The Talmud discusses using live animals for the walls of a Sukkah.  There is a debate over if we can use something that stands only due to breath, since breath is intangible.  This would also apply to something like a bounce house kept inflated by a fan, or a thin curtain held upright by the breeze.

In modern times many things we take for granted are held up by intangible forces.  We constantly rely on electricity and wireless communications.

Not only that, but many of the ideas people take for granted in modern society don’t have a tangible basis.  Certain theories and proposals sound good and are compatible with a dominant narrative, so the media supports those and pushed them onto us as if they were tangible facts.

Become aware of how so many of the messages we get in the modern world are designed to prop up ideas that have no form basis in reality.

The Talmud discusses a Sukkah made on a boat:

There was an incident with Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Akiva, who were coming on a ship during Sukkot. Rabbi Akiva went up and built a Sukkah at the top of the ship. The next day the ocean winds blew and uprooted it. Rabban Gamliel said to him: Akiva, where is your Sukkah?

Rabban Gamliel argues that your Sukkah must be able to withstand the winds, wherever you are.  According to him, Rabbi Akiva’s Sukkah was never valid to being with.  Rabbi Akiva holds that it needs to stand up to normal winds on land only, not exceptionally strong winds.

This dispute reveals practical wisdom for men.  Not everyone is strong enough to remain stoic in the face of every  tribulation of life, and that is okay.  But you do need the resilience to stand up to normal pressures and conflicts that are likely to occur.

There will always be winds, don’t expect smooth sailing.  Don’t pray that life becomes easier, pray that you get stronger.

However, while we decide the law like Rabbi Akiva, he rules that the Sukkah must withstand normal winds, even in a place without any winds.  Therefore a man needs to build his resilience according to the foreseeable challenges he may face.  Some men in modern times seek to avoid any conflicts, but this is not a realistic outlook.  Even if your situation right now is sheltered, a man must have build a backbone and a tolerance for conflict.

The Gemara asks why one teaching states that if a Sukkah has more shade than sun it is kosher, implying 50/50 is not valid, but another teaching rules more sun than shade is invalid, implying 50/50 is okay.

Our sages answer that this is not a contradiction but a difference in perspective.  If you are looking at the floor, then half shade is good enough.  However if you are looking up at the Sechach roofing, then you need more than 50% coverage.  This is because light diffuses and expands – if you have a gap four inches wide in the roof, then you usually get more than four inches of light below.  (According to Rashi, Tosafot cites Rabeinu Tam who explains we are dealing with looking at the Sechach from above).

The input (here the roofing material) does not always match the output (the shade), but by sunshine there is a correlation.  The same follows in most areas of life.  When you put in more effort, you tend to get more results.

However, there is always a point of diminishing returns and for some areas of life going beyond is actually harmful.  We know working harder in the gym builds more strength, but too many sets does not yield any more gains and could actually be harmful.

There is also a point of disconnect between input and output in relationships.  A man needs to show some interest to kindle interest in return.  But going beyond a certain level of effort makes a man appear desperate, creepy, or like someone who lacks any other options.

Unlike a roof letting in sun, letting other people into your life is not a linear relationship.  A man must be mindful of what effort and energy he is putting into this person and what he is getting back.

The Talmud examines when a bed within a Sukkah is legally a tent.  If it is, someone sleeping under the bed would not fulfill the commandment of dwelling in the Sukkah.  Rabbi Yehuda rules that it is not, so the Gemara compares this ruling to another area of law where we need to make a “tent” to block ritual impurity.

Courtyards were built in Jerusalem atop the bedrock, and under these they built a space of at least a hand breadth to block impurity from a grave in the depths.  And they would bring pregnant women, who would give birth there in those courtyards, and would raise their children there in order to draw water for the Red Heifer.

