The Eddie B. Sitt edition, an audio series of the Talmud Bavli, Masechet Sukkah, has been dedicated by Celia and Isaac Jemal, Hashem aleihem yichyu amen, for the success (hatzlacha) of their dear children. May they see much nachat from all of them. May they all grow up and get married at the right time, have children healthily, happily, with beracha vehatzlacha, and may they see descendants and descendants of their descendants ad biyat goel tzedek amen. The Masechet has also been dedicated le’iluy nishmat Sarah bat Adele, ruach Hashem tenichena b’gan eden amen, again by Celia and Isaac Jemal. Tizku l’mitzvot. Today’s daf has been dedicated by Mr. Isaac Shabot in honor of his parents, Jack and Marilyn. Hashem aleihem yichyu amen. Daf Mem Gimmel. We will start today’s daf on Mem Bet Amud Bet, beginning the new perek, the fourth perek, starting at the new mishnah. Today’s daf is being studied le’iluy nishmat Avraham ben Esther, ruach Hashem tenichena b’gan eden amen. Today’s daf is being studied le’iluy nishmat hameruchemet Mazal bat Frida, she’niftara bekitzur yamim veshanim, ruach Hashem tenichena b’gan eden amen. Today’s daf is being studied l’refuah shelema Chacham Ovadia Yosef ben Gurgiya, el na refa na lo betoch shear cholei ammo Yisrael amen.
We begin right at the new mishnah: Lulav v’aravah shisha v’shiva. The mitzvah of shaking the lulav on Sukkot and the mitzvah of aravah that they used to walk around the mizbeach during the holiday of Sukkot in the Beit Hamikdash, shisha v’shiva, sometimes the mitzvah is fulfilled six days and sometimes it is fulfilled seven days. Rashi explains: Lulav v’aravah shehem b’mikdash kol shiva. In the Beit Hamikdash, they used to shake the lulav min hatorah seven days for the mitzvah and aravah to encircle the mizbeach, as will be explained later in the perek. Shisha v’shiva, sometimes these mitzvot would actually override Shabbat, and therefore all the seven days would be fulfilled. Sometimes they do not override Shabbat, and thus it would only be six days, and we will explain exactly the cases.
Hallel v’hasimcha shemona. Rashi states that we recite the Hallel, those chapters in Tehillim that we recite on the holiday, all eight days. The prophets instituted this, and in Erchin it explains what distinguishes it from Pesach, where we don't recite the full Hallel. However, on Sukkot, we recite the full Hallel every day because each day they brought different korbanot, and since the amount of korbanot changed from day to day, each day is considered worthy of its own complete Hallel. Thus, we have an eight-day situation: the seven days of Sukkot, followed by Shemini Atzeret, which is the eighth day.
Rashi continues, and what is this mitzvah of simcha? To eat the meat of shelamim sacrifices. This is derived from Pesachim, where it states that there is no joy except with meat. When the Beit Hamikdash was present, the joy of the holiday manifested itself through eating the meat of the korbanot, as it says, "And you shall sacrifice a shelamim and eat there and be happy." Even though this pasuk does not specifically mention the holidays, Rashi notes that since it states, "And you shall be happy on your holiday," we see another pasuk that indicates that joy is associated with the meat of shelamim. Therefore, we understand that this mitzvah exists as well.
Now we turn to the next part of the mishnah: Sukkah, the mitzvah of sitting in the sukkah, and nisuch hamayim, the pouring of water on the mizbeach, occurs for seven days. Rashi clarifies that the mitzvah is to sit in the sukkah, and the nisuch hamayim took place during the morning when they brought the korban tamid, and it was not conducted at night, as we have explained in Yoma, chapter two. They would pour water on the mizbeach in addition to wine, and this was done all seven days of Sukkot.
Next, the mishnah states: Hechalil, literally meaning flute, sometimes the flute was blown five days and sometimes six days. The mishnah explains that this refers to the celebrations that took place during the drawing of water from the Maayan Hashiloach, the spring where they drew the water for the mitzvah of nisuch hamayim. This was a very festive event, and the Gemara will elaborate that they had music and joyous celebrations. One of the instruments they used was the flute. Rashi notes that they would rejoice during the festival with the honor of the seven days of nisuch hamayim, and they would blow the flutes and play the harps. However, it is important to note that blowing the flute does not override Yom Tov.
Thus, sometimes they would have this celebration of Simchat Beit Hashoeva with the instruments five days during the holiday, such as when the first day of Yom Tov did not fall on Shabbat. For example, if the first day of the holiday did not coincide with Shabbat, then one of the days of Yom Tov would be off, and Shabbat would be off as well, leading to five days left for the celebration. Since it does not override Yom Tov, the blowing would not take place on that day.
Now, if the first day of Yom Tov fell on Shabbat, then the subsequent six days, which are not Yom Tov or Shabbat, would allow for the flute to be blown during the ceremony. The Gemara clarifies that there is no second day of Yom Tov during the times of the Beit Hamikdash, meaning you would only have six days for the flute.
Now we return to the mishnah, which elaborates: Lulav shiva keitzad. We mentioned earlier that sometimes the lulav in the Beit Hamikdash was shaken for seven days. What is the case? If the first day of Yom Tov falls on Shabbat, then the lulav is shaken for seven days. The mishnah teaches us a chiddush: even though it is Shabbat, the halachah is that the first day of Sukkot that falls on Shabbat, they would still shake the lulav in the Beit Hamikdash, specifically on the first day. However, for all other days, it would only be for six days. When Shabbat of Chol Hamoed arrives, since it is no longer the first day, they would not shake the lulav.
Rashi explains: Lulav shiva de’Yom Tov rishon d’ochi Shabbat. The rule is that Yom Tov rishon overrides Shabbat. For all other days when Yom Tov rishon occurs and Shabbat falls during Chol Hamoed, it does not override Shabbat. Even though all seven days of lulav are min hatorah in the Beit Hamikdash, outside the Beit Hamikdash, it is only a mitzvah to shake the lulav on the first day. However, in the Beit Hamikdash, it is a mitzvah to shake the lulav all seven days. Yet, on Shabbat, even in the Beit Hamikdash, the mitzvah to shake the lulav does not override Shabbat.
As we will discuss further in the Gemara, it is important to note that aravah on the seventh day, if it falls on Shabbat, will override Shabbat. The Gemara will clarify why the lulav is specifically on the first day and why aravah is on the seventh day. However, the bottom line is that all seven days are min hatorah.
Regarding the mitzvah of aravah, if the seventh day of Sukkot falls on Shabbat, they would perform the mitzvah all seven days. The first six days are min hatorah, and the seventh day would override Shabbat. The Gemara will explain what the reasoning is for this.
The Gemara begins to delve into the details, asking why the mitzvah of aravah is indeed a significant mitzvah from the Torah, and how the practice of taking aravah and circling the mizbeach is upheld. The discussion continues with various opinions and interpretations regarding the requirements and significance of the mitzvahs of lulav and aravah, particularly in the context of the Beit Hamikdash and the implications for our current practices.