BS’D 

Sukkah 20a-b

Iyar 22, 5781. May 4, 2021

1- We left off with the הריני כפרת משכבו which Reish Lakish said about Reb Chiya. 

2- Reb Yaakov Emdin (printed at the end of the Gemara) makes note that this expression is generally only used for the first 12 months of the passing of a parent or teacher.

Nevertheless, Reish Lakish, out of respect, said this about Reb Chiya despite the many generation that passed since the פטירה of Reb Chiya. 

As Berel M, (of the famous M Family) phrased it  as “a term of endearment”. 

3 –  We mentioned the Maharsham (1, 215) and his question about a Kohen entering a museum that displays mummies. The question is in regards to טומאת אהל.  See below.

Perhaps the glass box that sits on top on the mummy is an object that will not allow the טומאה to escape into the museum. 

Mummys in Glass

[There is much discussion if a גוי is מטמא טומאת אהל. The Rambam rules that טומאת אהל does not apply. However the שולחן ערוך, YD 372,  2, seems to say that one should be careful. See ש”ך there] 

 Our גמרא’s discussion if a מחצלת  that only serves as a cover over a vat of beer is considered a כלי come into play. 

4- We moved onto the next Mishna. Sleeping under a bed in a Suka. 

One who sleeps beneath the bed in the sukkah did not fulfill his obligation, because the bed constitutes a tent that serves as a barrier between him and the roofing of the sukkah. Rabbi Yehuda said: It was our custom that we would sleep beneath the bed before the Elders and they did not say anything to us to the effect that we are not fulfilling our obligation. Apparently, the halakhic status of the bed is not like that of a tent and it does not prevent fulfillment of the mitzvah.  Rabbi Shimon said, contrary to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda: There was an incident involving Tavi, the Canaanite slave of Rabban Gamliel, who was sleeping beneath the bed, and Rabban Gamliel lightheartedly said to the Elders: Did you see my slave Tavi, who is a Torah scholar and knows that slaves are exempt from the mitzvah of sukkah? Since it is a positive, time-bound mitzvot, Canaanite slaves, whose status with regard to this halakhic category is like that of women, are exempt from the obligation to fulfill the mitzvah of sukka. Therefore, he sleeps under the bed. Rabbi Shimon continued: And by the way, as Rabban Gamliel was not issuing a halakhic ruling, we learned that one who sleeps beneath the bed did not fulfill his obligation.

Topics discussed:

A – What’s the issue of sleeping under a bed? Is one not in the Sukka? Rashi and Rif. 

B – Tevi the slave who slept under the bed. His status in Halacha. Obligations of Mitzvos as a woman. 

C- Tosfos – from Yerushalmi. He slipped under the bed to allow for more space to the scholars, but remained in the Sukkah because he wanted to hear their conversation.

D – So he was trying to learn Torah? But a  master is prohibited to teach a slave Torah. See here.

Perhaps the Mitzvos that he is obligated to perform he is allowed (or obligated) to study.

 

E- When using the Sukkah did he make a ברכה.

F – The term used in the Mishna is One who sleeps beneath the bed in the sukkah. Why not eats or drinks? A person can survive by not eating in the Sukkah. (he can eat fruit for 7 days). So in theory, besides for the first night, one can be outside of the Sukkah for the full seven days. But a human will fall asleep within 3 days. So he must be in the Sukkah to sleep.

 

To be continued.