” of Rashi also require understanding. The Mishna was discussing the incident of Tevi, the slave of Rabban Gamliel, sleeping under the bed in the Sukkah. In Parashas Chaye Sara we find the narrative of Eliezer meeting Rivka repeated when Eliezer relates the entire incident to Rivka’s family. Rashi (Bereishis 24:42) writes that this teaches us that יפה שיחתן של עבדי אבות לפני המקום מתורתן של בנים, the “idle chatter” of the Patriarch’s slaves is more beautiful before HaShem than the Torah of the children, i.e the Torah that would be given in the future to the Jewish People. The Ramban (Introduction to the Book of Shemos) writes that the culmination of the redemption from Egypt was the completion of the Mishkan, where the Divine Presence reposed like in the days of the Patriarchs. Thus, the Mishkan was a reflection of the Divine Presence that was manifest in the tents of the Patriarchs, and Eliezer was the one who brought Rivka in to the tent of Sarah, where the Divine Presence always reposed.

We know (Shabbos 30b) that the Divine Presence only reposes where there is joy. This, then, is what Rashi is teaching us when he writes that idle chatter is joyous. The speech of Torah scholars, even what appears to be mundane, is filled with joy, and joy, a mitzvah in itself, is what allows for the Divine Presence to be manifest. It is further noteworthy that the discussion in the Mishna concerned a gentile slave, similar to Eliezer, servant of Avraham.

Sukkah 20

The Mishnah cites an incident regarding Tevi, the Canaanite slave of Rabban Gamliel, who would sleep under the bed in a Sukkah. Rabban Gamliel commented to the Chachamim that Tevi was a Torah scholar and he knew that a Canaanite slave is not obligated to dwell in a Sukkah, and therefore Tevi slept under the bed. One must wonder why if Tevi was exempt from sleeping in a Sukkah, he found it necessary to sleep under the bed inside the Sukkah. Tosfos, quoting the Yerushalmi, writes that Tevi slept under the bed to leave room for the Chachamim who were in the Sukkah and they were obligated to dwell in the Sukkah. The reason Tevi did not dwell outside the Sukkah is because Tevi sought to hear words of Torah from the Chachamim. The Medrash Tanchumah states that in the merit of Avraham offering the angels who visited him to recline under the tree, his descendants merited the mitzvah of Sukkah. The Gemara in Avodah Zara (3a) states that in the future when the gentiles request from HaShem that he offer them the Torah, HaShem will offer them the mitzvah of Sukkah, but when it will be too hot, the gentiles will kick the Sukkah and leave.

The words of the Gemara and the Medrash offer us a profound lesson in mitzvah observance. Although one may find it difficult to perform a mitzvah, one can learn from Tevi, who was not obligated in mitzvos that were dependent on time, yet he still dwelled in the Sukkah. Nonetheless, he was not attempting to perform the mitzvah properly. Rather, Tevi sought to hear words of Torah from the Chachamim. In the future, the gentiles will claim that they desire to come close to HaShem, but when HaShem offers them a simple mitzvah to perform, they quickly lose interest because of the difficulty involved.

This, then, is the meaning of the Medrash Tanchumah. Avraham was confined to his tent because of his recent circumcision, yet when he saw wayfarers, albeit pagans, Avraham still sought them out and invited them to recline under the tree. When HaShem saw that Avraham was willing to persevere even at a time when he was exempt from hosting guests, HaShem rewarded Avraham that his descendants would merit the mitzvah of Sukkah, where one can dwell in a Sukkah and engage in Torah study.