Succah In Charts Noson S. Yanofsky ּובָאֵ ר עַל-הַלֻּחֹות--לְמַעַן יָרּוץ ,קֹורֵ א בֹו חֲבַּקּוק בּ׃בּ לזכר נשמת פעשע חי׳ בת הרה״ג ר׳ צבי הירש זצ״ל ומרת ביילע טילע ע״ה This work would not exist without the warm encouragement (and pestering) of my nephew Reb Yitzi Yanofsky. I am forever in his debt. I am extremely grateful to Rav Zev Reiss Shlita for many helpful comments and criticisms. All remaining errors are my own. An argument will be made. Then there will be a highlighted criticism of the argument. Sometimes there will be a criticism of the criticism. And this can go on… A kal ve’chomer will be described as follows: A B < ↘ ↙ C This is read as “A is less (<) than B. Since A implies (→) C, B definitely implies (→) C.” For example: In 7th grade In 8th grade < ↘ ↙ Can learn Gemara Should be read as: “Being in 7th grade is less than being in 8th grade. If one can learn Gemara in 7th grade, one can definitely learn Gemara in 8th grade.” Please send criticisms, comments, and requests for .pdf copies to [email protected]. © August 2021 by Noson S. Yanofsky. Feel free to copy and distribute. 2 Succah Shehi Gevohah Chapter One Succah Chapter One 2a) Why our Mishna says “posul” and not “lower it.” Our Mishna A Mishna in Eruvin A succah over 20 amos high is posul. A mavoi over 20 amos, lower it. A Why here “posul”? Why here “lower it”? question: A succah and its height are deoraysa. If The laws of a mavoi are derabonim. An the succah has the wrong height, the There is no set height of the mavoi. answer: succah is no good. The Rabbonim said to fix the height. The Mishna could have said fix it. But There are few rules about a mavoi, so there are a lot of rules about succah. The the Mishnah can just say how to fix the Another Mishna just said when the succah is good few problems. answer: and when it is posul, rather than going into details of how to fix each problem. 3 Succah Shehi Gevohah Chapter One Succah 2a) Why a succah over 20 amos is posul. Reason Why others disagree So that the generations will know“ לְמַעַן, יֵדְ עּו דֹרֹתֵ יכֶם, כִּי בַסֻּכֹות הֹושַבְתִּ י אֶ ת-בְ נֵי יִּשְרָ אֵל that I caused the Bnei Yisroel to live “So that the generations will know that I in succos.” The future generations Rabbah: caused the Bnei Yisroel to live in succos.” should know about the succah. Not They must see that they are in a succah. If the that they must see it. walls are so high, they will not see the s’chach and know that they are in a succah. The verse “A succah will be a shade וְסֻּכָה תִּהְ יֶה לְצֵל-יֹומָ ם, מֵחֹרֶב in the daytime from the heat” is “A succah will be a shade in the daytime from about Mosheach’s time. Then there the heat.” They have to be in the shade of the will be a succah that will protect s’chach. If the succah is so high, they will be you. This is not about the Yom Tov in the shade of the walls and not the s’chach. of Succos. Abaye: If he built a succah in a valley of two R’ Zeria: If that was true, then it R’ Zeira: tall mountains, there will also be only the should have said that in Moshiach’s shade of the mountains and not the s’chach. time there will be a “chuppa” to Nevertheless, it is kosher. protect. Since it uses “succah” we R’ Zeira: If one removes the mountains, the learn that we are supposed to be in shade will be from the s’chach and the succah the shade of the s’chach. is a kosher succah. In contrast, if one removes the tall walls, the shade will still not be from the s’chach. So, the tall-walled succah is posul. .They agree with Abaye’s criticism בַסֻּכֹת תֵשְבּו, שִּבְ עַת יָמִּ ים “In a succah you should live for seven days.” It should be a deras arroy (a temporary house). To be more than 20 amos high, it must be sturdy and not temporary. Rava: Abaye: If a succah is made of iron, then it is still a kosher succah even though it is not temporary. Rava: There is nothing wrong with a succah less than or equal to 20 amos of iron that is permanent. But, higher than 20 amos means it is permanent (even if it used temporarily) and posul. 