אמר רבא וכי מצות ליהנות ניתנו אלא אמר רבא הא דאמר ישיבת סוכה עלי והא דאמר שבועה שלא אשב בסוכה
Raba objected: Were the precepts then given for enjoyment?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Technically speaking, one cannot be said to drive physical enjoyment from the fulfilment of a precept, and therefore a vow in these terms would not be binding. One's highest enjoyment should be in obedience to God's word. [Apart from its halachic implications, the object of this saying was to keep the ethical principle free from any admixture of the idea of utility V. Lazarus, M. Ethics of Judaism, I, p. 284.]
');"><sup>11</sup></span> But Raba answered: There [in the case of vows] one says, 'The sitting in the <i>sukkah</i> be forbidden me';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus the vow falls upon the sukkah, which is rendered forbidden, and upon the person; therefore it is valid.
');"><sup>12</sup></span>
Sefat Emet
In the verse, 'Thus shall you say' etc., for the 'women [...] with gentle language' etc., 'and tell [...] harsh matters'. And there's a difficulty, that with one expression being said, according to Rashi, 'in this language and in this order'. And perhaps one could say that really these words are for women and those who are lacking understanding. They are only words of encouragement how the Holy One, blessed be He, brought us close and uplifted us. But people that understand, know that this is not a small thing and that they are receiving with this, a great and awesome yoke to serve the Creator of the world and to clarify his kingdom, may it be blessed, in the world. And therefore it says with this expression and in this order that it was revealed before Him, may He be blessed, that with this expression each person will continue according to their path. The women with encouragement. And the men with an awesome undertaking. And in the Gemora we also find a disagreement whether commandments were given to us to derive benefit from. And the law is that they weren't given to us to derive benefit from, as mentioned above.
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