BS”D

Suka 27 a-b.

Cheshvon 14, 5782. October 21, 2021

1- Continuing on the topic of  ‘ownership from zero to 100’.

In regards to a Sukkah Reb Eliezer says that 100% ownership is needed. So sitting in a friend’s Sukkah is not sufficient. Even if he loans –  שאלה-  to you for exclusive use.
מתנה על מנת להחזיר would work. Just Like by Esrog.

The Chachamim say, and such is the Halachah, that sitting in a communal or a borrowed Sukkah is fine.

2- We mentioned the Rebbe’s take on this.

Briefly, true, 100% ownership of Sukkah is indeed not needed. One can sit in a friend’s Sukah . סוכה שאולה ושל שותפין כשרה.
However, there is another issue and that is that a Sukkah needs to be תשבו כעין תדורו. It has to be like one’s house. It’s meant to be ‘liveable’ like his year round home.

And people don’t live year round in borrowed houses. Neither do they share homes.

So why should a Sukkah be any different?

Ideally, says the Rebbe, every one should have his own Sukkah.

3- The Rebbe spoke once as to why we find a מגבית for the poor before פסח but not before ראש השנה or Sukkos. LS 14, 373. Footnote 31.

His answer is that we don’t want to utter the words “poor” prior to ראש השנה and therefore no מגבית was established prior to these holidays.

In a footnote the Rebbe suggests another reason. Jewish poverty throughout the ages. Making a מגבית, expecting people to open their wallets large and wide more than once a year was very difficult. So they chose פסח.

The Rebbe continues that this pervasive poverty explains why not everyone has his own Sukkah when in reality, as above,  תשבו כעין תדורו, ideally each should have his own just as one has his own house.

Similarly the Rebbe explains, this is the reason why in many communities there would be only one communal Esrog. Surely, due to the ולקחתם לכם, each should have his own. It was the lack of funds that brought about this ‘Esrog of the many’.

See also here LK 20, 267. Footnote 10.

The Rebbe also uses this concept to explain the Alter Rebbe about using a borrowed Sukkah.

LS 19, 348.

Interestingly, the AR adds the words that a borrowed Sukkah, סוכה שאולה, is fine, because ’it is like your own’.

Now a Sukkah does not need to be לכם. So what does this ‘like your own’ add?

Explains the Rebbe that since the lender of the Sukkah allows the user to use it as a Sukkah, and a Sukkah is like someone’s home, then he specifically allows him to use it ‘as his own’.

4- We mentioned the Ramo 658, 9 that writes that when the community buys an Esrog in ‘partnership’, everyone needs to participate. However, the extra money needed to purchase a beautiful Esrog, that הידור falls upon the well to do more than the less fortunate!!!

הגה: וגובין מעות אתרוג לפי ממון דהדור מצוה מונח טפי על עשירים מעל עניים ואשה פטורה מליתן למעות אתרוג הואיל ואינה חייבת בו (תשובת מהרי”ל סימן י’). וכל אדם ישתדל ויהא זריז במצוה לקנות לו אתרוג ולולב לבד כדי לקיים המצוה כתקנה (הגהות מיימוני סוף הלכות לולב):

5- We learnt the Tosfos about a community Esrog, purchased in a partnership, the idea is that every participant grants each individual user (on the first day when making the brachah) his share. Thus the user, for that moment, owns the Esrog 100%.

We mentioned the Magen Avrohom 658,10 that  it’s best to announce that every participant gives away his share when another community member uses it.

ולכן נ”ל שטוב להכריז שיתן כל א’ חלקו לחבירו במתנה כי בסי’ רכ”ו יש הרבה דיעות בזה ע”ש בב”י עמ”ש סוף סי’ זה:

6- We discussed the Rashi who writes that one cannot be considered an owner of an object that is worth less than a פרוטה. Anywhere from 0.10-0.20¢.

Much has been written on this Rashi. Discussed the classic question of the Minchas Chinuch of how can a ערבה be לכם when at times it has a value of less than 0.10¢.

The Rebbe discusses this Rashi etc. in LS. 19, 348. Footnote 8.

7- We concluded with a quip on the הפטורה.

When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed.

So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to Hashem.

Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands.

And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm.

Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

Sometimes we see a friend that is down, depressed and lonely, in poverty, can’t pay his rent. Almost lifeless.

He needs a ‘listener’ to hear out his issues and problems. He needs encouragement .

What do we do?

Putting his mouth on his mouth. We offer a hug and warmth.

It’s fine of course, and very necessary indeed. But ‘the child’ is still lifeless.

We take it a step further. His eyes on his eyes,

So one looks his friend in the eyes. He gives him the attention he lacks. He shows his concern.

All fine gestures. But the child is still lifeless.

Only one thing can help….

When we place  our hands on his hands, we give him  גשמיות, a few dollars so he can buy food for Shabbos.

 

Ah!

…and the child opened his eyes