## Sukkah Daf 52a

###### Sukkah 52a:1
[Sukkah 52a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:1)

״וְסָפְדָה הָאָרֶץ מִשְׁפָּחוֹת מִשְׁפָּחוֹת לְבָד מִשְׁפַּחַת בֵּית דָּוִד לְבָד וּנְשֵׁיהֶם לְבָד״. אָמְרוּ: וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחוֹמֶר: וּמָה לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, שֶׁעוֹסְקִין בְּהֶסְפֵּד וְאֵין יֵצֶר הָרָע שׁוֹלֵט בָּהֶם — אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה אֲנָשִׁים לְבַד וְנָשִׁים לְבַד. עַכְשָׁיו, שֶׁעֲסוּקִין בְּשִׂמְחָה וְיֵצֶר הָרָע שׁוֹלֵט בָּהֶם — עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is stated: **“The land will eulogize, each family separately; the family of the house of David separately, and their women separately,** the family of the house of Nathan separately, and their women separately” (Zechariah 12:12). This indicates that at the end of days a great eulogy will be organized during which men and women will be separate. **They said: And are** these **matters not** inferred ***a fortiori*? If in the future,** at the end of days referred to in this prophecy, **when** people **are involved in** a great **eulogy and** consequently **the evil inclination does not dominate them,** as typically during mourning inappropriate thoughts and conduct are less likely, and nevertheless **the Torah says: Men separately and women separately;** then **now that they are involved in** the **Celebration** of the Drawing of the Water, **and** as such **the evil inclination dominates them,** since celebration lends itself to levity, **all the more so** should men and women be separate.


###### Sukkah 52a:2
[Sukkah 52a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:2)

הָא הֶסְפֵּידָא מַאי עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ? פְּלִיגִי בַּהּ רַבִּי דּוֹסָא וְרַבָּנַן. חַד אָמַר: עַל מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג, וְחַד אָמַר: עַל יֵצֶר הָרַע שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Apropos the eulogy at the end of days, the Gemara asks: For **what is the nature of this eulogy?** The Gemara answers: **Rabbi Dosa and the Rabbis disagree concerning this** matter. **One said** that this eulogy is **for Messiah ben Yosef who was killed** in the war of Gog from the land of Magog prior to the ultimate redemption with the coming of Messiah ben David. **And one said** that this eulogy is **for the evil inclination that was killed.**


###### Sukkah 52a:3
[Sukkah 52a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:3)

בִּשְׁלָמָא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר עַל מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וְהִבִּיטוּ אֵלַי אֵת אֲשֶׁר דָּקָרוּ וְסָפְדוּ עָלָיו כְּמִסְפֵּד עַל הַיָּחִיד״. אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר עַל יֵצֶר הָרַע שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג — הַאי הֶסְפֵּידָא בָּעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד? שִׂמְחָה בָּעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד! אַמַּאי בָּכוּ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Granted, according to the one who said** that the lament is for **Messiah ben Yosef who was killed, this** would be the meaning of that **which is written** in that context: **“And they shall look unto Me because they have thrust him through; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son”** (Zechariah 12:10). **However, according to the one who said** that the eulogy is **for the evil inclination that was killed,** does one **need to conduct a eulogy** for **this?** On the contrary, **one should conduct a celebration. Why,** then, **did they cry?**


