Hadas vs. Harduf

Hi,

"The Torah says [that one of the Four Species waved on Succot is] 'A braided branch,' meaning that the leaves should cover the wood. What kind of plant is that? That is the Hadas [myrtle]...

"Perhaps it is the Harduf? Abayye answered: No - "The Torah's ways are pleasant," and the spiny Harduf is not pleasant.

"Rava disqualified the Harduf for a different reason - It is written, 'You should love truth and peace.' The poisonous Harduf is the opposite of this verse."

(Talmud, Succah 32b as explained by Rashi)

Have a great rest of Yom Tov,
Mordechai

Originality in Torah study

Hi,

"Once R' Eliezer stayed in the Upper Galil and the residents asked him about 30 laws of succah. For twelve he said, "I've learned this," and for eighteen he said, "I have not learned this."… They said to him, "All of your words are only received tradition!"

"He replied, "Will you compel me to say something I haven't heard from my rebbeim [mentors]? No one has ever preceded me to the study hall, I have never slept for extended or brief periods in the study hall, I have never left anyone behind me in the study hall, I have never spoken of mundane matters, and I have never said anything I did not hear from my rebbe.""

(Talmud, Succah 28a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Hillel's Song

Hi,

"They said that Hillel, when rejoicing at the Simchat Beit haShoevah, used to say, ‘If I am here then all is here, if I am not here then who is here?’ He also said: ‘My feet bring me to the place I love to go. If you’ll come to my house, I’ll come to your house. If you will not come to my house, I will not come to your house.’"

(Talmud, Succah 53a)

Good moed,
Mordechai

On Isru Chag, tie one on!

Hi,

“One who ties [an extra day] on to the holiday with special eating and drinking is considered as though he had built an altar and brought an offering on it, as it is written, ‘Tie a celebratory offering [‘chag’, which can also mean ‘holiday’] with branches to the corners of the altar.’”

(Talmud, Succah 45b)

Happy Isru Chag,
Mordechai

Eclipses as Omens

Hi,

"Affliction of the sun is a bad sign for the whole world. This may be compared to a king who makes a feast for his servants and leaves a lamp before them, then grows angry at them and says to his servant, ‘Take the lamp from before them and leave them in darkness.’"

(Talmud, Succah 29a)

[I take this not as superstition, but as a statement that if Gd was always satisfied with humanity, then we would have a source of light which was never removed. The fact that it is removed from time to time is a reminder of our dependency, and of our occasional insufficiency.]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Jews and Dates

Hi,

"Rabbi Levi said: Like a date – A date has only one heart, so Israel has only one heart for their father in heaven."

(Talmud, Succah 45b)

[The idea of 'one heart' may be that most trees have branches that shoot off in different directions, while date palms are single-trunked until the lulavim at the top.]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Physical vs. Financial Generosity

Hi,

"Rabbi Elazar said: Acts of physical generosity are greater than acts of financial tzedakah.

"It is written, 'Plant for yourselves according to righteousness [tzedakah], harvest according to generosity.' One who plants might eat and might not eat; one who harvests will definitely eat."

(Talmud, Succah 49b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The beauty of Israel

Hi,

"The Torah says (Vayyikra 19), 'When you come into the land, you will plant trees producing every kind of food.'

"What does this teach?... That Israel does not lack anything, as it is also written (Devarim 8), 'The land in which you will not lack anything.'"

(Talmud, Succah 35a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The value of Tzedakah

Hi,

"Rabbi Elazar said: It is greater to give tzedakah [financial charity] than to bring every korban [Temple offering], as it is written [Proverbs 21], 'One who performs tzedakah and justice is more choice, for Gd, than a korban.'"

(Talmud, Succah 49b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Simchat Beit haShoevah: The Succot Water-Drawing celebration

Hi,

"Our sages taught: One who never saw the Simchat Beit haShoevah (the Water celebration in the Temple, conducted on Succot,) never saw joy. One who never saw Jerusalem in its glory never saw a beautiful city. One who never saw the standing Temple never saw a beautiful building."

(Talmud, Succah 51b)

Moadim l'Simchah,
Mordechai

The Pleasant and Safe Hadas [myrtle]

Hi,

"The Torah says [that one of the Four Species waved on Succot is] 'A braided branch,' meaning that the leaves should cover the wood. What is that? That is the Hadas [myrtle]...

"But perhaps it is the Harduf? Abayye answered: No - It is written, 'The Torah's ways are pleasant,' and the spiny Harduf is not pleasant.

"Rava disqualified the Harduf for a different reason - It is written, 'You should love truth and peace.' The poisonous Harduf is the opposite of this verse."

(Talmud, Succah 32b as explained by Rashi)

Have a great Yom Tov,
Mordechai

Tzedakah vs. Korbanot [Temple Offerings]

Hi,

"Rabbi Elazar said: It is greater to give tzedakah than to bring every korban [Temple offering], as it is written [Proverbs 21], 'One who performs tzedakah and justice is more choice, for Gd, than an offering.'"

(Talmud, Succah 49b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Israel's botanical variety

Hi,

"The Torah says (Leviticus 19), 'When you enter the land, you will plant trees producing every kind of food.'

"What does this teach?...That Israel does not lack anything, as it is also written (Deuteronomy 8), 'The land in which you will not lack anything.'"

(Talmud, Succah 35a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai