Sukkah, Daf Kaf, Part 2

 

Introduction

Today’s section is a baraita about using various kinds of mats for skhakh.

 

תנו רבנן: מחצלת של שיפה ושל גמי, גדולה – מסככין בה, קטנה – אין מסככין בה. של קנים ושל חילת, גדולה – מסככין בה, ארוגה – אין מסככין בה. רבי ישמעאל ברבי יוסי אומר משום אביו: אחת זו ואחת זו מסככין בה. וכן היה רבי דוסא אומר כדבריו.

 

Our rabbis taught: A mat of wicker or of straw: if large, is valid for skhakh, if small it is invalid for skhakh.

One of reeds or of helat, if plaited, is valid for a skhakh, if woven, it is invalid.

R. Ishmael son of R. Yose said in the name of his father: Both the one and the other, are valid for skhakh; and R. Dosa also ruled according to his view.

 

The first section of the baraita deals with a mat of wicker or straw. As we saw in the discussion of the mishnah, the usability of this type of mat depends on its size. If it was large, it was probably meant for a covering and can be used for skhakh. If small, it was probably meant for reclining and cannot be used for skhakh.

One made of reeds or helat, a type of reed, can be used if it is was plaited. Plaiting seems to have been a cruder, rougher way of making the reeds into a mat. Due to its roughness it would not have been made for reclining and it can be used for skhakh. But if it was woven more tightly, it could be used for reclining and cannot be used for skhakh.

The sages in the last section all hold that all mats made of reeds can be used for skhakh because they are always made for covering, even if they are woven.