Sukkah

‘Ye shall dwell’ in order to point an analogy. It is stated here,1 Ye shall dwell,2 and with regard to the [seven days of] investment it is also stated, ‘Ye shall dwell’,3 so that just as in that case the word ‘days’ includes also the nights, so here also ‘days’ includes the nights. THE WILLOW . . . SEVEN DAYS’. HOW IS THIS? Why does the [ceremonial of the] willow-branch on the seventh day4 override the Sabbath?5 — R. Johanan answered, In order to publish the fact that it6 is a [commandment] of the Torah. But if so, in the case of the lulab also, why should it not override the Sabbath7 in order to publish the fact that it8 is a [commandment] of the Torah? — In the case of lulab there is a restrictive enactment on account of the reason of Rabbah.9 But if so, let us make the same restrictive enactment with regard to the willow also? — In the case of the willow-branch the emissaries of the Beth din would bring it10 but the lulab is entrusted to everyone.11 But if so,12 ought it not to override [the Sabbath] on any day?13 — [If that were done] people would come to hold the lulab14 in light esteem. Then why should not [the willow] override [the Sabbath] on the first day of the Festival?15 — It will not be clear [that it is the rite of the willow that overrides the Sabbath, for] people might say that it is the lulab which overrides it. 16 But why should not the Sabbath be overridden on any one of the other days?17 — Since [the permission to override the Sabbath] was removed from the first day,18 it was transferred to the seventh.19 But if so,12 why should it not override it at the present time also? — We do not know when New Moon was fixed.20 But in their case21 since they know when New Moon was fixed, why should it not override [the Sabbath]? — When Bar Hadya came,22 he explained that this never happened.23 When, however, Rabin came22 and all the company that used to go down [from Palestine to Babylon]24 they stated that it did happen, and that it did not override [the Sabbath]. Does not then the original difficulty arise? — R. Joseph answered, Who says that [the ceremonial of] the willow-branch is [performed] by the taking of it? Perhaps it is done by its being fixed [to the sides of the altar].25 Abaye raised an objection against him: THE CEREMONIALS OF THE LULAB AND THE WILLOW [CONTINUED FOR] SIX [DAYS] OR SEVEN. Does not [this26 imply that the willow is] as the lulab just as the [ceremonial of the] lulab is [performed] by its being taken, so is that of the willow performed by its being taken?27 — What an argument! The rite of each may have been carried out according to its own particular rules. 28 Abaye raised a further objection against him: Every day they walked round the altar once, but on that day29 they walked round it seven times.30 Does not this mean, with the willow-branch?31 No, with the lulab.32 But did not R. Nahman state in the name of Rabbah b. Abbuha [that the circuit was made] with the willowbranch? — The other33 answered him, He told you, ‘with the willow-branch’ and I say ‘with the lulab’. It was stated, R. Eleazar stated [that the circuit was made] with the lulab; R. Samuel b. Nathan citing R. Hanina stated [that it was made] with the willow-branch. And so said R. Nahman who had it from Rabbah b. Abbuha, With the willow-branch. Raba said to R. Isaac the son of Rabbah b. bar Hana, Come, O Son of the Law, and I will tell you of an excellent statement which your father made. With reference to what we have learnt, ‘Every day they walked round the altar once, and on that day they went round seven times’,34 your father citing R. Eleazar stated, [This was done] with the lulab. He raised an objection against him: The rite of the lulab overrides the Sabbath on the first day,35 and that of the willow-branch on the last day.36 On one occasion the seventh day of the [ceremonial of the] willow-branch fell on a Sabbath, and they brought saplings of willows on the Sabbath eve and placed them in the courtyard of the Temple. The Boethusians,37 having discovered them, took and hid them under some stones.38 On the morrow some of the ‘amme ha-arez39 discovered them and removed them from under the stones, and the priests brought them in and fixed them in the sides of the altar. [The reason for hiding the willows was that] the Boethusians do not admit that the beating of the willow-branch40 overrides the Sabbath.41 Thus42 we see clearly that [the performance of the willow ceremonial is] in the taking of it?43 — This is a refutation. Then why should it44 not override [the Sabbath]?45 — Since with us46 it does not override [the Sabbath]47 it does not override it with them48 either.49 But is there not the first day of the Festival on which [the rite of the lulab] does not override the Sabbath for us,50 but does it for them?48 indicated in Lev. XXIII, 40, may refer to other forms of rejoicing. be acquainted with the Law, no preventive measures were called for. taken all the seven days of the Festival. the separate willow. overridden on the wrong day. the Sabbath. This was effected by adding a day to the previous month or to any other of the preceding months. used to journey to and fro between Palestine and Babylonia in order to transmit the teachings and traditions of the Academies of one country to the other, v. Funk S., Die Juden in Babylonian I, p. 146]. Joseph (cf. supra n. 7). probably followers of Boethus or Simeon b. Boethus who was made High Priest by Herod in 25 B.C.E. V. J.E. III, p. 285. to prevent a ceremony in which they did not believe.