- חולין ומשמשיהן פטורין מן הסוכה
The Mishnah on Daf 25a stated, חולין ומשמשיהן פטורין מן הסוכה – The sick and their attendants are patur from the mitzvah of succah. It was taught in a Baraisa, חולה שאמרו לא חולה שיש בו סכנה אלא אפילו חולה שאין בו סכנה – The choleh that was referred to in the Mishnah is not necessarily a choleh whose life is in danger but even a choleh whose life is not in danger, אפילו חש בעיניו ואפילו חש בראשו – and even if he merely has an eye-ache or a headache.
The Gemara goes on to distinguish between a choleh and a מצטער מן הסוכה – that a choleh and his attendants are patur from the mitzvah of a succah but the attendants of a מצטער are not patur. The Aruch LaNer explains that throughout the year a person would leave his home to attend to a sick person’s needs, therefore during Succos, he may leave the succah as well. But a person would not leave his home to attend to a person experiencing mere discomfort. Therefore, he may not leave the succah for that purpose either.
- אוכלין אכילת עראי חוץ לסוכה ואין ישנים שינת עראי חוץ לסוכה
The Mishnah stated, ואוכלים אכילת עראי חוץ לסוכה – One may eat lightly outside the succah. A Baraisa was brought that taught: אוכלין אכילת עראי חוץ לסוכה ואין ישנים שינת עראי חוץ לסוכה – One may eat lightly outside the succah, but one may not nap outside the succah. Rav Ashi said גזרה שמא ירדם – The Rabbanon were gozeir against napping lest one fall into a deep sleep. Abaye challenged Rav Ashi from a Baraisa that taught that one may take a nap with his tefillin on but may not take a deeper sleep, as Rashi explains he might come to pass gas. Here too, there should be a concern that he might fall into a deeper sleep. When the first answer is rejected, Rabbah bar bar Chanah said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan, במניח ראשו בין ברכיו עסקינן – We are dealing with one who puts his head between his knees. A person in this position is unlikely to fall into a deep sleep. Rava gave an alternative reason why one should not nap outside the succah: אין קבע לשינה – There is no fixed minimum for regular sleep. That is, even light sleep has the halachic status of regular sleep, because a nap can also refresh a person. Rashi explains that with respect to tefillin, where the only concern is that one might pass gas, one is allowed to doze, because a person does not tend to pass gas while dozing.
- אסור לאדם לישן ביום יותר משינת סוס
Rav said: אסור לאדם לישן ביום יותר משינת סוס – It is forbidden for a person to sleep by day longer than a horse’s sleep, and how long is a horse’s sleep, שיתין נשמי – sixty respirations. Rashi explains that it is forbidden because of bitul Torah. Abaye said that שנתיה דמר כדרב, - Master’s sleep, referring to his Rebbe, Rabbah bar Nachmani, was as long as Rav’s, which was as long as Rebbe’s, which was as long as Dovid’s, which was as long as a horse’s nap, which is sixty respirations. The Gemara relates that Abaye would doze by day for as long as it takes to travel from Pumbedisa to Bei Kuvei, which Rashi says was a distance of six parsahs. Rav Yosef recited the following passuk in reference to him: "עד מתי עצל תשכב מתי תקום משנתך" – How long will you recline, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?
