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Curated Torah sources across every topic, from classical texts to contemporary responsa.
The Aravah: From Sukkot Willow to Heavenly Realm
The sources explore the shared terminology between the aravah, one of the four species used on Sukkot, and Aravot, the highest of the seven heavens in Jewish cosmology. They trace how the willow's botanical and spiritual characteristics connect to broader themes of divine presence, righteousness, and spiritual elevation.
רוֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת בְּיָהּ שְׁמוֹ
Hoshana Rabbah and the Willow Ceremony
Sources explore the ritual of taking and striking willow branches (aravot) on the seventh day of Sukkot, known as Hoshana Rabbah. They explain the halakhic basis for this practice, its connection to Temple custom, and its theological significance as a day of judgment and supplication for blessing.
זֵכֶר לַמִּקְדָּשׁ אֶלָּא בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי בִּלְבַד
Awakening From Below in Jewish Spirituality
These sources explore the concept of human initiative and effort as a spiritual force that precedes and enables divine response. They examine how intentional human action, repentance, and striving create the conditions for higher spiritual attainment and divine revelation.
יָגַעְתִּי וּמָצָאתִי — תַּאֲמֵן
The Aravah on Hoshana Rabbah: Origins and Customs
These sources trace the biblical foundation for willow branches in Sukkot observance, the Talmudic development of the distinct aravah rite on the seventh day, and the codified halakhic and customary practices of beating aravot on Hoshana Rabbah, including the Temple-based origins of the custom.
זֵכֶר לַמִּקְדָּשׁ
Rambam and Yerushalmi in Biur HaGra
The verified sources do not contain the specific Biur HaGra citation on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim where the Gra discusses the Rambam following the Yerushalmi. The sources address biblical exegesis, Zoharic commentary, and Shabbat law, but none include the requested GRA passage.
Bent Walls and Elevated S'chach in a Sukkah
Sources discuss the halakhic doctrine of דופן עקומה (a bent wall), which permits a wall to be treated as extending inward even when the s'chach sits above it, provided the distance between them does not exceed four amot. The sources establish the conditions under which such a configuration remains valid.
דופן עקומה אפי' אין הדופן אלא י״ט והגג גבוה ממנו הרבה
Tefillin on Chol HaMoed: The Halakhic Dispute
Sources examine the central halakhic question of whether tefillin are worn during the intermediate days of Passover and Sukkot. The dispute turns on whether Chol HaMoed constitutes a time requiring tefillin, with medieval and later authorities offering differing positions and practical rulings based on the concept of multiple signs and festival sanctity.
שבת ויו״ט לאו זמן תפילין הן
Kohanim and Marriage to a Chalutzah
Jewish law prohibits a kohen from marrying a chalutzah (a woman who has undergone the chalitzah ceremony to release herself from levirate marriage). This prohibition applies in all times and circumstances, regardless of whether the chalitzah status is certain or doubtful.
כהן אסור בחלוצה מדרבנן
Breslov Teachings on Sukkot
Rebbe Nachman's teachings on Sukkot emphasize spiritual awareness, faith, and joy as central to the festival's practice. Sources explore how the sukkah embodies divine protection, how authentic dwelling transforms ordinary space into sacred experience, and how the season cultivates reliance on divine providence and charitable practice.
וְהִיא בְּחִינַת סֻכָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: תְּסֻכֵּנִי בְּבֶטֶן אִמִּי
The Halakha of a Stolen Sukkah
Sources examine whether a sukkah built from stolen materials or occupying another person's property is valid for fulfilling the mitzvah, and distinguish between theft of the sukkah's structure and theft of the land on which it stands. The sources present a foundational dispute over whether a mitzvah can be performed through wrongdoing and address practical remedies available to the owner.
סוכה גזולה כשרה
Walls Higher Than the Sukkah Roof
Medieval and early modern sources examine whether a sukkah remains valid when the wall used as a דופן עקומה (bent wall) exceeds the height of the s'chach (roofing). The halakha addresses the relationship between wall height, invalid roofing material, and the requirement for sufficient valid s'chach.
אמרינן דופן עקומה
Walls Higher Than the Schach in a Sukkah
Classical and later authorities address whether a wall that rises above the schach can still qualify for the legal fiction of דופן עקומה (a bent wall), which permits the sukkah to remain valid even when invalid roofing adjoins the wall. The sources discuss the relationship between wall height, schach placement, and the four-cubit measure that defines when this principle applies.
אמרינן דופן עקומה שאנו רואים כאילו הדופן עולה עד הסכך