Mitzvah of Simcha

Sukkah (4:6) | Yisrael Bankier | a year ago

The Mishnah (4:1,8) teaches that the mitzvah of Simcha and Hallel lasts for eight days - the seven days of Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret. What is this mitzvah of simcha?

The Bartenura (4:1) explains that the mitzvah is to consume the meat of a korban shelamim, during the time of the Beit HaMikdash. That is based on the pasuk, "and you shall slaughter shlamim, and eat it there, and you will be happy" (Devarim 26). The Tosfot (Chagigah 14b) also understands that the mitzvah of simcha relates specifically to the korban shelamim, implying other forms of simcha are rabbinic.

The Gemara (Pesachim 71a) however asks that if the mitzvah is dependent on the korban, some years it would not be possible to perform the mitzvah all eight days. If the first day coincided with Shabbat, then it would not be possible to fulfill the mitzvah on that first day. The shalmei simcha cannot be offered on Shabbat. Furthermore, one cannot offer the shelamim prior to Shabbat to consume it on Shabbat, since the slaughter of the shelamim must also be during the time of simcha (and not before). Rav Papa explains that one can fulfill the mitzvah with clean clothes and aged wine. The Ritva (Sukkah 42b) therefore understands, that while the best way to perform the mitzvah is with meat, it is not the only way.

Indeed, the Gemara (Pesachim 109a) cites a Beraita that learns from the pasuk "and you shall be happy on your festival" that one must ensure that their household is happy in the means that makes them happy. Nevertheless R' Yehuda ben Betaira explains that, based on the pesukim cited above, during the time of the Beit HaMikdash, simcha is only fulfilled with meat (of the shelamim). After that time, it is with wine.

Based on this Gemara, the Sefat Emet finds the Gemara above difficult. The Gemara's original questions was that if the first day of sukkot coincided with Shabbat, then the mitzvah could not be performed all eight days. The Gemara assumed that relying on the meat from the Shelamim offered erev Pesach would not suffice. Yet the Gemara answered the fine clothing would. Why would fine clothing be better than the meat from a korban from erev Sukkot?

The Sefat Emet therefore explains that novelty of that Gemara is that when our Mishnah teaches that there is a mitzvah for eight days, that relates to the broader mitzvah of simcha. That can be fulfilled even with nice clothing and fine wine. However, there is a aspect that relates specifically to the shalmei simcha, that needs to be fulfilled only once during the festival. The Sefat Emet understands that this is the position of the Rambam which is "to offer during the festival" the korban, implying that once is sufficient. He however notes that according to Rashi and Tosfot (Sukkah 42b) the mitzvah is to consume the meat for a shelamim every day (if possible).

We still need to understand the mitzvah as it relates to the shelamim. The Aruch LaNer asks, is the mitzvah to offer the korban or consume some of the meat from the korban. The practical difference would be if one can satisfy the mitzvah by eating the meat from someone else's korban. Similarly, if the mitzvah of simcha as it relates to the shelamim is every day, then can one satisfy their obligation by consuming some of the meat on one day from their korban that was offered the day before?

The Aruch LaNer cites the Tosfot that teach that one can satisfy the obligation with the meat from yesterday's shelamim or someone else's shelamim. Indeed, the Beraita in Chagiga (8) teaches that the kohanim can satisfy the mitzvah with the parts gifted to them from a shelamim. All this implies that the mitzvah is to consume the meat from a shelamim. (See all the Bartenura cited above.) The Rambam however rules that, "it is a mitzvah to offer the shelamim". The Aruch LaNer finds the Rambam difficult considering the Beraita cited above that implies the mitzvah is to consume part of a Shelamim. The Aruch LaNer however does note that the Rambam also rules that there is a broader biblical mitzvah of simcha.

Perhaps we can explain that Rambam, based on the Sefat Emet, that the Beraita related to the kohanim was referring to the broader mitzvah of simcha, that should ideally be fulfilled with meat. That mitzvah is all eight days. Yet this other aspect, the offering of the shalmi simcha (much like the shalmei chagigah) need to be offered at least once.

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