Sukkah, Daf Kaf Vav, Part 4
Introduction
Today’s section discusses what types of eating are allowed outside of the sukkah and what types of eating can be done only in the sukkah.
אוכלים אכילת עראי חוץ לסוכה.
וכמה אכילת עראי?
אמר רב יוסף: תרתי או תלת ביעי.
אמר ליה אביי: והא זימנין סגיאין סגי ליה לאיניש בהכי, והוה ליה סעודת קבע!
אלא אמר אביי: כדטעים בר בי רב ועייל לכלה.
Casual eating and drinking are permitted outside the sukkah.
How much is considered casual eating?
R. Joseph said, [The volume of] two or three eggs.
Abaye said to him: But sometimes this suffices for [a whole meal for] a man, and then it would be a set meal?
Rather Abaye said: as much as a student and then goes into the learning session.
The Talmud defines "casual" eating as a certain volume and not as a manner (i.e. eating while standing up is casual, but sitting or reclining is formal). This leads to the question of how much food can still be considered "casual eating."
R. Joseph says that the volume of 2-3 eggs is considered casual eating. This would seem to me the equivalent of a handful of pretzels, a piece of fruit, or something like that.
Abaye seems to have a smaller appetite. Two-three eggs might be enough for an entire meal (not a super-sized meal, that’s for sure). So how can it be considered casual eating?
Therefore Abaye rules that casual eating is as much as a young student eats before he goes into the learning session. This is evidently less than 2-3 eggs. In my opinion, Abaye may be referring not just to the amount, but to the manner in which the food is eaten. Eating a small amount while running into class is "casual."
תנו רבנן: אוכלין אכילת עראי חוץ לסוכה, ואין ישנים שינת עראי חוץ לסוכה.
מאי טעמא? – אמר רב אשי: גזרה שמא ירדם.
Our Rabbis taught: Casual eating is permitted outside the Sukkah, but not casual sleeping.
What is the reason? R. Ashi said: It is a decree lest he fall fast asleep.
The main acts a person is supposed to perform in the sukkah are eating and sleeping. But while casual eating is allowed outside the sukkah, casual sleeping is not. Why not? R. Ashi explains that if one is allowed to "casually sleep" i.e. nap he might fall fast asleep. In other words, we can protect ourselves against allowing "casual" eating to turn into "set" eating (at least we think we can stop ourselves from eating), but with sleep, we cannot because we are asleep.
אמר ליה אביי: אלא הא דתניא: ישן אדם שינת עראי בתפילין, אבל לא שינת קבע, ליחוש שמא ירדם! – אמר רב יוסף בריה דרב עילאי: במוסר שינתו לאחרים.
Abaye said to him: But what about that which has been taught, "A man may sleep casually while wearing his tefillin, but not set regular, let us be concerned lest he fall fast asleep?
R. Joseph b. R. Ila’i said: This refers to a person who entrusts his sleep to others.
One is not allowed to sleep a deep sleep in one’s tefillin. This is because tefillin require a "clean body" and one cannot keep one’s body clean while sleeping (one is not supposed to flatulate while wearing tefillin). Nevertheless, one is allowed to casually sleep while wearing tefillin. So, Abaye asks, if we allow casual sleeping with tefillin and we are not concerned that he fall deeply asleep, why not say the same with regard to sleeping outside of the sukkah.
R. Joseph b. Ilai says that this baraita refers to one who tells someone to wake him up if he falls to fast asleep. In that way he can be assured that he won’t fall too deeply asleep. If he sets up an "alarm clock" he can sleep in his tefillin.
מתקיף ליה רב משרשיא: ערביך ערבא צריך!
אלא אמר רבה בר בר חנה אמר רבי יוחנן: במניח ראשו בין ברכיו עסקינן.
רבא אמר: אין קבע לשינה.
R. Mesharsheya raised a difficulty: Does not Your guarantor need a guarantor ?
Rather Rabbah b. Bar Hana said in the name of R. Yohanan, This refers to where the person puts his head between his knees.
Rava said: There is no set amount for sleep.
R. Mesharshaya says that even one person watching over you to make sure you don’t fall fast asleep is not enough. What if that person falls asleep as well!
Therefore R. Yohanan offers another interpretation to casual sleep. Casual sleep is not an amount of time, it is a position. If one just puts one’s head between one’s knees, sort of like putting one’s head down on a table, the sleep is casual. People don’t generally fall really fast asleep in such a position. So one can sleep that way with his tefillin on (and maybe outside of the sukkah as well).
Rava has an entirely different answer. He holds we are never concerned about someone falling fast asleep. One can sleep casually in one’s tefillin without concern that he will fall into a deep sleep. But when it comes to the sukkah, sleep is sleep. There is no "set" amount for sleep any sleep might be sufficient for a person. Therefore, one isn’t even allowed to nap outside of the sukkah.