Sukka 27 a, b

A new Mishna teaches us that Rabbi Eliezer has a different opinion than that of the rabbis concerning meals in the sukka.  He believes that we should have 14 meals in the sukka, one in the morning and one in the evening (the standard mealtimes of our Sages) over the 7 Festival days.  He also believed that if we miss the first day's meal, we can compensate for that at the end of the holiday.   The rabbis disagreed.  They asserted that there were no limits on meals over Sukkot, but that only the first meal must be eaten in the sukka.  And so we begin our daf.

After arguing about their reasoning, Rabbi Eliezer eventually concedes to the views of the rabbis.  We are told that a representative of Agrippas of Greece wondered about people like Agrippas, who only eat only meal each day.  He also asks what should be done when one has two wives and thus two sukkot, each in a different city.  After chastising him regarding his refusal to eat delicacies for the sake of G-d, the rabbis tell him that one such person must choose one sukka to reside in for the duration of the Festival.  I cannot help but wonder why he would care: Jewish laws do not apply to Greek heads of state!

The rabbis go on to discuss if/when a sukka can be rebuilt.  They speak of the "homeborn", who may (or may not) be Jews who converted  during the intermediate days of the Festival.  They think about when a person might leave one sukka and reside in that of another person; they speak of sharing ownership of sukkot.

An amusing exchange between Rabbi Elai and Rabbi Eliezer is recorded.  When receiving Elai as a visitor on Sukkot, Rabbi Eliezer noted that Rabbi Elai was not keeping the mitzvot of Shabbat.  And how did he know?  Because Rabbi Elai was out visiting him (Rabbi Eliezer) and not at home with his wife.  Married me are told to be with their wives on this holiday.  In fact, what Rabbi Eliezer said was that he praised the lazy, for they did not leave their homes on Sukkot.

Rabbi Eliezer visited Rabbi Yochanan, son of Rabbi Elai, and was standing in his sukka.  "Can I put a sheet up?" asked Rabbi Yochanan, "For it is like a tent".  Rabbi Eliezer answered indirectly a number of times, saying only, "There is no generation of Israel from which probphets did not emerge".  When the hour grew late and Rabbi Yochanan covered the sukah like a tent, Rabbi Eliezer stepped out of the sukka.  Discussing the meaning of his phrase, some rabbis believed Rabbi Eliezer was saying that all Jews have different opinions; one opinion does not trump another.  This is an important thought, particularly in Israel today (2014).

After explaining why Rabbi Eliezer was out in someone else's sukka after arguing so passionately to keep people home (they suggest that this must have been a time other than sukkot), the rabbis look at a metaphor.  They speak of using window shutters on Shabbat.  I can't quite get these particular references - yet.

The references to Rabbi Eliezer over one daf help me to better understand his character and the decisions that he made.  Though notes explain that he was usually in line with Beit Shammai and that he rarely spoke an opinion that was not taught to him by rabbis, I feel quite awed by his presence and his work.