Sukkah, Daf Lammed Tet, Part 6
Introduction
At the end of yesterday’s section the Talmud determined that the status of an etrog vis a vis the sabbatical year follows the time it is picked. Our Talmud brings some other opinions concerning this question.
והא בין רבן גמליאל ובין רבי אליעזר לענין שביעית אתרוג בתר חנטה אזלינן, דתנן: אתרוג שוה לאילן בשלשה דרכים, ולירק בדרך אחד. שוה לאילן בשלשה דרכים: לערלה, ולרבעי, ולשביעית, ולירק בדרך אחד: שבשעת לקיטתו עישורו, דברי רבן גמליאל. רבי אליעזר אומר: אתרוג שוה לאילן לכל דבר!
But behold both R. Gamaliel and R. Eliezer agree that as regards the Sabbatical Year the etrog’s status is determined by the time of its blossoming, as we have learned, The etrog is like a tree in three respects, and like a vegetable in one. It is like a tree in three respects, as regards the laws of orlah, of the Fourth Year, and of the Seventh Year; and like a vegetable in one respect in that its tithing is determined by the time of its picking, the words of Rabban Gamaliel.
R. Eliezer ruled: The etrog is like a tree in all respects.
The Talmud now cites Mishnah Bikkurim 2:6 to demonstrate that with regard to the sabbatical year status all sages agree that an etrog is treated like a tree. Just as a tree’s status is determined by when it blossoms, so is the status of an etrog. There is a dispute in this mishnah, but it is about the tithe, and not about determining the etrog’s sabbatical year status. So how can we say, as we did at the end of yesterday’s section, that its status follows the time when it is picked?
I have not explained the details of this mishnah. For more information, you can look on line at my Mishnah Yomit commentary.
הוא דאמר כי האי תנא. דתניא, אמר רבי יוסי: אבטולמוס העיד משום חמשה זקנים: אתרוג אחר לקיטה למעשר. ורבותינו נמנו באושא ואמרו: בין למעשר, בין לשביעית.
שביעית מאן דכר שמיה?
חסורי מיחסרא והכי קתני: אתרוג אחר לקיטה למעשר, ואחר חנטה לשביעית.
ורבותינו נמנו באושא ואמרו: אתרוג בתר לקיטה, בין למעשר בין לשביעית.
He holds the opinion as this (the following) Tanna, as it has been taught:
R. Yose stated: Avtulmos testified in the name of five elders that the tithing of the etrog depends upon [the time of its] picking.
But our Rabbis voted in Usha and said [that this applies] both to tithing and the Sabbatical Year.
But who mentioned the Sabbatical Year?
There is something missing in the text, and so it should be read: The tithing of the etrog depends upon [the time of its] picking, and its subjection to the laws of the Sabbatical Year depends on [the time of its] blossoming.
But our Rabbis voted in Usha and said that the etrog is dependent on the time of its picking as regards both tithing and the Sabbatical Year.
The Talmud now finds support for the notion that the sabbatical year status of the etrog follows the time when it is picked. There are two slightly different versions of this baraita. The proof comes from the corrected version, the second one.
The first opinion belongs to Avtulmos who testifies that when it comes to tithing, the etrog follows the time it is picked. For the sabbatical year, its status follows the time that it blossoms. Our mishnah in Sukkah does not hold like this tanna.
However, our mishnah does agree with the rabbis who voted in Usha (a settlement in the Galilee where rabbis lived and thrived after the destruction of the Temple). These rabbis held that the status of an etrog is always determined by the time it is picked, both for tithing and for the sabbatical year. Therefore, an etrog picked just in time for Sukkot of the sabbatical year, is considered a sabbatical year etrog. In contrast, the lulav follows the time of its blossoming and it is not a sabbatical year lulav.