Gemara Clarity

Succah 32a

סוכה ל״ב ע״א

Sukkah 32a

Learn Succah 32a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Succah 32a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Defects that make a לולב פסול, the source for binding the לולב in the word כפות, and the palms of הר הברזל

Overview

This עמוד goes through the physical defects that can make a לולב פסול. It starts at the end of a ברייתא that lists the flaws: thorny, split, curved like a sickle, or hardened. רב פפא explains that 'split' means split like a fork. רבא says a forward curve disqualifies the לולב, but a backward curve is natural and is fine. רב נחמן's ruling on a sideways curve is reported in two versions. רבא adds that a לולב with leaves on only one side is a בעל מום. Next, רב פפא defines the משנה's words נפרצו and נפרדו. He then asks about a split תיומת, which one version of רבי יהושע בן לוי rules is פסול. From the word כפות, the גמרא learns that a לולב should be bound, and it uses this to show that the מצוה is one young לולב, not a hardened branch, the trunk, a thorny branch, two branches, or a single leaf. Finally, אביי rules that palms of הר הברזל are כשר only when their leaves reach one another, and a ברייתא confirms this.

Opening lines

קָווּץ, סָדוּק,

Thorny, split,

עָקוֹם דּוֹמֶה לְמַגָּל — פָּסוּל.

curved like a sickle — unfit.

חָרוּת — פָּסוּל.

Hardened like wood — unfit.

דּוֹמֶה לְחָרוּת — כָּשֵׁר.

Merely resembling hardened — fit.

The steps (26)

  1. StatementThe ברייתא lists more defects that disqualify a לולב
  2. Statementרב פפא defines a 'split' לולב as one shaped like a fork
  3. Statementרבא limits the sickle-curve rule to curving forward
  4. Statementרב נחמן on a לולב curved to the side, reported in two versions
  5. Statementרבא: a לולב with leaves on only one side is blemished and unfit
  6. Statementרב פפא defines broken-off leaves versus spread leaves
  7. Questionרב פפא asks about a split central twin-leaf
  8. ProofAttempted proof from a removed twin-leaf
  9. RejectionRejection: a removed leaf is different because something is missing
  10. ResponseSecond version: a split twin-leaf counts as removed
  11. Statementרבי יהודה's source for binding a spread לולב
  12. ChallengeMaybe the verse means the hardened palm branch
  13. ResolutionA hardened branch cannot be bound
  14. ChallengeMaybe the verse means the palm trunk
  15. Resolution'Bound' means something that could have spread apart
  16. ChallengeMaybe the verse means the young thorny branch
  17. ResolutionThe Torah's ways are pleasant, so no thorny branch
  18. ChallengeMaybe two palm branches are required
  19. ResolutionThe word is spelled without a vav
  20. ChallengeMaybe a single leaf is enough
  21. ResolutionA single leaf is called כף
  22. StatementThe משנה's ruling on palms from the Iron Mountain
  23. Statementאביי limits the ruling to leaves that overlap
  24. ProofA ברייתא calls these palms invalid
  25. ChallengeThe ברייתא seems to clash with the משנה
  26. ConclusionOnly אביי's distinction fits both sources