Succah 2a

סוכה ב׳ ע״א

Sukkah 2a

Learn Succah 2a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Succah 2a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why a סוכה above twenty אמה is פסולה: the wording of the משנה compared with מבוי, and three sources for the height limit

Overview

The משנה lists four ways a סוכה can be פסולה: higher than twenty אמה (רבי יהודה disagrees), lower than ten טפחים, missing walls, or more sun than shade. The גמרא compares this to a משנה in מסכת עירובין about a מבוי higher than twenty אמה, where the משנה gives a fix: lower it. It asks why our משנה just says 'פסולה', and gives two answers: סוכה is a Torah law while מבוי is rabbinic, or a סוכה has too many rules to list all the fixes. Then the גמרא asks for the source of the twenty-אמה limit and brings three answers. רבה says a person must know he is in a סוכה, and above twenty אמה the eye does not notice the roof. רבי זירא says the roof must give the shade, and above twenty אמה the walls give the shade instead. רבא says a סוכה must be a temporary home, and above twenty אמה a building must be permanent. אביי challenges רבי זירא and רבא, and each one defends his reason.

Opening lines

The steps (14)

1. StatementA סוכה taller than twenty אמה is unfit
2. StatementThree more ways a סוכה is unfit
3. StatementA similar mishnah about an alleyway
4. QuestionWhy one mishnah says unfit and the other gives a fix
5. ResponseTorah law versus rabbinic law
6. ResponseMany rules versus few rules
7. QuestionWhere does the twenty-אמה rule come from?
8. Responseרבה derives the rule from 'so that your generations will know'
9. Responseרבי זירא's source: the סוכה must give shade
10. Challengeאביי's challenge: a סוכה in a shady valley
11. Resolutionרבי זירא answers: imagine taking the outside shade away
12. Responseרבא's source: a סוכה must be a temporary home
13. ChallengeIron walls should make a סוכה invalid
14. ResolutionThe height decides, not the strength of the walls