Sukkah

that it was necessary to insert the threads in one corner at a time, which was not the case here, therefore he informed us [that it was not so]. It was objected: If he hung them1 and did not cut their ends, they are invalid. Does not this mean invalid for ever,2 and is thus a refutation of Rab?-[No!] Rab can answer: What is the meaning of ‘invalid’? Invalid until they are cut. Samuel, however, says, [It means] invalid for ever. And so said Levi, They are invalid for ever. And so said R. Mattenah in the name of Samuel: They are invalid for ever. Another version is that R. Mattenah said, A [similar] incident happened to me, and when I came before Samuel he told me, They are invalid for ever. It was objected: If he inserted them3 and then cut their ends, they are invalid; and it was also taught concerning a Sukkah: Thou shalt make4 [implies] but not from that which is already made, hence they5 inferred, If one trained a vine or a gourd or ivy [over the walls of a Sukkah] and then covered them with the Sukkah-covering it is invalid. Now, how is this to be understood? If you say that it is a case where one did not cut them,6 why then give the reason because of ‘"Thou shalt make" [implies] but not from that which is already made’? Let him rather give the reason that they are joined to the ground? Consequently it must be a case where he cut them,6 and yet it is taught that it is invalid. Deduce then, therefrom that we do not say that their cutting6 is their [valid] preparation. And is not this then a refutation of Rab?Rab can answer that there we are dealing with a case where he pulled them [from the trunk]7 so that their ‘making’ is not apparent. At all events, [does not the case where] ‘he inserted them and then cut their ends’8 present a difficulty against Rab?9 — It is a difficulty. Can we say that [their dispute10 accords with a dispute of] Tannas? [As we have learnt], If one transgressed and11 plucked them,12 [the myrtle is still] invalid, so R. Simeon b. Jehozadak, while the Sages declare it valid. Now they13 were of the opinion that everyone14 agrees that [the components of] a lulab15 must be tied together, and that we deduce [the law of] lulab from that of Sukkah, concerning which it is written ‘thou shalt make’, [which implies]’but not from what which is made’. Do they [then] not dispute on this principle, that the one who declared it16 valid is of the opinion that with regard to the Sukkah we say that ‘their cutting is their [valid] preparation’, and [therefore] with regard to lulab also we say that their plucking is their [valid] preparation; while the one who declares it invalid is of the opinion that with regard to the Sukkah we do not say that ‘their cutting is their valid preparation’, and [therefore] with regard to lulab also we do not say that their plucking is their [valid] preparation?17 — No! Everyone may agree that with regard to the Sukkah we do not say that their cutting is their [valid] preparation, but here they differ on the principle whether we deduce the law of lulab from that of Sukkah. The one who declares it16 valid is of the opinion that we do not deduce lulab from Sukkah, while the one who declares it invalid says that we do deduce lulab from sukkah. And if you wish you may say that if we were of the opinion that18 the [components of the] lulab must be tied together,19 [we must admit that] all agree that we do deduce the law of lulab from that of Sukkah,20 but here they dispute on the following: One Master21 holds the opinion that it22 must be tied together23 while the other holds that it need not be tied together; and their dispute is analogous to that of the following Tannas of whom it has been taught: A lulab, whether [its components] be tied together or not, is valid, while R. Judah says, If tied together it is valid, if not, it is invalid.24 What is the reason of R. Judah?-He deduces the word ‘take’25 from the word ‘take’ mentioned in connection with the bundle of hyssop. It is written there, And ye shall take a bundle of hyssop,26 and it is written here, And ye shall take you on the first day etc.27 Just as there it was taken in a ‘bundle,28 so here also it must be taken in a bundle.28 And the Rabbis?29 — They do not deduce ‘take’ from ‘take’.30 According to whom is that which has been taught, It is a religious duty to tie [the components of] the lulab together, but if one did not tie them, it is [still] valid? If it is according to R. Judah, why is it valid if one does not tie them, and if it is according to the Sages, why is it ‘a religious duty’?31 -It is in fact according to the Rabbis, but [it is a religious duty]31 since it is written, This is my God and I will glorify him32 [which implies] glorification33 before Him in [the due performance of] religious duties. THIS IS THE GENERAL RULE: WHATEVER IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO [RITUAL] UNCLEANLINESS etc. Whence do we know this?Resh Lakish said: Scripture says, But there went up a mist from the earth;34 just as a mist is a thing that is not susceptible to [ritual] uncleanliness and originates from the soil, so must [the covering of] the Sukkah35 [consist of] a thing that is not susceptible to [ritual] uncleanliness, and grow from the soil. That is satisfactory according to the authority who says that [the booths of the wilderness were] clouds of glory, but according to the authority who says [the Israelites] made for themselves real booths, what can one say?36 For it has been taught: For I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths,37 These38 were clouds of glory, so R. Eliezer. R. Akiba says, They made for themselves real booths. Now this39 is satisfactory according to R. Eliezer, but according to R. Akiba, what can one say?36 — When R. Dimi came,40 he explained in the name of R. Johanan, Scripture says, The Festival [hag] of Sukkoth thou shalt keep.41 The Sukkah is thus42 compared to the Festival [offering].43 Just as the Festival offering is a thing which is not susceptible to [ritual] uncleanliness and grows from the soil,44 so the Sukkah must be unsusceptible to [ritual] uncleanliness and grow from the soil. berries; but it is forbidden in the Festival to remove any of the berries though this may well be done on a weekday. together of the plants is regarded as analogous to the preparation of a Sukkah. regarded as ‘making and the myrtle is invalid. berries during the festival is of no avail since at that time the wreath is already made. it can be traced through a chain of uninterrupted tradition from Moses. ground.