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Succah 24b

סוכה כ״ד ע״ב

Sukkah 24b

Learn Succah 24b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Succah 24b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Writing a גט on an animal (רבי יוסי הגלילי vs. רבנן), and trees as סוכה walls that must withstand a normal wind

Overview

This amud opens with the closing line of an earlier discussion: a living animal used as a סוכה wall counts as a מחיצה made by a person. The גמרא then quotes רבי יוסי הגלילי, who says a גט may not be written on an animal. His source is a ברייתא: "וכתב לה" allows any material, but "ספר" limits it to things that, like a scroll, are not alive and are not food. רבנן read "ספר" as ספירת דברים, a written account, so for them a גט may be written on anything. The גמרא then works out how each side uses "וכתב", "ספר כריתות" and the longer form "כריתות". These sources teach that money cannot divorce and that a גט must fully cut the bond. A new משנה rules that trees can serve as the walls of a סוכה. רב אחא בר יעקב says a wall that cannot stand in a normal wind is not a wall. The גמרא reconciles this rule with the משנה and with two other sources by saying the trees were hard and their branches tied down. It ends with a challenge from רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הֲרֵי עֲשׂוּיָה בִּידֵי אָדָם.

Behold, it is made by human hands.

אָמַר מָר.

The Master said:

מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אָמְרוּ:

In the name of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili they said:

אַף אֵין כּוֹתְבִין עָלָיו גִּיטֵּי נָשִׁים.

Also, one may not write bills of divorce for women on it (the animal).

The steps (30)

  1. ConclusionThe partition counts as made by a person
  2. Statementרבי יוסי הגלילי: no גט written on an animal
  3. QuestionWhat is רבי יוסי הגלילי's reason?
  4. ResponseThe verse includes any material for a bill of divorce
  5. ResponseThe word scroll excludes living things and food
  6. QuestionHow do רבנן read the word ספר?
  7. ResponseFor רבנן, ספר means a written account of the matter
  8. QuestionWhat do רבנן learn from the word וכתב?
  9. ResponseDivorce is only by writing, not by money
  10. QuestionWhere does רבי יוסי הגלילי learn that money cannot divorce?
  11. ResponseOnly a document severs her
  12. QuestionWhat do רבנן do with ספר כריתות?
  13. ResponseA גט must fully cut the bond between them
  14. QuestionWhere does רבי יוסי הגלילי learn the total-severance rule?
  15. ResponseThe longer word teaches a second lesson
  16. QuestionWhy don't רבנן learn from the longer word?
  17. Responseרבנן don't learn from the longer word
  18. StatementTrees can serve as the walls of a סוכה
  19. StatementA wall that cannot withstand a normal wind is not a wall
  20. ChallengeChallenge from the משנה: trees sway in the wind
  21. ResolutionThe משנה is talking about hard, sturdy trees
  22. ChallengeBut the leaves and branches still move
  23. ResolutionThe branches were tied down
  24. ChallengeIf so, why does the משנה need to say it?
  25. ResolutionNo גזירה because of using a tree on שבת
  26. ProofProof from a tree or reed fence counting as a corner post at a well
  27. RejectionThe reeds were tied down too
  28. ProofProof from carrying under a tree whose branches reach the ground
  29. RejectionThe tree branches were tied down too
  30. ChallengeIf the tree is a full wall, why limit carrying under it?