Siman Succah Daf 12
- חבילי קש והחוטט בגדיש
The next Mishnah states, חבילי קש וחבילי עצים וחבילי זרדין אין מסככין בהן – Bundles of straw, bundles of wood and bundles of cane, may not be used for s’chach while they are bound together. וכולן שהתירן כשרות – But once he untied them, they are valid for s’chach. Rebbe Yaakov said that he heard two explanations from Rebbe Yochanan for two Mishnayos, but he could not remember which explanation goes with which Mishnah. One Mishnah, is this one, regarding tied bundles, and the other Mishnah, teaches: החוטט בגדיש לעשות לו סוכה אינה סוכה – If one hollows out a haystack to make a succah, it is not a succah .
Rebbe Yirmiyah clarifies, based on a statement said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan, that the reason why the tied bundles may not be used for s’chach is משום גזירת אוצר – because of a Rabbinic decree against the use of a storage house. There are times when a person returns from the field in the evening, with his bundle on his shoulder, and he places it on top of his hut to dry it, and later, when succos arrives, he changes his mind and decides to use it as s’chach. Since this s’chach is invalid because of תעשה ולא מן העשוי, the Rabbanon wanted to prevent people from using such s’chach, and they therefore prohibited using bundles of any kind, even those placed on the succah to provide shade. The explanation for why the hollowed-out haystack is passul, is because of the d’Oraysa of תעשה ולא מן העשוי.
- סככה בחיצין זכרים כשרה בנקבות פסולה
Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: סככה בחיצין זכרים כשרה בנקבות פסולה – If one covered a succah with “male” arrow-shafts, it is kosher, but if he covered it with “female” arrow-shafts, it is passul. A male arrow-shaft has a solid tip that is inserted into the arrowhead, whereas the female arrow-shaft has a cavity in which the arrow-head is inserted. Rashi explains that even though both are considered keilim, the male arrow-shaft is not mekabel tumah because it is made from wood and has no בית קיבול – receptacle. Flat wooden keilim are not mekabel tumah and therefore can be used as s’chach. Female arrow-shafts have a cavity and therefore are mekabel tumah, and therefore cannot be used as s’chach. Even though these halachos are obvious, the Gemara explains that with the first halacha , of סככה בחיצין זכרים כשרה, Rav was coming to teach that we are not gozeir against male shafts because of female shafts. And with the second halacha, of בנקבות פסולה, he was coming to clarify that one might have said בית קיבול העשוי למלאות לא שמיה קיבול – a receptacle made to be filled permanently, is not considered a receptacle, and since the female arrow-shaft is to be filled permanently, it should not be considered a receptacle and therefore is not mekabel tumah. Therefore, Rav teaches that it is considered a receptacle and cannot be used as s’chach.
- Using ferns and artemisia herbs for s’chach
Rav Yehudah said: הני שושי ושווצרי מסככין בהו – One may use ferns and artemisia herbs for s’chach. Rashi explains that while foods are mekabel tumah and not fit for s’chach, these herbs are not fit for consumption and are therefore not mekabel tumah. Abaye said that one may use ferns for s’chach but not artemisia herbs, כיון דסרי ריחייהו שביק להו ונפיק – since their odor is offensive, one will abandon the succah and leave.
