Study Sukkah folio 37B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
הא הפילו הוא — כשר. אמאי? ״ולקחו״ ״ונתן״ אמר רחמנא! אלא לאו, שמע מינה: לקיחה על ידי דבר אחר — שמה לקיחה.
By inference, if he spilled the ashes intentionally from the tube into the water, it is fit. Why? Doesn’t God say in the Torah: “And for the impure they should take of the ashes of the burning of the purification from sin, and he places running water upon them in a vessel” (Numbers 19:17). Apparently, one must mix the water and the ashes intentionally. Rather, may one not conclude from it that taking by means of another object is considered taking?
ואמר רבה: לא לדוץ איניש לולבא בהושענא, דדלמא נתרי טרפי והוי חציצה. ורבא אמר: מין במינו אינו חוצץ.
And Rabba said with regard to the lulav: After binding the myrtle branches and willow branches, let a person not insert the lulav into the binding of the 4 species, as perhaps as a result the leaves will fall from the branches and the leaves will constitute an interposition between the various species. And Rava said: An object of one species does not interpose before an object of the same species.
ואמר רבה: לא ליגוז איניש לולבא בהושענא, דמשתיירי הוצא והוי חציצה. ורבא אמר: מין במינו אינו חוצץ.
And Rabba said: Let a person not cut the lulav in order to shorten it while it is in the binding of the 4 species, as perhaps as a result leaves will become detached and will constitute an interposition between the various species. And Rava said: An object of one species does not interpose before an object of the same species.
ואמר רבה: הדס של מצוה — אסור להריח בו, אתרוג של מצוה — מותר להריח בו. מאי טעמא? הדס דלריחא קאי, כי אקצייה — מריחא אקצייה. אתרוג דלאכילה קאי כי אקצייה — מאכילה אקצייה.
§ And Rabba said: It is prohibited to smell the myrtle branch used in fulfillment of the mitzva. However, it is permitted to smell the etrog used in fulfillment of the mitzva. The Talmud asks: What is the reason for the distinction between them? The Talmud answers: With regard to a myrtle branch, which exists primarily for its fragrance, when he sets it aside exclusively for the mitzva, he sets it aside from enjoying its fragrance. With regard to an etrog, on the other hand, which exists primarily for eating, when he sets it aside exclusively for the mitzva, he sets it aside from eating. However, he never intended to prohibit this ancillary pleasure.