Pisqa’ 140476H:180-181; JN1:334-336. 1. “A Feast of Huts shall you celebrate for yourself, seven days” (Dt.16:13)— for yourself suggests that the celebration serves ordinary mortals. On what basis do we know that it also serves the Supernal One? The Teaching states [elsewhere]: “A Feast of Huts, seven days for HASHEM” (Lv.23:34).
If so, why is it stated here: “For yourself” (Dt.16:13)? Any time you build a Festival-hut for yourself, I consider it as if you are building it for the Supernal One.477Cf. Sifra, ‘emor, par. 12:3.
“Celebrate for yourself” (Dt.16:13)— this excludes re-building an old Festival-hut. On this basis you teach: If he dangled over the roof of his Festival-hut a grape-vine, or a gourd vine, or ivy, and he laid [suitable] thatching over them— the Festival-hut is disqualified .478=M. Suk.1:4, following F:194, n. 2.
2. R. Eliezer says: Just as a person does not meet his obligation on the first Feast-day of the Feast by [waving] his companion’s Palm-frond, so, too, a person does not meet his obligation on the first Feast-day of the Feast by [dwelling in] his companion’s Festival-hut, for it is said: “For yourself” (Dt.16:13). But sages say: By [waving] his companion’s Palm-frond he does not meet his obligation, for it is said: “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day . . . palm fronds” (Lv.23:40)— each and every one must have his own. But he does meet his obligation by [dwelling in] his companion’s Festival-hut, for it is said: “All native-born Israelites shall dwell in Festival-huts” (Lv.23:42)— all Israel can dwell in [and share ownership of] a single Festival-hut.
3. R. Shimon says: Passover and the Feast, which do not fall in seasons of field-work— He made this one [Passover] for seven days [in early spring], and that one [the Feast] for eight days [at the onset of the first autumn rains]. Yet the Closure-festival [of late spring], which does fall in a season of field-work, lasts only a single day! This teaches that Scripture spares Israel financial hardship479//Sifra, metzor`a, par. 5:12; Sifra, ‘emor, per. 13:7. [due to the Pilgrimage Festivals].
4. “When you gather in from your threshing floor and from your wine-press” (Dt.16:13). Seeing that [the produce of] the threshing floor and the wine-press are distinctive, in that the growth [of grain and grapes] depends upon the previous season’s water-supply, [the verse] excludes [mention of] any in-gathering of green vegetables, since their growth does not depend upon the previous season’s water-supply: words of R. Yose the Galilean.
R. Akiva says: Seeing that [the produce of] the threshing floor and the wine-press are distinctive in that they do not thrive on just any year’s water— and, therefore, may be tithed with last year’s [grain and wine]— [this would] exclude [mention of] any in-gathering of green vegetables, since they do thrive on just any year’s water. Therefore they may be tithed with next year’s [greens].480Commentators struggle over the context supposed by the disputants. See comments of H:448, Pisqa’ 140, n. 8.
(דברים טז יג) חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה לְךָ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים – לַהֶדְיוֹט, מִנַּיִן אַף לַגָּבוֹהַּ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (ויקרא כג לד): ״חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת שִׁבְעַת יָמִים לַה׳״
Pisqa’ 140476H:180-181; JN1:334-336.
1. “A Feast of Huts shall you celebrate for yourself, seven days” (Dt.16:13)—
for yourself suggests that
the celebration serves ordinary mortals.
On what basis do we know that
it also serves the Supernal One?
The Teaching states [elsewhere]:
“A Feast of Huts, seven days for HASHEM” (Lv.23:34).
אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר תַּעֲשֶׂה לְךָ? כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה סֻכָּה – מַעֲלֶה אֲנִי עָלֶיךָ כְּאִלּוּ לַגָּבוֹהַּ אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה.
If so, why is it stated here:
“For yourself” (Dt.16:13)?
Any time you build a Festival-hut
for yourself,
I consider it as if you are building it
for the Supernal One.477Cf. Sifra, ‘emor, par. 12:3.
תַּעֲשֶׂה לְךָ – פְּרָט לְסֻכָּה יְשָׁנָה. מִכָּן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (סוכה פ״א מ״ד): הִדְלָה עָלֶיהָ אֶת הַגֶּפֶן וְאֶת הַדַּלַּעַת וְאֶת הַקִּיסוֹס, וְסִיכֵּךְ עַל גַּבָּן – פְּסוּלָה.
“Celebrate for yourself” (Dt.16:13)—
this excludes re-building an old Festival-hut.
