Sukkah

AND THEY SAID, ‘BRING THEM UP TO THE SUKKAH’, BUT WHEN THEY GAVE TO R. ZADOK FOOD LESS THAN THE BULK OF AN EGG, HE TOOK IT IN A TOWEL, ATE IT OUTSIDE THE SUKKAH, AND DID NOT SAY THE BENEDICTION AFTER IT. But if it was the bulk of an egg, must he needs [eat it in] the Sukkah? Should we say that this is a refutation of R. Joseph and Abaye?1 — Perhaps [it means that] less than the bulk of an egg does not necessitate washing of the hands2 and the benediction,3 but if it was the bulk of an egg, it necessitates washing of the hands and the benediction. 4 MISHNAH. R. ELIEZER SAID, A MAN IS OBLIGED TO EAT FOURTEEN MEALS IN THE SUKKAH,5 ONE ON EACH DAY AND ONE ON EACH NIGHT. THE SAGES HOWEVER SAY, THERE IS NO FIXED NUMBER6 EXCEPT ON THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE FESTIVAL ALONE.7 R. ELIEZER SAID IN ADDITION, IF A MAN DID NOT EAT IN THE SUKKAH ON THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE FESTIVAL, HE MAY MAKE UP FOR IT ON THE LAST NIGHT OF THE FESTIVAL,8 WHILE THE SAGES SAY, THERE IS NO COMPENSATION FOR THIS, AND OF THIS WAS IT SAID: THAT WHICH IS CROOKED CANNOT BE MADE STRAIGHT, AND THAT WHICH IS WANTING CANNOT BE NUMBERED.9 GEMARA. What is the reason of R. Eliezer? — Ye shall dwell10 implies just as you normally dwell. As in a [normal] abode [a man has] one [meal] by day and one by night, so in the Sukkah [he must have] one meal by day and one by night. And the Rabbis?11 — [They say that the implication10 is] like an abode. Just as in an abode a man eats if he desires and if he does not so desire he does not eat, so also with the Sukkah; if he desires he eats, and if he does not so desire he does not eat. But if so, [why should he not have the option] on the first night of the Festival also? R. Johanan answered in the name of R. Simeon b. Jehozadak, With regard to Sukkah it says, The fifteenth,12 and with regard to the Festival of Passover it says, The fifteenth.13 Just as there14 the first night only is obligatory15 but from then on it is optional,16 so here also the first night is obligatory,17 but from then on it is optional. And in the case of Passover whence do we know?18 -Since the verse says, At evening ye shall eat unleavened bread;19 Scripture thus establishes it20 as an obligation. R. ELIEZER SAID IN ADDITION. But did not R. Eliezer say that A MAN IS OBLIGED TO EAT FOURTEEN MEALS IN THE SUKKAH, ONE ON EACH DAY AND ONE ON EACH NIGHT?21 -Bira answered in the name of R. Ammi, R. Eliezer recanted [of his previous statement]. With what does one make up for it?22 If you will say with bread,23 is not one merely eating the [obligatory] meal of the festival day?24 — The fact is that by ‘make up is meant that one should make up with various kinds of desert.25 So it has also been taught:26 If he made up [for a meal he has missed] with various kinds of desert he fulfilled his obligation.27 The major domo of King Agrippa28 asked R. Eliezer, [A man] such as I am, who eat but one meal a day, may I eat one meal [in the Sukkah] and be free [of my obligation]? He answered him, Every day you draw out [the meal] with all kinds of dainties for your own honour, and now you cannot add one dainty for the honour of your Creator? He also asked him, [A man] such as I who have two wives, one in Tiberias and one in Sepphoris, and two Sukkahs, one in Tiberias and one in Sepphoris, may I go from one Sukkah to the other and29 thus be free from my obligation? He answered him, No! For I say that he who goes from one Sukkah to another annuls the ‘mizwah30 of the first. It has been taught: R. Eliezer says, eats before proceeding to college. will be discussed in the Gemara). of the commandment is guilty of adding to the commandments, how can that day compensate for the first? MGWJ. XIII 1881, p. 484 and Klein, Beitrage p. 66 n. 1.]