Talmud Tips

For the week ending 15 February 2014 / 15 Adar I 5774

Succah 13 - 19

by Rabbi Moshe Newman
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“These are really named ‘maror’ but are called ‘maror of the marsh’ because they commonly grow in a marsh.”

This is how the Sage Rava explains why “mararita d’agma” is acceptable for the mitzvah of eating maror on Pesach despite it having an “accompanying name” of “marsh” instead of just being called plain “maror” as is written in the Torah. Although the Sage Abaye states a different reason on our daf to allow it, Tosefot points out that he also agrees with Rava’s explanation.

  • Succah 13a

Rabbi Elazar said, “Why are the prayers of the tzaddikim compared to a pitchfork? To teach you that just as this pitchfork turns over the produce in the granary from place to place, likewise the prayers of the tzaddikim overturns the ‘mindset’ of G-d from the trait of severity to the trait of mercy.” (See Ber. 25:21 and Rashi on our daf regarding Yitzchak’s prayer for children being offered and accepted).

  • Succah 14a

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