Sukkah, Daf Heh, Part 6
Introduction
Earlier on this page we learned that the ark was nine handbreadths high, based on the fact that the Torah said it was to be 1 and 1/2 cubits. This works under the assumption that a cubit is 6 handbreadths. But there was some dispute in the rabbinic world about the size of the cubits referred to in the Torah.
הניחא לרבי מאיר, דאמר: כל האמות היו בינוניות אלא לרבי יהודה, דאמר: אמה של בנין ששה טפחים, ושל כלים חמשה, מאי איכא למימר?
This explanation is satisfactory according to R. Meir, who says that all the cubits [in the Sanctuary] were normal cubits, but according to R. Judah who says that the cubits of the building were six handbreadths, but of the vessels were five, what can be said?
The whole system above was based on R. Meir’s assumption that all of the cubits mentioned in connection with the Sanctuary were 6 handbreadths. But R. Judah holds that the measurements of the vessels are based on smaller cubits only five handbreadths.
ארון וכפורת כמה הוי להו – תמניא ופלגא, פשו להו חד סרי ופלגא, אימא סוכה עד דהויא חד סרי ופלגא!
For how much [then] were the ark and cover? Eight and a half, so that eleven and a half handbreadths are left. Shall we [therefore] say that a Sukkah must be [at least] eleven and a half [handbreadths high]?
According to R. Judah the ark was 7.5 handbreadths (=1.5 cubits) and the cover was one handbreadth. If the tops of the cherubim reached a height of 20 handbreadths, then there remains a space of 11.5 handbreadths underneath their wings. That would imply that a sukkah would have to be at least 11.5 handbreadths high, according to R. Judah. Obviously, this can’t be because we have never heard that R. Judah makes such a requirement.
אלא: לרבי יהודה הלכתא גמירי לה. דאמר רבי חייא בר אשי אמר רב: שיעורין חציצין ומחיצין הלכה למשה מסיני.
Rather for R. Judah the law was learned as a tradition, for R. Hiyya b. Ashi in the name Rav: The laws concerning [minimal measures], interpositions and partitions are [a part of the] halakhah that was given to Moses on Sinai.
The Talmud answers that according to some rabbis there is no way of deriving the laws of minimum measures from the Torah. These laws are called "halakhah from Moses at Sinai." This, in my opinion, is often just the rabbis’ ways of saying that there is no way of deriving the halakhah. It just is. The sukkah is a minimum of 10 handbreadths high but this is just an accepted halakhah.
There are two other matters that are considered "halakhah from Moses at Sinai." The first is "interpositions" which refers to what things block an immersion in a mikveh from being successful. For instance if someone immerses in a mikveh and is wearing their clothes, they are not pure.
The other issue is the height of various partitions, which is usually 10 handbreadths.
The next daf will continue to address these three topics.