Succah 31a

סוכה ל״א ע״א

Sukkah 31a

Learn Succah 31a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Succah 31a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

A stolen סוכה and stolen building materials; whether a dry לולב or אתרוג is kosher, and the rule of הדר

Overview

This amud opens by finishing an earlier question about a myrtle: even an uncut myrtle is sometimes called הושענא, so cutting it is not a real change of name. Then a ברייתא records that רבי אליעזר disqualifies a stolen סוכה and a סוכה built in רשות הרבים, while חכמים allow them. רב נחמן explains that the argument is about someone who forcibly takes over another person's סוכה. If someone only stole wood and used it as סכך, everyone agrees the owner gets just the value of the wood. A story follows: An old woman complains that her wood went into the ריש גלותא's סוכה, and רב נחמן tells the scholars that she is owed only its value. רבינא adds that a stolen beam in a סוכה is also paid back with money during the חג, under תקנת מריש. The גמרא then turns to a dry לולב. רבא says the argument depends on whether the לולב is compared to the אתרוג for הדר. The גמרא defends רבא against challenges about tying the לולב, then challenges his claim about the אתרוג with a ברייתא where רבי יהודה allows dry species. רבי יהודה's supporting story continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. ResolutionA myrtle is called הושענא even before it is cut
2. StatementStolen סוכה and סוכה in רשות הרבים: the dispute
3. Statementרב נחמן: the dispute is about taking over someone's סוכה
4. Statementרבי אליעזר's reasoning: it is not his own סוכה either way
5. Statementחכמים's reasoning: land cannot be stolen, so it is just borrowed
6. StatementStolen wood used as סכך: everyone agrees the owner gets only its value
7. QuestionHow does רב נחמן know this?
8. ResponseThe ברייתא pairs a stolen סוכה with a סוכה in public space
9. StatementAn old woman complains that the ריש גלותא used her stolen wood
10. Conclusionרב נחמן rules she gets only the value of the wood
11. StatementA stolen beam in a סוכה is also paid back with money
12. ChallengeWhy say this? It seems obvious
13. ResolutionA beam is rare, so we might have thought it must be returned
14. StatementThe rule applies only during the seven days, unless the beam was cemented in
15. StatementA ברייתא: a dry one is unfit, but רבי יהודה says it is fit
16. Statementרבא: the argument is only about a לולב, not an אתרוג
17. ChallengeChallenge: Why tie a spread-out לולב if beauty doesn't matter?
18. ResolutionAnswer: Tying comes from the word כפות, not from beauty
19. ChallengeSecond challenge: Why tie the לולב only with its own kind?
20. ResolutionAnswer: Even ugly palm parts are allowed for tying
21. QuestionThen what is רבי יהודה's real reason?
22. ResponseBecause a different species would make five מינים
23. ChallengeDoes רבי יהודה even require beauty for an אתרוג?
24. Proofרבי יהודה begins telling a story