Shiur summary (draft from the recording)
Shluchei Mitzvah Patur from Sukkah: The Source
שלוחי מצוה פטורין מן הסוכה
Sukkah 25a · Tuesday, December 23, 2025
The sugya
The shiur opens a new section of the perek, moving from the halachos of the sukkah itself to the halachos of yeshivas sukkah, meaning who has to sit in a sukkah. The Rebbi explained the three cases of the Mishnah: shluchei mitzvah, cholim and their caretakers, and eating arai outside the sukkah. He then learned the Gemara's source that an osek b'mitzvah is patur, from b'shivtecha b'veisecha and u'v'lechtecha vaderech, including mikan amru about a chassan. He went through Rav Huna's derivation of k'derech, the kasha of mi lo askinan, and the teirutz of im kein, and ended with a review.
Step by step (shakla v’tarya)
- New section of the perek. Until now the halachos were about the sukkah itself. Now the topic is yeshivas sukkah: who has to sit in a sukkah and who is patur.
- MishnahThe Mishnah of a sukkah between the trees is printed together with the Mishnah of shluchei mitzvah, though it is really a different topic. The Gemara separates them.
- MishnahShluchei mitzvah are patur from sukkah: people traveling to do a mitzvah, such as learning, pidyon shvuyim, askanus, or going to greet their Rebbe.
- This is part of the general concept found all over Shas that one busy with one mitzvah is patur from another mitzvah.
- Example from Bava Kamma: someone busy guarding an aveidah does not have to give tzedakah to a poor person who comes to the door.
- KashaWhy does the Mishnah use the word shluchei? Perhaps because it connotes traveling. This connects to a dispute about whether he is patur only while actively busy, or even while sleeping somewhere at night on the way, days before the mitzvah.
- MishnahCholim u'meshamsheihem, sick people and their caretakers, are patur from sukkah, even if not dangerously ill.
- The RebbiThis is a chiddush, since sickness does not normally exempt from mitzvos. It is specific to sukkah because of teishvu k'ein taduru: a sick person in his house would not sit the way he normally does.
- MishnahOchlin v'shosin arai chutz lasukkah. Arai means casual eating, a snack that is not a real seudah. Only a real meal requires the sukkah.
- GemaraThe first part of the Gemara focuses on shluchei mitzvah. Minah hani mili: where is this found in the Torah?
- GemaraTanu Rabbanan: from the pasuk in Shema, b'shivtecha b'veisecha excludes an osek b'mitzvah, and u'v'lechtecha vaderech excludes a chassan. The illustration is krias Shema: one busy with a mitzvah is patur from it.
- KashaWhy are two pesukim needed? A chassan is also doing a mitzvah. The Rebbi said Rashi explains it, or the Gemara will say.
- GemaraMikan amru: one who marries a besulah is patur from krias Shema, but one who marries an almanah is chayav.
- ShitahThe reason given is that a chassan marrying a besulah is preoccupied and worried about the mitzvah, which is not so with an almanah. A talmid added that a grushah is probably the same as an almanah, and the Rebbi agreed.
- GemaraMai mashma: where in these words is the patur heard?
- ShitahRav Huna: k'derech. Just as derech is reshus (voluntary), so too any reshus obligates. This excludes this person, who is occupied with a mitzvah.
- RashiRashi's examples of one occupied with a mitzvah: going to greet his Rebbe and redeeming captives.
- KashaMi lo askinan: are we not also dealing with someone traveling for a mitzvah, and yet the Torah says he must read? Derech does not necessarily mean reshus.
- TeirutzIm kein, let the pasuk say b'sheves u'v'leches. Why does it say b'shivtecha u'v'lechtecha? Your own going obligates you; going for a mitzvah, you are patur.
- The RebbiExample: you are sitting at home ready to read Shema and get a call to go do a mitzvah. Going for a mitzvah makes you patur.
- The RebbiThere are really two peturim here, to be seen tomorrow. The osek b'mitzvah is physically busy, while the chassan's mitzvah is in his head.
- RashiRashi in the Mishnah: one traveling to his Rebbe is patur even at night when he is settled at a hotel and not traveling. Others hold he is patur only while actually traveling, for example eating in his wagon, but not when settled at night.
- KashaA talmid asked: otherwise, why would there be a Mishnah about making a sukkah in a wagon, if a traveler is patur? The Rebbi agreed it was a good point.
- ChazarahReview of the Mishnah and of the Gemara through Rav Huna, mi lo askinan, and im kein.
- The RebbiWhy two pesukim: the first osek is physically busy, while the chassan is busy in his head. This teaches that even one who is only preoccupied and worried about a mitzvah (tarud) is patur.
Kashas
- Why does the Mishnah use the word shluchei? Perhaps because of the connotation of traveling.
- Why are two pesukim needed (osek b'mitzvah and chassan), if a chassan is also simply doing a mitzvah?
- Mi lo askinan d'ka azil l'dvar mitzvah, and the Torah still says to read Shema? Derech is not necessarily reshus.
- A talmid, on the view that a traveler is patur even when settled: why then is there a Mishnah about a sukkah on a wagon?
Teirutzim
- Im kein, the pasuk should have said b'sheves u'v'leches. Saying b'shivtecha u'v'lechtecha teaches that your own going obligates, but going for a mitzvah is patur.
- The Rebbi's suggestion on the two pesukim: one teaches a physically busy osek, the other (the chassan) one who is preoccupied in his head.
Rashi & Tosafos
- Rashi: Examples of osek b'mitzvah: going to greet his Rebbe and redeeming captives.
- Rashi: A traveler for a mitzvah is patur from sukkah even at night when settled and not traveling.
- other rishon: Others hold he is patur only while actually traveling, not when settled at night. Who exactly says this is unclear in the recording.
Mareh mekomos
- Pasuk in Shema: b'shivtecha b'veisecha, u'v'lechtecha vaderech. This is the source for the patur of an osek b'mitzvah and of a chassan.
- Bava Kamma: one guarding an aveidah is patur from giving tzedakah to a poor person at the door. Cited as an example of osek b'mitzvah patur min hamitzvah.
- Teishvu k'ein taduru: the reason a sick person is patur from sukkah.
- The Mishnah about making a sukkah on a wagon. A talmid raised it as a question on the view that a traveler is patur even when settled.
The Rebbi’s chiddushim
- The perek shifts from the halachos of the sukkah itself to yeshivas sukkah.
- The word shluchei may have been chosen because it connotes traveling.
- The patur for cholim is unique to sukkah because of teishvu k'ein taduru. Normally illness does not exempt from mitzvos.
- Illustration of the teirutz: someone ready to read Shema at home who is called away to do a mitzvah is patur.
- There are two different peturim: physical busyness with a mitzvah, and the chassan's mental preoccupation.
Unclear in recording
- A talmid asks something (around 01:10) about greeting one's Rebbe; the details are unclear in the recording.
- Discussion with talmidim around 20:00–20:20 about whose question it was; unclear in the recording.
- A talmid's comment (around 21:54–22:10) about walking out of shul after saying something; unclear in the recording.
- A talmid raises a kasha. The Rebbi says Rishonim asked it, or that some have a girsa that switches it. What is switched is unclear in the recording.
Drafted from the recording of the shiur, for chazarah. Torah terms follow the Rebbi’s own words; anything that could not be made out is marked “unclear in recording”. Tap a time to hear that point. Corrections welcome.