Siman - Succah Daf 8
- סוכה העשויה ככבשן
On Daf 7b Rebbe Yochanan said: סוכה העשויה ככבשן – a succah that is made round like an oven, if there is enough space in the circumference to seat twenty-four people, it is valid. The Gemara asks who this teaching is like. If it goes according to Rebbe, who holds that a succah must be four by four amos, the measurement is not accurate, since a person occupies a space of an amah, and it is known כל שיש בו בהקיפו שלשה טפחים יש בו רוחב טפח – that any circular object whose circumference is three tefachim, has a diameter of one tefach. According to Rebbe, to yield a width of four amos, a circumference of twelve amos should suffice? The Gemara on this Daf goes through an extensive analysis of the measurements, and concludes that Rebbe Yochanan’s case was where the twenty-four people are sitting outside the circle, and Rebbe Yochanan rounded off the measurements for a slightly larger circle than would fit the required square. The Gemara presents an alternative explanation, as well.
- שתי סוכות של יוצרים זו לפנים מזו
Rebbe Levi reported in the name of Rebbe Meir, שתי סוכות של יוצרים זו לפנים מזו – Two potters huts, one within the other, הפנימית אינה סוכה וחייבת במזוזה והחיצונה סוכה ופטורה מן המזוזה – the inner one is not a valid succah and is chayav in mezuzah, while the outer one is a valid succah, and is patur from mezuzah. Rashi explains that it was common that the inner hut would serve as the potter’s dwelling as well as a place to store finished pottery, while the outer hut would be his workshop, as well as the place to sell his wares. The Gemara asks why the outer hut is patur from mezuzah, since it can be considered a gatehouse for the inner hut, and be chayav in mezuzah, and answers משום דלא קביע – because a potter’s hut is not a permanent structure. Rashi explains that the inner hut is considered too inconsequential to view a room which leads to it as a “gatehouse.”
- סוכות גנב'ך ורקב'ש
The Gemara brings two Baraisos that each present a group of succahs that are valid. The first group is referred to as the גנב'ך group, which is a siman for: סוכת גוים סוכת נשים סוכת בהמה וסוכת כותים – The succah made for nochrim to live in during the summer, for women to weave in, for animals to have shade, and a succah made by Kusim. The second Baraisa presents סוכת רקב'ש – which is a siman for: סוכת רועים סוכת קייצים סוכת בורגנין וסוכת שומרי פרות – a succah of shepherds, for fig watchers, city watchmen and produce watchers. Each Baraisa states that their succos, and inferior succos as well, are kosher, if they are covered k’halachah, which Rav Chisda defines as being built for shade.
The Gemara clarifies that each Tanna referred to the other group as inferior and explains: The Tanna of the גנב'ך group considers his succos as being superior, since they are permanent, whereas the huts of the רקב'ש group are inferior, since they are temporary. Rashi explains that the flocks move from place to place, and the produce is eventually taken from the field. The Tanna of the רקב'ש group holds they are superior, since בני חיובא נינהו – they are used by Jewish men who are all chayav in the mitzvah, whereas the dwellers in the גנב'ך group, such as goyim, women, animals and Kusim, are not.
