Sukkah, Daf Zayin, Part 6

 

Introduction

In today’s section Abaye identifies a series of tannaim (sages from the time of the Mishnah) who all require that a sukkah be a permanent structure. This contrasts with our general understanding of the sukkah as a temporary structure.

 

אמר אביי: רבי, ורבי יאשיה. ורבי יהודה, ורבי שמעון ורבן גמליאל, ובית שמאי ורבי אליעזר, ואחרים, כולהו סבירא להו: סוכה דירת קבע בעינן. רבי – דתניא, רבי אומר: כל סוכה שאין בה ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות – פסולה.

 

Abaye said: Rabbi, R. Josiah, R. Judah, R. Shimon, R. Gamaliel, Beth Shammai, R. Eliezer and others -all hold the opinion that the Sukkah must be constructed like a permanent abode.

Rabbi ? As it has been taught: Rabbi said: A sukkah which is not four cubits square is invalid.

 

Abaye cites 8 different opinions and attributes to each of them consistent reasoning the sukkah must be constructed as a permanent abode. As we shall see, this is a relative opinion. By that I mean that in each of these cases the opinion referred to by Abaye holds that the sukkah must be built more permanently than the opposing opinion.

The first opinion is that of Rabbi [Judah Hanasi]. As we have seen, Rabbi Judah Hanasi holds that the sukkah must be 4 cubits squared. This is a more permanent structure than those who hold that the sukkah need only be wide enough to hold his head, most of his body and his table.

 

רבי יאשיה – הא דאמרן.

 

R. Yoshayah? As we have [just] stated.

 

R. Yoshayah stated in the previous section that the walls of the sukkah must also provide shade. This would make it a more permanent structure than those who allow gaps in the wall that allow in the sun.

 

רבי יהודה – דתנן: סוכה שהיא גבוהה למעלה מעשרים אמה – פסולה, רבי יהודה מכשיר.

 

R. Judah ? As we have learned: A sukkah which is more than twenty cubits high is not valid, R. Judah declares it valid.

 

R. Judah allows a sukkah to be more than 20 cubits high. This would make it a more permanent structure than those who don’t allow it to be so high.

ורבי שמעון – דתניא: שתים כהלכתן שלישית אפילו טפח. רבי שמעון אומר: שלש כהלכתן, ורביעית אפילו טפח.

 

R. Shimon? As it has been taught: Two [walls] must be of the prescribed dimensions and the third [may be] even one handbreadth.

 

R. Shimon requires three full walls and one fictional wall. This is more permanent than those who require only two full walls and one fictional one.

רבן גמליאל – דתניא: העושה סוכתו בראש העגלה או בראש הספינה, רבן גמליאל פוסל, ורבי עקיבא מכשיר.

 

R. Gamaliel ? As it has been taught: One who builds his sukkah on the top of a wagon or on the deck of a ship. R. Gamaliel declares it invalid and R. Akiba declares it valid.

 

Rabban Gamaliel does not allow one to build a sukkah on a wagon or a ship, or probably on any moving vehicle. This is interpreted by Abaye to mean that R. Gamaliel requires a more permanent structure for the sukkah.

 

בית שמאי – דתנן; מי שהיה ראשו ורובו בסוכה, ושולחנו בתוך הבית, בית שמאי פוסלין ובית הלל מכשירין.

Beth Shammai ? As we have learned: If his head and the greater part of his body were within the sukkah and his table was within the house, Beth Shammai declare it invalid, and Beth Hillel declare it valid.

 

This is the dispute we saw earlier in the tractate. According to Abaye, Bet Shammai requires a larger sukkah because he requires it be more of a permanent abode. We should note that according to Abaye both Bet Shammai, who requires the sukkah to be large enough only to hold his head, most of his body and table, and R. Judah who says it must be four square cubits (a larger size) agree that the sukkah must be a permanent abode. As I stated above, "permanence" is a relative concept in these sources. Abaye attributes the idea that the sukkah must be a permanent abode to the opinion which requires the sukkah be more permanent than that of the opposing opinion.

רבי אליעזר דתנן: העושה סוכתו כמין צריף, או שסמכה לכותל, רבי אליעזר פוסל לפי שאין לה גג, וחכמים מכשירין.

 

R. Eliezer? As we have learned: One who builds his sukkah like a cone-shaped hut or if he propped it up against a wall, R. Eliezer declares it invalid, since it has no roof , and the sages declare it valid.

 

This is a mishnah that will appear later in the tractate. R. Eliezer requires the sukkah to have a flat roof. This, according to Abaye, makes it into a more permanent structure.

אחרים – דתניא, אחרים אומרים: סוכה העשויה כשובך – פסולה, לפי שאין לה זויות.

 

The others ? As it has been taught: Others say: A sukkah made like a dovecote is invalid, since it has no corners.

 

A dovecote is round. The "others," an anonymous opinion, invalidate such a sukkah because it has no corners. According to Abaye, a structure built without corners will be less permanent. Thus the "others" require a more permanent structure for the sukkah.