Siman - Succah Daf 28
- שמונים תלמידים היו לו להלל הזקן
It was taught in a Baraisa: שמונים תלמידים היו לו להלל הזקן – Hillel Hazakein had eighty talmidim. Thirty of whom were worthy that the Shechinah should rest upon them, as it did on Moshe Rabbeinu, thirty of whom were worthy that the sun should stand still for them, as it did for Yehoshua ben Nun; and there were twenty who ranked in between them. גדול שבכולן יונתן בן עוזיאל קטן שבכולן רבן יוחנן בן זכאי – the greatest of them all was Yonasan ben Uziel, and the the least of them was Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. The Baraisa enumerates Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai’s mastery of every part of Torah, as well as שיחת מלאכי השרת ושיחת שדים ושיחת דקלים – the speech of the malachim, sheidim, and palm trees, various mashalim, and דבר גדול ודבר קטן – a great matter, referring to Maaseh Merkava, and a small matter, referring to הויות דאביי ורבא – the inquiries of Abaye and Rava. Now, if the least of all the talmidim, referring to Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, was so great, then all the more so Yonasan ben Uziel, who was the greatest of all the talmidim. It was said about him, בשעה שיושב ועוסק בתורה כל עוף שפורח עליו מיד נשרף – when he sat and learned Torah, any bird that flew over him was immediately burned. Rashi explains the malachei hashareis (who are made of fire) gathered around him to listen to him learn.
- נשים... פטורין מן הסוכה
The next Mishnah states: נשים ועבדים וקטנים פטורין מן הסוכה – Women, slaves and children are patur from the mitzvah of succah. The Gemara asks for the source that women are patur and it is determined that it is a Halacha L’Moshe M’Sinai . The Gemara asks why a Halacha L’Moshe M’Sinai is needed to teach women are patur, since succah is a מצות עשה שהזמן גרמא and women are exempt from such mitzvos? Abaye answered that it is otherwise one might have thought, "תשבו" כעין תדורו – The Torah’s command “You shall dwell” in succos, implies you should dwell in a succah the same way you dwell at home. מה דירה איש ואשתו אף סוכה איש ואשתו – Just as in a home, a man and his wife dwell together, so too in a succah a man and his wife should dwell together. Rava said that a Halacha L’Moshe M’Sinai is necessary to exempt women from succah, for one might have thought that the גזירה שוה of "חמשה עשר" "חמשה עשר" that link Succos to Pesach, comes to teach that just as women are chayav in achilas matzah, even though it is a מצות עשה שהזמן גרמא, so too they are chayav in succah.
- Which type of learning must be done in the succah?
The next Mishnah states: כל שבעת הימים אדם עושה סוכתו קבע וביתו עראי – All seven days of Succos, a man makes his succah a fixed residence, and his regular house his temporary residence. The Gemara brings a Baraisa that describes how a person makes his succah a דירת קבע, such as bringing his nice keilim and beautiful linens to the succah, and it also states, ומשנן בסוכה – and he analyzes his Torah learning in the succah. The Gemara asks if this is correct, since Rava said: מקרא ומתנא במטללתא ותנוי בר ממטללתא – Reading Chumash and reviewing Mishnah should be done in the succah, but analyzing the Torah can be done outside the succah? Rashi explains that the fresh air outside helps one have a clear mind. The Gemara answers that the Baraisa is referring to reviewing material that he has already clarified, whereas Rava is referring to new material.
