Succah 33a

סוכה ל״ג ע״א

Sukkah 33a

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Topic

Disqualifications of the הדס: the Egyptian myrtle, dried leaves, a severed top, דחוי אצל מצוות, binding the לולב, and too many berries

Overview

This עמוד deals with problems that can make a הדס invalid. It opens by explaining that an אסא מצראה, which has seven leaves per cluster, stays valid even after most leaves fall off, and אביי rules that it is valid because the Torah only requires an עץ עבות. A ברייתא allows a הדס with mostly dried leaves if three moist leaf-branches remain, and רב חסדא adds that they must be at the top. עולא בר חיננא teaches that a severed top is fixed if a berry grows there. רבי ירמיה then asks whether a הדס that was invalid when יום טוב began can become valid, which turns on whether יש דחוי אצל מצוות. רב פפא's rule from כיסוי הדם seems to answer this, but the גמרא explains that the question is whether that rule applies to make things easier, and it ends in תיקו. An attempt to tie דחוי to a dispute of תנאים is rejected in two ways, which leads to the dispute over binding the לולב: רבי יהודה requires it from אגודת אזוב, while the חכמים call it only a beautification (זה אלי ואנוהו). Finally, רב חסדא, quoting רב, rules that too many berries invalidate a הדס only when they are bunched in one place, and רבא begins to respond on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. ResolutionThe case of the Egyptian myrtle
2. Statementאביי: the Egyptian myrtle is valid
3. ChallengeWhy is that needed?
4. ResolutionThe extra name might have made it invalid
5. ChallengeMaybe the extra name really does disqualify it
6. ResolutionThe Torah only requires a dense-leaved tree
7. StatementMost leaves dried, but three branches stay moist
8. Statementרב חסדא: the moist leaves must be at the top
9. StatementQuoting the משנה: a severed top
10. StatementA berry grown in place of the severed top
11. QuestionCan a הדס that was invalid at the start of יום טוב become valid again?
12. ProofTrying to answer from the law of covering blood
13. Statementרבי יוחנן limits the wind case
14. ChallengeOnce pushed away, shouldn't it stay pushed away?
15. Resolutionרב פפא: no permanent pushing-away for מצוות
16. Rejectionרבי ירמיה's question was about רב פפא's ruling itself
17. ConclusionThe question stands unresolved
18. ProofSuggesting the issue depends on a dispute of תנאים
19. StatementAssumption: binding the לולב is not the issue
20. ProofThe dispute must be about permanent disqualification
21. RejectionRejection: the dispute is about learning לולב from סוכה
22. RejectionA second explanation: the dispute is about whether a לולב needs binding
23. ProofThe older argument between רבי יהודה and the חכמים about binding
24. QuestionWhat is רבי יהודה's source?
25. ResponseThe word 'taking' links the לולב to the bundle of אזוב
26. QuestionWho taught that binding is a מצוה but not required?
27. ChallengeThe ברייתא does not fit either side
28. ResolutionIt is the חכמים: binding beautifies the מצוה
29. StatementBack to the משנה: a הדס with too many berries
30. Statementרב חסדא: only when the berries are in one spot
31. Challengeרבא begins his response to רב חסדא