Sukkah Daf Mem Daled, Part 2
Introduction
Our mishnah discusses the issue of how priests with certain physical blemishes, who normally are not allowed to go between the altar and the Sanctuary, can perform the aravah ritual, which involves circling the altar with the aravah in hand.
אמר ריש לקיש: כהנים בעלי מומין נכנסין בין האולם ולמזבח כדי לצאת בערבה.
Resh Lakish said: Kohanim with physical blemishes enter between the Sanctuary and the altar in order to fulfil the mitzvah of the aravah.
Resh Lakish claims that the normal prohibition for blemished kohanim to go between the Sanctuary and the altar is suspended so that they may fulfill the mitzvah of the aravah. There is a dispute as to why. The Tosafot say that this prohibition is only derabanan of rabbinic origin. Therefore, it is waved so that the positive commandment of the aravah may be fulfilled. The Rambam says that the prohibition is from the Torah. The reason it is suspended is that a positive commandment overrules a negative commandment, as long as the negative commandment is not punishable by karet or death.
אמר ליה רבי יוחנן: מי אמרה?
מי אמרה? הא איהו אמר, דאמר רבי אסי אמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי נחוניא איש בקעת בית חורתן: עשר נטיעות, ערבה, וניסוך המים הלכה למשה מסיני!
Rabbi Yohanan to him: Who said so?
Who said so? Did he not himself say so, since R. Assi said in the name of R. Yohanan who said it in the name of R. Nehunya of the Valley of Beth Havartan: The laws of the ten plants, the aravah and the water libation were given to Moses upon Mount Sinai?
Rabbi Yohanan does not seem to agree with Resh Lakish. So he turns to him and says, "Who said so?" In other words what gives you the right to make this stuff up?
The problem with R. Yohanan’s statement is that he himself said that the laws of the aravah ritual were given to Moses on Sinai. So why should he be so upset with Resh Lakish.
אלא: מי אמרה בנטילה, דלמא בזקיפה?
מי אמרה בבעלי מומין, דלמא בתמימים?
He rather meant this: Who said that [the mitzvah is fulfilled] by taking, perhaps it is fulfilled by standing [the aravah] up [next to the altar]?
Who said that it may be done by priests with a blemish, perhaps it [may be done] only by unblemished priests?
The Talmud now fixes R. Yohanan’s statement. R. Yohanan agrees that it is a commandment from the Torah. But maybe they could fulfill the commandment by standing the aravot up next to the altar, and not by circling it. And who said that it has to be performed by blemished priests? R. Yohanan agrees that there is such a mitzvah, but he does not agree that blemished priests are allowed to perform it.