###### Sukkah 52a:4
[Sukkah 52a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:4)

כִּדְדָרֵשׁ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, מְבִיאוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיֵצֶר הָרָע, וְשׁוֹחֲטוֹ בִּפְנֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים וּבִפְנֵי הָרְשָׁעִים. צַדִּיקִים נִדְמֶה לָהֶם כְּהַר גָּבוֹהַּ, וּרְשָׁעִים נִדְמֶה לָהֶם כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה. הַלָּלוּ בּוֹכִין וְהַלָּלוּ בּוֹכִין. צַדִּיקִים בּוֹכִין וְאוֹמְרִים: הֵיאַךְ יָכוֹלְנוּ לִכְבּוֹשׁ הַר גָּבוֹהַּ כָּזֶה! וּרְשָׁעִים בּוֹכִין וְאוֹמְרִים: הֵיאַךְ לֹא יָכוֹלְנוּ לִכְבּוֹשׁ אֶת חוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה הַזֶּה! וְאַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא תָּמֵהַּ עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ צְבָאוֹת כִּי יִפָּלֵא בְּעֵינֵי שְׁאֵרִית הָעָם הַזֶּה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם גַּם בְּעֵינַי יִפָּלֵא״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: This can be understood **as Rabbi Yehuda taught: In the future,** at the end of days, **God will bring the evil inclination and slaughter it in the presence of the righteous and in the presence of the wicked.** For **the righteous** the evil inclination **appears to them as a high mountain, and** for **the wicked** it **appears** to **them as** a mere **strand of hair. These weep and those weep. The righteous weep and say: How were we able to overcome so high a mountain? And the wicked weep and say: How were we unable to overcome this strand of hair? And even the Holy One, Blessed be He, will wonder with them, as it is stated** with regard to the eulogy: **“So says the Lord of hosts: If it be wondrous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, it should also be wondrous in My eyes”** (Zechariah 8:6).


###### Sukkah 52a:5
[Sukkah 52a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:5)

אָמַר רַב אַסִּי: יֵצֶר הָרָע בַּתְּחִילָּה דּוֹמֶה לְחוּט שֶׁל בּוּכְיָא, וּלְבַסּוֹף דּוֹמֶה כַּעֲבוֹתוֹת הָעֲגָלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הוֹי מוֹשְׁכֵי הֶעָוֹן בְּחַבְלֵי הַשָּׁוְא וְכַעֲבוֹת הָעֲגָלָה חַטָּאָה״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Apropos the evil inclination and the battle against it, the Gemara cites that which **Rav Asi said: Initially,** when it begins to entice someone, **the evil inclination is like a strand of a spider’s web [*bukhya*]; and ultimately it is like** the thick **ropes of a wagon, as it is stated: “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as if it were with a wagon rope”** (Isaiah 5:18). Initially, the enticement is almost imperceptible, like a thin strand; however, after one sins, it is like wagon ropes tied tightly around him.


###### Sukkah 52a:6
[Sukkah 52a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:6)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד שֶׁעָתִיד לְהִגָּלוֹת בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ, אוֹמֵר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: שְׁאַל מִמֶּנִּי דָּבָר וְאֶתֵּן לָךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֲסַפְּרָה אֶל חוֹק וְגוֹ׳ אֲנִי הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיךָ. שְׁאַל מִמֶּנִּי וְאֶתְּנָה גוֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶךָ״. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאָה מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג, אוֹמֵר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! אֵינִי מְבַקֵּשׁ מִמְּךָ אֶלָּא חַיִּים. אוֹמֵר לוֹ: חַיִּים, עַד שֶׁלֹּא אָמַרְתָּ כְּבָר הִתְנַבֵּא עָלֶיךָ דָּוִד אָבִיךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״חַיִּים שָׁאַל מִמְּךָ נָתַתָּה לוֹ וְגוֹ׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught: To Messiah ben David, who is destined to be revealed swiftly in our time, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Ask of Me anything and I will give you** whatever you wish, **as it is stated: “I will tell of the decree;** the Lord said unto me: You are My son, **this day have I begotten you, ask of Me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance,** and the ends of the earth for your possession” (Psalms 2:7–8). **Once** the Messiah ben David **saw Messiah ben Yosef, who was killed, he says** to the Holy One, Blessed be He: **Master of the Universe, I ask of you only life;** that I will not suffer the same fate. The Holy One, Blessed be He, **says to him: Life?** Even **before you stated** this request, **your father, David, already prophesied about you** with regard to this matter precisely, **as it is stated: “He asked life of You, You gave it to him;** even length of days for ever and ever” (Psalms 21:5).


