Sukkah, Daf Mem, Part 6

 

Introduction

Today’s section continues to deal with the dispute between R. Elazar and R. Yohanan. As a reminder, R. Elazar says that sabbatical year produce becomes desacralized only by selling it. R. Yohanan says that it also may be redeemed, meaning a person can just take his own money and exchange it for his own sabbatical year produce. We shall also note that the two baraitot we see here establish the halakhah that redeeming or selling sabbatical year produce does not desacralize it. Sabbatical year produce can never be desacralized, unlike objects dedicated to the Temple that can.

 

תניא כוותיה דרבי אלעזר, ותניא כוותיה דרבי יוחנן. תניא כוותיה דרבי אלעזר: שביעית תופסת את דמיה, שנאמר כי יובל היא קדש תהיה לכם, מה קדש תופס את דמיו ואסור – אף שביעית תופסת את דמיה ואסורה.

 

It has been taught in agreement with R. Elazar, and it has also been taught in agreement with R. Yohanan.

It has been taught in agreement with R. Elazar: [In the case of produce of] the Sabbatical Year the money [for which it is exchanged] assumes the same sanctity [as the produce itself], for it is said, "For it is a Jubilee, it shall be holy to you" just as with holy objects the money [for which it is redeemed assumes] the sanctity [of the holy object], and becomes forbidden, so with the produce of the Sabbatical Year, the money [for which it is redeemed] assumes the same sanctity [as the produce] and becomes forbidden.

 

After a brief introduction, the Talmud opens with a baraita that accords with R. Elazar. I have broken this baraita up into several pieces due to its length.

The first section teaches the same halakhah that we learned in yesterday’s section. When one redeems sabbatical year produce, the money used to redeem the produce assumes the same sanctity as the produce itself. The baraita will now continue and explain this.

 

אי מה קדש תפס דמיו ויוצא לחולין, אף שביעית תופסת את דמיה ויוצאת לחולין – תלמוד לומר תהיה – בהוייתה תהא.

 

[But] in case [you would say] that just as, with holy objects, the money [for which it is redeemed] assumes its sanctity and [the holy object itself] becomes desacralized, so also with the produce of the Sabbatical Year, the money for which it is redeemed assumes its sanctity and the [produce itself] becomes desacralized, Scripture explicitly says, "It shall be" it remains in its original [holy] state.

 

The baraita explains that there is a difference between redeeming holy objects and redeeming sabbatical year produce. When one redeems holy objects, the objects are desacralized. The sanctity that used to reside in the object is now found only in the money itself. But when one redeems sabbatical year produce the produce retains its sanctity, even though the money or object for which it is exchanged is now sacred as well.

 

הא כיצד? לקח בפירות שביעית בשר – אלו ואלו מתבערין בשביעית, לקח בבשר דגים – יצא בשר ונכנסו דגים,

לקח בדגים יין – יצאו דגים ונכנס יין, לקח ביין שמן – יצא יין ונכנס שמן.

הא כיצד? אחרון אחרון נכנס בשביעית, ופרי עצמו אסור.

מדקתני לקח לקח אלמא: דרך מקח – אין, דרך חילול – לא.

 

How so? If with the produce of the Sabbatical Year he purchased meat, both the meat and the produce must be removed during the Sabbatical Year.

If, however, he purchased with the meat fish, the meat loses [the sanctity of the produce of the Sabbatical Year], and the fish assumes it.

If he purchased with the fish wine, the fish loses [its sanctity], and the wine assumes it.

If he purchased with the wine oil, the wine loses [its sanctity] and the oil assumes it. How so? The last object [purchased] assumes [the sanctity] of the Sabbatical Year, but the produce itself always remains prohibited.

Now since the term "purchased" is repeatedly used, it is evident that only by way of sale [does it become redeemed], but not by way of exchange.

 

The baraita now explains how the purchased item retains the sanctity of the original sabbatical year produce. One has sabbatical year wheat, for instance, and exchanges it for meat. The meat and the produce are now both holy and must be removed from one’s home when the time during the year comes at which one can no longer have sabbatical year produce in one’s home. If one now sells the meat for something else, the meat loses its sanctity and that which is purchased with the meat takes on that sanctity. This process basically continues ad infinitum. The last object acquired always takes on the sanctity and the original produce never loses its sanctity. This makes it different from normal holy things dedicated to the Temple. When such objects are redeemed they lose their sanctity and only the money (or that which is used for an exchange) becomes holy. Sabbatical year produce, in contrast, can never really be desacralized.

The Talmud now notes that since the baraita continually uses the word "purchase" it implies that one can never redeem sabbatical year produce for money. One has to sell it. This accords with R. Elazar’s opinion.

 

תניא כוותיה דרבי יוחנן: אחד שביעית ואחד מעשר שני מתחללין על בהמה חיה ועוף, בין חיין בין שחוטין, דברי רבי מאיר. וחכמים אומרים: על שחוטין – מתחללין, על חיין – אין מתחללין, גזירה שמא יגדל מהן עדרים.

 

It was taught in agreement with R. Yohanan: Both the produce of the Sabbatical Year and of Second Tithe may be redeemed with cattle, beast or fowl, whether live or slaughtered, the words of R. Meir.

But the sages say: With slaughtered [animals and birds] they may be redeemed, but not with live ones, lest one rear flocks from them.

 

This baraita (which shall be discussed more thoroughly in next week’s daf) uses the word "redeemed" in relation to sabbatical year produce. This accords with R. Yohanan who allows one to "redeem" or "exchange" sabbatical year produce, without selling it.

Within the baraita there is a dispute over whether one can exchange sabbatical year produce for live animals or birds. The sages forbid this because the animal or bird used to redeem the produce will now be holy. The problem is that any of its offspring will be holy as well. The sages are concerned that one might raise entire flocks of holy animals. This will be confusing, people will forget that the animals are holy (and had to have been eaten by a certain time) and they will end up transgressing. Therefore, the sages rule one can exchange sabbatical year produce only for meat that has already been slaughtered.