Saturday, September 16, 2006

Daf Yomi - Sukkah 14/15 - Small Sukkah Big Sukkah

The Gemara had previously stated that Bais Shammai and Bais Hillel disagree regarding the minimum dimensions that are required for the Sukkah to be valid. Bais Shammai maintains that the Sukkah must be large enough to accommodate ones head, most of his body and his table. The minimum measurement that can accomodate this is seven by seven tefachim.

The Rif rules in accordance with Bais Shamai and adds that the reason for this halacha is because of the concern that the sukkah is so small, he will be drawn out of the sukkah. This is also the reasoning to explain why in a large sukkah that has the table outside the sukkah, Bais Shamai maintains that one cannot fulfill his obligation there.

There is an interesting argument in the Acharonim based on this Rif. If one is dwelling in a sukkah which is smaller than seven by seven tefachim and his table is situated in a large sukkah which is adjacent to the small one. Reb Akiva Eiger (Mishnayos Sukkah 2:7) rules that one can fulfill his obligation as the injunction of leaving his sukkah does not apply in this instance, for even if he leaves he will leave to the large sukkah. Bais Halevi (3:53:1) disagrees and maintains that he does not fulfill his obligation for once Bais Shamai ruled that a sukkah which is smaller than the required amount is invalid, this rule applies in all circumstances.

What would be the halacha in the reverse case? If one is dwelling in a large sukkah that does not have a table in it (which Bais Shamai rules that the sukkah is invalid), and the table is situated in a small sukkah directly adjacent to it, what would be the halacha?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cute!!!
Let me try my hand at this one. According to Reb Akiva Eiger, it should be good, for even if he leaves the big succah, he will go to the small one and there he will leave to the big one and then he will .... etc. so perhaps it is o.k., however acc to beis halevi, i'd say it's no good for the gezeira applies in all cases.

However, i repeat, the shaila is cute.

Anonymous said...

Hey Moish, get a hold of yourself - youre having too much fun here. How can it be good according to Reb Akiva Eiger? There at least there is one sukkah that's valid, namely the large one with the table, however in Dafnotes' case, there is no valid sukkah at all - not the small one and not the big one for the big one doesnt have a table in it?