Sukkah, Daf Mem, Part 3

 

Introduction

Today’s section is a direct continuation of yesterday’s section. R. Yose used the word "for you" to deduce that one could use sabbatical year produce even for steeping or for laundering. So, the question is, how does he understand the word "for food" which seems to limit the use of sabbatical year produce to food.

 

ורבי יוסי, הא כתיב לאכלה! – ההוא מיבעי ליה לאכלה – ולא למלוגמא. כדתניא: לאכלה ולא למלוגמא. אתה אומר לאכלה ולא למלוגמא, או אינו אלא ולא לכבוסה? כשהוא אומר לכם – הרי לכבוסה אמור, הא מה אני מקיים לאכלה – לאכלה ולא למלוגמא.

 

But according to R. Yose, is it not written "for food"?

He needs that phrase to deduce, "for food", but not for a salve, as it has been taught, "for food", but not for a salve. You say "for food" but not for a salve; why not say, "[for food"] but not for washing? When it says, "for you" washing is included. So how then do I understand, "for food"? "For food", but not for a salve.

 

R. Yose uses the word "for food" to teach that one may not use sabbatical year produce as a salve. The baraita cited here debates whether the word "for food" excludes using sabbatical produce for washing or for a salve, ultimately deciding that it excludes the latter.

 

מה ראית לרבות את הכבוסה ולהוציא את המלוגמא?

מרבה אני את הכבוסה – ששוה בכל אדם, ומוציא את המלוגמא – שאינה שוה לכל אדם.

 

But what reason did you see for including washing and excluding a salve?

I include washing since it is a requirement common to all men and exclude a salve since it is not common to all men.

 

The baraita now asks the obvious question why allow one to use sabbatical year produce for washing but not for a salve.

The answer is that the Torah wished to allow one to use sabbatical year produce for things that everyone always needs. Washing is a need common to all people, assumedly at all times. A salve is probably used more often by those who can afford it and it is certainly not something that someone needs all of the time.

 

מאן תנא להא, דתנו רבנן: לאכלה ולא למלוגמא, לאכלה ולא לזילוף, לאכלה ולא לעשות ממנה אפיקטויזין. כמאן – כרבי יוסי. דאי רבנן – הא איכא נמי משרה וכבוסה.

 

Who is the author of that [statement] which our Rabbis taught: "for food" but not for a salve, "for food", but not for perfume, "for food" but not for an emetic?

Who does this agree with? With R. Yose, for if it were the Rabbis, they also exclude steeping and washing.

 

The end of this section cites another baraita that also deals with what one can do with sabbatical year produce. There are three things one may not do use it for a salve, for perfume or for an emetic (something that makes you throw up). All of these are not foods. The baraita accords with R. Yose and not the other rabbis, for they are even more stringent and wouldn’t allow one to use it for steeping and washing.