When the children were 7-8 years old, the priests would bring oxen there, and place doors on the backs of these oxen.  These children would sit upon the doors and hold cups of stone, which are not susceptible to ritual impurity, in their hands to bring the water…

Rabbi Yehuda says they did not need the door on top of the ox, as the wide ox itself forms a legal “tent” to block impurity below.

The ancient Jews engaged in an intricate construction project, then pregnant women volunteered to be sequestered in this courtyard for years, just so these children would be ritually pure to draw pure water.  Each detail was to prevent any contamination of these little children who would draw the water to make the purification water from the Red Heifer.  This task was performed with the highest standards of care.

First of all, we see the power of raising children in a protected environment, and teaching them that this is necessary for their mission.  If parents try to cut children off from the wider world, this will fail.  The children need to know that taking some caution is really for their own best interest, so they can succeed later in life.

Consider that at age eight these little children had already accomplished something amazing for the entire nation.  For the rest of their lives they would be known as someone who had been raised in the special courtyard, kept pure for this unique mission.

But think about how they felt afterward.  Having finished this sacred task, they are now just like everyone else.  They can go to a funeral and become ritually impure.  These children may have grown up longing for the time when they still had a special mission and a higher standard.  It may have been hard to lead a normal life with mundane goals.

When a man thinks he has accomplished his life’s work, that is dangerous.  He can get the feeling that he has nothing left to strive for.  Instead of aiming for one goal, get into the habit of making many goals, so when you finish something you always have another mission.

The Talmud examines using mats of cane, reeds, bamboo or the like for Sechach (Sukkah roofing).  The Gemara cites a ruling of Rabbi Hiyya and his sons, but first gives this wild introduction:

Reish Lakish said: I am the atonement for Rabbi Ḥiyya and his sons. Initially, when some of the Torah laws were forgotten from the Jewish people Israel (after the destruction of the Temple), Ezra ascended from Babylonia and reestablished the forgotten laws. Parts of the Torah were again forgotten in Israel, and Hillel the Babylonian ascended and reestablished the forgotten sections. When parts of the Torah were again forgotten in Israel, Rabbi Ḥiyya and his sons ascended and reestablished the forgotten sections.

Reish Lakish, himself an accomplished sage, expresses profound humility and gratitude to Rabbi Hiyya and his sons for restoring some laws that had been lost.  His admiration for them is so great that he is willing to be their living atonement – that means he accepts suffering onto himself in order to rectify any transgressions they had committed.  Rabbi Hiyya and his sons had already passed away by this time*, and Reish Lakish was willing to struggle and suffer to wipe out any punishments they may have earned for the afterlife.

There is a concept in Judaism that the living children and students of men continue their legacy.  A son performing God’s commands or giving charity brings merit to his parents even after they are gone from this world. This is why children say the “Kaddish” prayer on behalf of their parents and close relatives.  We learn today that the next generation can also undertake – if they are willing – to suffer on behalf of their elders to clear their slate.

Teachers are just as respected in Jewish society as parents, reflecting the ancient honor for wisdom. “I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.” – Alexander the Great

Men have the ability to self sacrifice and to endure tremendous suffering for a worthy cause.  Men can dive on a grenade to save their comrades in battle, men can give up their dream house or career to get their kids into a better school.  We understand these acts as heroic and meaningful.

The danger is that this natural capacity in men can be hijacked by people who do not have the man’s best interest in mind.  Perhaps a woman has made poor life choices and has kids from different baby daddies, and needs a man to pay her rent.  She may convince another man that his sacrifices to provide for her comfort and for someone else’s legacy is the highest thing he can achieve.  For some men this might be true, but so often men are pushed to give up their own interest and resources for the needs of others without thinking twice if this is actually meaningful and worthwhile.

Think about what goals and people you are willing to suffer and sacrifice for.  You have a sublime power as a man to give of yourself on behalf of others, just be careful who you give to.  Our ancient sages understood that this capability is best reserved for those who directly benefit you, your parents, family, and teachers.

