Succah 30a

סוכה ל׳ ע״א

Sukkah 30a

Learn Succah 30a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Succah 30a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Stolen ארבעה מינים: מצוה הבאה בעבירה, שמואל's first-day-only view, and buying הדסים from גוים.

Overview

This עמוד explains why the משנה rules that a stolen לולב is פסול. רבי יוחנן, in the name of רבי שמעון בן יוחי, says the reason is מצוה הבאה בעבירה, a מצוה done through a sin. He learns it from a פסוק in מלאכי that groups a stolen animal with a lame one, so a stolen item stays פסול even after יאוש. The גמרא then tells a parable about a king who pays his own taxes, to show why ה׳ hates 'robbery in a burnt offering.' רבי אמי gives the same reason for a stolen לולב. שמואל disagrees and holds that a stolen לולב is פסול only on the first day, because only then must the לולב be 'לכם', your own. רב נחמן בר יצחק challenges שמואל from the משנה, and רבא defends him by reading the משנה in a 'לא מיבעיא' style. Finally, רב הונא tells הדס merchants to let the גוים cut the branches themselves, because the land may be stolen. The explanation of that advice continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (14)

1. StatementA stolen item is a מצוה that comes through a sin
2. StatementStolen is compared to lame, and neither can be fixed
3. StatementBefore the owner gives up hope, the item simply isn't the thief's
4. ChallengeBut after the owner gives up hope, the thief owns it
5. ConclusionSo the reason must be מצוה הבאה בעבירה
6. StatementA parable of a king passing a tax booth
7. StatementThe king explains: others will learn from me
8. StatementThe lesson: ה׳ hates robbery so His children will avoid it
9. Proofרבי אמי says the same: dry is פסול for lacking beauty, stolen for coming through sin
10. Statementשמואל: a stolen לולב is invalid only on the first day
11. ChallengeChallenge from the משנה: a stolen לולב is invalid even on the second day
12. Resolutionרבא: the משנה is about the first day, using a 'not only' style
13. Statementרב הונא's advice: let the gentiles cut the myrtle
14. ResponseThe reason: gentiles often seize land