Succah 11a

סוכה י״א ע״א

Sukkah 11a

Learn Succah 11a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Succah 11a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Canopies inside a סוכה, and whether cutting attached vines (or ציצית strings) counts as 'making' them

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier point: a בית counts as its own tent even under ten טפחים, because it is fixed. The גמרא then brings another version of שמואל's ruling, that a bridal canopy is allowed in the סוכה because it has no roof, and defends it against two ברייתות. One ברייתא is limited to a canopy with a roof. The other is answered by noting that two bed posts (נקליטין) are fixed, so at ten טפחים they make a tent even without a roof. Next, רבה בר רב הונא permits sleeping under any canopy, even one with a roof that is ten טפחים high. He follows רבי יהודה, who holds that a temporary tent does not cancel the סוכה. A new משנה then teaches that attached vines under the סכך make a סוכה unfit unless the vines are cut, and it gives the general rule for valid סכך. The גמרא debates whether cutting the vines is enough. שמואל requires shaking them as well, while רב holds that cutting itself counts as 'making', as he ruled for uncut ציצית strings. The amud ends with a challenge from a ברייתא about ציצית, whose answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (27)

1. StatementA house counts as a tent even under ten handbreadths
2. StatementSecond version: a bridal canopy is permitted because it has no roof
3. ChallengeChallenge: a baraita says sleeping under a canopy does not count
4. ResolutionAnswer: the baraita is about a canopy with a roof
5. ChallengeSecond challenge: the baraita about two posts and four posts
6. ChallengeThe inference: too tall is unfit even without a roof
7. ResolutionTwo posts are different because they are fixed
8. ChallengeIf the two posts are fixed, treat them like four posts
9. ResolutionFixed compared to a canopy, but not compared to four posts
10. StatementSleeping under a canopy is allowed even with a roof and ten טפחים
11. ResponseThis ruling follows רבי יהודה
12. ProofProof: רבי יהודה slept under a bed in the סוכה
13. ChallengeWhy not just say the הלכה follows רבי יהודה?
14. ResolutionA canopy is like a bed: no difference
15. StatementVines growing over the סוכה
16. StatementThe general rule for valid roofing
17. StatementCutting is not enough; the branches must be shaken
18. Challengeרב הונא corrects who said it
19. Resolutionרב יוסף: both of them said it
20. RejectionOnly שמואל said it; רב allows cutting alone
21. ProofThe story of רב עמרם and the uncut ציצית
22. Proofרב עמרם's question gets רב's answer: just cut them
23. ProofThe lesson: cutting counts as making, for ציצית and for סכך
24. ChallengeDoes שמואל really disagree? His own teaching suggests cutting is enough
25. ResolutionNo, the ברייתא means he cut first and then tied
26. ChallengeBut then why teach something so obvious?
27. ResolutionSetting up the answer: 'You might have thought…'