*We examined the greatness of Rabbi Hiyya. עיין ב”מ פ’ הסוכר

We are discussing using a courtyard with an existing covered porch held up by columns as a Sukkah by adding walls and Sechach (Sukkah roofing) inside the courtyard.

Rav Ashi visited Rav Kahana who was in such a Sukkah, but saw only two walls.  Rav Kahana explained that there was a column within the Sukkah not visible to the outside which was serving as the third wall (the third wall can be short).

When we look from the outside at another man’s situation, we don’t see what is going on inside.  He may have a brand new car or a boat, be he may have taken out a second mortgage to afford it.  Maybe just to pay down his credit card debt he is working a side job that leaves him no time to take care of his health and intellectual development.

You can avoid jealousy through realizing that you never know the whole picture of someone else’s life.  Also appreciate the challenges you face.  These are yours alone, and your chance to overcome and excel.

Continue reading “Daily dose of wisdom, Sukkah 18: swim against the current” →

We learn a critical Mishnah about when gaps or small sections of invalid Sechach (roofing material) can undermine the validity of your Sukkah.  Regarding using other materials that cannot be kosher Sechach, when they are adjacent to the walls and can be viewed as an small extension of the walls, that is not a fatal flaw.  When they are in the middle there is a debate over how much area they can take up before they make the entire Sukkah useless.

We all have issues in our lives and things that could work better.  One of the first challenges is to recognize which problems have the most impact so you can put your effort into fixing those.  Many men get sidetracked by issues that are not really vital, and invest time and energy into those while ignoring their problems.  Often the most central problems in your life are the most difficult to deal with, or involve our long term relationships, se we avoid them.

Work with yourself to be honest about what your real problems are.

We examine if an incomplete wall still functions as a legal wall for a Sukkah.  It depends: a wall with a gap at the bottom is not valid if the gap is more than three handbreadths.  If the gap is near the top, it can be as large is 10.  The reason for this is that a gap near the bottom allows animals in, so a man cannot live in this Sukkah properly.  A gap near the top is only a problem when the people inside would not readily perceive the roof as just above the walls.

This distinction hints to us that it is more important to have firm boundaries for basic functions of life.  If your situation does not allow you take care of your necessities, such as getting adequate sleep, high quality food, and intense exercise, you definitely need to establish and enforce boundaries.  You need to rebuild your life from the bottom up, and stand your ground to get what you need.

On the other hand, if your issues are more ephemeral and intellectual, and a matter of perception, you don’t need to be as staunch.  Yes, you need to enforce your chosen personal boundaries.  However, for non-essential items, it may be better to avoid feeling offended and simply ignore someone who tests your limits.

The Talmud debates what is required to make a room with an unfinished roof (without plaster or shingles) into a kosher Sukkah.  One opinion is that we must pick up each roof board and put it back in place with the intent that they form a Sukkah.  Another argues that we must remove every other board and fill the gaps with other materials normally used for Sechach.  One sage argues that we need to remove every second board and also reinstall the remaining boards with proper purpose.

The argument over fixing the roof hints to us that there is more than one way for a man to turn his life around.

Even when life is going pretty well, a wise man will pick up and examine each element of his situation. This includes his friends, hobbies, exercise, diet, and relationship.  He then puts them into proper place with a renewed intent for each to work in his favor.  He keeps doing what he already was doing, but maximizes the benefit he is getting.  This could mean you keep your old friend but start lifting with him instead of just drinking.

A man with some flawed mental models that are not working for him should work to remove those and replace them with new concepts that can help him succeed.  You have to be willing to rip up and throw out ideas you have accepted for your entire life so far when they interfere with your mission.

The most complete change is both.  Remove from your life the ideas, actions, and people that are not working well for you.   Replace these with positive concepts and happy, successful people.  Then deal with the ones you are keeping, and examine how they can work better.  Pursue your activities and relationships with your ultimate purpose in mind.