On this basis you teach:
If he dangled over the roof of his Festival-hut
a grape-vine, or a gourd vine, or ivy,
and he laid [suitable] thatching over them—
the Festival-hut is disqualified .478=M. Suk.1:4, following F:194, n. 2.
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין אָדָם יוֹצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בְּיוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חַג בְּלוּלָבוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ, כָּךְ אֵין אָדָם יוֹצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בְּיוֹם טוֹב הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חַג בְּסֻכָּתוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר תַּעֲשֶׂה לְךָ. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: בְּלוּלָבוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כג מ): ״וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם״ – לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, יוֹצֵא בְּסֻכָּתוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כג מב): ״כָּל הָאֶזְרָח בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשְׁבוּ בַּסֻּכֹּת״ – כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשְׁבוּ בְּסֻכָּה אַחַת.
2. R. Eliezer says:
Just as a person does not meet his obligation
on the first Feast-day of the Feast
by [waving] his companion’s Palm-frond,
so, too, a person does not meet his obligation
on the first Feast-day of the Feast
by [dwelling in] his companion’s Festival-hut,
for it is said:
“For yourself” (Dt.16:13).
But sages say:
By [waving] his companion’s Palm-frond
he does not meet his obligation,
for it is said:
“And you shall take for yourselves on the first day . . . palm fronds” (Lv.23:40)—
each and every one must have his own.
But he does meet his obligation
by [dwelling in] his companion’s Festival-hut,
for it is said:
“All native-born Israelites shall dwell in Festival-huts” (Lv.23:42)—
all Israel can dwell in [and share ownership of]
a single Festival-hut.
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: פֶּסַח וְחַג, שֶׁאֵין עוֹנוֹת מְלָאכָה – עָשָׂה זֶה שִׁבְעָה וְזֶה שְׁמוֹנָה. עֲצֶרֶת, שֶׁהִיא עוֹנַת מְלָאכָה – אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא יוֹם אֶחָד בִּלְבַד; מְלַמֵּד שֶׁחָסַךְ הַכָּתוּב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.
3. R. Shimon says:
Passover and the Feast,
which do not fall in seasons of field-work—
He made this one [Passover] for seven days [in early spring],
and that one [the Feast] for eight days
[at the onset of the first autumn rains].
Yet the Closure-festival [of late spring],
which does fall in a season of field-work,
lasts only a single day!
This teaches that
Scripture spares Israel financial hardship479//Sifra, metzor`a, par. 5:12; Sifra, ‘emor, per. 13:7.
[due to the Pilgrimage Festivals].
בְּאָסְפְּךָ מִגָּרְנְךָ וּמִיִּקְבֶךָ, מַה גֹּרֶן וָיֶקֶב מְיֻחָדִים, שֶׁהֵם גְּדֵלִים עַל מֵי שָׁנָה שֶׁעָבְרָה – יָצְאוּ יְרָקוֹת, שֶׁאֵין גְּדֵלִים עַל מֵי שָׁנָה שֶׁעָבְרָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי.
4. “When you gather in from your threshing floor and from your wine-press” (Dt.16:13).
Seeing that [the produce of]
the threshing floor and the wine-press are distinctive,
in that the growth [of grain and grapes] depends upon
the previous season’s water-supply,
[the verse] excludes [mention of]
any in-gathering of green vegetables,
since their growth does not depend upon
the previous season’s water-supply:
words of R. Yose the Galilean.
רַבִּי עֲקִיבָה אוֹמֵר: מַה גֹּרֶן וָיֶקֶב מְיֻחָדִים, שֶׁאֵין גְּדֵלִים עַל כָּל מַיִם, לְפִיכָךְ מִתְעַשְּׂרִים לַשָּׁנָה שֶׁעָבְרָה, יָצְאוּ יְרָקוֹת, שֶׁהֵם גְּדֵלִים עַל כָּל מַיִם, לְפִיכָךְ מִתְעַשְּׂרִים לַשָּׁנָה הַבָּאָה.
R. Akiva says:
Seeing that [the produce of]
the threshing floor and the wine-press are distinctive
in that they do not thrive on just any year’s water—
and, therefore, may be tithed with last year’s [grain and wine]—
[this would] exclude [mention of]
any in-gathering of green vegetables,
since they do thrive on just any year’s water.
Therefore they may be tithed with next year’s [greens].480Commentators struggle over the context supposed by the disputants. See comments of H:448, Pisqa’ 140, n. 8.