Mesechtas Chagigah

Mesechtas Chagigah has 3 chapters and 25.5 pages. The masechet deals with the laws of the festivals and additional laws.

Poshei Yisrael (Sinners of Israel)

A story is told about a Jewish man from the Satmar chassidim who was childless. Being a chassid, he approached his Rebbe for a blessing for zera chaya v'kayama (viable offspring). His Rebbe blessed him and then added a surprising instruction: "Gei tzu yenem" (Go to that one), referring to the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

When he merited to enter the holy room of the Rebbe and present a pidyon nefesh with a request for a blessing from the Rebbe for zera chaya v'kayama, the Rebbe inquired about his daily schedule. The chassid laid out all his activities throughout the day, and after the Rebbe listened to the chassid's words, he replied that he should go to a doctor.

But with this, the yechidus (private audience) was not concluded. Suddenly, the Rebbe diverted from the topic for which the chassid had come, and began asking him questions about what was happening in the Satmar court recently. The Rebbe inquired whether the Satmar Rebbe had marked the yahrzeit of his first wife with a farbrengen or tish, and what was discussed at that tish. The chassid answered in the affirmative, and that at that tish there was a siyum on Masechet Chagigah.

"And what was discussed in connection with the siyum of Masechet Chagigah?" asked the Rebbe. The chassid replied: "My Rebbe spoke about what is written: 'The sinners of Israel are as full of mitzvot as a pomegranate,' as it is written 'Like a piece of pomegranate is your temple (rakatech),' and our Sages said: Don't read 'rakatech' (your temple) but 'reikanin' (the empty ones among you)." And about this the Satmar Rebbe asked in the Hadran he delivered - how is it possible that the sinners of Israel would be full of mitzvot like a pomegranate?" When the Rebbe heard the chassid's words, he suddenly became very serious. Here the Rebbe found it appropriate to share with this chassid the essence of his approach and outlook on a Jew: "I too have learned these things," said the Rebbe, "and I too was troubled by a question: How can one who is 'full of mitzvot like a pomegranate' be called a sinner?"

The Rebbe's Explanations

The masechet also brings the story of Elisha ben Avuyah, who turned to evil ways. When he came before the Heavenly court, they ruled that he would enter neither Gan Eden nor Gehinom. His student, the Tanna Rabbi Meir, was not satisfied with this ruling, and believed it would be better for Acher (Elisha's nickname after he became a heretic) to be in Gehinom, so that afterward he would merit the immense pleasure of Gan Eden. When Rabbi Meir passed away, smoke began to rise consistently from Elisha ben Avuyah's grave. Rabbi Yochanan, however, was not satisfied with this ruling either, and believed that Rabbi Meir should have acted to save Elisha from the judgment of Gehinom altogether, and indeed when he passed away, the smoke ceased to rise from Elisha ben Avuyah's grave.

From this, the Tzemach Tzedek learns that the pleasure in Gan Eden is immeasurably great. For as is known, the sufferings of Gehinom are most severe, to the extent that it is said that it is preferable to suffer the afflictions of Iyov for seventy years in this world, rather than suffer for one moment the torments of Gehinom. Nevertheless, it was worthwhile for Acher to suffer for a very long time - from the time of Rabbi Meir's passing until the time of Rabbi Yochanan's passing - and this is in contrast to the pleasures of this world, for which it is not customary to agree to receive suffering. And all this is for the pleasures of the lower Gan Eden, to which Elisha ben Avuyah was elevated, and the difference between the lower Gan Eden and the upper Gan Eden is as great as the difference between the lower Gan Eden and this world.

Additional Explanations

• 2a. Beit Shammai says the re'iyah offering is two silver coins and the chagigah offering is one silver coin, etc. Sichot Kodesh 5731 Vol. 2.
• 4a. Chinuch d'rabbanan. Likutei Sichot Vol. 35 p. 61 (p. 75)
• 10a. One who separates from Gemara to Mishnah. Likutei Sichot Vol. 16 p. 2 note 12 (p. 17)
• 10b. We do not derive matters of Torah from matters of Kabbalah. Likutei Sichot Vol. 38 p. 120 note 47 (p. 132)
• 13b. Why Yechezkel is compared to a villager who saw the king, and why Yeshayah is compared to a city-dweller who saw the king. Sichot Vol. 33, Sicha 1 for Shavuot, p. 29
• 18a. The incident when Alexa died in Lod. Likutei Sichot Vol. 28 p. 24 (36)
• 26a. Trustworthiness of an am ha'aretz during the festival. Likutei Sichot Vol. 37 Parshat Shemini
• 26b. All vessels that were in the Temple require immersion, except for the golden altar and the copper altar. Hitva'aduyot 5742 Vol. 4 p. 2029 (p. 283)
• 27a. Sinners of Israel who are full of mitzvot like a pomegranate. Hitva'aduyot 5742 Vol. 4 p. 2030 (p. 284)
• 27a. Kal vachomer from the salamander. Likutei Sichot Vol. 16 p. 435 (p. 448)
• Conclusion of the Masechet, The law of the altar's overlay. Sichot Kodesh 5731 Vol. 2.

Explanations of the Tzemach Tzedek

• The Tzemach Tzedek, "Masechet Chagigah," Tzemach Tzedek on the Shas, Brooklyn, 5755, 160 pages.

See Also

Salamander