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Succah 34a

סוכה ל״ד ע״א

Sukkah 34a

Learn Succah 34a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The ערבה (its two מצוות, the excluded צפצפה, and the חילפא גילא) and the names that switched after the חורבן

Overview

The amud opens with אבא שאול, who learns from the plural ״ערבי״ that there are two willow מצוות: one in the לולב and one in the מקדש. The רבנן know the מקדש willow from a הלכה למשה מסיני instead. A ברייתא excludes the צפצפה, a mountain plant, and a verse in יחזקאל is brought to show it is not a water willow. The proof survives a challenge because of the word ״שמו״, explained by רבי אבהו, and the גמרא brings a second version of the same exchange. Another ברייתא gives signs for telling a ערבה from a צפצפה. אביי resolves a contradiction about serrated leaves by explaining it as the חילפא גילא, which is kosher because ״ערבי נחל״ includes every kind of willow. רב חסדא then lists three things whose names swapped after the חורבן, and the גמרא gives a practical difference for each one. אביי adds a pair of stomach compartments, which matters for טריפות. רבא בר יוסף adds the cities בבל and בורסיף, and the question about that pair continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר:

Abba Shaul says:

״עַרְבֵי״ — שְׁתַּיִם.

"Willows" (plural) means two.

אַחַת לַלּוּלָב,

One for the lulav,

וְאַחַת לַמִּקְדָּשׁ.

and one for the Temple.

The steps (34)

  1. Statementאבא שאול: two willow מצוות
  2. QuestionWhere do the רבנן get the מקדש willow?
  3. ResponseIt is a הלכה למשה מסיני
  4. Statementברייתא: ״ערבי נחל״ excludes the צפצפה
  5. Proofרבי זירא's verse: the צפצפה does not grow by water
  6. Rejectionאביי: maybe the verse calls the water plant a צפצפה
  7. ResolutionThe word 'set it' shows a change
  8. Proofרבי אבהו: ישראל was meant to be a ערבה but became a צפצפה
  9. StatementAnother version: the verse is part of the teaching itself
  10. Challengeרבי זירא challenges the reading of the verse
  11. ResolutionThe word "set it" defeats the challenge
  12. Proofרבי אבהו's explanation of the verse, repeated
  13. StatementHow to tell a ערבה from a צפצפה
  14. ChallengeAnother teaching says a sickle-edged willow is kosher
  15. Resolutionאביי: that teaching is about the חילפא גילא
  16. Statementאביי concludes: חילפא גילא is kosher
  17. ChallengeIsn't that obvious?
  18. ResolutionThe extra name might have made it invalid
  19. ChallengeMaybe it really should be invalid
  20. Resolution"Willows of the brook" includes every kind of willow
  21. Statementרב חסדא: three items swapped names, starting with the two kinds of willow
  22. QuestionWhat practical difference does the willow name-swap make?
  23. ResponseIt matters for the מצוה of לולב
  24. StatementSecond swap: שופר and trumpet
  25. QuestionWhat practical difference does the שופר swap make?
  26. ResponseIt matters for the שופר of ראש השנה
  27. StatementThird swap: small table and large table
  28. QuestionWhat practical difference does the table swap make?
  29. ResponseIt matters for buying and selling
  30. Statementאביי adds a fourth swap: two parts of the animal's stomach
  31. QuestionWhy does the stomach-compartment name switch matter?
  32. ResponseIt matters for a needle found in the stomach wall
  33. Statementרבא בר יוסף adds: בבל and בורסיף switched names
  34. QuestionThe question begins: why does the city-name switch matter?