Succah 6a

סוכה ו׳ ע״א

Sukkah 6a

Learn Succah 6a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The verse of the seven species as an אסמכתא for שיעורין, and whether שיעורין and חציצין are הלכה למשה מסיני

Overview

Our amud continues a list built on the verse 'ארץ חטה ושעורה וגפן ותאנה ורמון ארץ זית שמן ודבש'. Each food in the verse is linked to a halachic measurement (שיעור). חטה is the time of אכילת פרס in a בית המנוגע, measured with wheat bread. שעורה is a barley-sized bone of a מת, גפן is a רביעית of wine for a נזיר, and תאנה is a גרוגרת for carrying on שבת. רמון is a pomegranate-sized hole in a vessel, זית shows that most measurements are a כזית, and דבש is a large date for eating on יום הכפורים. The גמרא then asks whether this list proves the שיעורין are written Torah law, against רב's statement that they are הלכה למשה מסיני. It answers that the sizes are not actually written in the verse: they are a tradition from סיני, and the verse is only an אסמכתא. Next the גמרא challenges רב's claim about חציצין, since a verse already teaches that nothing may block the water during immersion. It first answers that the tradition is about knotted hair, following רבה בר בר חנה. When hair also turns out to be included in the verse, the גמרא begins a new answer based on רבי יצחק, whose words continue on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (16)

1. StatementA person wearing his clothes in a בית המנוגע: he is impure at once, his clothes only after a delay
2. StatementThe אכילת פרס time is measured with wheat bread eaten reclining with a relish
3. StatementBarley hints to the barley-sized bone of a dead body
4. StatementThe vine hints to a רביעית of wine for a נזיר
5. StatementThe fig hints to the dried-fig size for carrying on שבת
6. StatementPomegranate: the size of a hole that makes a homeowner's vessel broken
7. StatementOlive: a land whose measurements are olive-sized
8. ChallengeHow can all measurements be olive-sized?
9. ResolutionCorrection: most measurements are olive-sized
10. StatementHoney: the large date, the measure for eating on יום הכפורים
11. ChallengeSo the measurements come from the Torah itself?
12. ResolutionThe measurements are a tradition from Sinai; the verse is only a hint
13. ChallengeBlockages in immersion seem to come from the Torah
14. ResolutionThe tradition is about blockages in the hair
15. ChallengeHair is also included in the verse
16. ResolutionA new answer based on רבי יצחק begins