Sukkah, Daf Kaf Zayin, Part 5
Introduction
Today’s section continues to deal with R. Eliezer’s unique halakhot concerning traveling in the festival.
תנו רבנן: מעשה ברבי אלעאי שהלך להקביל פני רבי אליעזר רבו בלוד ברגל, אמר לו: אלעאי, אינך משובתי הרגל. שהיה רבי אליעזר אומר: משבח אני את העצלנין שאין יוצאין מבתיהן ברגל, דכתיב +דברים יד+ ושמחת אתה וביתך.
Our rabbis have taught: It once happened that R. Ila’i went to greet R. Eliezer his master in Lod on a Festival. He said to him, Ila’i, aren’t you one of those that stay in place on the Festival, for R. Eliezer used to say, I praise the lazy who do not go out of their houses on the Festival since it is written, "And you shall rejoice, you and your household" (Deuteronomy 14:26).
R. Eliezer believes that on the festival (probably specifically Sukkot) one should stay at home. He even seems to relate to a special group of people who "stay in place on the Festival." R. Eliezer, according to the baraita, bases himself on the verse from Deuteronomy 14. In an interesting midrashic twist, the verse itself refers to one who goes on a pilgrimage to offer a sacrifice at the Temple on the festival. It seems to say that one should bring one’s entire family with him to Jerusalme. R. Eliezer reads the verse completely out of context instead of bringing one’s family to Jerusalem, one should stay at home and celebrate there.
It is likely that this halakhah is connected to R. Eliezer’s opinion that one must use one’s own sukkah for all of the festival. Someone who travels will have to use someone else’s sukkah, which R. Eliezer doesn’t allow. Thus, one shouldn’t travel on Sukkot, and perhaps by extension on Pesah either.
איני? והאמר רבי יצחק: מניין שחייב אדם להקביל פני רבו ברגל – שנאמר +מלכים ב ד+ מדוע את הלכת אליו היום לא חדש ולא שבת – מכלל דבחדש ושבת מיחייב איניש לאקבולי אפי רביה! – לא קשיא, הא – דאזיל ואתי ביומיה, הא – דאזיל ולא אתי ביומיה.
But is it so? But didn’t R. Yitzchak say, From where do we know that a man is obliged to greet his master on the Festival? As it says, "Why are you going to him today? It is neither Rosh Hodesh nor Shabbat" (II Kings 4:23) from which it follows that on Rosh Hodesh and Shabbat one is obligated greet his master?
There is no difficulty. The latter refers to where he can go and return [to his house] on the one day; the former to where he cannot go and return on the same day.
The Talmud cites a contradictory opinion. R. Yitzchak uses the story of Elisha and the Shunamite woman whose husband asks her why she is going to see the prophet when it is "not Rosh Hodesh or Shabbat" to show that it was normal to visit one’s master (Rabbi) on Shabbat (which R. Yitzchak seems to interpret as the Festival for travel is prohibited on Shabbat). So how can R. Eliezer say that one should stay at home on the festival.
The Talmud resolves the difficulty by claiming that even R. Eliezer allowed one to travel on Shabbat if he could return to his own home by the evening to "celebrate with his household." Such a short visit is not considered "leaving one’s home on the festival." But if he can’t get back by the evening, he should not go at all.