Sukkah

[MISHNAH. BETH SHAMMAI DECLARE AN OLD SUKKAH1 INVALID,2 BUT BETH HILLEL PRONOUNCE IT VALID. WHAT IS AN OLD SUKKAH? ONE MADE THIRTY DAYS BEFORE THE FESTIVAL; BUT IF ONE MADE IT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE FESTIVAL, EVEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, IT IS VALID. GEMARA. What is Beth Shammai's reason?3 -Scripture says, The festival of Sukkoth, for seven days unto the Lord,4 [implying therefore] a Sukkah made expressly for the sake of the Festival. And Beth Hillel?5 - They need that [verse] for the same deduction as that of R. Shesheth, R. Shesheth having said in the name of R. Akiba, Whence do we know that the wood of the Sukkah is forbidden6 all the seven [days of the Festival]? From Scripture which states, ‘The Festival of Sukkoth, seven days to the Lord’; and it was taught, R. Judah b. Bathyra says: Just as the Name of Heaven rests upon the Festival offering,7 so does it rest upon the Sukkah, since it is said, ‘The Festival of Sukkoth, seven days to the Lord’: just as the Festival [offering] is ‘to the Lord’, so is the sukkah also ‘to the Lord’. And Beth Shammai also, do not they need the verse for this deduction?-Yes, indeed. What then is Beth Shammai's reason?8 -There is another Scriptural verse. Thou shalt make9 the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days.10 This implies a sukkah made expressly for the sake of the Festival. And Beth Hillel?11 -They need this [verse for the deduction] that a sukkah may be made in the intermediate days of the Festival.12 And Beth Shammai? — They hold the same opinion as R. Eliezer, who laid down that no sukkah may be made in the intermediate days of the Festival.13 Do not Beth Hillel, however, agree with the statement Rab Judah cited in the name of Rab: If a man made [zizith]14 from the hanging web or woof,15 or sewing threads,16 they are invalid;17 but if he made them from a tuft [sewn to a garment]18 they are valid.19 When I repeated this in the presence of Samuel,20 he said to me, Even if made from a tuft [sewn to a garment] they are also not valid, because21 it is necessary that the weaving22 shall be done specifically for its purpose?23 Here too then we should require a Sukkah24 to be made specifically for its purpose?25 — [Zizith are] different, since Scripture says, Thou shalt make to thee twisted cords:26 ‘to thee’ [means] for the specific purpose of thy obligation. But here also [Scripture says], ‘The Festival of Sukkoth thou shalt make to thee’, ‘to thee’ meaning for the specific purpose of thy obligation? That [phrase]27 is needed to exclude a stolen [Sukkah].28 But in the other case too it27 is needed to exclude stolen [zizith]? — In that case there is another verse, [that serves the purpose], And they shall make to them,29 i.e., of their own. Sukkoth.