Sukkah 014

1:
The first clause of our mishnah presents two shapes that can invalidate a sukkah. Firstly, a sukkah in the shape of a cone. We must imagine a sukkah whose panels gradually bend inwards towards each other, coming together in a point. It makes no difference whether such a sukkah has four sides or is round: since effectively it does not have a roof it is invalid, even if the upper part of the hut consists of valid s^ekhakh.

2:
The second shape that is invalidated is what we would call today a lean-to. The upper part of the panel of the sukkah is bent until it abuts the wall of a building, which serves as a panel of the sukkah as well. Even if the part of the panel that bends inwards is, in fact, thatching it makes no difference: effectively, such a sukkah does not have a roof and is invalid.

3:
It must seem strange that in my explanation I have accepted the view of Rabbi Eli'ezer against that of the rest of the sages. This must seem strange, because it contradicts a general rule that we have often encountered: when the view of an individual sage differs from that of the rest of the sages his view is rejected. And in this present case Rabbi Eli'ezer disagrees with the rest of the sages. However, in the Gemara [Sukkah 19b] we read as follows:

So, in this particular case halakhah has been decided according to the view of Rabbi Eli'ezer as presented in our mishnah, which is, in fact, the view of the sages according to a barayta.

4:
The 'bridal bed' in which Rav Yosef sleeps in his sukkah is a bed which has a decorative canopy draped over a pole which runs the length of the bed. We encountered such a bed in sukkah 007. Abbayyé is surprised because in using a bed that is covered with a curtain that intervenes between it and the sukkah roof surely Rav Yosef is creating a tent-like structure which intervenes between himself and the s^ekhakh of the sukkah. (This is why, in sukkah 010, I was hesitant about the explanations offered there — mosquito netting etc.)

5:
The Gemara also notes:

In other words, if there is even a small part of the panel that is obviously different from the s^ekhakh this validates the whole sukkah.

6:
We now come to the issue of reed mats, as promised in sukkah 012. A reed mat that has been made specifically for the purpose of serving as s^ekhakh for a sukkah is valid. A reed mat that was originally made for sleeping on is a utensil and as such can contract ritual impurity and therefore cannot serve as s^ekhakh. The sages assume that a small reed mat could not serve as bedding or a pallet and therefore it is not necessary to specifically announce that it is intended as s^ekhakh; whereas a large reed mat would normally serve as a pallet and therefore it must be designated as s^ekhakh while it is being manufactured. Rabbi Eli'ezer (whose opinion is not accepted halakhah) holds that regardless of the size of the mat it must be specifically designated in order to serve as valid s^ekhakh.

7:
Such reed mats are used by very many people today as s^ekhakh. In Israel they are called 'perpetual s^ekhakh' or 'permanent s^ekhakh'.

8:
This concludes our study of the first chapter of Tractate Sukkah. This chapter dealt with the main issues involved in the construction of a sukkah. It will perhaps be useful if we recapitulate the main points learned in this chapter (but bear in mind that the list is not exhaustive).

• A sukkah can have four, three or two and one half panels. It can also be round. However, a cone-shaped sukkah or a lean-to (which do not have a proper roof) are invalid.
• The sukkah may not be more than 20 cubits high.
• The sukkah may be erected at any time of the year, but the s^ekhakh must be laid specifically before the festival. The amount of shade afforded by the s^ekhakh must be greater than the amount of sunlight that penetrates through it.
• The sukkah must not be erected underneath a tree (nor may anything such as netting or sheeting come between those using the sukkah and the s^ekhakh).
• The s^ekhakh must be from something that grew in the ground and has been cut from the ground. Anything that has been manufactured into a utensil may not be used.
• Wooden planks may be used provided that the space between each plank is as great as or wider than the plank itself.
• The panels of a sukkah may be 'bent inwards' but no gap larger than four handbreadths between the panels and the s^ekhakh is permitted.
• Permanent s^ekhakh (reed matting) is permitted.

In sukkah 011 I responded to a suggestion by Mark Lehrman. Albert Ringer sees it differently:

If I understand the commentaries to the mishna well, they take only the topmost thing in consideration for making something a valid sukkah or not. If one places a sukka under a tree, the original shakh is of no importance, it is just as the mosquito net over your bed. What counts, is the tree. That might be the reason that none of the commentaries speak about the tree it in Mark’s way.