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Succah 8b

סוכה ח׳ ע״ב

Sukkah 8b

Learn Succah 8b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The end of the math for רבי יוחנן's round סוכה, the potters' booths and מזוזה, and the two ברייתות (גנב״ך and רקב״ש) that a סוכה is כשרה no matter who built it, if its roof gives shade

Overview

This amud opens by finishing a calculation from the previous amud about how big a round סוכה must be, according to רבי יוחנן. The גמרא then notes that the math overestimates the real size. Next, רבי לוי in the name of רבי מאיר teaches about two potters' booths, one inside the other. The inner one is a year-round home, so it needs a מזוזה but is not a valid סוכה. The outer one is a valid סוכה and needs no מזוזה. The outer booth is not treated as a gatehouse because the booths are not permanent. Two ברייתות, remembered as גנב״ך and רקב״ש, teach that booths built by or for גוים, women, animals, כותים, shepherds, fig-driers, and guards are all כשרה. רב חסדא explains that the roof must be made for shade, and each ברייתא's 'any kind' includes the other list. The גמרא explains that one תנא names the permanent booths outright, while the other names outright the booths whose builders are obligated in the מצוה.

Opening lines

רִיבּוּעָא דְּנָפֵיק מִגּוֹ עִיגּוּלָא — פַּלְגָא.

A square that fits inside a circle: (the circle is larger by) half.

וְלָא הִיא,

But it is not so,

דְּהָא קָחָזֵינַן דְּלָא הָוֵי כּוּלֵּי הַאי.

for we see that it is not that much.

אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי מֵאִיר:

Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Meir:

The steps (17)

  1. StatementA circle around a square is half again the square's perimeter
  2. RejectionReal-world observation: the circle is not that much bigger
  3. StatementTwo potters' booths, one inside the other
  4. ChallengeWhy isn't the outer booth like a gatehouse?
  5. ResolutionBecause it is not permanent
  6. StatementA סוכה is kosher no matter who built it, if its covering is proper
  7. QuestionWhat does 'properly' mean?
  8. Responseרב חסדא: it must be made for shade
  9. QuestionWhat does 'any kind' add?
  10. ResponseIt includes the רקב״ש booths
  11. StatementThe ברייתא of shepherds' and watchmen's booths
  12. QuestionWhat does 'properly' mean in this second list?
  13. ResponseSame answer: made for shade
  14. QuestionWhat does 'any kind' add in this second list?
  15. ResponseIt includes the גנב״ך booths
  16. ResponseWhy the first תנא names the גנב״ך booths outright
  17. ConclusionWhy the second תנא names the רקב״ש booths outright