###### Sukkah 52a:7
[Sukkah 52a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:7)

דָּרֵשׁ רַבִּי עַוִּירָא וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: שִׁבְעָה שֵׁמוֹת יֵשׁ לוֹ לְיֵצֶר הָרָע. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קְרָאוֹ ״רַע״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי יֵצֶר לֵב הָאָדָם רַע מִנְּעוּרָיו״. מֹשֶׁה קְרָאוֹ ״עָרֵל״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּמַלְתֶּם אֵת עׇרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם״. דָּוִד קְרָאוֹ ״טָמֵא״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לֵב טָהוֹר בְּרָא לִי אֱלֹהִים״, מִכְּלָל דְּאִיכָּא טָמֵא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rabbi Avira, and some say Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, taught: The evil inclination has seven names. The Holy One, Blessed be He, called it evil, as it is stated: “For the inclination of a man’s heart is evil from his youth”** (Genesis 8:21). **Moses called it uncircumcised, as it is stated: “And circumcise the foreskin of your hearts”** (Deuteronomy 10:16). **David called it impure, as it is stated: “Create for me a pure heart, O God”** (Psalms 51:12); **by inference, there is an impure** heart that is the evil inclination.


###### Sukkah 52a:8
[Sukkah 52a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:8)

שְׁלֹמֹה קְרָאוֹ ״שׂוֹנֵא״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִם רָעֵב שֹׂנַאֲךָ הַאֲכִילֵהוּ לָחֶם וְאִם צָמֵא הַשְׁקֵהוּ מָיִם כִּי גֶחָלִים אַתָּה חוֹתֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וַה׳ יְשַׁלֶּם לָךְ״. אַל תִּקְרֵי ״יְשַׁלֶּם לָךְ״, אֶלָּא ״יַשְׁלִימֶנּוּ לָךְ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Solomon called it enemy, as it is stated: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you”** (Proverbs 25:21–22). **Do not read** it as: **And the Lord will reward you [*yeshalem lakh*]; rather** read it as: And the Lord **will reconcile it to you [*yashlimenu lakh*].** God will cause the evil inclination to love you and no longer seek to entice you to sin.


###### Sukkah 52a:9
[Sukkah 52a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:9)

יְשַׁעְיָה קְרָאוֹ ״מִכְשׁוֹל״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״סוֹלּוּ סוֹלּוּ פַּנּוּ דָרֶךְ הָרִימוּ מִכְשׁוֹל מִדֶּרֶךְ עַמִּי״. יְחֶזְקֵאל קְרָאוֹ ״אֶבֶן״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת לֵב הָאֶבֶן מִבְּשַׂרְכֶם וְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם לֵב בָּשָׂר״. יוֹאֵל קְרָאוֹ ״צְפוֹנִי״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאֶת הַצְּפוֹנִי אַרְחִיק מֵעֲלֵיכֶם״. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״וְאֶת הַצְּפוֹנִי אַרְחִיק מֵעֲלֵיכֶם״ — זֶה יֵצֶר הָרָע, שֶׁצָּפוּן וְעוֹמֵד בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Isaiah called it a stumbling block, as it is stated: “And He will say: Cast you up, cast you up, clear the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of My people”** (Isaiah 57:14). **Ezekiel called it stone, as it is stated: “And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh”** (Ezekiel 36:26). **Joel called it hidden one, as it says: “But I will remove the northern one [*hatzefoni*] far off from you”** (Joel 2:20). **The Sages taught** concerning the verse: **“But I will remove the northern one [*hatzefoni*] far off from you,”** that **this is** referring to **the evil inclination.** And why is the evil inclination referred to as *tzefoni*? It is due to the fact **that it is always hidden [*tzafun*] in the heart of man.**


