Sukkah, Daf Mem Vav, Part 4

 

Introduction

This sugya discusses a person who has many mitzvoth to fulfill all at the same time.

 

ת"ר היו לפניו מצות הרבה אומר ברוך אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על המצות.

רבי יהודה אומר מברך על כל אחת ואחת בפני עצמה

 

Our rabbis taught: One who has to perform many commandments [simultaneously] shall say, "Blessed . . . who has sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us concerning the commandments."

R. Judah said: One must recite a blessing over each one separately.

 

Rashi gives an example of someone who has a lot of mitzvot to fulfill at the same time. For instance, it is sukkot, and he has to take the lulav, dwell in the sukkah, put on tefillin and tzitit. All at the same time! According to the first opinion, he can combine all of these blessings into one formula and simply recite "who has commanded us concerning the commandments."

R. Judah says he must recite a blessing specific to each commandment.

 

א"ר זירא ואיתימא רבי חנינא בר פפא הלכתא כרבי יהודה.

ואמר רבי זירא ואיתימא רבי חנינא בר פפא מ"ט דרבי יהודה? דכתיב (תהלים סח, כ( ברוך ה’ יום יום." וכי ביום מברכין אותו ובלילה אין מברכין אותו? אלא בא לומר לך בכל יום ויום תן לו מעין ברכותיו, הכא נמי בכל דבר ודבר תן לו מעין ברכותיו.

 

R. Zera or, as some say, R. Hanina b. Papa said: The halakhah is according to R. Judah.

R. Zera or, as some say, R. Hanina b. Papa further stated: What is the reason of R. Judah? Because it is written, "Blessed be the Lord day by day" (Psalms 68:20). Now do we bless Him by day and not by night? Rather this comes to teach you: Give Him every day His appropriate blessings. So too here: Give Him for every single thing, its appropriate blessings.

 

There are two statements here issued by R. Zera (or R. Hanina b. Papa), both relating to R. Judah’s statement from the above baraita. First R. Zera rules that the halakhah is in accordance with R. Judah one recites a separate blessing for each commandment. Second, R. Zera explains R. Judah’s statement. The verse seems to say that we should bless God every day. But Jews should bless God not just during the day we should bless God at night as well! Therefore, R. Zera understands the verse as teaching that one should recite blessings appropriate to the day a blessing for Shabbat, for festivals etc. So too one should recite separate blessings appropriate for each mitzvah.

 

ואמר ר’ זירא ואיתימא ר’ חנינא בר פפא בא וראה שלא כמדת הקב"ה מדת בשר ודם. מדת בשר ודם כלי ריקן מחזיק מלא אינו מחזיק, אבל מדת הקב"ה מלא מחזיק ריקן אינו מחזיק שנאמר (דברים כח:א) והיה אם שמוע תשמע וגו’ אם שמוע תשמע ואם לאו לא תשמע .

ד"א אם שמוע בישן תשמע בחדש (דברים ל:יז) ואם יפנה לבבך שוב לא תשמע:

 

R. Zera or, as some say, R. Hanina b. Papa further stated: Come and see that the ways of a human being are not like the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He. According to the ways of a human being, an empty vessel is able to contain [what is put into it], and a full vessel cannot contain it but according to the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, a full vessel is able to contain it while an empty one cannot; as it is said, "And it shall come to pass, if listening you shall listen" (Deuteronomy 28:8): if you listen, you will continue to listen, but if not, you will not listen.

Another interpretation: If you will listen to the old, you will be able to listen to the new," but if you turn your heart away, you will no longer listen" (Deuteronomy 30:17).

 

This section is here because it is ascribed to the same amoraim whose statements are found above.

It is a common trope in rabbinic literature to compare the normal ways of the world with the ways of God, or in this case with the ways in which a human being operates in the holy realm. In the normal ways of the world, an empty vessel can hold things, but one that is already full cannot. But this is not the way that observance or "listening" to the Torah works. When one begins to listen to the Torah, or to observe its commandments, she is led down the path to increased observance. But if a person refuses to "listen" as her life goes on, it becomes increasingly difficult to do so. I should note that this is true for many aspects of life. For instance, as one learns a language, the better one gets at that language, the more pleasurable it becomes and the easier it becomes to learn more. When one begins to exercise it is difficult. But as one continues to do so, it becomes easier. So too with Torah observance and study at first it is difficult but as one continues to "listen," the habit is formed and the "full vessel" has room for more.

The section ends with another interpretation of the verse, one quite similar to the first. If one listened when one was young, it will be easier to continue listening when one grows old. But if one didn’t listen during one’s youth, it is just harder to begin doing so as one grows older.