4 Succah Shehi Gevohah Chapter One Succah 2b) When is a succah over 20 amos still good. Our Mishna A succah over 20 amos Tanna Kamma R’ Yehudah Posul Kosher R’ Yosheiyah R’ Huna Rav Chanan bar Rabbah in the name of Rav: in the name of Rav: in the name of Rav Reasons for the Tanna If the walls reach the If the succah is more If the succah can Kamma: s’chach, then the than 4 amos by 4 amos, hold his head, Tanna Kamma would then the Tanna Kamma most of his body say it is kosher. would say it is kosher. and a table, then the Tanna Kamma would say it is kosher. Rabbah: If the walls reach the One must s’chach, their eyes see the will follow the wall s’chach. and see the s’chach. Reasons of R’ Zeira: A succah with a large amoroyim None. on why a One must area would make sure tall be in the the people in the succah is shade of the succah are in the shade posul: s’chach. of the s’chach. Rava: One must be in a diras aroy. 5 Succah Shehi Gevohah Chapter One Succah 2b) The area needed for a succah. R’ Yosheiyah R’ Huna Rav Chanan bar Rabbah in the name of in the name of Rav: in the name of Rav Rav: If the succah is more than 4 If the succah can hold his If the walls reach amos by 4 amos, then the head, most of his body and the s’chach, then Tanna Kamma would say it is a table, then the Tanna the Tanna kosher. Kamma would say it is Kamma would kosher. say it is kosher. R’ Yosheiyah Our Mishna does not think a TK Yeh measurement is <Head, Our Mishna What is the needed. (One body, Posul Kosher TK Yeh table argument? needs to see the < 4x4 Posul Kosher >Head, s’chach.) The >4x4 Kosher Kosher body, Kosher Kosher others do require table a measurement. Our Mishna TK Yeh TK Yeh <Head, <Head, Posul Posul body, Posul Posul body, table table A better =Head, Between Posul Kosher interpretation: body, Posul Kosher Head, table body, >Head, table body, Kosher Kosher and 4x4 table >4x4 Kosher Kosher 6 Succah Shehi Gevohah Chapter One Succah 2b-3a) Queen Helena’s succah (Part 1). A Baraisa Chachomim R’ Yehudah A succah over 20 amos is posul A succah can be up to 40 or 50 amos. Proof: We were in the succah of Queen Helena which was higher than 20 amos and the Zekanim went in and out and did not say anything. This is not a good proof. She was a woman and was exempt from a kosher succah. She had 7 sons and followed all the halachas. At least one of her sons would need a kosher succah. […] Our Gemara R’ Yosheiyah R’ Huna Rav Chanan bar Rabbah If the walls reach the If the succah is more If the succah can hold his s’chach, it is kosher. than 4 amos by 4 amos, head, most of his body and a it is kosher. table, then it is kosher. A seeming contradiction: The story of Queen The story of Queen Helena could not happen with these Helena could happen understandings. A queen would not sit in a small with R’ Yosheiyah’s succah. (Rashi: She needs room for her maids and understanding. A attendants.) queen would sit in a succah where the walls don’t reach the s’chach. Air would come through the space. 7 Succah Shehi Gevohah Chapter One Succah 2b-3a) Queen Helena’s succah (Part 2). Rabbah bar Her succah was made of small rooms. Rav Adda’s resolution: Do queens use such succahs? Her succah was large but had small rooms. (Rashi: A queen would not sit in a succah of Rav Chanan.) Chachomim: The sons were in a larger proper part of the Rav Ashi’s succah. Queen Helena was in a small room in the succah. resolution: That is why the Chachomim agreed to it. R’ Yehudah: The sons were sitting with Queen Helena in a small, tall succah and the Chachomim agreed to it. 8 Succah Shehi Gevohah Chapter One Succah 3a) The size of a succah. Mishna 28a One whose head and most of his body is in the succah but his table is inside the house… Beis Shammai Beis Hillel Posul Kosher Rav Shmuel bar The succah is posul because a succah Beis Hillel does not have this Yitzchok: needs to hold the head, most of the requirement. The Mishna is body, and the table to be kosher. arguing about a small succah. Rav Nachman bar It’s a large succah and Beis Shammai It’s a large succah and Beis Hillel Yitzchok: says not to have the table in the house does not worry about one because one might follow the table.