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Succah 40a

סוכה מ׳ ע״א

Sukkah 40a

Learn Succah 40a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Succah 40a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Whether an אתרוג follows לקיטה or חנטה for שביעית; why a לולב has קדושת שביעית though it is wood; and the מחלוקת over 'לכם לאכלה' (soaking, laundering, poultice).

Overview

This עמוד finishes a source that treats an אתרוג like a tree for שביעית, which seems to clash with our משנה. The גמרא answers that our משנה follows the vote of the Sages at אושא: an אתרוג follows its picking (לקיטה) for both מעשר and שביעית. It then explains that a line is missing from that ברייתא. The five elders had said שביעית follows the budding (חנטה), and אושא disagreed. Next, the גמרא infers from our משנה that a seventh-year לולב is holy, and asks how that can be if a לולב is just wood. It answers from the פסוק 'לכם לאכלה'. Only things whose benefit and using-up happen together have קדושת שביעית, so fuel wood is excluded but a לולב is not. The גמרא then shows that this rule is a מחלוקת between the תנא קמא and רבי יוסי about using שביעית produce for soaking flax and laundering. It explains how each side reads 'לכם' and 'לאכלה'. The עמוד ends inside a ברייתא asking why laundering is included and a poultice (מלוגמא) excluded, and the answer continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת לְקִיטָתוֹ עִישּׂוּרוֹ,

that at the time of its picking is its tithing,

דִּבְרֵי רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל.

these are the words of Rabban Gamliel.

רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Eliezer says:

אֶתְרוֹג שָׁוֶה לָאִילָן לְכׇל דָּבָר.

An etrog is like a tree in every matter.

The steps (21)

  1. ChallengeEnd of the source that contradicts our משנה about the אתרוג
  2. ResolutionOur משנה follows the Sages of אושא
  3. ChallengeWho mentioned שביעית?
  4. ResolutionThe ברייתא is missing a line
  5. StatementInference from the משנה: a seventh-year לולב is holy
  6. ChallengeWhy should a לולב be holy? It is only wood
  7. ProofProof that wood has no קדושת שביעית: reed and vine leaves
  8. ResolutionThe leaves source only excludes fuel wood
  9. ChallengeWhat about wood burned for warmth?
  10. ResolutionOrdinary wood is assumed to be fuel
  11. StatementFuel wood is a dispute between תנאים
  12. ResponseThe reason of the תנא קמא
  13. ResponseThe reason of רבי יוסי
  14. ChallengeHow does the תנא קמא explain 'for you'?
  15. Resolution'For you' is read together with 'for food'
  16. ChallengeWhat does רבי יוסי do with the word 'for food'?
  17. Resolution'For food' comes to exclude a medical poultice
  18. ProofA ברייתא teaches 'for food and not for a poultice'
  19. QuestionMaybe 'for food' excludes laundering instead?
  20. Response'For you' already allows laundering, so 'for food' excludes the poultice
  21. ChallengeWhy include laundering but exclude the poultice?