###### Sukkah 52a:10
[Sukkah 52a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:10)

״וְהִדַּחְתִּיו אֶל אֶרֶץ צִיָּה וּשְׁמָמָה״ — לִמְקוֹם שֶׁאֵין בְּנֵי אָדָם מְצוּיִין לְהִתְגָּרוֹת בָּהֶן. ״אֶת פָּנָיו אֶל הַיָּם הַקַּדְמוֹנִי״ — שֶׁנָּתַן עֵינָיו בְּמִקְדָּשׁ רִאשׁוֹן וְהֶחְרִיבוֹ, וְהָרַג תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים שֶׁבּוֹ. ״וְסוֹפוֹ אֶל הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן״ — שֶׁנָּתַן עֵינָיו בְּמִקְדָּשׁ שֵׁנִי וְהֶחְרִיבוֹ, וְהָרַג תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים שֶׁבּוֹ. ״וְעָלָה בׇאְשׁוֹ וְתַעַל צַחֲנָתוֹ״ — שֶׁמַּנִּיחַ אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, וּמִתְגָּרֶה בְּשׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. ״כִּי הִגְדִּיל לַעֲשׂוֹת״ — אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: וּבְתַלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים יוֹתֵר מִכּוּלָּם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* continues interpreting the verse in the book of Joel. **“And will drive it to a land barren and desolate”** (Joel 2:20), **where there are no people for** the evil inclination **to incite.** And what damage does the evil inclination cause? **“With its face toward the eastern [*hakadmoni*] sea”** (Joel 2:20), **as it set its eyes on the First** [***mukdam***] **Temple and destroyed it, and killed the Torah scholars that** were **in it; “and its end toward the western [*ha’aḥaron*] sea”** (Joel 2:20), **as it set its eyes on the Second** [***aḥaron***] **Temple and destroyed it, and killed the Torah scholars that** were **in it; “its foulness may come up, and its ill odor may come up”** (Joel 2:20), **as it forsakes the nations of the world and incites the enemies of** the **Jewish people:** In this context, the term the nations is a euphemism for the Jewish people. The evil inclination seeks to corrupt the Jews more than it does the members of any other nation. **“Because it has done greatly”** (Joel 2:20): **Abaye said: And** it provokes **Torah scholars more than** it provokes **everyone** else.


###### Sukkah 52a:11
[Sukkah 52a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:11)

כִּי הָא דְּאַבָּיֵי שַׁמְעֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּקָאָמַר לְהַהִיא אִתְּתָא: נַקְדֵּים וְנֵיזִיל בְּאוֹרְחָא. אֲמַר: אֵיזִיל אַפְרְשִׁינְהוּ מֵאִיסּוּרָא. אֲזַל בָּתְרַיְיהוּ תְּלָתָא פַּרְסֵי בְּאַגְמָא. כִּי הֲווֹ פָּרְשִׁי מֵהֲדָדֵי, שַׁמְעִינְהוּ דְּקָא אָמְרִי: אוֹרְחִין רַחִיקָא, וְצַוְותִּין בְּסִימָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara illustrates that point. It is **like this** incident, **as Abaye once heard a certain man say to a certain woman: Let us rise early and go on the road.** Upon hearing this, Abaye **said** to himself: **I will go** and accompany them and **prevent them from** violating **the prohibition** that they certainly intend to violate. **He went after them** for a distance of **three parasangs in a marsh** among the reeds, while they walked on the road, and they did not engage in any wrongful activity. **When they were taking leave of each other, he heard that they were saying:** We traveled **a long distance** together, **and the company was pleasant company.**


###### Sukkah 52a:12
[Sukkah 52a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:12)

אֲמַר אַבָּיֵי: אִי מַאן דְּסָנֵי לִי הֲוָה, לָא הֲוָה מָצֵי לְאוֹקוֹמֵי נַפְשֵׁיהּ. אֲזַל תְּלָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּעִיבּוּרָא דְּדָשָׁא וּמִצְטַעֵר. אֲתָא הָהוּא סָבָא, תְּנָא לֵיהּ: כׇּל הַגָּדוֹל מֵחֲבֵירוֹ — יִצְרוֹ גָּדוֹל הֵימֶנּוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye said:** In that situation, **if** instead of that man **it had been one whom I hate,** a euphemism for himself, **he would not have been able to restrain himself** from sinning. After becoming aware of so great a shortcoming **he went and leaned against the doorpost,** thinking **and feeling regret. A certain Elder came** and **taught him: Anyone who is greater than another, his** evil **inclination is greater than his.** Therefore, Abaye should not feel regret, as his realization is a consequence of his greatness.


###### Sukkah 52a:13
[Sukkah 52a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sukkah/r/52a:13)

אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: יִצְרוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו בְּכׇל יוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רַק

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A person’s inclination overcomes him each day, as it is stated: “Only**