Succah 30b

סוכה ל׳ ע״ב

Sukkah 30b

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

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Topic

Why רב הונא told the myrtle merchants to let the נכרים cut the הדסים: testing whether יאוש with שינוי רשות, שינוי מעשה, or שינוי השם makes a stolen item usable for a מצוה

Overview

On the previous amud, רב הונא told the myrtle merchants (אוונכרי) not to cut הדסים themselves. The נכרים should cut the branches and hand them over. The נכרים may have seized the land from Jews, so the הדסים might be stolen, and using them would be a מצוה הבאה בעבירה. This amud finishes the reason. Land cannot be stolen, so a stolen item stops belonging to its owner only when יאוש happens while the נכרי holds it and the sale to the merchant then provides the שינוי רשות. The גמרא challenges this: the merchant's sale to customers is already a שינוי רשות. It answers that the advice is for the merchants' own הושענא, which they never sell. It then asks whether binding the לולב counts as a שינוי מעשה. It gives two answers: רב הונא holds a לולב does not need binding, and even if it did, a reversible change is not a change. Finally, the גמרא suggests acquiring through שינוי השם, and that question continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (7)

1. ResponseExplaining רב הונא's advice: let the gentiles cut
2. ChallengeChallenge: the sale to customers is already a change of possession
3. ResolutionAnswer: the advice is for the merchants' own bundles
4. ChallengeChallenge: binding the לולב should count as a physical change
5. ResolutionFirst answer: רב הונא holds a לולב does not need binding
6. ResolutionSecond answer: binding is a reversible change
7. ChallengeWhy not acquire through a change of name?